Shoes that look better with age...

[coleslawyum]

yeah, that is an interesting discussion. speaking of zippers, the repro crown zip on my ricksons fell apart, and apparently, originals were like this too.

i know there are many people out there who appreciate this authenticity, but i for one was pissed off when this happened. i guess different people draw different lines.

I agree with this also. While some things were made better "in the good 'ol days" some things have progressed to be more durable, for instance rubber. Besides, if some rubber soles have been sitting in a crate for 40 years, oxidizing to death, a brand new pair of vibrams might just perform better.

When chicken told me this story about his zipper, I quickly glued mine together with some clear epoxy. So far, so good. A warning to all you Buzz Rickson lovers.

[mizanation]

yeah, sometimes having a very accurate repro is not a good idea.

the sugarcane repro of the 1947 501 is so faithful that they construct everything exactly the way it was made in 1947. same thread, same machines, same stitching, same patterns, they even did a fiber analysis of the original cotton fabric. what you get is something that is so accurate it captures even the poor construction decisions they made on the original 501s.

[GregNYC]

what you get is something that is so accurate it captures even the poor construction decisions they made on the original 501s.

===Great sentence, Miz!

[the_state]

red wing 1914 vs. white's semi-dress...

i'm very close to ordering a pair of red wing 1914's, but the whites seem very appealing. they're both very similar shoes, so i'm trying to run some sort of cost-benefit analysis of spending an extra $175 on the white's... are they THAT much better? what would i get for that extra money that i won't get on the RWs?

thank you.

[Chicken]

When chicken told me this story about his zipper, I quickly glued mine together with some clear epoxy. So far, so good. A warning to all you Buzz Rickson lovers.

i must add a footnote that hinoya, who sold me my ma-1s, were really quick and helpful in fixing the zip. free of charge, of course. and it's been good so far since.

[I_miss_lily]

I've never seen the Whites in person but I love my 1911's(1914 in red). Very well made and beautiful leather. Hurt my ankles a bit because they're so stiff but I'd buy them again.

[GregNYC]

red wing 1914 vs. white's semi-dress...

i'm very close to ordering a pair of red wing 1914's, but the whites seem very appealing. they're both very similar shoes, so i'm trying to run some sort of cost-benefit analysis of spending an extra $175 on the white's... are they THAT much better? what would i get for that extra money that i won't get on the RWs?

thank you.

I'd prefer the 1911s to the 1914s (because of that great black cherry color) and the 1914s to the Whites because of the shape of the last. I'd a preferred the 1911's to the Whites. Had the 1911's but they were too narrow and the instep too low for me. They really looked vintage, which is one thing that appeals to me about all this stuff.

But the Whites are constructed better than those RW models.

[GregNYC]

i must add a footnote that hinoya, who sold me my ma-1s, were really quick and helpful in fixing the zip. free of charge, of course. and it's been good so far since.

Just last week I ordered a Buzz MA-1 from B&G. I guess I'll have to watch the zipper...

[Chicken]

my impression was that they had that problem more in the beginning and that they're more careful about how they handle the zip. but i would double-check when you get it and see if the copper piece is really holding the unit together.

it's an awesome jacket regardless. superwarm, too.

[GregNYC]

I have had Alpha and Schott MA-1's. Never a real issue one, and never Buzz jacket of any kind. This one will be sage green. I'm looking forward to it, and it will go with the Conistons or the Corcorans or the Indies!

[theetruscan]

I agree with this also. While some things were made better "in the good 'ol days" some things have progressed to be more durable, for instance rubber.

On this note, I have topys on all my proper shoes. One pair is about to go in for reconstruction after probably 1200 days of wear, walking around on 4 continents, etcetera. A single leather sole, or even a double sole, wouldn't come close to surviving this. And, yeah, the shoes are like 8 years old, worn almost every second day since I got them.

[Happy Hooligan]

heads up ... tis the season..

http://www.shermanbrothers.com/product.php?ItemId=5027&ProductId=7869

has Indys at 10% off...

And I think free shipping...

[Chicken]

I have had Alpha and Schott MA-1's. Never a real issue one, and never Buzz jacket of any kind. This one will be sage green. I'm looking forward to it, and it will go with the Conistons or the Corcorans or the Indies!

i've seen the sage green ma-1s from buzz rickson, and the zips looked solid on those. you should be set.

[indigo_junkie]

heads up ... tis the season..

http://www.shermanbrothers.com/product.php?ItemId=5027&ProductId=7869

has Indys at 10% off...

And I think free shipping...

They don't ship Aldens overseas. *^&$&!!!

And before anyone mentions it, I burnt my bridge with the Aldenshop SF over a dispute about (what I clearly saw as) a defect and what the owner thought was a "normal finishing of a handmade work boot." It was the stitching on the inside welt on the right boot. The stitching cut into the leather sole and a small 1/8 inch cut into the leather upper. It had to be a defect, because the inside left boot was completely normal. I complained, returned them, got a full refund (including return shipping), but I suspect, won't be able to buy anything from that store ever again (because for some reason they didn't see the defect that I did).

Does anyone know of an online store that sells the Alden 405 that ships overseas? Thanks for any help in advance.

[fre-co]

I think this place might

http://www.johnhelmer.com/prod.itml/icOid/237

or there was an ebay store with alden 405s at $289 that said they would ship internationally. http://cgi.ebay.com/Alden-Indy-Work-Boot-NIB-Special_W0QQitemZ260188189904QQihZ016QQcategoryZ63850QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[cheep]

"the hanover shoe" cordovans.

[mizanation]

hey rirawin,

i get my shoe trees from my cobbler for $20. they have different sizes and are the same quality cedar trees that you can get from alden for $50.

so, ask your cobbler if he has any.

[mizanation]

i prefer non-varnished because the cedar breathes better. i think non-varnished absorbs moisture better.

varnished looks nice and it slips into your shoe a little easier, i think.

[fre-co]

How comes they don't fit? I never knew there was a difference between shoe trees for shoes and for boots.

[mizanation]

different manufacturers sell different shapes for shoe trees.

i've actually bought shoe trees before that were too big and i shave it down to size with a wood plane. but, it's a lot easier to buy the right size.

[fre-co]

Yeah maybe they are just too big for your boots. The best thing to do I suppose would be to get Trickers own shoe trees, but I'm sure they are pricey. I know Crockett & Jones charge £50 for theirs.

[coleslawyum]

Sometimes they build the shoe tree out of the shape of the last. I suspect that getting the shoe tree from the manufacturer is going to give you a better fit. I got some generic shoe trees from k-mart for like $12, but spent a good hour carving it to fit my shoes. It was fun, but maybe not worth the hassle.

[jubei]

"the hanover shoe" cordovans.

I love hanovers... how does their shell crodovan compare with some of the other ones you've tried?

[fre-co]

for whoever it was looking for black trickers burfords/wetherbys

if you have big feet....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trickers-Burford-Black-Calf-Super-Boots-UK-11_W0QQitemZ260188554892QQihZ016QQcategoryZ1262QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Happy Hooligan]

for whoever it was looking for black trickers burfords/wetherbys

if you have big feet....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trickers-Burford-Black-Calf-Super-Boots-UK-11_W0QQitemZ260188554892QQihZ016QQcategoryZ1262QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

11-12 are not big feet.

15's are big feet

[cheep]

I love hanovers... how does their shell crodovan compare with some of the other ones you've tried?

i think it is nicer than modern allen edmonds... but maybe its just more loved. seems a bit thicker and tougher, but softer too.

nicer patina than the netteltons i had.

of course, these have been worn for a long time...

i need a time and place to wear my black guardsmans... see how they look after some wear... i find it hard to make black oxfords that are pristine fit with my look.(whatever that is)

[flai]

hmm....should i wear my RW 1911's in the snow? all this salt and slush sucks

[mizanation]

are you asking whether it's ok to wear rugged workboots in inclement weather?

[fre-co]

11-12 are not big feet.

15's are big feet

11 is big, 15 is humungous. 9 is medium, 7 is small, 6 is tiny.

official.

[fre-co]

hmm....should i wear my RW 1911's in the snow? all this salt and slush sucks

no, they will dissolve and disappear into the snow.

edit: welcome to the red.