After I’ve built the heels to the correct height, I add the rubber heel cap. Next I pull the lasts out so I can do the final heel shaping.

Or… I try very hard to get the lasts out, fail miserably, stop before I exhaust myself too much, spray water down inside the boots, and wait until tomorrow to try again. Putting water on the pegs makes them swell up and hold tighter, but when they dry completely they’ll become brittle and ideally they will break off and allow me to pull the last out. Send me good wishes for tomorrow.