Shoes that look better with age...

[akuma no uta]

Eddie you're my fucking hero and tmadd those ricksons are sooo fucking sick, I think you may have just saved me 300 bucks from not copping Alden cordos but probably those instead

[edmond]

what size are ya akuma?

[amlai]

my #8 indies just arrived,, perfect! how do i take good care of the leather soles?

You don't... just wear them. And rotate them with something else. If you're not beyond polishing the uppers, I'd go and follow the procedure at the bottom of this page:

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/care_of_shell_cordovan.htm

Personally, I wear the leather soles in all conditions... rain, snow, slush and I've not had any significant issues. The soles that Alden uses are about as good as you'll find on a ready to wear shoe (other than Edward Green or other super high end maker.) By the time they wear out, it's probably time to send them back to Alden for refurbishing anyways.

[edmond]

thanks buddy really good ! thanks

[akuma no uta]

Big, Eddie, like maybe an 11 or a half size up of down depending on how high the top of the shoe is. Why you got an extra pair hahaha?

[amlai]

Oh... since clearly you're not used to wearing leather soled shoes... be careful in them. If you're not used to them, you might slip and bust up your backside. To help prevent that, I would go wear them out onto some rough pavement and scuff up the soles. (I've also heard of people using sandpaper or a knife to scratch up the bottoms.) Depending on how you walk, you might have to adjust how you walk a bit and to walk over your toes rather on your heels.

[lowrider]

Not sure if it's a re-post but this is why I love cordovan:

http://vimeo.com/4814754

How do I embed a video here?

[akuma no uta]

^^^^ very true, a few years ago I copped a pair of gucci Chelsea boots real cheap and they had leather soles, and that shit was slippery as dck, especially on carpet. They aged real nicely wish I still had them for pics, but they don't fit in wth what I wear now.

[tmadd]

Eddie you're my fucking hero and tmadd those ricksons are sooo fucking sick, I think you may have just saved me 300 bucks from not copping Alden cordos but probably those instead

Nice. I will warn you they may be impossible to find in the US and may get closer to Alden shell prices anyways. I am picking up the perf captoe trubalance boots in #8 that leather sole will be releasing in the next month or two and I feel like these two boots will complement each other and my wardrobe perfectly for a long long time.

[Supawiwi]

I have been told to wax the soles like once a month. I don't do it very often but I trust it is important after wearing them in the rain. It helps give the waterproof property back a little or at least preserve it. I've also read it on the paraboot website.

[Happy Hooligan]

I know I've posted them before, but I did bunch of pics and write up of my Wesco Boss Boots on my blog if anyone is into Engineer Boots...

[almostnice]

GT 9011.they became my everydayboot for a couple of weeks now.used to prefer the RW 8138 over them,but they are pretty worn in,and even though the crepesole is very comfortable i like how my feet sits in the GTs much more.gave them a quick polish with Kiwi neutral some days before,the only stuff i applied to them since the last 6 months:

[Bill2]

Jesus.... I leave my computer off for two days and the whole thread is up in arms!! Shit.... lets all take a deep breath.

1. Tyler, the dubbing turned out good on the m43's..... good decision!

2. Edmond is a pimp. If you can't show love on a SHOE FORUM for somebody who has one of the best collections of SHOES, than your Daddy probably didn't hug you enough when you were little.

3. J-whatever his name is, just wants attention and neg. rep. Ignore him publicly and give him positive rep...... He will go away.

[Bill2]

GT 9011.they became my everydayboot for a couple of weeks now.used to prefer the RW 8138 over them,but they are pretty worn in,and even though the crepesole is very comfortable i like how my feet sits in the GTs much more.gave them a quick polish with Kiwi neutral some days before,the only stuff i applied to them since the last 6 months:

Fuck me! I know whose doing my shoe shining for me from now on....

[almostnice]

you know what? they where dusty as hell and as i was in a hurry i just wiped it off with some cloth ,applied Kiwi and polished.was to lazy to take the laces out.shame on me..

[amlai]

I have been told to wax the soles like once a month. I don't do it very often but I trust it is important after wearing them in the rain. It helps give the waterproof property back a little or at least preserve it. I've also read it on the paraboot website.

That's just weird... I've never heard of waxing a sole before, but maybe oiling it. (I've head that oiling a sole is a German thing.) What are you waxing it with?

[almostnice]

but Bill,if you dont mind bringing my noisy kids and my lovely wife,i just pack my dented,half empty Kiwi tin,some old rag and a brush which i paid ,-50 Cent for,and we will be in your store in 48 hours.just send me the tickets.you dont have to pay me,just let me choose anything i want from craft.sounds like a fair deal,doesnt it?

[fre-co]

Those GTs look great! i've always thought about getting those and never got around to it.

Tmadd, those service boots are wonderful, eddies roughout bountyhunters and your latest pick up are seriously tempting me into the suede world.

[Supawiwi]

That's just weird... I've never heard of waxing a sole before, but maybe oiling it. (I've head that oiling a sole is a German thing.) What are you waxing it with?

regular bee wax based polish. It gets a bit slippery the day after but seems to be pretty efficient. I mainly do it on my trickers burford.

[Supawiwi]

I think oiling the sole might tender it, what would lower the abrasion resistance.

[almostnice]

Those GTs look great! i've always thought about getting those and never got around to it.

Tmadd, those service boots are wonderful, eddies roughout bountyhunters and your latest pick up are seriously tempting me into the suede world.

fully agree.Tmadd,awesomepair,will rep later!

[tmadd]

I know I've posted them before, but I did bunch of pics and write up of my Wesco Boss Boots on my blog if anyone is into Engineer Boots...

I am pretty ambivalent towards Engineer Boots, but I am really digging these. These are making me reconsider the Mister Freedom boots that are coming out. On your blog post, you say every guy needs a pair of Engineer boots, and I am curious if there are specific things you like them better for than lace up workboots in the Whites/Wesco vein other than just aesthetics. I ask because I have avoided engineer boots because I have skinny ankles and low volume feet and imagine that would make it tough to find a pair that fit right, but I am definitely interested.

[almostnice]

^that sums up my thoughts about engineers.might even change my mind.

truly awesome,Hooligan!

[Happy Hooligan]

I am pretty ambivalent towards Engineer Boots, but I am really digging these. These are making me reconsider the Mister Freedom boots that are coming out. On your blog post, you say every guy needs a pair of Engineer boots, and I am curious if there are specific things you like them better for than lace up workboots in the Whites/Wesco vein other than just aesthetics. I ask because I have avoided engineer boots because I have skinny ankles and low volume feet and imagine that would make it tough to find a pair that fit right, but I am definitely interested.

I don't like the modern engineer boots either, that's why I had these made.

Overall pull-on boots have a different feel than lace ups. You walk different in them, as in your heel rides up and down more. If you do a lot of walking, I'd go with lace ups, as these boots are fairly heavy and since they don't flex like a lace up, you'll notice it when you do long distance walking. If you do more standing, then pull ups work as well as lace ups.

I don't have huge ankles either and I have thinner legs. When you custom fit your boots besides measuring your actual foot, Wesco has you measure your calf and ankle and will make the boot fit you, just like Whites does.

I'm not sure what low volume feet are? Flat? I have flat feet and the boots fit me fine.

I wouldn't recommend you only wear these, but in rotation it's a great choice.

[fallen angels]

My RW GT's (9014 black)- I've been wearing them about every other day (or more) for the last 7 months. They've gone with me to 2 foreign countries (China and Australia) to live up to their "Gentleman Traveler" name haha. I applied some Obenauf to them a month ago and buffed them a little bit with a soft cloth today:

[snoppkaparN]

nice pair of black GTs, I always was a bigger fan of the cherry color, but if I should get a pair now I will go for the black one.

[fallen angels]

Black is cool, but to be honest.. if I could do it over, I would've gotten them in black cherry, that color is just so rich.

[jstavrin]

The original GT laces look so much better than the shitty ones I have on now. Anyone know where I can order them?

[JeremyM]

I ordered a pair of 9014's in black about a week and a bit ago, just waiting for them to arrive.

I'll post pictures when I get them, I went true to size because people here said they'd fit good if I got them the same size as my foot and put an insole in them.

What insoles do you guys recommend, maybe a superfeet, but which version? maybe a Superfeet Worldwide LP in green?

I don't want to have to order online, because it takes a long time for them to get to my city from America and Europe (about 14 days) but if I absolutely have to I will.

[Turntabloid]

currently hanging out with brett viberg who is wearing his own engineer boots.

they are actually the first engineer boots i would like to buy and look awesome beaten up.

will try to get a worn pic of them tonight, but here they are untouched:

you can customize everything on them from leather, last to sole and stitching. pretty amazing quality stuff that is (e.g. brass nails etc.).

production time on custom order is approx. 8 weeks!

they get hand made in vancouver bc.

add on: there will be also two ways to order the shaft on those. classic, with a lot of room as usual and japanese market, with a slimmer shaft and a tighter feel/hold.