Lacing question for wide problem feet

First post, first question, so please take it easy.

I'm looking for information about some of the different lacing configurations that are out there. I understand that straight bar lacing is traditional for oxfords, not for Bluchers, but I tried it on a pair of Bluchers nonetheless looking for something that would be easier on my feet. It was indeed looser in the forefoot, which is where my problem lies, so that seemed good. I have two concerns about it.

1. When walking it flexes a little differently and I feel something "touch" just above the little toe, right about the bottom of the part with eyelets.

2. I think I read that bar lacing pulls on the shoe and that Bluchers can't stand up to it and will, I guess twist or something. Is that the case? These shoes aren't the greatest, but I don't want to ruin better shoes in the future.

EDIT: Oh yeah, assuming that I'm better off not using bar lacing on my Bluchers - does anyone have recommendations for a lacing pattern that will take the stress off the forefoot and be suitable for Bluchers?

Thanks for any help,
Mike

where are the descriptions of different types of lacing? I just lace my shoes up normal, probably, ruining them all.

I found the diagrams on this site: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace
but had already seen references to a couple of the methods on this forum. Be warned, for some reason, only my Mac at home can actually see the shoe lace web site. My Windows computers don't give me anything. Even so, if you do an image search in google for shoelace patterns you can see most of the diagrams. He does them with one half of the lace yellow and the other half blue so you can tell which is which all the way up.

Really, nobody? I didn't think it was so esoteric that no one would have thought about it before. May too boring?

I always use bar lacing cos IMO it just looks better.

And if 'better' shoes are in potential ruin purely because of lacing then I question what criteria are necessary to be considered 'better'.

This statement:

Originally Posted by DWFII

Click to expand...

The more I think about this, the more I suspect that there is a simple answer to all this...or at least a "work-around."

Derbies are traditionally laced with a criss-cross lacing method. This not only exerts an even pull on each side but it would visually camouflage any misalignment.

In almost every photo posted in this topic, the shoe is laced with a "shoe shop" (or "saw tooth" or "bar") lacing technique--far more suitable, and traditional for oxfords.

Oxford lacing tends to exert more upward pressure on one side of the vamp than the other. And if there's any tendency for the quarters to move around ...like"tectonic plates"...oxford lacing would only exaggerate this effect.

I'd like to see a pair of new derbies (before any distortion in the quarters has had a chance to set) laced both ways on an actual foot. I think it might be revealing.

Traditions are almost always based on some sort of wisdom.

In this thread: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...=197865&page=5

Is one of the ones that made me think that bar lacing might not be good for Derbies/Bluchers.

Granted, I'm not really sure where the "quarters" stop.

I don't know whether you'd view Alden as "better" shoes, but I'm not buying anything better that Alden or Allen Edmonds any time soon. (Heck, I'm in Academia, maybe never )

Anyway, if there's a compromise lacing pattern, I'd want to go with it, and the wealth of information on this forum about such issues is one of the reasons I read it.

Mike