Shoes that look better with age...

[GregNYC]

Technically, it is a combination toplift. I hear that the ones made by JR "wears like iron." (Direct quote of Randy of Cobblestone Shoe Repair on AAAC.)

That last photo I pasted was from Cobblestone She Repair.....

[emmitbrown]

hell/toplift- same thing. the reason it is called a toplift would be because it is on top of a base...unless you are putting loafer heels on, which don't normally use a base.

my dad is a shoemaker. i worked in the shop for years. we never call heels toplifts, but some customers do.

also...my grandpop always tells customers that things "wear like iron".

[Bill2]

hell/toplift- same thing. the reason it is called a toplift would be because it is on top of a base...unless you are putting loafer heels on, which don't normally use a base.

my dad is a shoemaker. i worked in the shop for years. we never call heels toplifts, but some customers do.

also...my grandpop always tells customers that things "wear like iron".

I wonder if "wears like iron" was the catch phrase/slogan of some major shoe brand way back in the day, and thats why all the old school cobblers still use it..... I've read a few places that the fabric Hickory stripe got its name because the origional manufacturer claimed it was "as strong as hickory", as in the wood.....

[GregNYC]

More Indies pictures, finally had time! I think B. Nelson's stitching rocks, check it out in the picture with the logo on the right. I coulda done more photos just on the stitching and welts, but I was focusing on the leather and heels this time..... Here's their site, they say a little about how they recraft dress shoes:

http://www.bnelsonshoes.com/

[GregNYC]

Denim "action" shots. With 2007 LVC '47s, because their smaller leg opening shows more of the shoe. Done in the mirror, still not very much sunlight in NJ, and the last one was blurry because I was standing on one foot trying to still the camera!

[Leonard Leroy]

Those soles are so nice.... I don't know if I would have the heart to break them in.

[fre-co]

oh yes!

those are ridiculously nice. But the sole is better quality than the upper now!

[amlai]

Those superleather Indy's are absolutely fantastic. I'll have to see... if the Ultimate Indys look good and I pick up a pair, as much as I prefer to wear my shoes down before resoling, I may have to have them converted from commando sole to some Joh. Rendenbach soles. (In this case, I just simply prefer leather.) Looks like B. Nelson did a fantastic job. I've had shoes resoled there before, and while they did a good job, this looks even better.

BTW, do you know if they can do a hidden channeled sole? I've never seen a resoling job done at at regular shoe repair do it before (though I imagine that EG and other super high end makers do.)

Edit: looks like they can do it!

http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.php?p=918477&postcount=22

[GregNYC]

Those superleather Indy's are absolutely fantastic. I'll have to see... if the Ultimate Indys look good and I pick up a pair, as much as I prefer to wear my shoes down before resoling, I may have to have them converted from commando sole to some Joh. Rendenbach soles. (In this case, I just simply prefer leather.) Looks like B. Nelson did a fantastic job. I've had shoes resoled there before, and while they did a good job, this looks even better.

BTW, do you know if they can do a hidden channeled sole? I've never seen a resoling job done at at regular shoe repair do it before (though I imagine that EG and other super high end makers do.)

Edit: looks like they can do it!

http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.php?p=918477&postcount=22

Thanks Amlai - I too think B. Nelson's work is nice. Partly because of hte machine Nick said he pruchased that stitches around the edge of the sole matching the contour. With hand-stitching, it can get wavy and amateurish, depending onthe craftsman.

As for hidden-channel stitching, yes they can do it. There's something I don't know about that in general. That is, that there seem to be two ways to give this appearance.

(1) not even stitch, but just glue. This is a guess on my part because I don't know enough about the craft to say how they really do it. But on many of my dress shoes, there's no flap at all that I can see. So if the leather I see on the bottom of the sole is one solid piece, then how is it attached?

(2) stitch, then place the flap over the channel, as I take it was one on the shoe you linked to. I'm not so enthusiastic about this, but it could just be my lack of acquaintance with it: here's a story. One of the worst shoe-experiences I ever had was a "Peel" label Chelsea boot from Brooks Bothers (who bought that old U.K. label and use it for private-label shoes made by C&J or maybe Loake). Anyway, within 2 hours of wearing the shoe, the flap peeled up, revealing that there wasn't even a real sole extending to the toe, but only a midsole, the outer sole having stopped half-way from the heel. I'm glad that BB took them back, though I didhave to speak to the manager because the salesman said "this is perfectly normal." Peel/peal - I had learned the true meaning of BB's new shoe label. Anyway, this put me off flaps.

So what I'm saying is that on the very high end shoes (like over U.S.D. $600) where you don't see stitching on the soles, I don't know how they affix the sole. I've never seen a flap on any of my really good shoes.....

[braid]

Greg, those are just absolutely beautiful.

[edmond]

those are awesome hands down awesome

[YoungPunch]

^^ Very nice indys greg! The quality on the leather soles look outstanding.

Here's a cool t-shirt for cat's paw fans:

[Happy Hooligan]

I really like those!

Wear the ell' out of em'!

[Denim Phenom]

I believe those lace to toe smoke jumpers will be my next pair of boots. I'd like them in a tan leather though.

[tmadd]

My Lace-To-Toe Smokejumpers are on the way from Eddie's as we speak. They are a little different than the Stronghold exclusive model, but very similar. Pictures soon.

[edmond]

could you tell us what you did to to it? why did you send it to eddie's?

[tmadd]

Cat's Paws...These boots are going to effectively be my everyday boot. I ordered 8inch LTT Smokejumpers in Semidress Brown with Brass hardware, speedhooks, and a leather lining. I think I might go triple leather sole on my next pair.

[edmond]

how much did those cats paw run you?

[tmadd]

Half Soles + Heels + Shipping = $105

[WhiteShark]

woah,

that shirt is fantastic...

I would buy one in a second if I could read whatever language that is....

Nice superLeather indies btw.

They look great!

[Denim Phenom]

I think I might go triple leather sole on my next pair.

I like the single leather soul because it shows off the boots natural toe up turn. After looking at the lace to toe pictures in the Stronghold thread I'll probably just order another pair of Semi Dress but in a lighter leather. Baker's has them for them for a pretty reasonable price.

[RustyRyan]

I ordered my Semi Dress from Baker's and if you know your size they come out cheaper, $349 shipped...not too bad, just have to wait for them to be built.

[edmond]

got mine a little more than that but the service is top notch ! i love stronghold hah!

[edmond]

I ordered my Semi Dress from Baker's and if you know your size they come out cheaper, $349 shipped...not too bad, just have to wait for them to be built.

picture pls?

[Denim Phenom]

got mine a little more than that but the service is top notch and the succeeding discount on next purchase is just superb!

Did you just say discount?

[Disillusioned]

I = poor student, but I am into cowboy (or cowgirl, since I am a lady) boots. I am definitely not a hick...more of an ironic urban statement, I suppose. I pick them up either new or used at resale places. One pair I wore in snow, which I know is really stupid to do with leather, but they have a nice broken-in appearance. The only downside is that a) traction sucks and the soles are thin so eventually I'm going to have to get them resurfaced because I mostly walk on pavement in them.

[Chicken]

^ welcome to the future.

but you may or may not already know, this thread is useless without pics.

[Disillusioned]

You=right...I should know this! The boots I wore in the snow are not with me right now, but these are some vintage Dexter boots I wear quite often.

[GregNYC]

this thread is useless without pics.

Here are some pics out of old catalogs. The first is from a page that Bellytank over at Fedora Lounge posted a while back. I photoshopped a bit to expand and lighten the parts. Here are pages from the 1934 Ward's Catalog, and the 1955 Spiegel Christmas Catalog. The fact that it's a Christmas catalog might account for why there's no full footwear section, just some boots for winter use....

1934 Wards

1955 Spiegel

[RustyRyan]

I haven't got them yet, about 2-3 more weeks to wait.