Shoes that look better with age...

[beeetus]

Black cherry's are coming along. Been very happy with these and my black ones. The initial discomfort is way worth it. Sad I was a RW holdout for so long.

[edmond]

ok now your doen with redwings we can go straight to wesco or whites

[wgmds]

whats wrong with alden?!

[beeetus]

I've mentioned this before in this thread, and I'll say it again at the risk of getting negged, I'm just not a fan of Alden's.

Ed, if I could afford them right now I'd have a custom pair of Boss's on my feet.

[niix]

Crappy cell pics @ work. These are my Ascots after about a month of wear.

[lance]

Really nice lookin boots, niix. I like the details and the shape of the toe.

[niix]

Thanks, I'm really happy with them so far.

[Yin]

no worries dude, good luck with sizing. There is plenty of Alden sizing advice in the thread.

They are really nice but the problem is i have to wait 8 months for that......

From what i read, they are tends to run 1/2 size large.

[fre-co]

It might be worth calling context, I think some people managed to get their size from stock. I pre-ordered though and waited, and they were worth the wait.

[slide13]

Do call Context if your interested...I was in there on Friday and they definitely had a few boxes of Roys stacked up in the store.

[Yin]

Thanks for the help yet again guys.

I just called them, they still have some stock available but unfortunately they don't have my size.

[davichan]

hello SuFu,

please allow me to to introduce myself. I'v been lurking on this forum for over a year now, and really learned so much...

i just read from page 1 to this current page over the past three weeks!!!!

what a ride i must say...

this is definitely Homers "Odyssey" of shoe/boot forums!!!

I love the drama of it as well... a classic!

i would like to share some photo of the start of my collection of boots i have taken the time to find that work for me.

[davichan]

So these were my first pair of real boots I purchased in Japan two years ago,they were a special trickers custom logger boot made only for japan market..

I did nothing to treat them besides wear them regularly for two years, most recently now, just one treatment of of Obenauf's LP which i will continue to maintain from now on.

Trickers | Logger Wingtip M7219 | Grey Calf | Japan

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[davichan]

i then bought my first pair of Aldens in japan last year which got plenty of wear and no caring treatment as well until this month with Obenauf's LP:

Alden | Cap Toe Kidskin Boots 41886H | Modified Last | Ships Japan Edition.

[davichan]

Then bought my first pair of Indy's a few months ago. of course inspired from reading this thread and seeing all the wonderful Indy's...

Indy's Cordova #8 | Trubalance Last | Moulded Shoe

[davichan]

And most recently have purchased a pair to properly rotate them with and not to be lonely on the boot rack:

Indy Natural Chromexcel 40557H | Trubalance Last | Shoe Mart.

[Yin]

Amazing collection!!!

[riff]

^ Beautiful collection David! Nice to see the wear coming through! I think you've helped me make up my mind about the natural chromexcel!

[davichan]

^ Beautiful collection David! Nice to see the wear coming through! I think you've helped me make up my mind about the natural chromexcel!

thanks Yin,

thanks Riff,

i think the natural chromexcel will def have a place in the hearts of folks once they see more real life postings or in real life.

[coleslawyum]

Very nice and tight collection. The shoe fetishist in me has a hankering to polish them though…

[davichan]

thank you coleslawyum,

hahahha, i know i am not a huge fan of the polish yet.. i am though a firm believer now-a-days, since learning of proper conditioning and maintenance of my shoes for the long run and slow developed patina..

[aho]

lol seconded on the polishing...beautiful collection nonetheless!

EDIT: I'd forgotten how fun shoe care can be...Gave the Aldens a rub down today with some polish...Also replaced the ripped up standard laces with waxed ones I bought at the Madison Alden store and they look very nice...

[niix]

@davichan, what sort of procedures do you take for preserving your leather boot collection? As far as conditioning and and maintence is concerned?

[davichan]

@davichan, what sort of procedures do you take for preserving your leather boot collection? As far as conditioning and and maintence is concerned?

Hi Nixx,

to be honest, I was very bad about care due to my ignorance in the past...

of not liking the appearance of a high shined shoe.

i just wore them dry...

literarily with no conditioning...

then after reading 3 weeks of this forum from start to finish, and making the rounds asking tons of questions to local cobbles and shoe salesman in NYC,

i realized that i would use obenaufs for all of my conditioning for non-codovan boots.

for my Cordovan boots, ever two months, or when really needed,i very sparingly prefer to use Rénovateur which i learned about from this forum and purchased at Leffot.

i dont really over baby my boots. i want them to last for many years and develop character..

i wear them. and now condition them to persevere the leather from cracking and elements damage,

but i don't use polish or waxes. i have never really been a fan.

i would really suggest just as i have; reading throughout this amazing forum, and learning from the other members on their care and maintenance... there are so many beautiful shoes and boots to look at..

[fallen angels]

nice stuff davichan. i would agree with you, i use obenauf on my leather boots/shoes. i just treated one of my boots last weekend with it, and i'm still pretty surprised by what it does for the leather.

[milosz]

So I've got a pair of custom black Semi-Dresses coming - I'd really like to get a brown boot as well. I'm limited due to wearing a 13EE and hating moc toes.

There's the Wolverine 1000 Mile for $325 in various places - or for another $160, I could get Smooth Brown Semi-Dresses or Bounty Hunters. But I would have to wait on those to be made, of course.

[davichan]

nice stuff davichan. i would agree with you, i use obenauf on my leather boots/shoes. i just treated one of my boots last weekend with it, and i'm still pretty surprised by what it does for the leather.

thanks fallen angels,

while i was at leffort last, Steven had also recommend me to try a jar of ‘Montana Pitch-Blend’ to compare to the obenauf. have not heard many people posting here using it, but i will give it a try soon with the nasty weather coming in to NY sooner then expected..

[HoustonChris]

Trickers | Logger Wingtip M7219 | Grey Calf | Japan

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Love these boots. Absolutely love them.

[pennyoka]

I have a pair of Visvim Kangaroo Virgils. I was wondering if you guys would advise conditioning them with obenaufs (or something similar) every now and then. I want them to last as long as possible but as davichen stated, I also don't like the shiny boot look. I know nothing about boots so any info would be appreciated, thanks.

[SLAB]

davichan, very nice collection; im especially a fan of the brown calf leather Alden Kidd boots. I believe another forum member (Ed) has them as well?

I would love to see that model with antique (natural) colored leather soles and a commando sole to top it off. Is there any existing Alden model that comes close?