Shoes that look better with age...

[coleslawyum]

Gotta give it time, like most leather goods. The worst are work boots, which took about a month of constant wear. I have some cordovan wing tips and they took about 2 weeks to break in. A little leather cream might help.

[Leonard Leroy]

mark you should have sized up. Haha. I tried on your boots (and you watched me do this) and they were completely comfortable.

I have the cordovan shoes size 8 1/2 in the aberdeen and they feel like you describe.

and you guys would probably die if you saw what he did to his dress shoes before the af60s. cordovan and commando sole are made for him.

[?uestionmark]

no they are definitely comfortable just having them on or even just walking about lightly. but walking from port authority to work isnt so great. i think i got the right size. today the pinch on the pinky toe left. i think a couple more days and it should be fine.

thanks am & cole. cant wait.

were on page indy 405 btw

mark you should have sized up. Haha. I tried on your boots (and you watched me do this) and they were completely comfortable.

I have the cordovan shoes size 8 1/2 in the aberdeen and they feel like you describe.

and you guys would probably die if you saw what he did to his dress shoes before the af60s. cordovan and commando sole are made for him.

[HumanError]

"Those Gokey, 1905s and Alden Navy Boots are great! I've gotta get me some of the Navy boots. I think I'll ask Ralph."

Greg, is Alden on Mad. Ave., going to be stocking them? You probably know that Alden/Carmel carries a similar boot w/commando sole. I'm thinking, I'd prefer eyelets all the way up the shank rather than the four hooks on the Alden/Carmel.

[eastcoastrider27]

I have a quick question, and I apologize if it's already been asked and answered, but I really don't feel like sifting through 500+ pages to find it...

Anyway, I recently got these boots:

They've gotten a little scuffed up, so I want to polish them, but I'm unsure of which brand/color to get.

I was thinking of getting Kiwi mid tan, but what if it doesn't match up with the color of the boots? Should I just apply a neutral shoe polish? Will that fill in the scuffs without altering the color of the boots?

[amlai]

Greg, is Alden on Mad. Ave., going to be stocking them? You probably know that Alden/Carmel carries a similar boot w/commando sole. I'm thinking, I'd prefer eyelets all the way up the shank rather than the four hooks on the Alden/Carmel.

Well, first, it'll be a different boot since the Alden store on Madison won't have the modified last. To my knowledge, the closest they carry is the 4065, which is similar, but in a captoe (and has eyelets all the way up). I assume you're looking for a plain toe.

[fattybfat]

I have a quick question, and I apologize if it's already been asked and answered, but I really don't feel like sifting through 500+ pages to find it...

Anyway, I recently got these boots:

They've gotten a little scuffed up, so I want to polish them, but I'm unsure of which brand/color to get.

I was thinking of getting Kiwi mid tan, but what if it doesn't match up with the color of the boots? Should I just apply a neutral shoe polish? Will that fill in the scuffs without altering the color of the boots?

i would used the meltonian light brown, but i am sure the cognac would works as well. But the meltonian brand seems to be working very well on all my shoe.

[coleslawyum]

Just test a small portion of the surface with whatever wax you decide to use. Most polish won't stain too much and it'll eventually wear out anyway. Just go light and gentle on the first coat especially if you don't want to clog up the brogues with polish. I'm using Saphir right now just 'cause its a "wetter" polish for better coverage. For many years I've used Kiwi and still do.

Don't worry about it too much, because age and wear will change the color anyway.

[HumanError]

Well, first, it'll be a different boot since the Alden store on Madison won't have the modified last. To my knowledge, the closest they carry is the 4065, which is similar, but in a captoe (and has eyelets all the way up). I assume you're looking for a plain toe.

Right you are about the captoe. No love for captoe shoes. I'll probably end up springing for the boot at Alden/Carmel, which has the nifty commando sole. After I see the black Indys, of course.

[eastcoastrider27]

i would used the meltonian light brown, but i am sure the cognac would works as well. But the meltonian brand seems to be working very well on all my shoe.

OK, thanks.

What purpose does neutral wax or cream serve?

[coleslawyum]

OK, thanks.

What purpose does neutral wax or cream serve?

Neutral can shine without altering the color. Cream can be used more for a moisturizer for the leather. What I usually do once a month is I wash the leather saddle soap and soft brush. then I apply some leather conditioner or moisturizer. I finish that off with a polish (2 coats usually) with a bit of water and buff it with a nylon cloth. So for most of the month I just buff with a nylon cloth and touch up scuffs with a wee bit of polish.

Neutral wax can also polish the side of the sole, and prevent (not all of it) polish from coloring your white stitching.

[eastcoastrider27]

Thanks for the info!

What's a good leather conditioner?

Is this good? http://www.cedarshoetree.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=55

[HumanError]

^ Lexol. It's a brand you can trust. Pecard's another.

[fattybfat]

^ agree ...Lexol is absolutely fantastic!! the lexol conditioner as well as the lexol leather cleaner...i do think the leather cleaner work better than the saddle soap by kiwi.

[fardin]

does anybody here know anything of these WWII service boots M1939.

they are much like the buzz rickson ones but seem to be much cheaper and the color looks great.

here is the link

http://www.atthefront.com/us_boots_sshoe.htm

http://www.atthefront.com/us_boot_serv_shoe_main.jpg

[edmond]

cheap lonewolf brand new on sale at yahoo jp size 7 us

http://page17.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v63373767?u=;crack411hood

[Ichiran]

does anybody here know anything of these WWII service boots M1939.

they are much like the buzz rickson ones but seem to be much cheaper and the color looks great.

http://www.atthefront.com/us_boots_sshoe.htm

It can be tough to ascertain the quality of reproduction boots on vintage militaria websites. They can be made with military re-enactors in mind who would only wear the boots on rare occasions, and may not necessarily be suitable for everyday use.

I once ordered these reproduction ankle boots, and although they look great in the photo, they were made in China with very shoddy workmanship and cheap materials.

I'd advise getting a look at the boots in person before buying, or at least being very clear on the store's return policy.

[edmond]

wearing my lonewolf carpenters

[Leonard Leroy]

Alden Shoes - Coming Soon…

July 21, 2008

We apologize for the lack of updates. Expect a shipment of new Alden Leather Soul exclusives later this week!

fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

[fardin]

thank you ichiran for your advice.

kind regards

[HumanError]

Alden Shoes - Coming Soon…

July 21, 2008

We apologize for the lack of updates. Expect a shipment of new Alden Leather Soul exclusives later this week!

fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

Cha-Ching!

[Bill2]

does anybody here know anything of these WWII service boots M1939.

they are much like the buzz rickson ones but seem to be much cheaper and the color looks great.

here is the link

http://www.atthefront.com/us_boots_sshoe.htm

http://www.atthefront.com/us_boot_serv_shoe_main.jpg

I just received my boots from at the front in the mail actually... these exact boots... They are not nearly as nice as they look in the picture. The stitching is shody and very uneven. The "leather" looks and feels very plasticy, when I got them I looked closely to make sure they were even real leather and not vinyl. They look like toy boots that would come with a holloween costume....

That being said...its pretty much what I was expecting from a site retailing boots at $100.... They are definitely not wearable new....my project for tomorrow is to try a bunch of shit on them to beat them up enough to where they look good. I'm thinking I might strip the leather with acetone and try redying it, or otherwise distressing the finish. I'll post pictures if I manage anything clever....

[fardin]

wow bill

what a coincidence. well i guess the buzz rickson boots are then a better but much more expensive purchase. but maybe i will get some semi dress from you instead.

curious about the pics, cause the boots really look nice on the atthefron page

cheers

[coleslawyum]

^^Damn Bill, I'm sorry that they came out so shitty. I was thinking of getting those. Sometimes its fun to mess around with a cheap pair of shoes to see what you can do with them. Although the buzz joints sure are crazily priced at 500+ dollars.

[Bill2]

Along the same lines of cheaper military repro stuff there are also the WWII impressions boots... I'm intruiged by this boot also... from their USMC feild uniform line....

http://wwiiimpressions.com/images/30180profile.JPG

[Johnny_5]

This is a fantastic thread, thanks to everyone involved. I just found it...currently on page 7, out of 123. Will buckle down & finish them all.

Before finding this thread, picked up a pair of Alden 1340. Got em one month ago from Adam of Alden of Carmel. Sounds like not everyone's a fan of the black cordo, but I love them nonetheless. Will look to getting the cordo Indy in any other color if anyone ever gets them in stock.

The folds/ripples that these cordos take on is amazing - I subscribe to the notion that shoes like these look better torn up & broken down. I bought the shoe trees & wax, but don't use them at all. Bad?

btw...thanks to refresh, Analog, & ddml.

Here's a shot after a couple of days of wear:

1 month later:

Hmm, doesn't look like much has changed. Maybe post update in a couple of years.

Quoted for beauty

[HumanError]

The folds/ripples that these cordos take on is amazing - I subscribe to the notion that shoes like these look better torn up & broken down. I bought the shoe trees & wax, but don't use them at all. Bad?

Nope, not bad. Every pic of those boots I've ever seen that made an impression have all had a "broken down" look. They're built like an armored car; you feel obligated to beat them up. I personally use trees, but have only subjected them to polish once in the nearly two years I've had them. I just wipe them down after every wear and buff the shit out of 'em. I think I may alter my m.o. from here on out, and only tree them when I'm not planning on wearing them for a while.

[mlproject]

... nom de guerre is doing a "grey boot" with red wing for the f/w season. that's all i could get out of the rep.

i posted to found out what these were awhile back, but never got an answer. anyone know? i'm guessing they're whites, but i can't find anything they made in suede like that.

[coleslawyum]

^Looks like a Smoke Jumper in copper rough-outs with a vibram 2021 sole.

[Ichiran]

I was looking at some vintage elastic-sided ankle boots recently. Although I saw some really nice-looking boots, the elastic on some of them had really stretched out and looked a bit sloppy. I've never owned chelsea boots before, and I was just wondering whether anyone has had experience trying to get replacement elastics for this type of boot. Thanks!