Shoe horn recommendation

[bbshriver]

Ok, I need a suggestion here..
I bought this a while back
http://www.onthefly.com/product/kir...isons-hanger-project-mortimer-shoe-horn/25950

It was beautiful and worked well. That is until this week I didn't pull the laces out enough on some boots, and tried to use the horn to "pry" my foot in... crack.

So now I need a new shoe-horn, but I can't see spending $45 (I think it was $25 when I bought it?), and while I know the prying thing was a dumb idea I'm thinking maybe something other than genuine horn would be preferable. Of course I don't want plastic either, and I don't think wood would be any better than horn. So basically down to metal.

Can anyone recommend a high-quality, nice looking shoe horn at a reasonable (i.e. less than $45) price? I checked Amazon, but always a bit of an unknown quality ordering from there if I don't know a specific brand.

A shoe horn is a bit utilitarian to care about too much, but then I'm picky about stuff... [huh]

 

[Nigel]

I know this doesn't help you much but I made a shoe horn from out of a Highland cow horn that I had. The horn was just the correct shape when trimmed and with a bit of judicious use of sandpaper and then a buffer I was very pleased with the finish, it was almost transparent when finished with excellent grain and patterning. I gave it to my dad but forgot to take some pics. I wish I could make some more, perhaps time to seek out some more horn.

 

[Lefty]

one of my best purchases ever - but I paid less than half on ebay

 

[BinkieBaumont]

IKEA has a shoe horn that costs $3.00

 

[Steveb1]

Joseph Banks has a wooden shoehorn on sale for $10. www.josbank.com Look under accessories.

 

[fluteplayer07]

Brooks Brothers has a very nice one. It's steel wrapped in a very nice dark brown leather. I had the opportunity to use this one (or one quite similar) trying on shoes in their store. The steel core gives it a nice weight in the hand, and the leather makes it more aesthetically pleasing (and unlike horn, if it slips, the end won't slice the shoe's leather, as has happened to one member's pair of shoes). The leather also reduces the wear that metal or horn would likely cause on the heels of shoes.

Cheers,

 

[MB5]

I use a Synovia metal horn I got from Nordstrom. It appears to be chrome plated and the back is stamped Pro Fitter / Made in USA. It is 7-3/8" long and I think it was $10.
It appears to be the same style as this horn from Allen Edmonds which is also $10.
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonlin...0000000001_-1?categoryId=216&top_category=216

 

[Hemingway Jones]

If you buy a pair a shoes at the Allen Edmunds store in Boston they'll give you a shoe horn. It's the one in the photo above. Works for me.

 

[Tomasso]

I like those made from genuine horn; the metal versions seem to scuff up the sock liner and the leather ones are too thick. Plastic....ehh....

 

[bbshriver]

I ended up ordering a buffalo horn one from this place as recommended by someone on SRP
http://www.handicraft-vn.com/shop/s...d-black-buffalo-horn-p-865.html?cPath=148_147