Duke Mantee

Old age is a bastard of a thing

Could you draw the location of your navel on the pic please?

What grail is this? The 47s are no grail unless you have a pair of the Lot 1 The only thing I really like about the 47s is the big fly opening - I really need that

Damn - I thought I was being witty - oh well(I.am.not)

Well.I.am

Somewhere to lounge about

Back in early 00s (no not the fucking 1900s Maynard) my niece phoned me asking if I’d pick her up from the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) She was a goth (yeah, so maybe it was the 1900s Maynard) and around that time the GoMA and Royal Exchange Square used to be the hang out area for alternative sub-cultures* Jokingly I asked her how I’d know her, and without the slightest hint of irony she said she was wearing the long black coat I’d bought her for Christmas … In that ‘black hole’ were dozens upon dozens of kids (and a few adults worryingly) who wanted to belong to something and were happy and excited to get the chance to do that. The Pitti Uomo is not that; nor are the manufactured coffee shops that hope for those dandys

It’s not about what you wear, or where you go, or what where you go looks like though is it? It’s how you wear it, it’s why you go and what shallow expectations you have when you get there

No garment is perfect - some might look more perfect than others. Sometimes mass production might result in less time is taken so quality might slip … arguably then taking more time to make less product might should result in higher quality (but potentially higher cost). What I could never get my head around was taking time to make something look mass produced … 😉

… and there is no new thing under the sun But it’s the sheer desperation to be unique and relevant that is so pitiful. More and more we move away from real people and gravitate towards things. For a fashion related perspective have a look at something like Pitti Uomo ‘street style’ pics and commentary.

Do you know the difference between buffalo and bison? …. you can wash your hands in a bison (Maynard will get it)

Walpier Buttero Rocky and matte nickel plated brass hardware saddle stitched on

We can reasonably assume most leathers from respected (and many less well known) tanneries will be very good. It is their very purpose. However, and this has parallels with the discussions elsewhere, marketing has led us by the nose and educated us on what is good and bad. An example is the need for Lofgren to continually refresh the engineer boot offering: Horween = good then Badalassi Carlo = good; so Horween = not good then Shinki = good; so Badalassi Carlo = not good, and Horween = even more not gooder It’s just trends - and meanwhile the idiots who bought the Horween boots (me) are stuck with them, with their decade of patina, furious that we (I) don’t have the Shinki version which would have a much better patina because it’s better leather (we are told) … although another decade would make me 70 so I’ll probably have arthritis and not be able to wear engineers, so that Shinki (the super best leather) just wouldn’t have the chance to age. But wait! Tea-core leather ages quicker doesn’t it? (No) … and if I add an amateur paint finish over the professional tannery finish then that will rub off quickly and make my tea-core even more amazing won’t it? (Nope) Here’s a thought: wear a good pair of boots a lot (which is not equivalent to wearing many pairs a little), look after them (dry them properly after they get soaked, brush off mud and whatnot) and give them a little bit of polish every now and then. After a good few years you’ll have a beautiful patina … from a great value pair of boots regardless of the leather

Horsehide (of any persuasion) isn’t better than CXL … just different

🤬

Looks a bit fake

Tea core?!!! You should f-cking know better … and worse you want overdye?!!! Why not just get those ‘tea-core’ jeans while you’re at it, or maybe even just a pair of stonewashed to save any work whatsoever 🙄 😂😂😂 Anyway, what you’re after is a secondary service - so probably you’d need to speak to the maker is they’d dye a brown pair of boots black for you. I think that might limit things further unfortunately.

@Broark I know HJ offered Japanese tanned leathers (probably Himeji) as well as Wickett & Craig latigo - I guess there would be more than that but maybe best to ask. What leather do you want?

https://www.horsemanjoe.jp/shoesboots.html

Doesn’t it have more to do with drinking strong Guinness than accessibility?

Yep - spent all of mine buying Freewheelers

@Cold Summer I’ve no issue about rolls or creases as such (much like denim fades and creases you rightly reference too) - all leather will crease, can’t be avoided - but leather generally has the least impact v. where the leather sits on the foot and the gait. Anyway, some folk are happy to buy what’s offered (rolls, combs, teacore, whatever) - I’ve a lot less interest in that, other than thinking about why/what/how. Diff'rent Strokes … I’ve got the Lofgren CXL from way back - they’re fine, but I agree that CXL is fairly nondescript although I do also think that horsehide has been put on a pedestal simply because the sellers tell the buyer something they want to hear.

… usually caused by a last shape that isn’t suited to the foot. Somehow though it’s become desirable - I have a feeling folk have picked up from Brass / Clinch photography I’ve said my piece on the Lofgren ‘wabi-sabi’ marketing ploy before - I remain unimpressed

It’s really good but a LOT stronger than yer standard Guinness Warm?! That’s an englandshire thing - Scots like their lagers and (ciders) extra cold - or room temperature as we call it Plus that’s a bit extravagant stopping off in Ireland for a pint - no?

That’s as good a fit as I’ve seen on the 47s