Shoes that look better with age...

[edmond]

those are awesome! any website that sells em? maybe some custom made one would be great!

[bargecharge]

First time posting in this thread. As others have said, easily the best one on SF. Hopefully I'll have something to contribute in the future, but in the meantime a question. Anyone recognize these boots?

[WhiteShark]

I'm actually thinking about selling mine and

getting the rugged version from Alden of carmel. They are too narrow

for my feet, and its starting to hurt. Go figure, after two years I realize

They are size 10.5 D I should be wearing a size 10 EE

[cabl3]

been wanting some better shoes lately other than sneaks....was thinking of some tan/brown Oxfords (slim, not fat and round ones) and black combat boots (Red Wing probably) to start off with. I found some oxfords at some local shoe shop, but the sole is rubber and not leather, which is really a turn off for me. So I'll just try searching online. Do you all have any recommendations? thx.

[tmadd]

been wanting some better shoes lately other than sneaks....was thinking of some tan/brown Oxfords (slim, not fat and round ones) and black combat boots (Red Wing probably) to start off with. I found some oxfords at some local shoe shop, but the sole is rubber and not leather, which is really a turn off for me. So I'll just try searching online. Do you all have any recommendations? thx.

Find Allen Edmonds that you like on sale...Nordstrom Rack has contributed 4 pairs of AE dress shoes to my collection at less than $100 a piece.

[imightbechad]

those are awesome! any website that sells em? maybe some custom made one would be great!

click the link, they're on weeeeBay

chad.

[partytaco]

who started this whole cat's paw revival? about 1/4 of every page for the past couple months have been dedicated to this brand. i've seen posters ripping the soles they had put on to replace the soles they put on the month before when something was else was hot only to replace those this month with cat's paw. it's scary how fast this things blowup on this board and die....seriously scary.

[tmadd]

Thanks for informing us of our shortcomings. I am impressed with your ability to be offended by the manner in which a small group of people choose to maintain their footwear.

[edmond]

Im Happy With My Cats Paw I Have 3 Shoes With Them...

[Tarmac]

What does everyone wear on rainy days? If it's really pouring, I wear my waterproof Matterhorns. Light to medium rain like today, it;s the RW 8146's.

piss pouring I always wear my pittards waterproof leather boots with goretex lining. completely impervious to rain, even submersion.

if its light rain I wear any shoe with rubber soles

[datasupa]

i have specific boots for different conditions

heavy snow - vasque sundowner goretex (hikers)

pissing rain - timberland torrance goretex (beaters)

light snow/rain - trickers stow/whites semidress

only thing missing is double leather sole for those bone dry days without a hint of cloud

[amlai]

who started this whole cat's paw revival? about 1/4 of every page for the past couple months have been dedicated to this brand. i've seen posters ripping the soles they had put on to replace the soles they put on the month before when something was else was hot only to replace those this month with cat's paw. it's scary how fast this things blowup on this board and die....seriously scary.

To some extent, I'm in agreement with partytaco... I think people are a bit nuts in how fast they're putting soles on, switching them around, and following the latest trend/fad. I personally prefer to wear out the current sole before moving on to the next thing. And if you do it all right, then it should be timeless. But, if this is what makes people happy, who am I to argue. I like seeing the pictures as well, so I'm not going to complain.

[coleslawyum]

To some extent, I'm in agreement with partytaco... I think people are a bit nuts in how fast they're putting soles on, switching them around, and following the latest trend/fad. I personally prefer to wear out the current sole before moving on to the next thing. And if you do it all right, then it should be timeless. But, if this is what makes people happy, who am I to argue. I like seeing the pictures as well, so I'm not going to complain.

You make a lot sense. I'm the same kind of person that waits for the sole to wear out before switching it. Cat's Paw have a nostalgic quality which I think is all the rage these days. I mean they look real old school to me. But, again, nothing beats a leather sole on a classic dress shoe. I say keep the pictures coming.

[Chicken]

speaking of cat's paws, i took my semi dress back into eddie's last saturday.

sorry these are quick pics (i didn't clean out the soles nor polish the uppers). but as you can see, they added taps and replaced the heels. we'll see if this will help slow down the wear speed.

[Tarmac]

dam, so yall put DA KAtz pauze on and they don't even wear very well??

[edmond]

hello chicken , what was the heel before? and what does the metal taps do? save the front end from wearing down fast too?

[amlai]

hello chicken , what was the heel before? and what does the metal taps do? save the front end from wearing down fast too?

Yes. The metal toe tap prevents the front from wearing down quickly. Frequently, the front edge will wear down quickly down to the welt. If that happens, the sole needs to be changed at that point to prevent damage to the welt.

[GregNYC]

Chicken - do you remember what was stamped onto the tap before it got worn down or can you still read it? I've seen them before but can't remember the name....

Cat's Paws, etc. It's not about any one company or material or style, though for me, there's a trace of retro nostalgia to everything I like. But mainly, I look at this shoe customization as a form of art and fantasy. Using the shoe as a canvas and transforming it into something kind of new. Sure there are more practical ways to approach footwear. But if I were merely practical about it, I'd have like 3 pairs of shoes. Like about a decade ago, I wore one pair of R.M. Williams to work for like 6 years (w/ a few re-heels and soles) before the shoe bug really hit.

My Superleather Indies are still at B. Nelson for the all-around leather resoling. He promised me they would be a thing of beauty, and said his best guy is working on it. So the shoes weren't ready today like he thought, but next week. And I've got my GT's there for a wet-last stretch job. They are a D and I'm a EE in Red WIngs. I actually got a blister from the inside seams the day before yesterday!

[edmond]

Yes. The metal toe tap prevents the front from wearing down quickly. Frequently, the front edge will wear down quickly down to the welt. If that happens, the sole needs to be changed at that point to prevent damage to the welt.

thanks so much id like one put on my lw carpenters as well...thanks!

[Denim Phenom]

Chicken, seeing your White's makes me want to time travel to when mine arrive.

[Chicken]

tarmac, i have to put a disclaimer. i'm pretty sure i'm quite hard on my shoes. i walk quite a lot and hard -- people say i "bounce" when i walk. and once i get into my shoes, i tend to wear them every day.

cat's paws are probably not the most durable soles out there, but they probably also aren't as bad as what my results might showing.

amlai, thanks for taking care of the demon's question.

greg, i think it begins with an R and ends with an N. but unfortunately, i started walking in them before i took a note of what was stamped. but you know who can tell you what they are.

phenom, i think you'd be very happy when they arrive.

[SLAB]

Chicken, those boots look great!

[ang_kangkong]

tarmac, i have to put a disclaimer. i'm pretty sure i'm quite hard on my shoes. i walk quite a lot and hard -- people say i "bounce" when i walk. and once i get into my shoes, i tend to wear them every day.

I'm more surprised about how there's not that much of a crease across the front of your shoes from how you "perch". This isn't even the only pic of you sitting this way.

[Chicken]

yeah, the way i went through my indys in a year is a good case in point about how rough i'm with my boots. the neoprene soles on the 405s disappeared real quickly for me, too. but looks like other members tend to do fine with them.

but about the crease, perhaps it's because i use shoe trees?

[fre-co]

Do you do that to set in your combz?

[Chicken]

no

in all honestly, i remember i perched up on the seat there because we were having hard time framing the evisus in the pic.

[coleslawyum]

^^Nah, that's just how chicken sits when he gets excited about drinking.

[dunkin deeznuts]

Do you do that to set in your combz?

no

in all honestly, i remember i perched up on the seat there because we were having hard time framing the evisus in the pic.

thats just the asian squat....

next he is going to hock a big loogie at the camera

(disclaimer: i know these are mostly chinese "habits", and that other asian cultures are more sophisticated)

[ang_kangkong]

but about the crease, perhaps it's because i use shoe trees?

Then for you (and folks who can do the crouch), it's such a good idea to get these things.

Is there a difference between shoe trees and boot trees? Do you even own boot trees? For the Smokejumpers and the RWs? Or do the shoe trees get in with no problems?

[Chicken]

shoe trees seem to work just fine for me for most of my boots. but i have a pair of herman's military boots that are pretty tall, and i suspect i should use boot trees for them. but i've been blowing it off because i'm such a bum like that.