Is it a medieval torture device? Possibly! In these modern times however, we utilize this nifty device as a focused spot stretch on any leather shoe. This works perfect if you're trying to accommodate a bunion and/or a hammer toe in a new leather shoe. You can also use it to soften tough leather on a new shoe and/or boot. We do this by circling around an area and squeezing the leather between the ball (placed on the inside of the shoe) and the ring (placed on the outside of the shoe with a cloth between the metal and the leather to protect the leather).