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Shoes that look better with age...


mizanation

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yea, i'll try to get some pics tonight megatron. and yes wgmds, they break in very easily. i wear them like any other shoe i have, mostly city treking. to me though i do feel like they don't scuff up to easily because they don't have that shine like dress leather does.

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Guys, I was expressing ed's point from a discussion on another forum, not that I have the knowledge or experience to agree or disagree with him on the issue. I definitely take the point that Ed is harder on his shoes (working construction and riding his bike) than most of the rest of us.

Ran, by substantial I guess I actually mean heavy grade full boot, like my smoke jumpers. I see the Oxfords as a much easier to wear summer styled shoe, although I may be wrong. Pics of your BHs would most definitely be appreciated.

Baldy, out of general interest in the shoe, your make up spec, and the leather I would love to see your pictures.

Edited by Megatron1505
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Horween Cxl is great, don't doubt it,

regardless of what Ed's (demonito) opinion (I PM'ed Ed about this way back, wanting to learn more, and respect his opinion) i think his boots just didn't live up to what he wanted them to... and so he is not down with Cxl.

i still made the choice to have my Whites and Vibergs made in it.

i loved that Cxl leather on my Whites BH's, and I have a pair of Viberg oxfords that use it as well.

it is a lush leather, very pretty, oily, vintage feeling, rich brown undertones hidden under the black,

i went nuts for a few months collecting all the leather sample swatches from the various boot companies (Whites, Wesco, Viberg, ect) putting them throughout my own scratch + abuse type of tests and also spent time on many calls with floor workers about the overall leather quality, break in, durability, waterproofing, ect.

and besides it being an easy leather to scuff, no-one really had anything bad to say about it.

lets just be real here.

most folks on this board (myself included), are not gonna put any real extreme hurt on a boot made in cxl or any other high end leather.

unless you really are one of those Loggers or Linemen. then possibly.

there are Red wings some-20-years-old out there, with what some might consider (in comparing to their Whites,) a lesser quality Cxl leather then what is available from Horween..

and those RW's are still holding up, and in my opinion functional and looking good.

and my Cxl oxfords are just as hot or not, as my Alden cordovan LWB, or Trickers in the summer.

no difference to me.

it is more of a feeling what feels right for the day..

so i really think it is a subjective taste thing.

wear what you lust after, and love it.

Edited by davichan
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ah, I didnt realize he was a construction worker. Wearing out boots quickly is pretty standard in that line of work. Ive pretty much settled on black cxl or the dress brown, which looks pretty dark. I thought i decided on brown cxl, but its a bit too light for me, and after manipulating a pair of Wolverine 1000's with it, Im not sure I would like it as much as I thought I would have. Maybe ill get samples from them and obsess over it in the privacy of my own home :ph34r:

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lets just be real here.

most folks on this board (myself included), are not gonna put any real extreme hurt on a boot made in cxl or any other high end leather.

unless you really are one of those Loggers or Linemen. then possibly.

there are Red wings some-20-years-old out there, with what some might consider (in comparing to their Whites,) a lesser quality Cxl leather then what is available from Horween..

and those RW's are still holding up, and in my opinion functional and looking good.

and my Cxl oxfords are just as hot or not, as my Alden cordovan LWB, or Trickers in the summer.

no difference to me.

it is more of a feeling what feels right for the day..

so i really think it is a subjective taste thing.

wear what you lust after, and love it.

There's no reason to be reasonable, dude this is the interweb.

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hey mega, here are the pics as promised. they have been owned for around 8 months or so? i can't really remember when i purchased them from davi or how long he had them. but im pretty sure they are less than a year old. probably needs a resole soon but given the cost of shipping them to the US, repairs, then shipping back, i should just go for a new one instead. the next option i have will be to send them to japan which will bring down the cost of shipping, but then again repairs are going to be more expensive. can't find someone locally who can do it for me, so i guess there isn't much of an option here.

less talk, more pics.

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Thanks ran, they do indeed look great worn in, exactly what I'd hope for, thankyou for sharing them.

Davi, the whole summer shoe logic from me is just that a shorter shoe might be cooler than a boot, in the same way as a short sleeved tee should be cooler than a long sleeved tee.... Maybe I'm talking out of my ass, who knows

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don't have the full visual of the soles, but i see the sole thread still showing. if those are the vibram composite half-soles, i don't think you need a resole or even think of having one for a loooong while.... a re-heel is imminent, tho'.

imo, just buy the heels your heart desires, on the web [eg. ebay], & have them done locally. i had an ortho cat's paw installed on my alden indys by a neighborhood cobbler & it worked out fine. ... but for the white's, i personally prefer quabaug.

hey mega, here are the pics as promised. they have been owned for around 8 months or so? i can't really remember when i purchased them from davi or how long he had them. but im pretty sure they are less than a year old. probably needs a resole soon but given the cost of shipping them to the US, repairs, then shipping back, i should just go for a new one instead. the next option i have will be to send them to japan which will bring down the cost of shipping, but then again repairs are going to be more expensive. can't find someone locally who can do it for me, so i guess there isn't much of an option here.

less talk, more pics.

6820173122_6de3c7254d_b.jpg

Edited by BrownMetallic
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i don't think you need a resole or even think of having one for a loooong while.... a re-heel is imminent, tho'.

imo, just buy the heels your heart desires, on the web [eg. ebay], & have them done by the local cobbler..

Exactly what I was thinking. In no way do these boots need a full resole. I can still see the vibram tread and thread stitching... you're good to go boss.

Also, I bet Ed is the most awkward construction worker ever.

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and if the cobbler thing doesnt work out, you can always sell them to me Ranon :)

seriously good looking boots; i wish bakershoe could offer the brown horsehide for that model, unfortunately only available for semi dress right now.

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layne, if i do remember correctly, you do also have a pair of BH's on CXL? or am i wrong?

yep basically the same boot. except mine aren't lowered and have a steel toe. absolutely love the boots, but the steel toe makes them too heavy for weekend (non job related) wear.

alas, i was forced to order a pair of viberg service boots for weekend wear! :D

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Hell yeah, ranon. Those White's look great. That's the exact makeup I'd want, except perhaps with single welt stitching.

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Hell yeah, ranon. Those White's look great. That's the exact makeup I'd want, except perhaps with single welt stitching.

Can you help a newb out and tell me the difference? I mean, aside from the double row of stitching? Is it purely cosmetic, or is it more durable? i guess I could Google, but I like the discussions here...

Edited by garden gnomes in space
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The boots below are my Wolverine "Apprentice" boots, they are not made in the USA, definitely not hand made, and they cost me £30 second hand (slightly worn) from eBay almost two years ago. I bought them for a specific purpose of being my general "work" boot, as I can't afford to replace or repair my Whites every 6 months.

These boots have seen far more wear from me in the last 18 months than any other footwear I own, they accompany me to work almost every day, they have walked though snow, ice, rain and mud without ever one drop of water getting to my feet. The sole unit shows virtually no wear at all (far far superior to the Vibram Christy on my Abingtons), and the leather looks like new after a wipe down with a wet cloth.

They may not be classically desirable in any way, but they are tough as hell, and I suspect the sole is made out of the same kind of stuff that aeroplane black box's are made from.

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A polite warning to anyone who likes classic English country boots and English shoes in general: visiting the Shoe Healer's premises can sorely test your willpower.

I popped in today on my way up to Leeds, just to drop a pair of boots off for a resole, and left having mentally spent several thousand quid. Some of the newer Sargent offerings are beautiful in the flesh, as were some of the Cheaney brogue boots on show. What really caught my eye were the Stow in marron, which I think Paul T owns. I came *this* close...

Richard smith himself is charming, in the true Yorkshire mould. I'll be going back up at some point soon for a proper look around...

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