Correcting the break on my shoes

[nohomo]

I just got the AE Cliftons, and they seemed to have broken in incorrectly today. I'm wondering if theres any way to fix this, or if it'll just even out over time, or if i'm screwed.

Apologies for my crappy cell phone pic, but as you can see on the pic, the left shoe is causing discomfort b/c the break is too low and towards the inside of the shoe, effectively poking the base of my toes when i walk. The right shoe is how I would want it to break, with it being in the center and about half an inch above the cap.

 

[teddieriley]

Are you sure you have the right size? I find shoes break in the "wrong" places if they are even 1/2 size off.

 

[nohomo]

Originally Posted by teddieriley

Are you sure you have the right size? I find shoes break in the "wrong" places if they are even 1/2 size off.

I would hope so, unless my feet are two different sizes, since it's only the left one that's incorrect. But my feet are snug but not tight, no heel slippage, and I did try on half a size bigger and smaller in stores.

 

[teddieriley]

Your feet could very well be different sizes, as most people's are. I'm not suggesting anything dramatic - could be 1/4" size off and narrower, for example. Could be causing the difference in where the shoe is creasing. At least for me, the shoe creases much further below the cap, but that is on shoes with elongated lasts. Your shoes, perhaps because of the angle of the pic and the last itself, a bit stubby. Maybe it is creasing where it should be generally.

 

[fuji]

I had the exact same thing happen on a pair of churchs shoes. The crease was behind my toenail and because of the way it pressed it pretty much stopped me from walking in them. What I did was relace the shoes in the Barker black way instead of straight bar lacing and it moved wear the shoe breaks and they fit fine now. Only problem is that there is still a crease line where they used to break.

 

[Bic Pentameter]

Some shoe repair shops can put a piece of leather inside the shoe, above your toes to change the way the shoe breaks. Union Works in Tokyo did this for me.

If you concern is only the pain, you could tape a quarter to the top of your toe where the pressure from the incorrect break rubs, and wear the shoes for a few hours. That might be enough to change the way the shoes break and reduce the pain.

I do suspect that whatever you do, the crease line will be there to stay.

Bic

 

[Dewey]

Looks like the shoes are too short and your toes are crammed too far into the toe box. The base of your toe should be closer to the lacing, right, and not up in the cap.

Just a guess.