# Holes in socks. what to do with them?



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When I was single I oftern wondered why all my married friend seemed to wear socks with holes in the toes and heels.

Even today I hate to have socks to wear with holes in them, but know know why my married friends wore them.
Seems socks are some thing wives don't want their men to by and spend good money on good socks.

I wear holes in the heals real quick on my wool blend hunting socks< suppose that is because those are really thick and allow my foot to flex in my pac boots.
My work socks seem to all get holes in the toes, I have no idea why that is. My wife says it is because my toe nails are sharp but I myself try to keep then trimmed short and try to smooth them off a lot.

Also back when i was single I had time to set aside to set down with a neddle and thread and sew up holes in the toes but can't seem to find the time now.
Any way there has to be a use for those socks with holes in them?
Doing a search I found You tubes with Idea but those are a joke really as I didn't see even one sock they recycled with a hole in the toes or heel. 
All I saw is maybe a left over sock after the dryer ate the other so there was no matching pairs.







 Al


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Fill one with sulphur powder, tie the end with a rubber band and hang it on a hook in your garage. Smack your boots, cuffs and belt line a few times before going out in the spring. Helps keep the ticks from free ranging on you.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

slip a short piece of 2x4 inside a sock and use it for wet sanding drywall mud.

I have tons of socks now. I have a nephew who won't wear socks more that twice. so every once in awhile I get a large bag full of socks. luckily he buys all the same kind, so matching them is not a problem.
before I was married, if I got a hole in the toe, I would just pull the sock down enough to fold the front of the sock back over my toes.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Single guys can afford new socks


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

I bought 5 pair yesterday, and my wife stood right there and watched.


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## Farmerjack41 (Jun 6, 2017)

I mend mine. My right , big toe sticks more up than straight, so wear socks out there. No problem getting needle and thread out and getting the job done.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Farmerjack41 said:


> I mend mine. My right , big toe sticks more up than straight, so wear socks out there. No problem getting needle and thread out and getting the job done.


How much you charge per sock? I wear out the heel


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Socks are what I bought my self for Christmas. They were not cheap either.

But they have reinforced toes and heels. 
No she wasn't happy but thought it would be better than my not wearing any socks at all.
These usually last me around 4 years.

https://www.duluthtrading.com/mens-...r=GRA#feature=mn10&start=4&cgid=mens-footwear

 Al


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Wife- "What do you want for Christmas this year?"
Husband- "Nothing special. Same as always, socks and underwear."
Wife- "I'm not buying you underwear and socks."
Husband- "Why? You asked me what I wanted and I told you. I need them."
Wife- "Have your mother buy your socks and underwear. I'm not your mother."
Husband - "Don't I buy you underwear?"
Wife - "Not at tractor supply."
Husband -"Don't I buy you nice panty hose?"
Wife- "Not at tractor supply."
Husband - "Fine. Get them at Victoria's Secret then. White boxers, 52XX and make sure the socks are black and shin high; I hate the way the ankle socks feel."


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

I don't like socks with holes.
I used to fight the hole around to where it didn't bother, but anymore, I just get new socks every so often.
I like the white tube socks with the gray bottoms.
I don't know if they are cotton, but you could use them to make char cloth. That's what I do with my old t-shirts. (Or I just throw them away)


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Cornhusker said:


> I don't like socks with holes.
> I used to fight the hole around to where it didn't bother, but anymore, I just get new socks every so often.
> I like the white tube socks with the gray bottoms.
> I don't know if they are cotton, but you could use them to make char cloth. That's what I do with my old t-shirts. (Or I just throw them away)


Nooooo! Old t-shirts get relegated to the rag collection in the garage. Eventually, the t-shirt rags will get so oily you wouldn't have to use them for char cloth. They'll ignite instantly due to the oil stains.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

AmericanStand said:


> Single guys can afford new socks


24 new white cotton socks each year. Just throw the old ones out.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Can always use them for checking oil on my cars.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

I fly a lot between trips I find it a good time to cull old clothing on those trips where you’re not allowed not even carry-on luggage


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Am I the only person left that polishes boots?


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

whiterock said:


> Am I the only person left that polishes boots?


Nope. Any English rider knows the value of a spit shine on their tall boots.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I buy a large pack every year from Duluth Trading. As they wear out they become dog toys. I could send them back to Duluth for replacements, but it seems like cheating.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

whiterock said:


> Am I the only person left that polishes boots?


Nope, I got my dad's shoe shining kit.
Back then he had new soles put on too.
I have one expensive pair of dress shoes that I had new soles put on about five years ago at the last shoe repair shop I knew of.
I can put a shine on those like new.
I have mink oil and other products for work boots.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

And as to socks, that is an obsession. 
No holes, I probably have 100 pairs of wool blend, cotton, Realtree, Carhartt, most for outdoors and boots, I think two pairs dress socks.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

How many and where holes appear in your socks can depend a lot on the way you walk and the fit of your shoes or boots. 

Everyone - male and female - should know how to darn socks but given the poor quality of so many socks today it is often not worth it as the surrounding fabric is just as weak as where the holes appeared. And of course darning badly just adds uncomfortable lumps and bumps in your socks.

I used to spend quiet winter afternoons in front of the fire darning socks but after over 40 years that got very old and sore hands made it a real chore so now I don't. 

We double up on our holey socks in winter. Use thinner ones inside the thicker ones. They are great for dusting and some cleaning jobs. We also make cat mice toys out of them. Fly through the air like little flying saucers for the cats to chase and hunt and soft bouncing off the walls and washable. Just start rolling the sock into a donut shape from the top down. These also make nice cushions under chair legs that scratch the floor.


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## alida (Feb 8, 2015)

I remember my mother knitting new heels and toes for my Dad's wool work socks with doubled yarn for extra cushioning. She stopped doing that when socks became thinner, had more synthetics in them, and it became too difficult to unpick the yarn. She went to darning holes in the toes instead for awhile, and then Dad sometimes just doubled up,with the holey sock over a good one for cushioning in his steel toe work boots. I did learn to darn, but never grasped knitting socks, much less knitting new toes or heels for them.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I remember Grandma darning socks. She taught me and I can darn the heels or toes of old fashioned thick wool socks. But modern socks are pretty much done once they develop a hole. Hubby wears out the area in the ball of his foot, a place where it would be too uncomfortable if it was patched. Socks don't cost that much money, considering how much your whole body depends on the health of your feet. About $25 worth of socks every year isn't really that expensive.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

what I have noticed is if I buy a pair of socks that is supposed to be woolen, the part on the foot is thinner than the part that goes up above my ankle.
I complained to a cousin about this once. about a week later I received a surprise pair of wool socks with thick foot covering. I treasure those socks.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I've heard of some how making throw rugs with them. I would like to try that.

 Al


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

HDRider said:


> I bought 5 pair yesterday, and my wife stood right there and watched.


The horror. I bet she was real mad at you.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

GTX63 said:


> Wife- "What do you want for Christmas this year?"
> Husband- "Nothing special. Same as always, socks and underwear."
> Wife- "I'm not buying you underwear and socks."
> Husband- "Why? You asked me what I wanted and I told you. I need them."
> ...


Not the image I really wanted this morning in my head.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Lisa in WA said:


> Nope. Any English rider knows the value of a spit shine on their tall boots.


And NEVER wear shorts on an English saddle. Them things bite your legs.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

mreynolds said:


> And NEVER wear shorts on an English saddle. Them things bite your legs.


Yeah they do.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Lisa in WA said:


> Yeah they do.


We were in Jamaica wearing shorts of course when my wife got the idea of horseback riding though the mountains. It was a lot of fun but it left marks I tell ya.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

we were never allowed to wear socks with holes when growing up. mom always had a sock going on her needles. I wear wool socks around the house. when they start to wear I either darn them or cut off the leg and knit another foot. cant do it with bought socks anymore.

we use to make rugs from socks that mom would cut along with the other stuff. the wool ones are also good for shining boots,brass etc. I go through an awful lot of socks in a year. I never go shopping without coming home with at least a couple pairs socks because I buy for my son also. ~Georgia


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

alleyyooper said:


> I've heard of some how making throw rugs with them. I would like to try that.
> 
> Al


If you use white socks you could dye batches in different colors. I never thought of making rag rugs with socks. Hubby probably has enough socks stashed around here to do a 5 foot by 10 foot (foot, lol) rug.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

My mom would make braided rugs out of any kind of rags.
first braid long ropes, then sew them together in a circular pattern, 
My brother claims that walking around in the house with just socks on, wears them out fast.
I do it all the time and don't see this happening..


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

I always buy thick padded heel and toe military grade socks and have always darned holes in old ones with the heavy fiber from the two worse worn out socks using a plastic Easter egg that I also store the darning needle and threader in as a darning form.

I also repair holes in my T-shirts unless they are so old and been washed so much they are starting to go sheer and my chest and back hair starts sticking through, I toss them into the car washing rag bag.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Shrek said:


> I always buy thick padded heel and toe military grade socks and have always darned holes in old ones with the heavy fiber from the two worse worn out socks using a plastic Easter egg that I also store the darning needle and threader in as a darning form.
> 
> I also repair holes in my T-shirts unless they are so old and been washed so much they are starting to go sheer and my chest and back hair starts sticking through, I toss them into the car washing rag bag.


do you sew tee shirts or use that fusible fabric you can iron on behind to fix the holes? I swear that stuff is magic.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Lisa in WA said:


> do you sew tee shirts or use that fusible fabric you can iron on behind to fix the holes? I swear that stuff is magic.


 I have used the iron on fusible fabric to patch tears in my fleece lined winter flannel hoodies occasionally when I tore the flannel on a dead sticker brush in passing, but for my T-shirts, I use a needle and thread to keep the repair low profile, especially at the breast pocket corners and more comfortable if the hole is at the arm pit as thread repair doesn't' grab my underarm hair as bad as a iron in patch does.

I always inspect my T-shirts as I take them out of the dryer before folding and rolling them for drawer storage to avoid her finding a arm pit hole and ripping it from 1/2 inch to cantaloupe sized, destroying an otherwise still good $5 pocket T-shirt.

Her ripping open one of my shirts when I could still get the "un-noticeable stich blooper" 3 packs that didn't pass the full QC inspection at Family Dollar for $5 wasn't that big of a deal , but I haven't seen stich blooper packs for about 8 years.

Either they were making and selling too many bloopers and started ragging them at the factory or lowered their QC specification limits to prime pack them all, but either way, T-shirts now cost me three times as much now. LOL


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

I have so many socks. I have them in baskets by colors. Some are at least 30 years old. My husband wore colorful argyle and printed socks I inherited and wear. I mend my socks.
I also shine my riding boots. I have had the heels replaced 3 times. Thankfully my son in law is a boot maker. I have a black ostrich pair of cowboy boots he made, not for me, but one of the kids outgrew them.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Old socks are quickly recycled and used to check the oil in the vehicles, and for polishing my brass and silver things.

In conjunction with old socks, I have a dozen and a half leftover diapers (from back in the day... 27 years ago) that I still use to wash windows and dust with!


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

I solved my sock issues several years ago. I simply quit wearing them. No more holy socks, missing in the laundry socks, or finding dirty socks in the silverware drawer!


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## DebbieJ (Oct 9, 2016)

My husband doesn’t buy under wear or socks. I buy them for him. He does wear holes in the toes of socks due to long, thick, sharp toenails. His fingernails are what every woman wants. Thick, strong and hard to break. His fingernails are thicker than my toenails.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

DebbieJ said:


> My husband doesn’t buy under wear or socks. I buy them for him. He does wear holes in the toes of socks due to long, thick, sharp toenails. His fingernails are what every woman wants. Thick, strong and hard to break. His fingernails are thicker than my toenails.


Kevlar?


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## DebbieJ (Oct 9, 2016)

mreynolds said:


> Kevlar?


No. Just thick nails. I buy his new underwear and socks. I also throw away the underwear that’s worn out. I do repair his socks or use them for cleaning and other things.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

You could write a poem or a song or make a video about them.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Dang diabetes. I cant wear socks more than couple hour or feet get mighty uncomfortable. Usually just wear them when going to town. 

Low carb diet, my feet dont swell anymore, but they sure dont like being confined. Loose fitting leather boots ok. No socks. Rubber boots, again cant stand wearing them for very long.


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