AE Holt Squeakiness

[kronik]

So.. I purchased the monk from the DSW sale. When I walk, the elastic strap makes this TERRIBLY annoying squeaking noise - anyone else have this problem or know how to stop it?

I've only worn them twice.

 

[Roger]

I know the problem--had it with two pairs of A-E Concords. The squeaking is coming from the underside of the monkstrap rubbing against the tongue and facing (the piece that has the buckle on it) on the outside, and that facing rubbing against the tongue. (It's not coming from the short elastic strip that holds the buckle.) The solution I arrived at (after speaking to the A-E folks, who advised talcum powder--which was an inadequate and very short-term solution at best and was very messy), was velcro! Yes, velcro. I got a roll of the stuff and used only the softer, fuzzy or woolly side. I lined the underside of the monkstrap all the way down to the bottom of the side edge of the tongue on the side where the strap originates (the inner side of the shoe), and out to the end, leaving thin openings for the three holes in the strap. Then I lined the underside of the facing on the outer side of the shoe, again down to the botton of the side edge of the tongue. The application of the velcro strips is pretty easy as they have a sticky side that sticks easily to the sock of the shoe and stays put. This all served to have all friction being between the woolly velcro and polished leather surface, and all squeaking ceased and desisted entirely. The addition of the velcro strips resulted in absolutely no change in the appearance of the shoes; the strips are thin enough so as not to cause the strap or facing to ride up too high. Just make sure that you stop the velcro strips maybe 1/16" back from the edges, and it will be completely invisible. Believe me, this works. Good luck!

 

[grimslade]

Did you try just putting the velco on the underside of the strap?

 

[Roger]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Did you try just putting the velco on the underside of the strap?
Yes, and on some shoes this might be sufficient, as there is a continuum of squeakiness with these A-E monk shoes (had some also, but less, with my casual, rubber-soled monk Saxons--not the current Saxons). However, you can get this squeaking from the bottom of the facing (opposite the origin of the monkstrap) rubbing against the tongue too, and with my Concords, I had to velcro both sets of surfaces to eliminate it entirely.

 

[sho'nuff]

you can place a little drop of lubricant as well, maybe a bit of drop of olive oil or something to prevent the squeaking . although velcro is ingenious