Ichiran

Is there any reason why are there 2 speed hook and on the top one is just regular eyelet. Doesnt that contradict the speed hook suppose to tie the shoe faster?

I've always wondered about this too -- I've seen it on lots of boots. I agree that it doesn't seem to make sense (to me). If anyone knows the answer, I'd be glad to hear it.

I have never liked any lace to toe boots I must say.

Just curious, but does that extend to Chuck Taylor type sneakers, too?

^Maybe you can sell them to your brother? Since they shipped them so quickly to you, they seem to have good customer service, so hopefully you'll have no problem returning. You'll probably have to pay for the shipping, though. Whether they'd exchange would probably depend on what they have in stock, which is hard to predict.

I've just been using wax polish (Kiwi) on the GTs. I was thinking of switching to a paste polish like Meltonian, but it's true that the wax polish helps the leather resist water.

^White's are seen as having a higher level of workmanship than RW, and the SDs cost $100+ more than the GTs. The SDs have a wider welt, the tapered heel, a higher arch, 6 eyelets (vs. 7 on the GT), and are available with an all-leather sole along with other customizable options. More here:

Red Wings GT vs. White's Semi-dress

RW GTs on a rainy day:

I've had these for a while but hadn't posted pics; boots look redder in 2nd pic b/c there was a bit more sunlight!

^Great pics, sorry they didn't fit! I think it's weird that two pairs of shoes by the same maker in the same size wouldn't fit the same. But at least now you know this seller is trustworthy, and can hopefully pick up a pair in the right size at some point later on. The cordovan shoes look good, but I have to say that those the Stow in acorn are hard to beat!

^I know someone who has a pair of the Bean boots. They're very tough, and if you use something like Sno-Seal on the uppers, they really keep your feet dry. L.L. Bean also offers a resoling service for the boots, which is nice. I personally like the look of the 6" height:

Here's a thread at AAAC that you might find helpful.

Thanks, guys -- I'm expecting them at the end of this month or early next month, and I'll have a full report when they arrive.

^Good luck with the auction!

I decided to go ahead and try the Alden restoration service. I got the shoes so cheaply on eBay that, even with the $135 fee, it'll still end up being less than half of what I'd pay if I got them new. Which I think is still a good deal, since I expect that they'll be as good as new when I get them back (or better than new, since these are shoes that "look better with age"). Plus, they give you a new box, trees, bags, laces, etc. -- which seems like a small thing, but will add to my enjoyment a lot, I think. Here are some pics of the kit they send you if you call them about recrafting. The big green bag is what you send the shoes back in:

I'll put up before/after pics when I get the shoes back. I plan to wear them with a suit; I could see people wearing them with jeans, but that's personally not my style. I like something on a chunkier last with jeans -- I wouldn't even wear AF60s with jeans, even though obviously it looks great on a lot of people here!

so are there different type of cordovan? i dont think they are shell cordovan because of it didnt specifically say so. It said genuine cordovan? Dont know the difference between shell and genuine. So, if it is just regular cordovan, it just means horse leather?

I recently received a Brooks Brothers catalog, and they had a section of shell cordovan footwear (I assume that it's all made by Alden). Anyway, there was a page describing the leather, and in the next to last paragraph, it does say that shell cordovan can be referred to as "genuine cordovan"...

^I've been trying to get by with the neutral wax polish, despite the well-known "caking" problem (and then just using black wax polish to touch up scuffs). Although lately, I've been thinking about switching to neutral cream polish, since I'm not as picky about my boots being super-shiny. (Or, you could say that I'm more picky about keeping the stitching white than about keeping the boots perfectly polished!) If you get any black polish where you don't want it to go, here are a couple of links that have been helpful to me in the past:

How to remove shoe polish?

Removing shoe polish

Remember these new belts might stretch to conform to your body more. I did the one hole thing on a belt I made, then after a while that hole was too big and I had to add another hole to make the belt snug.

Maybe you lost some weight also? Thanks for the advice, I'll give that some thought.

^Yes, I live in the US. I bought the leather strip (and the brass buckle) on eBay. You can search "natural belt blank" to find all different widths. It's pretty inexpensive.

but when u round the corner...wouldnt it make it even shorter???

how many oz is the leather stripe u used?

I think the triangle end on your belt looks good -- probably wouldn't look as good with a round buckle. The leather I used was also 8-9 oz. Hopefully I won't lose much length; I was just thinking of rounding it a little, similar to the opposite end of the belt (found this photo on the web):

^Thanks, man. The back is rough, so I'll probably follow your advice. I may round off the corners on the tip, because the square end is actually tricky to get through the belt loops (probably why not as many belts have a square end, duh) -- but I need to see if I can do the job neatly first!

How's that Muji coin holder working out?

what's the story with florsheim? I'd never heard of them before this thread ... my guess is they;re an old brand that was bought up and turned downwards- anyone have any info?

That's the gist of it... more details here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/business/yourmoney/24shoe.html

And you've only had those AF53's for two weeks? What've you been doing in them!?

Something more than walking, that's for sure:

Seriously, those creases are crazy. If they were my shoes, I'd be a little freaked out!

New belt from the previous page, after 2 days of tanning and an application of Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP:

I only punched one hole -- I think it sort of looks interesting/unusual that way. My other belt has a long tail, so I'm trying a short one on this belt, especially since it has the center bar buckle. I like how the leather's looking and was planning to just let nature take its course now.

But I was curious: should I tan and oil the back of the belt? I wondered whether oil would come off on my pants if I did. I tried searching the thread, but wasn't too successful. Any advice would be appreciated!

Anyone got expierence with these boots?

I really want those! the perfect look

I think you left out the most interesting angle:

Interesting that their use of Horween leather is specifically mentioned, and interesting to see both blind and metal eyelets used. I think they'd have done better to leave those toes/heels un-distressed. And, before I paid £180.00 for a pair of Timberlands, I feel like I'd certainly have to find out how well they're constructed.

The green canvas kind of reminds me of Vietnam-era jungle boots:

What I mean is, will shell cordovan physically tear if I had a lot of people step on my boots?

It seems counterintuitive to buy an extremely expensive pair of shell cordovan boots just to have people step on them.

If you really imagine having your toes stepped on as part of your boot-owning experience, maybe you need to think about some steel-toed boots:

(Just an example.)

Vintage Red Wing chukka boots:

what are these?

They are the Park Avenue model by Allen-Edmonds:

If you look closely at the original picture, you can identify them by the "5615" written inside the shoes.

I just put together this belt from Tandy materials bought through a vendor on eBay: a natural cowhide belt blank and a nickle-plated buckle. Total including shipping was about $23. I'm currently pondering my tanning/oiling options...

^I've always admired the Semi-Dress boots posted by various people here, but have never thought they were quite my style. However, the most SD temptation I ever felt was when I saw these:

They're not for me, but cap-toe SD definitely look awesome.