Removing boot flap from pads

Hey guys, i've been asking around for the past couple of weeks how to remove the boot flap on my vaughn v4 alec richards pro return pads and the other night i finally built up the nerve to cut my new pads (tested it on my v3 pads first to get the technique down pat). the first thing i noticed is that the pads have the v4 leg channel but the boot flap was detached from the boot strap like the v3's, unlike the stock v4's where they are sewn together (this is a nice mod he had done along with some other great mods he had done that i love).

I was also told this is something Vaughn will do for you when you customer order pads. its called "clean boot"

The first thing that i did to remove the boot flap was to make a cut in the fabric the full length of the flap and opened it up to remove the piece of padding inside. (leave the foam inside because its too hard to remove. just cut it off with the fabric) (see the pic with the red line to see when i made the cut) Once the padding was removed it made it easier to cut the fabric along the seem where flap attaches to the bottom of the pad.

I stopped cutting the fabric on the boot flap along the seem at the none padded part where the boot flap joins the calf wrap then completely remove the flap by cutting the flap between where the two padded parts where to leaving enough fabric to overlap each other so make it easier to sow together afterwards.

The other thing i tired was using crazy glue on the underside of the fabric to help it say together before i sowed it together and it really helped.

The final thing i did i when i had it all down i held a lighter up to the bottom of the pad to remove the little bit of foam and thread left over and crazy glued the tip of the seam to ensure it wouldn't lift off..

Hope this may help someone down the road who would like to do this mod.. it was VERY easy and only took me about 10-15 mins per pad and i've used the pads 4 times since the mod and now i find i can go down into my butterfly easier and my skate moves much more freely than before.

Any updated pics on the cleaned up work? How has it been holding up?

Chris