VegTan straps hard on the toes!

[Mapacho]

Hello from the Motueka Valley of the South Island of New Zealand. I have started making sandals using veg tanned leather. I am finding that the straps are too rough around the toes when a thong is used. Think: flip-flop. I am using a 4-5oz economy tooling leather for the straps. 8mm wide. I have beveled the edges and conditioned them with a beeswax based product and then burnished with a piece of boxwood. But yet they remain hard on the toes.

What more can I do? Short of just using a chrome tanned leather???

See pic.

Cheers,
Max

[Richard M]

I made a pair of flipflops for my wife and used some veg tan Stallion Leather which is nice and soft. Not the closest supplier to you though!

[TinkerTailor]

Economy tooling can be dry and hard. Get some neatsfoot into it and it should soften. Beeswax seals good but doesn't soften much.

changing to a better softer style of veg will help as well.

[leatherwytch]

I am notorious for lining things. Although I do not do flip flops but saddles with straps, I knew they would not be comfortable. So I put pigskin lining on the underside of the straps, way more comfortable.

[RockyAussie]

When you put your insole down to the mid sole lift the toe up so it wants to stay up before glueing down the sole. The lack of flex in the sole is I think likely to be an issue that transfers to the straps digging in to much.That 2nd sole should be soft and flexi if even used at all. Look at a well worn sandal and imitate that shape a bit is ideal.

[Mapacho]

Thanks for all the replies.

The neetsfoot has helped a bit and as Rocky Aussie suggested, getting the angle of the toe strap right has also improved the feel.