While waiting for some details, I'll throw a few ideas in the ring too. Are the pads correctly aligned to the rims with proper toe in? Are the pads good quality (coolstop or better) and have the rims been cleaned with a degreasing solvent then wiped absolutely clean of any solvent? Are the levers hard to squeeze even before the pads contact rims, if so check for kinks/binding points and possibly change cables and housing. Are the levers damaged/bent?

A picture would have been worth the thousand or so words that already have been cast...