Shoes that look better with age...

[edmond]

after half a year of using them for work..

theyve aged really nice.. i love how they look now ... theyre too now are very comfy on the feet even wearing them 18 hours straight at work

custom cats paws by eddies shoe repair via bill

[heinrich BCN]

Demonito, what do you work? I would love to wear smokejumpers to work, but...

[edmond]

hey i work for a construction company so there that explains it

anyways got my boots back from okuyama san

semi dress changed the sole to double midsole and added vibram tygum sole 705 halfs

workmanship is superb comparable to eddie's in LA but okuyama sans wrk has a little more artistic edge to it while eddie's work are vey traditional and very work boot-y vibe to it! cant go wrong with either

smokle jumpers same custom job

thank you so much too okuyama san! thank you!

http://hukurokuju.com/blog/

[rnrswitch]

I assume you don't do to much actual construction, seeing as how your boots look brand spanking new after a year.

[tmadd]

Rather than some Shoes that WILL look better with age.... This DO look better, having been aged....

A pair of White's Semi-Dress worn in by one of my favorite customers. I shot some pics of them while we had them back at the shop for a cats paw resoling..

I had the fortune of seeing these boots in person yesterday. They had just been rebuilt by Whites, and though they were definitely broken in, I would have never guessed they had been to this point, and back to where they are at now. Seeing them in person has definitely inspired me to buy one pair of boots and wear them every day until they die.

[slt]

Rider boots, mahogany shell

[Supawiwi]

I have a quick dumb question.

Is it safe to walk with leather sole shoes on a rainy day?

It's smoething I'm quite scared of and try not to do but I realised that there was a time rubber soles didn't exist.

Should I avoid it?

[rnrswitch]

I don't know if it matters much, but I try not to walk in the rain with leather soles. It seems like it softens up the leather quite a bit more leading to faster wear. But I could very well be wrong.

[mad_dye]

Old picture of my boots...

405s, GTs and Stows

[Bill2]

x-posted from Stronghold Thread-

My new Russell's have arrived! Been anxiously waiting for these.... They are the fleece lined knockabout, customized in dark brown Chromexcel leather, with an added instep strap, on a cushion crepe sole. They are fully fleece lined, like ugg boots, but look like regular russell engineer boots from the outside. They almost feel like cheating, they look and feel so good...

[mad_dye]

yo mad dye you put anything on your gt's to protect the midsole? mine is all f'd up from salt and the rain this winter. I really want to get that natural color back out of them. anyone got gems?

My GT's midsoles are screwed up too. I am going to get them resoled them soon.

[coleslawyum]

^^^Nothing some Lexol can't clean up. Then hit it with some conditioner and polish.

[heprof]

Fantastic Bill. I saw some more Russell mocs in the background of your pics. Are you guys carrying them at Stronghold? Beats waiting three months to get a pair.

[Roland]

Roland, Awesome! Details, please! Whiskey shell chukkas on bottom right?

AF64

AF68

Tobacco shell chukkas

Ravello shell chukkas

Whiskey shell chukkas

[erk]

are those ultimate indies in the back right? they look awesome. you should post some details of all those.

[YoungPunch]

Roland, Awesome! Details, please! Whiskey shell chukkas on bottom right?

[jeepster]

Do they make Indy's in black?

god I'd love a pair. Maybe a birthday present for myself this year (winter concept)

[MiniW]

are those alden shell chukkas in the plaza last? if so you win

[joelz]

jeepster - the alden store in ny has black ones, white threads, they looked pretty sweet

[ipkus.]

i dont like the contrast in the brown and black just my opinoin...i suggest the leather soul one...all black.

[.jacob]

While cooking tonight, I managed to drip some oil on my new leather shoes. I did a Google search for help and got some mixed answers, so I was wondering if anyone here has some tips.

For now I rubbed some dry corn starch into the affected area and am letting it sit over night.

I read the chemical hexane can also work wonders but I have no idea where to get nor if it's possible to get it unless one runs a laboratory, which I don't.

Thanks,

J

[mlproject]

x-post, but this thread gets more action:

saw some dude on the train this morning that had a boot looking like an alden indy in the toe and leather color/finish, but the back/ankle upper was a cordura or something similar like the russel safari boots on a white crepe wedge. any idea what these are?

[confab]

Here are some pictures of my Red Wing Iron Rangers:

And my L.L.Bean: Katahdin Iron Works Engineer Boots:

Side by side comparison, some notable differences despite their superficial similarities:

The Iron Rangers have a more prominent toe box, the Katahdins have a sleeker, less curved and turned up profile. The leather is also significantly different. Also worth noting that my size 7 IRs fit a half size larger than my size 7 1/2 Katahdins.

[daveo]

Nice pics! Can you explain more about how the leather is different between the two?

[confab]

The Katahdins leather is oily and has a slightly grained finish. It's also pre-distressed - e.g., if you can see the lighter diagonal lines running up from the heel to the speedhooks on the near boot in this photo, these marks were present when the boot was brand new. The IRs have a smoother, more consistent finish (although it's not immaculate). The IRs are developing a patina with color changes around the areas of wear; the Katahdins are just getting more beat and rugged-looking with wear.

The leather is about the same thickness, the Katahdins feel softer and more supple but that may be just because I've been wearing them for a year longer. The Katahdins leather crocked initially during break in but settled down after regular wear.

[Quinnskimo]

fyi, these are selling tomorrow. I know this isn't exactly the right place, but I need to sell them for something that actually fits, dammit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=150329929151

[dralfonzo]

im buying these because I want some hiking boots and because they are $2 - what do people think. I'll clean them up and probably get some new laces for them. ebay pics;

[vegetaray123]

Old picture of my boots...

405s, GTs and Stows

This picture reminded me of something I was going to ask...Does anybody (Tom) know if Alden would consider making a Wingtip Boot in Suede on maybe a Leydon last or something? I was wondering this a while ago but due to everything going on never really got around to asking...

Nice boots by the way good Sir...

[amlai]

I don't know if it matters much, but I try not to walk in the rain with leather soles. It seems like it softens up the leather quite a bit more leading to faster wear. But I could very well be wrong.

I do it all the time. I suppose that with poor quality soles it might be particularly bad, but I've not noticed a difference. If it is really wet out, when I get home, I put my shoes on a shoe rack or on top of some newsprint, which allows the sole to dry out.

[rnrswitch]

I don't know. I wore my AF65s in the rain and I got a bunch of divots in the leather sole where I had walked over small pieces of gravel and the gravel stuck. I don't think it particularly hurt the soles and I won't be shedding any tears over them, but I would rather have not worn them and I steer clear of rainy days with leather soled dress shoes.

I wouldn't mind if they were work boots, but these are dress shoes.