Shoes that look better with age...

[ranonranonarat]

send em over ranon ill take care of em

trade you for your kid!

[demonator]

trade you for your kid!

you gotta need to add a little cash

these are almost vnds

[Quoise1203]

After 13 months I just applied some leather conditioner to my Redwing 213s

Before:

After:

[Highvoltage]

I have never had much desire to own pair of indy's (save a shell version in #8 or cigar perhaps), but this image of a well worn CXL pair has me reconsidering.

Thanks! They were one of my first quality boot purchases, and I bought them because of the great price I'd found. I'm glad I did, they are very well made, comfortable, and they really have only gotten better as time goes by. There really isn't anything I've found thats caused me the slightest bit of regret.

[Highvoltage]

My Iron Rangers were in much need of some TLC, so I broke out the saddle soap, water and elbow grease. My goal was to remove all the built up wax/polish/and other foul stuff they'd picked up from being worn to work. I have more practical boots for my job, so I wanted to get these cleaned up and looking decent again.

Scrubbed the hell out of them last night, stuffed them with paper, and let them dry over night.

This is how they looked when I got up today:

Dry, stiff, and really dull, but it looks like I got most of the grime off.

Applied a good amount of conditioner (I need to try out Obenauf's, but I used the RW stuff),

and let them sit in a warm room. They soaked up almost all of it within a half hour. I reapplied a little more, and will let them soak. Here's how they look now:

I'd think that by tomorrow afternoon I should have them looking how I want. I'll be sure to post an "after" shot.

[PeterParker]

Dammit, Viberg makes expensive boots. Beautifully crafted, but expensive boots.

[garden gnomes in space]

Vibergs are beautiful. The price is fucking insane however. They are being shilled at Barney's New York for $850.

[mlwdp]

Wow at Viberg being sold at Barneys. Never would have seen that coming.

Edited January 28, 2013 by mlwdp

[GregNYC]

I haven't posted for a long time now. If there's any new cool stuff, I am totally out of the loop on it.

But I'm in Tokyo and I couldn't think of a better place to get advice: can anyone recommend a brick+mortar store where I can find boots by Buzz, Lone Wolf, or any of the other brands we talk about on this fine thread?

Tokyo has tons of Red Wings, and the stock width is E, not D as in the U.S. (yay!)

The best place I've found so far is Face to Face (http://shoe-ftf.com). The branch by Harajuku has Red Wings, White's, Tricker's, Chippewa, Danner, Wesco and others. There's even a made-in-Mexico boot called "Pistolero" that looks like an Alden clone.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

-Greg

[devilish]

I have to say that Viberg's don't appeal to me at all. I think they have odd proportions. The vamp is too flat and has always looked a little 'pinched' and in combination with the block heel, to me, gives an overall unbalanced shape. When worn they give the impression that the wearer is rocking back on the heels all the time.

[TheBlackGoat]

took these out and cleaned them up. tried to go for a high shine (i know this might not be to everyone's liking for a work boot) but cxl doesn't seem to take to polishing very well.

truly amazing! worth a re-post

[fre-co]

Greg, welcome back.

If you are in harajuku, then go to the real mccoys flagship. It is just off Meiji dori on the right as you walk down from omotesando, it's not far, just past some fancy bridal/wedding shop.

Also On the way, there is an American import shop up some stairs with a glass case displaying rrl goods. I forget the name but they have whites and I think lone wolf there.

I haven't posted for a long time now. If there's any new cool stuff, I am totally out of the loop on it.

But I'm in Tokyo and I couldn't think of a better place to get advice: can anyone recommend a brick+mortar store where I can find boots by Buzz, Lone Wolf, or any of the other brands we talk about on this fine thread?

Tokyo has tons of Red Wings, and the stock width is E, not D as in the U.S. (yay!)

The best place I've found so far is Face to Face (http://shoe-ftf.com). The branch by Harajuku has Red Wings, White's, Tricker's, Chippewa, Danner, Wesco and others. There's even a made-in-Mexico boot called "Pistolero" that looks like an Alden clone.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

-Greg

[SLAB]

Good to see you're back Greg

Try to check the boots from MOTO; only available in Japan; they are located in Aoyama; check link to see route description and examples of their craftmanship

http://www.motostyle.jp/leather-silver/item/item-top.html

http://www.styleforu...eciation-thread

Edited January 28, 2013 by SLAB

[Double 0 Soul]

There is often talk on here of people "babying" there boots, Well i have a baby and i like nothing better than beating the crap out of him. I would never treat my boots with such disregard?

Edited January 28, 2013 by Double 0 Soul

[coleslawyum]

Any suggestions? Thanks!

-Greg

Holy sh***t, the OG that started the Cat's Paw craze. Missed your boots.

You can always try Hinoya and other assorted shops around Ameya-YokochÅ. Also you should hit up the Toys McCoy's store in Ebisu. Most of the footwear they have is in an E width.

Can't say enough about visiting the Real McCoy's store, as per fre$co's suggestion. Also daikanyama / ometosando is a great place to browse the shops. You might run into something yourself.

[Double 0 Soul]

^In addition You will find Lone Wolf and Buzz at Vari.

TEL：03-3629-4684

Adachi-ku, TÅkyÅ Metropolis

[ranonranonarat]

truly amazing! worth a re-post

thanks! they need a bit more work on them though!

Edited January 28, 2013 by ranonranonarat

[GregNYC]

Thanks everyone! I've had to work so many hours at the office, that I hardly have time to shop! I should have posteed my question last week. I leave this Friday, so I'll do my best. I'm looking for the officer's chukka boots, the M-42 service shoes, and maybe some Red Wings Beckmans ("E" width) in black cherry. Moto looks to have some comfortable looking options! I'll try to find the Harajuku Real McCoy's tomorrow. Thanks again!!!

[denimjunky]

So youre just shopping for 4 pairs at once?

[SLAB]

real men shop for multiple pairs of boots at once; good luck with the hunt Greg

managed to destroy another pair of soles; this time my Alden Roy's need resoling. I contacted Richard from the Shoehealer and I am still undecided whether to go for a single leather with Goodyear Commando halfsole or a double leather with metal tip guard.

I wanted a Vibram commando as the Goodyear one is awfully chunky but unfortunately the Shoehealer does not stock Vibram...

any suggestions?

[ranonranonarat]

SLAB i would think that it would look great on double leather with the metal tip guard. i like the profile of the roy boot and don't think it will work particularly well with commando soles. however i do have to admit that most of my sole choices are based on being practical and how would much i would be able to wear them, so i do get where you're coming from.

to simplify i think the double leather with taps will look great. i never really liked the idea of crepe soles on those boots...

[kansas]

can't wait to see the resole pics! gotta decide what my roy resole will be.

[Crat]

Just made a spit shine vid. for our more formal shoes, should anyone care.

Link in signature.

[GregNYC]

I went to Real McCoy's in Harajuku. For a fan of denim, flight jackets, workwear, footwear, WWII-era memorabilia and Americana, it is like visiting a shrine. Or a vault or a time capsule or a museum. Simply amazing. I was speechless for the first 30 minutes. You can smell the leather and the fabric dye, like the Army supply depots or older Army surplus stores had. More A-2s and premium denim than I have ever seen at one time, and we're talking world-class quality.

But oddly enough, I didn't buy anything! I'm already well-stocked in khakis, denim, A-2's and other jackets. The one thing I really wanted to buy was a gas-station attendant shirt, but it was too narrow in the shoulders.

Real McCoy's footwear mostly consisted of beautiful mid-century PF Flyers and Converse (models I had never seen in the U.S., but which looked ... just right for the era). For boots, the selection was mostly very thick, chunky, top quality engineer boots and stiff chukka boots with Cat's Paw soles or Red-Wing-style crepe. Not exactly the style I was looking for, or I would have snapped them up. The most expensive engineer boots there I saw were about $2100!!

Then I went to FTF (about 4 blocks from Real McCoy's), and tried on about 8 things. The Red Wing Beckmans were only "D" and not "E" as they had said last week when I stopped by. Only the non-Beckman moccasin-style models were "E". In the U.S. you can get 875s in "EE." I tend to love Red Wings because they fit me well, and are invisibly comfortable. This store even had the Irish Setter models. I might even go back and grab them. Their coloring is more like a brand new baseball glove, the way they looked in the 1950's. More towards yellowish-tan.

Mostly, I was looking for a lighter-weight model, like a Beckman style boot, sort of like the Buzz Rickson military officer's chukkas. For this round, I want footwear to go with a 50's prep or civilian workwear look, not so much with a military or moto or William Gibson or commando look.

None of the shoes I liked fit me :-( The shoes that did fit were Wesco and Whites. They had a mouth-watering selection of both these great lines. But they were a bit heavy. And in spite of the great quality, fit, and reputation of White's, I don't really like their external, Norweigian-looking welts.

I have two more days - I might keep looking. I should probably focus on Buzz footwear....

Edited January 30, 2013 by GregNYC

[Crat]

Mail delivery : )

Will these be my contest boots?

These things are built like a tank!

[Crat]

what about the White's Boots Outdoorsman? http://www.whitesboo...roduct_id=29869

available in black, brown, and red dog. can't go wrong with white's.

Yeah, Come on Crat let us know your thoughts. Im looking forward to hearing what your chosen boot is going to be, or atleast what you have whittled down to a final three.

If plastic bags and elastic bands are there i will be most disappointed.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going out now to give these (^) a fieldbrook test : )

Edited January 30, 2013 by Crat

[Double 0 Soul]

Get them spit polished first!

[Crat]

Too late

X-post

[Moonshine]

Good stuff, Crat! i thought i was the lone Outdoorsmen fan!

[spidereye]

I love lace to toe boots...nice one crat & moonshine

Edited January 31, 2013 by spidereye