Shoes that look better with age...

[Gabriel]

I don't know if it's been posted here or not, but this boot maker, La Botte Gardiane look interesting, they're made in France with traditional methods, high quality leather etc. Even their site has no English version, how OG is that. I've never seen them in person. They cost about €200. Someone said that there are equivalent traditional shoemakers in Spain, also.

[fre-co]

Eddie, nice site! I want these puppies.... Horsehide, cat's paws etc. 70,000 yen though.

I wouldn't change the perfectly good sole on the engineer boots until they needed it. I like neoprene soles, very union-made. Not every boot needs a double leather and cat's paw sole!

Chicken, I'm sure someone was trying to sell a pair like that on the supermarket last year.

Edit: yep here it is... http://66.240.222.190/showthread.php?t=39001

[GregNYC]

Are they available anywhere the same size? I myself wouldn't buy mismatched footwear, even at a huge discount. But - with inserts you can make the larger one feel smaller. We do it all the time. A half size isn't *that* great. Before buying, why not ask your favority cobbler what he thinks? Another issue is, are your feet symmetrical?

oh no these are the usa made one vintage repros by the real mccoys

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/three-eight/rmc-ia7002-030/

fraction of the cost

so greg am i asking is it possible to do that?

[Madmax]

for someone with smaller feet, maybe.

oh, and by the way, does anybody here know what these are?

i never knew alden made lace-to-toe boots, especially with cat's paws (which might've been added later).

I believe someone actually posted a similar or same boot early in this thread.

[edmond]

hi greg my left foot is bigger by a bit around 1/8 inch overall ..

but he boots are size 9 on the left and size 9 1/2 on the right..

the cobller havent replied to me yet regarding the cork filler or the insole..

hmm so you suggest i dont get it even at 60% discount?

[fre-co]

^ I don't think I would bother, especially since your smaller foot would be in the larger boot.

[Tiro]

^ I don't think I would bother, especially since your smaller foot would be in the larger boot.

I would have to agree

[GregNYC]

hmm so you suggest i dont get it even at 60% discount?

That's right, I wouldn't recommend it. Most people are a bit asymmetical. Yours and the boots run in opposite directions. Besides that, I think the enjoyment you'd get from a better fit would be remembered a lot longer than the 60% savings.

[fre-co]

Besides that, I think the enjoyment you'd get from a better fit would be remembered a lot longer than the 60% savings.

Beautifully put!

[jo3 b]

does anyone have first hand experience with these loake royal brogues?or have handled at the very least?

i'm looking for a cheaper alternative to alden long wings, and these seem to fit the bill.

but i've read they're corrected grain and for the price i can't imagine the quality is up to par with aldens.

any help would be great.

[fre-co]

Loake are definitely second tier english shoe makers, but I have never handled these.

[Tarmac]

anybody here ever used URAD?

an article in recent free & easy recommends URAD neutral.

I have URAD, I personally don't like it. It is more of a sealant/clearcoating rather than polish. I can see where this might be advantageous (black boots without a lot of seams? maybe) but I never find myself using the URAD anymore. It is also more expensive than regular polish.

If you do use it, use a tiny, tiny bit. A microscopic coat. Too much and it turns gloppy/sticky, like glue.

[Chicken]

^ iirc, it said to use your fingers or cloth and apply a very thin layer. so your experience must be right on. thanks for your input. i might just give it a try for experience sake.

[Chicken]

Chicken, I'm sure someone was trying to sell a pair like that on the supermarket last year.

Edit: yep here it is... http://66.240.222.190/showthread.php?t=39001

I believe someone actually posted a similar or same boot early in this thread.

thanks guys. i wonder how the quality of those aldens hold against others.

http://www.takeoff-clothing.com/show/1166.html

[obsessis]

what is the best way to condition/moisturize oil-tanned leather (Red Wing 875). They don't need any shoe polish or anything, I'm just looking to keep them in good condition so they won't crack. I also have a pair of Semi Dress on the way that are made with oil-tanned leather as opposed to the dry-tanned regular semi-dress leather that people polish.

I've heard that mink oil is bad and can deteriorate leather over a long time. I've also heard that wax dries out leather but I don't think I have anything with wax. I've heard silicone isn't good for leather but I'm not sure if that is the dry-tanned as opposed to oil-tanned.

I have some Kiwi Mink Oil that has mink oil, lanolin and silicone in it. Says it conditions and waterproofs smooth leather.

I have some Sof Sole leather lube, it comes in a jar with a sponge applicator. It says it is a blend of waxes and oils to protect against water and other liquids, restore original feel and color while providing long lasting protection. You buy this stuff at Famous Footwear.

I have some Kiwi Leather Lotion, cleans, conditions and nourishes smooth leather prevents drying and cracking and leaves a soft lustre. there are business shoes on the bottle that it comes in, like shampoo, so i'm thinking it might not be for oil-tanned leather. Formulated to gently clean as it replenishes the oils for all leathers. after use it leaves a soft lustre, keeps them looking new longer and helps prevent drying and cracking.

I have a similar bottle of leather lotion from Wilson's Leather. moisturizes leather to prevent drying and cracking, mantains natural luster and replenishes natural oils.

I'm kind of confused as to what the differences are between them....what their intended uses are and which would be best for oil-tanned leather.

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. I've spent a couple hours on google and everyone gives conflicting advice as to what the best way to care for leather is and I assume they are talking about dry-tanned leather and not oil-tanned.

[GregNYC]

^This is actually one of the easier maintanence questions to come across the board.

I am firmly within the Sno Seal or beeswax camp. I put it on my RW 875s and I don't think they'll ever dry out unless I were stationed in Iraq till post-apocalyptic times.

It works on smooth, polished, oil-tanned or even suede (though it flattens the nap).

I like Sno Seal because:

-It's old-skool (1933), natural, and non-acidic. The ancient Egyptians used beeswax to protect leather.

-Fats, greases and oils contain acid. Acid corrodes leather over the years, and disintegrates the stitching at the seams.

-Fats, oils and greases actually dry the surface of the leather and yet soak in to the lower layers and make it spongy. You'll see, when you have to re-apply more often than you thought. Sno Seal sticks to the surface much much much longer and maintains the integrity of the leather and its consistency.

-Although beeswax doesn't *soften* leather like oils do (that acid again?), it does *prevent stiffening and drying* of leather. It requires fewer coats because of longer time between drying than any other substance I've ever used.

-It doesn't smell bad or funky like mink oil.

-it is also one of the best substances also for water-"proofing" leather

-The U.S. Boy Scouts recommend it! Great article here.

http://tinyurl.com/6ek86z

There's one drawback I can think of - it's very hard to apply. Always use thin coats! One thin coat was enough for my 875s for 2 years now!

You can

(i) warm the boots sitting on a cookie sheet in the oven (in a pre-heated oven to just over 120 degrees, let them sit for 5-10 minutes). Check every few minutes to see how the sole is doing. Don't leave the oven unattended, and don't use a microwave. Or, apply a hair dryer to the leather. Heating the leather is good because it temporarily opens the pores, so that more wax is absorbed.

and/or

(ii) Heat the Sno Seal to liquefy it. And then apply a THIN coat and rub way in.

Good luck!

[edmond]

thanks guys. i wonder how the quality of those aldens hold against others.

http://www.takeoff-clothing.com/show/1166.html

hi chicken i think the lonewolf's have a better quality than alden's if thats your q..

[coleslawyum]

^^^Good post, Greg. I actually like using beeswax on my oil tanned leathers. It gives the boot a little bit of a tacky surface, but makes it smooth and water repellent.

I still oil my boots, knowing that it will eventually rot the stitching, but it looks so damn good all shiny. BTW, if you do choose to use mink oil, the best smelling one is made by Penguin. It smells like coconut custard.

[Tarmac]

I have handled Loakes and identical Loakes for Tyrwhitt before. Most of the lines below the top 1880 line are indeed corrected grain. But they are all pretty well made, as far as clicking, punching and matching, they were pretty much perfectly done. They should be goodyear welted and very durable. If you don't want corrected grain, go for the 1880, if you don't mind CG then the lower lines are still sturdy shoes.

One other thing, a good way to side-step the CG issue of the cheaper lines is to get them in suede.

does anyone have first hand experience with these loake royal brogues?or have handled at the very least?

i'm looking for a cheaper alternative to alden long wings, and these seem to fit the bill.

but i've read they're corrected grain and for the price i can't imagine the quality is up to par with aldens.

any help would be great.

[partytaco]

strongly disagree.

hi chicken i think the lonewolf's have a better quality than alden's if thats your q..

[jo3 b]

thanks for the info tarmac,

taco, what is it you disagree with?

[rockon99]

^^ it looks like he jus put the quote under his reply..

[coleslawyum]

Never dealt with Lone Wolf's before. But its kind of hard to compare a work boot with a dress shoe. If anything, you should probably be comparing a Lone Wolf with a Red Wing or White's. Alden's I would compare to with other dress shoe companies in the same vein like Allen Edmonds or something. Alden's is pretty good for an American dress shoe company. I'm not sure it'll stand up next to the English (C&J, Edward Green) or the Italian (Santoni, etc.etc.) counterparts, but it's still a solid dress shoe.

[emaze]

I finally pulled the trigger after 2 years of holding back on these Alden's...

[dave023]

great choice!!

[GregNYC]

Great, emaze! I have them in black. How about an action shot w/ denim or khaki?

[Tiro]

very informative post there Greg, I have a few more questions tho...

I got a pair of RW's in the same leather as the 875 and on the carecard that came with them they recommend RW mink oil, have you got any experience with that?

also, I oiled my RM belt with Wesco Bee-oil, do you know more about this type of oil, does it have the same drawbacks as minkoil? Should I use beeswax in the future instead? I was actually told not to use wax as it closes the pores of the leather...

[GregNYC]

^Lots of experience with mink oil in general, but not Red Wings'. I don't know about Wesco bee-oil either. For example, does it have wax and oil? Wesco recommends you use it before the beeswax. This is traditional - if you put more than one protectant on, you apply the less viscous (thinner stuff) before the more viscous (thicker stuff). The lower viscosity helps it soak further into the leather.

Also depends on what you want to do. Keep the leather from drying or waterproof it? There are other ways to protect leather, and beeswax is one of them. Oils, fats and greases are another. But to waterproof leather, the field gets narrow, and there are fewer products. Beeswax is a clearer choice here.

I've never had any problem with the pores of the leather closing. I read somewhere, maybe Sno Seal's own publicity, that putting many light coats on makes the leather waterproof like 99%, but lets air get in and out. Skiers and mountain climbers use it, especially in the days before Gore-Tex. Of course if you scuff leather against a rock, then moisture could come through.

For protecting leather, I'd use very light coats, and a bit heavier for waterproofing leather.

For restoring leather and treating antique leather, I've used Pecard's oils and dressings. They work precisely because they do soak in and soften the leather, reducing the fibrosity. Haven't tried Obenauf's.

But used in moderation, any of these is better than none!

[kyledunn]

Has anyone posted anything about Grenson yet? I don't feel like reading 350 pages to find out. If not, look them up, the brand makes amazing shoes and boots.

[skalogre]

Has anyone posted anything about Grenson yet? I don't feel like reading 350 pages to find out. If not, look them up, the brand makes amazing shoes and boots.

Yep; search for pics of Leicalad's Grenson Ilkley boots hanging of the side of a Huey in Afghanistan