When you wear a new pair of shoes or boots for the first time, the vamp leather will crease at the metatarsal flex point. Each shoe will be different due to the pattern, materials and the individual wearing the shoe. Here we show you how to create a nice clean break. All you need is a pen with a smooth surface to avoid any scratching.

Below are a few pictures illustrating the method on a new pair of shell cordovan plain toes.

Place the pen across the vamp on a slight angle (to match metatarsal angulation) and flex the vamp by holding toes on the ground and lifting heel. There is no need to put excessive pressure on the leather, instead just holding the pen in place.

After flexing both shoes with the pen, you should have a noticeable flexing point.

Now you are all set! Once a uniform crease is created it will maintain for the life of the shoe. As always, using shoe trees can also help preserve the shape of the shoe along with limiting excessive vamp creasing.