The eBay example I gave was only $25 - less than £50. And there are used ones available for auction at less.
I admit that seems like a lot for something you may only use once - but if it is a very poor fit, you may need to do it multiple times, because the boot will keep returning to a less stretched version. Be sure not to leave the boots in a hot car, or anywhere else hot - that will undo any stretching you do.
It is possible you might have a slight smell when baking the boot. Here is what Graf sent me on 4/8/2015:
We do not suggest baking your skates at home, since all ovens are different and we cannot predict how each one will work.
That being said, retailer heating instructions are as follows:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
-Place boots in oven, allow boots to be heated for 3 minutes (less if they are JR 9035's) -Remove boots from oven and check that the boots have reached proper molding temperature -To ensure proper molding temperature, check the heel counter pliability. This is done by squeezing the outside of the heel counter. It should be soft and flexible, not stiff.
-Once the boot is hot enough to mold, place on the athlete's foot. Make sure the athlete kicks the heel back hard into the heel counter.
-Tie the skate snug, but do not over tighten.
-Keep skates on for approximately 15 minutes, or until they no longer feel warm.
-Untie the skates. The skates are now game ready once they have been cooled off to room temperature.
-It is very important that at no time the athlete stands or applies any pressure to the heated boot so that the skate can take shape to the foot in lock position.
-Any pressure points that remain after heat fitting can be pressed out using a ball and ring press.
-You can bake your skates more than once if need be.
1. 180 degrees is in Fahrenheit - about 82 degrees Centigrade.
2. Cooking ovens vary a lot - they may cycle up and down about 25 degrees Fahrenheit (about 14 degrees centigrade) from the set temperature, and are often set incorrectly by an additional 25 - 50 degrees Fahrenheit. So cooking ovens aren't a good idea.
3. The temperatures and times indicated may only be for one brand and type of boot. Other boots have other temperatures and times.
4. As a compromise, aim your hair drier at high setting at an oven thermometer, fairly close, long enough for it to come to a definite temperature. You will probably get a temperature somewhat less than 180; if you though get over 180, increase the distance from the drier. Once you get 180 or below, you can safely aim the drier, at the same distance, at the boot, for about the 3 minutes indicated. The inside of the boot is most important. If you want to take some risk, start by warming the outside for 30-45 seconds, then warm the outside for about 3 minutes, to make up for the fact that the hair drier can't warm up both at once.
5. Remember to put something next to your toes, so that the boot pushes out a little more than you need there.
6. I just re-heat-molded one of mine, because I accidentally left them in a hot car. They molded fairly well at about 165 degrees. (The hottest of 3 hand-held hair driers I tried.) It wasn't quite as pliable as I wanted, but I tied the boot very tight, as fast as I could, before it could any cooler.
7. If your hair drier gets significantly less hot, you may not get anywhere. Borrow someone else's, or try a bathroom hand drier.
8. I suggested in a prior post that you remove the insoles to make space. But I notice that the construction nails poke through on the bottom of my boots - you may need to have some insole, perhaps one a little thinner, so the nails don't press against your skin!
9. The comment:
-It is very important that at no time the athlete stands or applies any pressure to the heated boot so that the skate can take shape to the foot in lock position.
I'm not sure that applies in your case. Putting weight on the foot flattens it, and widens it - which may be exactly what you want.
9. As always, there are no guarantees. It is of course possible to damage your boot if you do something wrong.