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mizanation

By mizanation
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Denim Phenom

Denim Phenom

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I hope this question doesn't seem prying, but why would someone choose them over the GT when the Patinas are actually quite a bit more expensive?

I don't think you're the only one with that concern. Redwing is a well established company that sells shoes/boots at an affordable price for a good product. I'm not saying that the Patinas aren't a good product or will be really expensive because I haven't seen prices yet, but if it's anything like the prices of "collab denim", I'll stick with the tried and true.

I also don't mean for my opinion to be offensive to anyone involved. I'm sure these are points thought of when wanting to establish a new company. Although, if you went with models that broke new ground but kept that classic style you may have more interest because the consumer won't feel like they're buying the same thing again.

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Chicken
Chicken

been going cheep: 1/4/10 1/4/10 purchased these clarks desert boots a while back. after moving to sunny california, i kind of got tired of hauling around in heavy duty boots, so i thought these

coleslawyum
coleslawyum

Minor update on my Toys McCoy Railman boots. 4 years. Vegetable tanned cowhide. Built like tanks.

riff
riff

I posted these on my tumblr a while back & realized I forgot to post here - my current workboot rotation:

GregNYC

GregNYC

Posted
Posted
A leather care question: what's a good regimen for cleaning/polishing a shoe like the Red Wing GT?

Those Patina really do look like the GT's, only with a zipper! I hope this question doesn't seem prying, but why would someone choose them over the GT when the Patinas are actually quite a bit more expensive?

1. On the polishing - depends on how shiny you want it. I'd alternate Kiwi tan and every 5 or 6 shines, do a Kiwi Oxblood. But I like mine towards glossy, military style.

2. Why Patinas when there are GTs? For me, it could be very simple - the GTs are too narrow to be comfortable for me. If the Patinas have the equivalent of an E width or EE, then I'd definitely order them - sans zipper!

kiwi-life-06-16-1952-100.jpg

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HumanError

HumanError

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I've just joined the league of Indy boot owners. A question for you other members: Do you tree yours? I'm thinking "No" because it's a utility boot and I'm going to treat it as such. I reserve trees for dress shoes. I do drop a bag of cedar chips in each boot to deal with the moisture/smell issue. I try to rest them between wearings, but sometimes I do wear them on consecutive days- I'm not going to baby a pair of utility boots. But, what do you prefer?

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flex0r

flex0r

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Sorry for the poorly exposed pic, but I have a question. The bottom eyelet on my Redwings is rubbing on the bottom of the tongue, near the vamp. Is this a cause for concern? I can't tell whether the copper is rubbing off on the leather or it has worn through the leather. Any recommendations for cleaning and/or prevention?

I polish regularly, and once in a while use Pecards, switching between oil and the paste-like stuff.

001li7.jpg

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ChattyPuma

ChattyPuma

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The bottom eyelet on my Redwings is rubbing on the bottom of the tongue, near the vamp. Is this a cause for concern? I can't tell whether the copper is rubbing off on the leather or it has worn through the leather. Any recommendations for cleaning and/or prevention?

Sometimes this comes from a little bur in the star backing of the eyelet. Some times the eyelet is just rough in general and that happens to be a spot where it is pressed hardest. You can take some plyers and try to squeeze/flaten the star...if that doesn't work you can use a file.

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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Gotcha. Are you for darkening the contrast stitching with polish, or let it be? My girlfriend says I should leave it. She says, nyc will darken the thread soon enough.

The contrasting stitching is one of the things I like about Indies, along with the neutral-colored welt. So I use Kiwi tan polish. I've even lightened the stitching after it got polished over by brown. Q-tip or well-aimed cotton-covered fingertip wet with AFTA.

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HEWSINATOR

HEWSINATOR

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Edmond, and I won't remove your name this time even when you PM me to ask, you're going to get yourself banned again if you don't stop being a Dick to everyone.

Are we all not supposed to know that this is Edmond? He is not doing that good job hiding his identity posting the same pics on other forums under "Edmond".

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HumanError

HumanError

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Ok, seems Kiwi is the preferred polish for Indy boots. Which shade is the best then- mid-tan or brown? They also have a standard tan polish which looks too yellow to me.

Another thing: I got these Frye Brando boots which are gonna need to be resoled, and I'm liking Cat's Paw for the job. Someone (Greg?) suggested B. Nelson. Are there any other cobblers here in NYC who can provide?

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Denim Phenom

Denim Phenom

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Ok, seems Kiwi is the preferred polish for Indy boots. Which shade is the best then- mid-tan or brown? They also have a standard tan polish which looks too yellow to me.

I think Greg made a post a while back saying that using a wax could or will dry out the boot leather so using a creme would be a better idea. That or he said alternating between the two would be best.

I can't remember but i'm sure he'll comment.

You could look into using Meltonian creme.

http://www.shoetreemarketplace.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1002

Fre$co, those are some really nice looking boots.

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HumanError

HumanError

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You could look into using Meltonian creme.

http://www.shoetreemarketplace.com/P...oductCode=1002

On a thread at indygear.com, someone swore by Meltonian brick colored cream for darker colored Indy boots, and London Tan for those made of lighter leather. If you guys haven't checked out indygear.com you should. It's all Indiana Jones all the time. They're obsessed. Obsession is not healthy, is it?

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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fre$co - I'd order them in a second if they had 9.5. Chicken once said that Lone Wolfs are on the wide side, and that encouraged me. Here's hoping that the McCoy's are wide too. But they are both sold out every time I ask.

Human Err - I prefer a Kiwi to be lighter than the shade of the boot. It's why I like tan (not light brown or mid tan). And even tan will bring the brick color towards brown, but a deeply resonant brown, not flat. Every once in a while I might add a layer of cordovan-colored Kiwi for a hint of reddish highlights. I don't like the generic brown that comes from using brown polish and seeing the leather and stitching and welt turn into the same undistinguished shade. One time I had put too much cordovan polish, and the boots were starting to look like Bass Weejuns. So in a fit of impatience, I took the Indies to a cobbler and asked him to dye them brown. They came out the worst, flattest, most plastic-looking synthetic brown that I asked them to strip the boots down and try again. No better. So I gave them away. So now I'm much more attuned to the various shades of brown and how the color interacts with the leather and different kinds of polish. I'm finding that for a historical look, the lighter I can keep the leather, the more historical it will be, and the more it highlights the color given to the leather by the tannery and any burnishing done at the manufacturer. All leather darkens with any liquid or substance you put on it, but in matters of degree. There's one way I saw to lighten the leather, and that is to leave the shoe in the sun in the summer for 10-14 days. There's a pair at the Alden NYC shop like this, and it's a very popular color - that they don't have! Cindy over at NYC Crockett & Jones NYC recommended this too in a pinch - it's not enough to really dry the leather but does lighten it noticeably.

Bendrix - I don't use taps, but I might next time I get a heel change. The Alden Indy heel is wearing down pretty fast. This tip came from an old shoemaker in Iowa who worked on some RM Williams for a friend - all you need are tiny taps, not the huge ones that make walking uneven and toes and heels slip. Just like a quarter-inch tap is all you need - and put it in the right spot.

Denim Phenom - I think I'd use Propert's rather than Meltonian. Cindy at C & J told me never to use Meltonian as a way to polish my shoes, because it dries them out. More than Kiwi. One coat of Propert's under the Kiwi wax-based polish can help. But to really protect the leather from dryness, I'd use a very very very thin coat of Sno Seal or related beeswax preparation. Very thin because it darkens the leather. I've not heard of anything better, because even oils will eat into the textile stitching. So I just use basically Kiwi, and for a gloss, just tiny bits of Meltonian #170 Creme Delicate. It's my military background, what can I say! It's Meltonian, yes, but it's just a drop here and there, and on *top* of the Kiwi so it's OK. Plus, always use thin coats!

sc.meltonian.type.jpg

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