Shoes that look better with age...

[Max Power]

Toys McCoys look great, the leather is almost too nice. Cat's Paw Heels are nice to look at and walk on, but wear down way too fast.

[Aries]

Thanks for the warning Max, first time wearing Cat's Paws, anyone know where I can order in some replacements to hand to the cobbler when the time comes?

[Iron Horse]

Aries, replacement Cat's Paw or other heels? If other, Dr. Sole. 

 

Ben, we're definitely spoiled with choices for engineers these days; I barely even look at lace-up boots anymore.

 

I love the almost orange cast of the old Becks; a shame they don't make them in my size. These are from VEB:

 

 

Edited July 1, 2016 by Iron Horse

[karanimal]

i second dr sole. comfy as fuck 

[itsbenhere]

Those becks are fucking gorgeous, exactly what I'm talking about!

 

What's your size? And they don't make them at all anymore.. right?

[Iron Horse]

Those becks are fucking gorgeous, exactly what I'm talking about!

 

What's your size? And they don't make them at all anymore.. right?

 

They do still make them:

 

http://toys-mccoy.shop-pro.jp/?pid=90956001

 

I was wrong, they kind of make my size (I wear 10 or 10.5, depending on the brand/last). I had checked on Rakuten, but Rakuten often doesn't stock above 9.5 on certain boots, such as Lone Wolf. A lot of Japanese brands don't go above 9.5 too, so I figured that was the case here.

 

At any rate, my next pair of engineers will likely be some Red Wing PT83s, 91s, or the 9268. Then again, the Attractions look nice too. 

Edited July 1, 2016 by Iron Horse

[itsbenhere]

Oh yeah... i knew they made those ones, I meant the old ones!

 

The 10's would probably fit you honestly, seems like boots almost always run a little big. Attractions are a beautiful choice too, maybe it's just me but it seems like the japanese brands just blow the american styles out of the water.

[Iron Horse]

Aside from Role Club and the Road Champs, I agree.   The latter isn't my ideal engineer, but they are nice and a lot of people like them.

 

Even something as simple as the RedWing 2268 after getting the Japan treatment becomes the RW9268.

 

 

That's not even getting into Clinch, Buco, Lofgren (sort of), Attractions, Beck, Motor, Makers, Rolling Dub Trio, GM, Old Joe, Cushman, Slow Wear Lion, Zerrows, etc. I need to stop looking at this stuff. 

Edited July 1, 2016 by Iron Horse

[tigerstrom]

I want some engineers now!

[Iron Horse]

And yet another is infected. 

 

Currently, Red Wing Amsterdam, Berlin, and London have the limited 2966 in stock, which is a plain toe version of the 9268; i.e. in the "tea core" black Klondike leather. Great boot for a good price, and will look really nice after a full re-sole.

 

[edmond]

wait for my engineers!!!

[edmond]

i just wore my trickers yesterday.

 

after wearing whites and wesco for work.

 

 

i feel that the trickers  are not as  good as supporting as whites or wesco.

 

i mean my heel would ache and my shin would  hurt a bit.

 

when i wear my whites or wesco standing up for 6-7 hours a day . i wont feel anything after a whole day.

[tigerstrom]

Ed, I will keep my eyes open!

Edited July 1, 2016 by tigerstrom

[tigerstrom]

And yet another is infected.

Haha yes!

[Broark]

 

Seeing those Hopper boots again makes me antsy for my pair! Only a few more months now I think...

[Iron Horse]

wait for my engineers!!!

Yes, how are they coming along?

[itsbenhere]

Gotta see some pics buddy

[edmond]

sorry boys need a little patience. iam fixing up the shape and last at the moment.

[Aries]

Last pic I swear chaps, but forgot to add the party at the back on the Surveyors:

Edited July 2, 2016 by Aries

[itsbenhere]

Don't think anyone is complaining about pics like those! I seriously love that stitching.

[Maynard Friedman]

forgot to add the party at the back on the Surveyors

The mullet of the boot world!

[mlwdp]

Any Japanese blogs/instagrams on boots worth following?

[Iron Horse]

For IG, besides brand feeds, the following have some nice collections:

vintage_work.boots

leatherman_vintage

bootsorshoes

bootsman3

Edited July 4, 2016 by Iron Horse

[edmond]

or follow me ive got knowledge on them too!

[BrownMetallic]

Last pic I swear chaps, but forgot to add the party at the back on the Surveyors:

•

Boom!

Fab coup de gras ... just had to let us have it in the end, dint u?!

The mullet of the boot world!

•

@Ooms would L<3VE these

Edited July 3, 2016 by BrownMetallic

[Iron Horse]

or follow me ive got knowledge on them too!

And Ed too. XD

[karanimal]

Viberg Sample Sale Acquisitions!

 

As some of you may know, i ended up scoring a few pairs of vibergs from the sample sale, 3 pairs on the last day through a proxy i had set up through reddit. Most of these are the new goodyearwelt (which i fucking love...suprisingly) which means a few of them are pretty damn cool leather. I'll start it off with some boring old brown CXL 

 

Brown CXL - 2030 unstructured (flat welt, goodyearwelt) size 12

The CXL on this pair is fantastic! there is a tiny bit of loose grain creasing on the inner panel of the right boot, but other than that it is a fantastic example of what happens when beefy, thick, & well clicked CXL is used on a tough pair of boots. These were a sample due to a hole in the leather at the inside leg opening on the right boot, which has been then filled with a mix of glue and CXL scraps to essentially cover it up. It looks like a leather blemish and i highly doubt it will ever effect the integrity of the boot 

 

_SDG6000 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG6001 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG6002 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

Dust Guidi Calf - 2030 Unstructured (natural split welt, goodyearwelt) size 12

This pair is  my favourite from the sample sale. They have some of the wildest and coolest looking leather. It has tones of brown and grey in it when looking at it from different angles, plus various veins and markings. It creases a tonne but i think it will work extremely well with the overall texture of this leather. Guidi has quickly become my favourite tannery based on how their leather seems to age and patina. I have no idea why these were a the sample sale, the only thing i can imagine is maybe they didn't meet the clicking standards for viberg (some creasing on the toe?) 

 

_SDG5992 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5993 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5994 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5995 by matt karai, on Flickr

[karanimal]

Grey Guidi Calf - 2030 Derby Unstructured (flat welt, goodyearwelt) size 12 

Another pair of guidi calf vibergs, this time with a more subdued texture that will apparently lighten to a grey with wear. When i first picked up this pair it felt as if the leather was coated with a light application of rubber, it had this glossy look to it that quickly went away within the first two wears. 

 

I love the viberg derby shape and i think that their stitchdown models are missing some of the roundness and shape that their goodyearwelt pairs have. I could have probably used a size 11.5 here but with my normal socks they fit the same as the others. These are samples due to some of the welt stitching being misaligned a bit (not a big deal and not a structural flaw whatsoever) 

 

_SDG5997 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5998 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5999 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG5996 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

Rust Roughout CXL - 1035 Partially Stuctured (stitchdown) size 11.5

So this pair is pretty neat, i was doing a bit of research as to what model this actually was as originally based on the pics i received from my proxy they looked to be cinnamon roughout but clearly they are not. I stumbled upon a review of some rust roughout CXL boots on reddit and saw a comment from /u/spicy_poo (a regular at /r/goodyearwelt) that he had received a pair of these in 11.5 from No Man Walks Alone that he was forced to return due to the odd coloured panels that seemed to be used. So i am fairly confident that i received his returned pair! 

 

This leather is thick as hell, thicker than the normal brown CXL (which is thick as fuck) and has some pretty great nappyness and texture. The mixed panels doesnt bother me in the slightest and i think adds to the interesting nature of the boots! These are probably more in line with a workboot shape that most users here would appreciate. 

 

_SDG6003 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG6004 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

_SDG6005 by matt karai, on Flickr

 

 

I am offically on a major boot freeze, I'd like to give a bit shoutout to my proxies, /u/jravitz & /u/Conquerorsquid who managed to score me some fantastic pairs at the sample sale 

Edited July 3, 2016 by karanimal

[BrownMetallic]

Seeing those Hopper boots again makes me antsy for my pair! Only a few more months now I think...

•

"Don't think. Feel. It is like a finger pointing out to the moon, don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory" __Bruce Lee

Don't stress, if u ordered, they will come ... ;)

[BrownMetallic]

Viberg Sample Sale Acquisitions!

•

Epic haul my friend!

Loving the look of the combo, GYW flatwelt X unstructured toe, on the Derbies, in particular.

It's more of a [taste] thing, I know ... Peeps don't seem to like the [collapsed] toe steez. But, i try to imagine how they're going to be down the line__ leather, all patinated & creased & scuffed/worn-in on high traffic areas ... So dressed down & nonchalant. IMO, like denim jeans, they were made to fade!

Edited July 5, 2016 by BrownMetallic