Shoes that look better with age...

[drapygo]

Mm, can someone explain to me the difference between all the Alden lasts?

[fre-co]

There is a page explaining the lasts on alden of Carmel I believe.

[almostnice]

any boot stores to check out in hamburg, germany - except riders room?

Thomas-i-punkt,Speakeasy,Feldenkirchen,Manufactum - but I guess you know them already and they store nothing you wouldnt get in Berlin...Hamburg isnt very forward in our sense of style.

[Turntabloid]

thx almostnice

[Turntabloid]

does anyone know if the NYC (or any) Alden shop still has black Indy's?

thanks!

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/Shoes-Black_Indy_Boot_210.htm

[Turntabloid]

Mm, can someone explain to me the difference between all the Alden lasts?

Only fitting guidelines, but ...

Alden of Carmel:

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

Tom of LeatherSoulHawaii (taken from StyleForum):

"Below are MY personal Alden fitting comments, yours may vary from mine. I've also written my personal size in each.

Barrie-Fullest fitting last all the way through. (8 1/2E or 8 1/2EE)

Plaza-Just about as long as the Barrie, with a squared toe and tighter in the mid-foot area. (8 1/2EE, but in most cases 9E, some shell cordovan bluchers 9D)

Leydon-"Mini Barrie," just about 1/2 size smaller than the Barrie. (9E, 9EE would be great but there is no EE Leydon)

Aberdeen-Narrow, tight toe box area. (8 1/2EE or 9E)

Copley-Aberdeen with more room in the toe. (8 1/2 EE or 9E)

Hampton-Shorter than Barrie, wide toe area, narrow mid-foot area. (8 1/2 EE or 9E)

Van-Full fitting due to large boxy toe area. (8 1/2E)

Tru-Balance-Similar to Barrie, very neutral shaped last. (8 1/2E or 8 1/2EE):"

[drapygo]

Oh, thanks. I wanted to know how they are in terms of this last is slimmer, this last is not as slim, etc... thanks!

I think I'm going to get AF89 Leydon last soon!

When are you getting yours Turntabloid?!

the anatomica ones look really nice worn in.. but i'm afraid of the price, hhaha.

[erk]

thought you guys might find this interesting

these are LL Bean Canoe Shoes that my dad bought in the early 80s for doing yard work and such. I dont have a pic of them new, but I made this one of what they look like now when i was mowing my parents lawn for them today (you gotta help out when you can).

my dad doesn't wear em much anymore. I'm pretty much the only person who wears em and I use them work mowing the lawn and yard work.

i only wish i could find a new pair...

[vamks]

Those look great man, you should treat it with oil and really "refurbish" it and it'll be an excellent timeless piece.

[erk]

yeah, they need some work. the stitching on the vamp of both shoes is falling apart creating 2 holes and there is cracked leather (which is visible in the picture).

**just oiled them up with obenauf's LP. they look a lot better now.

and I asked my pops when he bought em, he said "1980-81"

here they are after the oiling. I might hit them again...they hadn't been oiled in 20 years....

[jstavrin]

How important are shoe trees? The guy at the Alden store said they were essential, but the cedar one I have makes me itch.

[erk]

How important are shoe trees? The guy at the Alden store said they were essential, but the cedar one I have makes me itch.

to me, that depends.

I feel that leather soled shoes need it more that rubber soled shoes (red wing 875) simply because they are more prone to curling so it helps the shoes keep their shape. but shoe trees also help prolong the life of your footwear, so you could use them in every leather shoe you own.

I actually dont own any shoe trees, but the only decent shoes I have are a pair of red wing 875s and Alden 405s (both of which I feel don't NEED shoe trees).

I say if you're looking to use them with regular 405s and they are making your feet itch, then don't bother. After all they are work boots and how many workers do you think own a set of shoe trees?

[dralfonzo]

o hai

[nattomoto]

what are those?

[grouse_allergy]

Are those common projects. They look nice.

[edmond]

i use shoe trees on my ultimate indies it does help prolong the life and cedar makes them smell fresh!

[dralfonzo]

they're Yasuhiro Mihara

[nattomoto]

do you have a link for those?

[dralfonzo]

no sorry I think they were 1 offs

[jasonfoote303]

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/Shoes-Black_Indy_Boot_210.htm

thanks for the tip!

i just got off the phone with the Madison Ave store in New York. i ended up ordering the black indy that they did. it is calfskin with white stitching and the typical brown indy sole. i can't wait!

i haven't seen any pictures of the black calfskin model... just the cordovan ones. i'll post some pictures next week when i get them!

[edmond]

how much for those? black indies?

[jasonfoote303]

to me, that depends.

I feel that leather soled shoes need it more that rubber soled shoes (red wing 875) simply because they are more prone to curling so it helps the shoes keep their shape. but shoe trees also help prolong the life of your footwear, so you could use them in every leather shoe you own.

I actually dont own any shoe trees, but the only decent shoes I have are a pair of red wing 875s and Alden 405s (both of which I feel don't NEED shoe trees).

I say if you're looking to use them with regular 405s and they are making your feet itch, then don't bother. After all they are work boots and how many workers do you think own a set of shoe trees?

from what i've been told by the guys at the Alden store in SF is that a big factor in shoe trees is that they draw the moisture (sweat) out of the leather after you've been wearing them. if sweaty, salty moisture stays in the shoes for long, the leather will decompose faster in the long run.

[Turntabloid]

Oh, thanks. I wanted to know how they are in terms of this last is slimmer, this last is not as slim, etc... thanks!

I think I'm going to get AF89 Leydon last soon!

When are you getting yours Turntabloid?!

the anatomica ones look really nice worn in.. but i'm afraid of the price, hhaha.

will get mine soon. during next week i guess. can't wait. hope they fit well.

[erk]

i haven't seen any pictures of the black calfskin model... just the cordovan ones. i'll post some pictures next week when i get them!

you should check out whiteshark's 405 gallery. I found a few pics of the black 405s there:

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/AldenShoes/

theres the link to the gallery : check the albums to the left

[jasonfoote303]

you should check out whiteshark's 405 gallery. I found a few pics of the black 405s there:

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/AldenShoes/

theres the link to the gallery : check the albums to the left

oh HELL YES!

thanks so much for posting these pics!

i can't believe i bought them without seeing them but now that i have, they look even better than i had hoped!

i had seen that gallery before but couldn't find it for the life of me... so thanks for that too!

[Bill2]

I've finally got a pair of #8 Indy's on their way to me!! Thanks to Tom and Crew for the help.... Very excited

[edmond]

I've finally got a pair of #8 Indy's on their way to me!! Thanks to Tom and Crew for the help.... Very excited

hi bill i need one of those too can you help me get one? from tom of leathersoul?

[jstavrin]

So what is the process for getting cat paw soles on my 405s? Do I order them myself (if so, where) or do I have the cobbler do it? Do you have to compensate for width? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[erk]

So what is the process for getting cat paw soles on my 405s? Do I order them myself (if so, where) or do I have the cobbler do it? Do you have to compensate for width? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

take your boots to a cobbler and find out what size sole and or heel you need, then find a sole/heel that size and take it to a cobbler. Eddies in CA apparently do nice work with cats paw half soles as well as b nelson shoes in NYC. http://www.bnelsonshoes.com/

[drapygo]

Alright, I am ready to make purchase for AF89s.

But, sizing issue, I e-mailed them and they can't suggest whether to get a 9D or a 9 1/2D.

I wear usually a 9.5 in sneakers, to name a few, Nike Dunks, Puma Roma, Adidas superstars. I also have the AF60s which are 9D and they fit me really good, Not too tight and not too loose.

Sooooo, which one would you guys suggest?

Thanks!