# Help!--toe of loafer scraping ground!



## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

Please don't chew me out for buying 12 D Cole Haan cordovan pinch pennies; I needed a standard, inexpensive loafer and JoS. A. Bank has them on sale. Just bought them Tuesday.

Wednesday evening I noticed that each toe front had a horizontal scrape on it, which I buffed mostly out. I figured I hadn't been thinking, and had been standing with bad posture and with a toe to the pavement or something.

Walked downtown today, when it became obvious that the front of the toe was scraping the sidewalk with every step. I tried to alter my strut, but to no avail: if I am to walk comfortably and un-selfconsciously at all, I'll scrape away---perhaps scraping a hole right through the toe, from the way things are looking. 

What happened here? Shoes too small? Large? Right width but too short or long? Do I take these back to Bank? Tell them they fitted me with the wrong size? Obvoiusly they can't sell them new anymore. Is this common? Do I really need to alter my strut altogether? If I'm out of luck, what? Take it to the shoemaker for a fix? Try polishing it out first? 

Thanks for the help, folks.


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## srivats (Jul 29, 2008)

You mean the leather uppers on the toe is scraping? If so, you might have a shoe that is longer than your size ...


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## rebel222 (Aug 20, 2008)

I don't know that I can tell you what is wrong, but I don't think you will be able to bring them back. This is why you should try shoes on carpet for a while before wearing them on pavement. Somehow your step with this shoes causes them to hit. I don't think that this is the stores fault. When they fit you for a shoe, they are making sure that the shoe fits on your foot properly. I don't think they are responsible for checking that your step matches the shoes. There is no way for them to determine that.

Try picking up your feet more.

Can you post pics of the shoes to show where they are hitting?


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## Beau (Oct 4, 2007)

rebel222 said:


> I don't know that I can tell you what is wrong, but I don't think you will be able to bring them back. This is why you should try shoes on carpet for a while before wearing them on pavement. Somehow your step with this shoes causes them to hit. I don't think that this is the stores fault. When they fit you for a shoe, they are making sure that the shoe fits on your foot properly. I don't think they are responsible for checking that your step matches the shoes. There is no way for them to determine that.
> 
> Try picking up your feet more.
> 
> Can you post pics of the shoes to show where they are hitting?


Perhaps he should consult the Ministry of Silly Walks.

To the OP, sounds weird on such a standard shoe. I have a pair of Cole Haan mocs with a sort of Canoe sole/leather/rubber combo. The toes have taken quite a beating. I have had them for two years and they are still ticking.

That Pinch Penny might not survive the abuse; however, I am not sure what you can do. Are the shoes not very flexible?


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

I will try to post a picture.

I asked the lady at Cole Haan in the mall what she thought, and she suggested that CH might repair them or take them back, though she seemed uncertain. 

A clerk at Brooks today said he thought it had to be my strut (REBEL). (I didn't have the shoes on.) He said that the real person to ask was a shoe shine, as they know everything there is to know about such matters. 

An aside--Also, it appears that ALL the new CHs have done away with the Nike Air "window", even though even the standard penny now has Nike Air technology. 

And I DID walk around the carpet with them.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Does the scraping occur at the beginning of your stride when you flex your forefoot and push off or at the conclusion of your stride, when your foot reconnects with the ground? In other words, the cause could be in your stride or it could be the result of the shoes construction/sizing.


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> Does the scraping occur at the beginning of your stride when you flex your forefoot and push off or at the conclusion of your stride, when your foot reconnects with the ground? In other words, the cause could be in your stride or it could be the result of the shoes construction/sizing.


Eagle--

It's at the beginning of the stride, when I flex and push off. And it doesn't seem to be b/c my toes themselves are pressing the leather into the ground--if anything it's excess material.


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## Beau (Oct 4, 2007)

Calvin,

You are my neighbor! I love living out in the county.

I'd say you are hosed with a bad shoe, unless the JB store will take them back. Are you a frequent customer there? Sometimes, if you are a regular customer, they will take something back in order to make you a happy customer.

My recommendation, if it fits within your budget, is to move up to Alden's Leisure Handsewn slip-on. Paul Haddock at Fairclough in Charlotte stocks "D" widths. The price starts around $350, but you will be happy with them. I have had a pair for six years, and just recrafted last year. Recently I also purchased a pair in #8 shell cordovan. 

Lastly, if you need a shoeshine recommedation for Rock Hill, try Lee Shoe Repair in Loves Plaza off Cherry Rd. Drop off the shoes, eat BBQ at Burks, then pick up your shoes. Good stuff.


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

Beau,

Hello, then, neighbor.

My tendancy is to think you're right--that I've got a bad pair of shoes. (But then again, who would want to admit that they don't know how to walk?!?) I am a regular customer at RH JAB. In fact, when I have a hair-splitting gripe or an obnoxious request, I go to another JAB so as to appear more serious to the local JAB staff. I suppose some here would consider _THIS_ instance an obnoxious gripe, but on a preacher's budget, it's a biggie for me and it's worth spending my chips on.

Which brings me to your Aldens. I was just at Fairclough yesterday, and was very impressed by the Aldens. But again: preacher's budget. Worse: _Associate _Minister's budget. The $100ish on sale CHs (or something in the ballpark) are going to have to do for now.

Thanks for the tip on the Love's plaza shoeshine and BBQ. (BTW, Do you know of a good barber in town?) Perhaps they'll be able to repair the loafers with some paste or something?

-Andy


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## Nick V (May 8, 2007)

The problem has nothing to do with the way you walk. Most likely it was the way the shoe was manufactured. I see this problem all the time. My guess is that the shoe was "blake stitched". If you put the shoes on and look down you probably can't see the sole of the shoe under the toe area. That means because of the "blake stitching" your foot is "rolling" forward past the sole. If JB won't help you bring them to a reputable cobbler and ask them to extend the tips. They should know what to do.


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

Nick V said:


> The problem has nothing to do with the way you walk. Most likely it was the way the shoe was manufactured. I see this problem all the time. My guess is that the shoe was "blake stitched". If you put the shoes on and look down you probably can't see the sole of the shoe under the toe area. That means because of the "blake stitching" your foot is "rolling" forward past the sole. If JB won't help you bring them to a reputable cobbler and ask them to extend the tips. They should know what to do.


Nick,

Delighted to hear that I'm not a shoe-killing walker. Thanks for the tip. I'll bring them by JB tomorrow and go from there.

ARS


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## InsbrokerTX (Jul 25, 2008)

Nick V said:


> The problem has nothing to do with the way you walk. Most likely it was the way the shoe was manufactured. I see this problem all the time. My guess is that the shoe was "blake stitched". If you put the shoes on and look down you probably can't see the sole of the shoe under the toe area. That means because of the "blake stitching" your foot is "rolling" forward past the sole. If JB won't help you bring them to a reputable cobbler and ask them to extend the tips. They should know what to do.


Good info. I have a pair of AE Maxfields that have the same issue. I will ask my shoe man to extend the tips some as you recommend.

Thanks for the input.


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## Sartre (Mar 25, 2008)

Nick V said:


> The problem has nothing to do with the way you walk. Most likely it was the way the shoe was manufactured. I see this problem all the time. My guess is that the shoe was "blake stitched". If you put the shoes on and look down you probably can't see the sole of the shoe under the toe area. That means because of the "blake stitching" your foot is "rolling" forward past the sole. If JB won't help you bring them to a reputable cobbler and ask them to extend the tips. They should know what to do.


This sounds right, and seems especially to be true of shoes with thin soles.


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## closerlook (Sep 3, 2008)

the blake stitch you refer to produces the same effect on pretty much all of my driving mocs. Suede fronts get dirty and leather fronts get scratched.

serious pet peeve for sure.


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## Bog (May 13, 2007)

What? No buckled shoes for you?


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

*Resolved.*

Well, JoS. A. Bank sent away for another pair and said they'd swap them out, without any hesitation. Said that it _shouldn't_ happen, but does happen from time to time. We'll see whether pair #2 is the same or not. Should be able to tell right away w/o leaving the safety of the carpeted store.

I'll probably go with another style--perhaps a captoe--if it looks like the replacement pinch pennies are going to do the same thing.

I was not entirely surprised, but was very pleased, with the no-questions-asked customer service. The clerks at my local JAB can be kind of dorky, chummy, and "American" in their approach, but I'm very happy that at the end of the day, they take me serious as a customer. On my rookie preacher's budget, this proves pretty meaningful, being as I'll probably be hitting up their daily "99.99% Off" sales () for some time to come.

Thanks, everyone, for your tips and hypotheses. I'll update again when the new ones come in.


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## heimskringla (Nov 2, 2008)

I have an issue with toe-scraping when I wear shoes with a bit too much room in the toe. However, I also have cerebral palsy, so take my advice with a grain (or two) of salt. A slightly smaller shoe can definitely help.


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## Mr. Mac (Mar 14, 2008)

You must not have grown up wearing cowboy boots. I did and don't have too much problem with longer toed shoes because I'm so used to picking my feet up when I walk. Some of the new styles our store carries have long toe boxes that feel awkward to some men. 

My only advice is to watch George W. Bush walk, then try to emulate. Or buy toe taps.


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

Perhaps you were predestined to have this problem :icon_smile_wink:

Scott


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## D-Tail (Oct 29, 2008)

I've noticed shoes with thinner soles tend to do this. If you find a pair on the cheap with a thin sole, you could always have it re-soled with a thicker sole.


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm still waiting for the local JAB to call with a replacement shoe to swap out. In the mean time, I've been paying attention to my stride, and I am convinced that I don't have a problem "picking my feet up" when I walk. The scraping is in the push-off/flex of the stride---not at the point where I'm bringing the back foot forward for the next step. 

In this particular pair of shoes, I'm walking very, very awkwardly in order not to scrape.


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

*Update*

In case any are interested in how this turned out...

JAB called me in to try on a new pair of CH Pinch Pennies. After I had left the store on the previous visit, a couple of them had got to talking, and they decided to get a pair of 12 Es for me instead of the 12 Ds, thinking that the wider shoe would put less pressure on the toe (they had noticed that my foot was not necessarily too wide for Ds, but not too narrow for Es, either).

So far, so good. I have to put a pretty exaggerated flex in my step in order to find the toe fronts touching the ground with the 12 Es.

Also, the new pair seem to be a newer model, with different packaging, label, and even a slightly different hue. I'm pretty happy with the shoes, and pretty happy with how JAB treated me. I'm in a smaller town, and it's a smaller store, so I think that has a lot to do with the personal service I've received.

Thanks for your suggestions on this.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^It's good to hear that things worked out well for you...now wear those shoes for many, many years in comfort and good health!


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## Calvin500 (Jan 16, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> ^^It's good to hear that things worked out well for you...now wear those shoes for many, many years in comfort and good health!


Eagle,

It appears that you were right in your instinct that sizing/construction, taken together, were part of the issue. Nice instincts.


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