Shoes that look better with age...

[wgmds]

i believe he means cordovan shell, which is basically a horses ass muscle. its very strong, very soft, and pretty hard to get

[Dchill]

Thanks wgmds I am familiar with cordovan.

[superhero]

RM Williams Comfort Craftsman,

repping the aussies here..

[alleyooptroop]

i did a search for both "suede" and "sno-seal" but didn't find what i was looking for. i was just wondering if anyone here has tried treating suede boots with sno-seal to get this effect:

here's a link to the full article:

http://www.90thidpg.us/Equipment/Projects/Dubbing/index.html

would there be any long-term effects to the suede? i'm assuming they would age just like any other leather?

[edmond]

it's 9E and it does have a celastic toebox

how come the toebox looks pointed on yours?

[Denim Phenom]

These are my brother in laws White's Smoke Jumpers that he's worn for two seasons on a wildland fire hand crew. He hasn't had a chance to send these in to be fixed since he wears them a lot.

This is what Smoke Jumpers look like after you use them for their designed purpose.

[erk]

i did a search for both "suede" and "sno-seal" but didn't find what i was looking for. i was just wondering if anyone here has tried treating suede boots with sno-seal to get this effect:

here's a link to the full article:

http://www.90thidpg.us/Equipment/Projects/Dubbing/index.html

would there be any long-term effects to the suede? i'm assuming they would age just like any other leather?

these are those exact boots treated with sno seal and worn for 4 months(?).

[tmadd]

If you are asking about true suede, as opposed to full grain leather, rough side out, the end result could be a whole different thing. I don't have any experience with suede, but with rough out, you get a water resistant surface boot that is a lot less fuzzy than the untreated version and develops darker coloration upon high wear points, until the sno-seal actually begins to wear off, in which case, the area starts getting lighter...at least this has been my experience.

[Happy Hooligan]

those soles look a little melted... I've never seen the back side of the vibram logo... I didn't know it wasn't yellow the whole way through...

sweet boots I must say..

[Denim Phenom]

That's what happens when you run up and down burning hillsides.

[alleyooptroop]

these are those exact boots treated with sno seal and worn for 4 months(?).

F'n dope looking. Thanks for replying. I think I want to give this a try. Any tips on applying the sno seal?

[tmadd]

F'n dope looking. Thanks for replying. I think I want to give this a try. Any tips on applying the sno seal?

Use a lot. Work it in real good. A hairdryer helps for small amounts on smooth leather, but if you are doing it on rough out, its all about just working it in there. Its a pretty easy and pretty idiot-proof sort of thing. Good luck, and post some pictures.

Edit: Fyi, the boots on the left in the picture I posted earlier today are the same boots (by a different maker) with sno-seal (and some brown kiwi polish on the first application only) that erk has been posting roughly 7 months of every other day or so wear. Not dubbing service shoes is a mistake on a couple levels, and sno seal is a great way to do it.

[redX]

^ what's the name of that boot?

[tmadd]

With Rickson at least, its an M43. For WWII Impressions, its Shoes, Service, Reverse Uppers, Composition Sole...also called Rough Out Boots.

[Mich]

about 2 years in my possession, worn irregularly.

[appfaff]

lookin good M!ch, must spread rep, but def some good wear on those. great color too.

[echau]

Mich, those look great!

[Mich]

These i purchased close to 8 months ago and they are in regular rotation with my other shoes, i think i wear them around 3 days a week.

fresh out of the box

after 2 weeks

...and how they look now

[Mich]

This here i noticed some weeks ago, both heels seem to have developed some spaces between the layers, and i was wondering if this would be considered normal wear on an 8 months old pair?

When i press the sole up the gaps close up a bit.

The problem is more prominent on the right shoe, which has 2 gaps.

I'm normally not a real picky guy and the more wear they get the better these shoes start to look, but i wouldn't want this to be harmful to the constuction of the shoe or shorten the lifespan of them, shoe guru's please enlighten me if this is normal wear...?

[fre-co]

Can't help you with your problem but I've been meaning to post mine for a while.

On my shell Aldens which don't have a full welt like those above, the heel seems to be coming away from the upper (where there is no welt).

Has anyone had this happen before?

I'm wondering if I should send them to Alden (I bought them second hand and I'm in the UK so it could potentially be expensive) or if I should get a local cobbler to have a look.

Anyone have any input?

[edmond]

i think its normal due to the wet/dry condition of the leather its like wood it warps and cracks but i think its nailed and glued down so i dont think you need to worry my ulitmate indy is waaay worse than that mich

[jim_n]

where are you guys buying these 'Roughout Service Boots' from? thx Jim

[riff]

http://www.wwiiimpressions.com/

[coleslawyum]

On my shell Aldens which don't have a full welt like those above, the heel seems to be coming away from the upper (where there is no welt).

Has anyone had this happen before?

I'm wondering if I should send them to Alden (I bought them second hand and I'm in the UK so it could potentially be expensive) or if I should get a local cobbler to have a look.

Anyone have any input?

I'm thinking local cobbler (but one you trust) can be helpful and less expensive. But it shouldn't cost that much to fix. I'm sure its a matter of glue and some nails.

[Mich]

ya'll thanx for the rep!

i think its normal due to the wet/dry condition of the leather its like wood it warps and cracks but i think its nailed and glued down so i dont think you need to worry my ulitmate indy is waaay worse than that mich

cool Ed, you've made me worry a lot less about it now!

i'll keep an eye on them if they get any worse, too bad i don't know of any good cobblers in my area, i mean one who still does things the traditional way and really knows the craft of shoe making.

shipping them to Alden would also be a very costly expedition for me, and if i would be really unlucky customs could possibly even charge me duties on my own shoes when they were shipped back to me.

[fre-co]

Thanks for the input coleslawyum, can't rep.

I'm going to have to investigate good cobblers in London, I don't trust my local guy. What's more he's an arsehole.

I think I'll pm rodeobill, see if he has someone he trusts with his Aldens.

[pomata]

it happened on the tip of my Trickers as well. I don't think it's a problem,

it comes from the constant bending of the sole imo

[edmond]

or from salt?

[Mich]

Thanks for posting those pics Lemmy, seems like it's a normal phenomenon.

Funny thing is that with your Trickers it has happened to the nose areas and with my Aldens it's the heels that have split up a bit.

So the theory that the beding of the soles causes it might be the case with your shoes, but the heels don't bend that much.

I think it might be the change in conditions that's causing it, from walking in a moisture condition outside to the drought and warmth of my living room.

The colour on the top ones is very nice btw!

[riff]

Mich, I have that on some of my shoes as well... Hasn't seemed to have affected them (yet!)

This one is for Morse - my smokejumpers. Nowhere near as much character as the pair Denim Phenom posted. These are pics from when I first got them, which I think I might have posted before.

The roughout seems bombproof - I just wait until mud, dirt, etc dries, then brush it off.