Shoes that look better with age...

[mcdevil]

Yes they do. When I called them about denim stains (!) I also asked them how much it costs to resole the white crepe. I'm pretty sure he said $67.50 or something. The Vibram 4014 is pretty similar but it's more rubbery and less spongy than RW's crepe. I bet it lasts longer and stains less. I'm gonna try it on my well-worn 875s one of these days

This inspired me to post for the first time. Just got my 875's back from my shoe guy(Cesar's, 7th Ave, NYC) . He put Vibram soles on them. I think he did a great job. These were seriously trashed looking 8 years old 875's. I'm kicking myself for not doing before and after pics.

Here are some of of my other favourite shoes.

Indy's, Crockett & Jones Weymouth, Red Wing GT's, Alden desert boots.

I

[skalogre]

Lovely Weymnouths, Mcdevil. I should at some point get a pair, I have always liked them.

[GregNYC]

Mcdevil - nice collection. That's some serious patina on the Red Wings. Looks great with the virgin sole. The GTs are shiny, that's how I like to keep mine. And the desert boot - if I ever feel the need to go for some, I think the Alden is goona be way preferable to Clark's, which are like going around barefoot.

[edmond]

hi greg hows your luck on getting a pair of lonewolfs?

[GregNYC]

Vendors keep saying "no stock" .... Same for Real McCoy boots.

[amlai]

Not sure I totally agree with all of this.

How many times has a new poster posted a pic of shoes and everyone here can just tell by looking at them that they don't use trees. I do agree (in theory anyway) that trees should help shoes last longer and I certainly agree that shoes need to rest. I do think however that treed shoes and non treed shoes will visually age differently and I can see the attraction to both looks.

I think everyone should know about the advantages of tree use but I understand if someone decides not to use them.

I think that the only way I can tell for sure is based on how much the toe is bent upwards on a well worn shoe. In a well worn shoe that hasn't had trees in them, the sole is always bent upwards significantly. If the wearer uses trees, they won't be. I might be able to guess the difference based on how much creasing there is on the toe, but I doubt it.

[fre-co]

mcdevil, that is a seriously nice looking pair of 875s. Do you wax polish on them?

[GregNYC]

Here are my 1968 U.S. Army Vietnam jungle boots. From Genesco, a long-time U.S. govt contractor. Back from Alex's restoration process:

[familyman]

What's the story behind those Greg?

I'm not sure I've ever seen black with the green fabric sides. I'm sure I've never seen a pair of that vintage in that sort of condition.

[GregNYC]

The first jungle boots appeared in the south pacific in 1942. They weren't used in Vietnam till 1961-2, at which time the Army and Marines were using all-leather uppers. The Vietnam jungle boot ("Boot, Combat, Tropical, Mildew Resistant") went through several different phases. According to this helpful page, mine are a Third Pattern boot. I remember First and Second patterns in use too.

This particular pair came from a militaria collector on ebay. Here's one of his pictures, which I saved:

There are some for sale that claim to be new old stock. I wanted one that looked in OK condition, that fit (I remember my Army size: 10R in a Barrie-like last), and that I could actually wear. That's why I took them to Alex Shoe Repair so he could Alex wash the nylon, recondition the uppers and soften the sole. In addition, I washed the bottom of the sole and put some Meltonian Leather Lotion on it to remove dryness and get them ready for their closeup, Mr. DeMille!

[Denim Phenom]

I always wanted to get a pair of jungle boots to wear in uniform but now that we've changed over to digi-cam (USAF) i'm just wearing my desert boots.

[familyman]

My daughter wanted to go to the Houston Space Center for her special birthday treat so we headed down there today. Pretty cool stuff. One of the displays had about 15 space suits and uniforms worn on various missions. One of them (I think in was a Gemini flight) had on the Dehner Alert Boot. http://www.dehner.com/customboots_military.html

It was one of those boots on my list of boots to think about but after seeing them in person they've moved way up my list. The real space boots had a few details that made them super cool like a metal insert on the heel. The shape of the toe and the boot in general was quite nice and the proportions all around were good. It would be a pretty cool boot to have made up in tan.

[partytaco]

nice vintage red wing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NICE-VINTAGE-MENS-RED-WING-CAP-TOE-BOOTS-WING-O-PEDS-NR_W0QQitemZ270215873205QQihZ017QQcategoryZ63850QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and maybe even better.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1954-RED-WING-ENGINEER-BOOTS-2970-SIZE-8-E_W0QQitemZ160213020943QQihZ006QQcategoryZ63850QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

for the best that these two will not fit. worth going broke for especially the biker boots.

[coleslawyum]

Indy's

Cordovan Brogues

[Hard2Fit]

Nice shoes.

[synthi]

2nd pair of shannons going on from the midnight blue antique as featured on page 245. Inspired by a pair I saw on the other SF.

Dark oak / mink suede on 82 last, single leather sole, blind eyelets and featuring the southwold 'short wing' cap which somewhat resembles a rather pretty arcuate Let's hope Levi's lawyers are busy enough already :S

They promised a three month turnaround and it was bang on 3 months. Already wondering what configuration to go with next...

[rirakuma]

^^ Synthi those boots are beautiful !

I'm after spectator shoes and I particularly like the Allen Edmonds Ridgefield. The problem is I heard theyre an old model ( 5 or so years ? ). Does anyone have a 10.5 for sale or know where I can get one? If not something very similar to these, I really like the canvas linen on them.

[amlai]

Synthi, very nice Shannons!

[Happy Hooligan]

synthi.. very elegant boots.

rira: Allen Edmonds currently or did have a sale going on. They had the McAllister in brown/white for I think 200 or something like that...

[meader]

Discovered this on my Red Wing 8131. Something I should worry 'bout? Used for 'bout 2 weeks.

[ang_kangkong]

I'd like to know as well. I discoverd my 875s have it, one boot has it more pronounced than the other.

Can I just superglue it or shoe goo it? emmit… any insight from your dad?

[meader]

I'd like to know as well. I discoverd my 875s have it, one boot has it more pronounced than the other.

Can I just superglue it or shoe goo it? emmit… any insight from your dad?

This is some crazy fuck'n' shit! Here I am, PAYIN' LOTS OF MONEY FOR SOME HEAVY DUTY WORK BOOTS AND THE FUCKERS STARTS TO CRACK after simple non-pronounced wear. Fuck'n' hell.

[flex0r]

Is it really that serious meader? I've noticed my GT's have separated a little near the toebox, but the stitching seems fine and I thought it was nothing much to worry about.

[crush]

correct me if i`m wrong but i think leather and sole are held together by the stichting, so this should`nt be something to worry about

[datasupa]

i always considered red wings to be sort of middle tier in terms of quality and that's why i've kind of been avoiding them. this just reinforces that impression.

[familyman]

i always considered red wings to be sort of middle tier in terms of quality and that's why i've kind of been avoiding them. this just reinforces that impression.

My Russells and my Whites both exibit this to a greater or lesser degree. I don't think it's a quality issue.

[GregNYC]

Synthi, great! Shannons for me are the ultimate dress shoe, and I'm waiting for my next trip to the U.K. to get fitted. Can you give us an an action shot or a context shot of those Shannons w/ something like banker's pin-striped trousers, or what the heck, even some Samurais. It doesn't have to be like Chicken's rapelling or Leica's chopper-door photos, just something with a cuff!

[Brienneoftarth]

i've only casually followed this thread, but I have to defend the red wings in terms of quality, and as far as price is concerned, ebay can get you VERY cheap pairs. I picked up 2 pairs of each color of the Clapton Classics for 45 bucks each a few years ago. Basically 6 Pairs for 280 or so shipped. I'm interested in some of the japanese brands, but is size an issue?> I'm a us 12

[GregNYC]

The welt is fine and if the stitching is secure, then the shoe's health is fine. My 2-yr old pair has this just beginning on the right foot. Your cobbler can glue it back, or a resole will fix it. I think it's because the toe gets into more stuff. These boots are made for just that - they're not supposed to be too refined. Here is a link to a RW dealer in Virginia. Look at the slideshow at the bottom of the screen, some very distressed and used up shoes. You can see this same thing, but as the shoe aged, this styed OK, while other things wore much more!

http://www.redwingshoesrichmond.com/difference.html

[mcdevil]

Mcdevil - nice collection. That's some serious patina on the Red Wings. Looks great with the virgin sole. The GTs are shiny, that's how I like to keep mine. And the desert boot - if I ever feel the need to go for some, I think the Alden is goona be way preferable to Clark's, which are like going around barefoot.

Thanks. I have to confess a soft spot for Clark's. I know what you mean when you say it's like going barefoot, they don't give much support. I treat them almost like a pair of converse in that regard, plus they're cheap enough that I don't have to baby them like I would the Aldens. Nice jungle boots btw Greg.

mcdevil, that is a seriously nice looking pair of 875s. Do you wax polish on them?

As far as the look on the 875's go. That is just a lot of hard wear and very little care and attention other than some occasional mink oil. That burnished lustre is what my shoe guy did. I was so astonished I forgot to ask him what he did. I'm guessing a neutral wax polish.

I didn't do before and after shots but i did dig around and found these from a few months ago. You get some idea of what they looked like before.