Shoes that look better with age...

[crownzip]

early 50's combat boots that have been re-soled i don't know how many times.

[jake431]

early 50's combat boots that have been re-soled i don't know how many times.

Those the ones I sold or another pair. They look awful familiar...more worn, but familiar.

-Jake

[crownzip]

Hey Jake,

No, these are my daily wearers. The ones you sold me are amazing - I'll never sell those puppies.

[almostnice]

awesome pair! one of the few that is doing the title of this thread justice.

[illumin8em]

certainly aware that these get no love here, but have been wearing them an awful lot lately. just old red wings, but they will soon be gone, and asked for a pictorial eulogy

[morse9443]

Got sick of my 877's, so shit got drastic:

The height was bothering me, so I took an exacto blade and lopped off two inches freehand - turned 'em into 875's.

The crepe sole wore down and wasn't working well at my job, so I had honey Vibram lugs put on.

They were a pain in the ass to lace up and down, so I had a couple speed hooks put in - plan on adding a few more soon.

Overall I'm really happy - they perform a lot better at work, feel great, and I like the looks a lot more. Many off you may be happy to see the crepe sole gone. Now they just need a good cleaning and conditioning.

[zissou]

^They look good, but you should have had the cobbler finish the top edge with some leather. That would clean them up nicely.

crownzip- those combat boots are amazing!

[rnrswitch]

I like the cut top. Those are some MAN soles. Everything looks good. A nice little DIY project.

[fre-co]

I like the cut top. Those are some MAN soles. Everything looks good. A nice little DIY project.

Oh hell yeah. We don't see enough honey lugs here.

[crownzip]

Thanks almostnice and Zissou. Here's a pair of cap toe work boots from the late 30's - 40's. During the war they were issued to enlisted men as service shoes. They look pretty beat up but are holding up well after a lot of NYC street miles on them over the years. My girlfriend calls em my prison boots - when I wear them with denim she says i look like I'm an extra from Shawshank prison. I take it as a huge compliment. haha

[Happy Hooligan]

^^ please no more! I can't stand it... I love those...

[fre-co]

Did you loan those to red wing for iron ranger inspiration? Or are they actually original red wing?

[jake431]

Iron Rangers were Red Wing catalog re-issues. Grant's got some mighty nice Service Shoes there. Similar look. but different beast.

-Jake

[crownzip]

Hi Jake,

Back as far as the 30's Red Wing was making work boots that looked similar to service shoes. I've got a deadstock pair from the 30's that look very close to service shoes except they have RW stamped on the inside and the heel. The materials, workmenship and detail in these boots are far superior to anything Red Wing's making today.

From what I know the Iron Rangers are kinda based on a boot from the 70's. I've got a friend in construction that used to work with iron workers back in the 80's that said he remembers seeing guys wearing boots similar to current Iron Rangers.

[dkatz]

Found these "Freeman" shoes at a local market here. I definitely overpaid for these fairly well-used, probably not-great-quality shoes (35,000UGX = US$19, though I talked the guy down from 95,000UGX), but they are insanely comfortable... honestly the most comfortable oxfords I've tried on.

They're quickly becoming my default daily kicks.

AND they're the same color as the dirt here, so they'll never look too dirty! Bonus!

[vjiforlife]

^^^great find!!! I think the majority would have pick them up at the same price, if not even more.

[pomata]

Update on my Redwings. Worn for a winter.

the nubuck effect has totally disappeared

[pwing]

[almostnice]

thats a great boot,I tried them on 10 days ago,not sure how exclusive they are,you can buy them in germany

[pwing]

oh damn, i thought they were japan only. i tried ordering them though various sites and wasn't able to get them, i only saw them in tokyo. they are beautiful.

[rnrswitch]

They are probably exclusive to everywhere but the States. Just like most of the nice RW models.

[almostnice]

I ve handled them here in Riders Room Hamburg,was the first time I saw them,thought a moment to get them as real workboots,but too pricey for that .They stock regular RWs only,so they might be exclusive to Europe and Japan.few years back RW offered a wider range in Europe than in the US,maybe thats some reason.

[Rivet Head]

The 9160's are not up on rwleatherboots.com for the EU. Might be limited to Germany and Japan? Axis only boots!

[entropy kid]

Make that a "maybe exclusive to Japan, Germany and Switzerland" (I saw them just two days ago in a shop here) which probably really means "everywhere but the US".

Nice boots, though...

[fre-co]

Got my bounty hunters back today. The saga is over.

[erk]

The saga is over.

I'm glad to hear that. How'd everything pan out? smoothly? I'm guessing they just took off the extra leather on the sole and attached a new toe section to the same uppers? satisfied?

[Rivet Head]

They look great fre$co!

[fre-co]

I'm glad to hear that. How'd everything pan out? smoothly? I'm guessing they just took off the extra leather on the sole and attached a new toe section to the same uppers? satisfied?

I guess that is what they did.

I'm totally happy with them now. Bakers came through for me and sorted it all out. I'm glad I sent them back because if I'd kept them I would have never been quite happy with them.

Now they will be my main boot over the winter months.

thanks rivet head

I wore them at work today and one of our secretaries said they were 'intimidating' haha

[entropy kid]

I liked the triple sole more...

Just think what your secretary would have said to the original version.

[rnrswitch]

Got my bounty hunters back today. The saga is over.

Dude, those things are gangsta. What are the spec's again and how much. They make me want to get some whites.

I like the lower profile of the double sole.