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Shoes that look better with age...


kiya

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Toys McCoy, so jealous they don't make larger sizes! Looking great Ben.

 

edit: actually Ben, what size are you in these compared to the Real McCoy N-1s (if you ended up getting them)?

 

I'm a 10 in the N-1s so maybe a 10 in Toys McCoy might work...

Edited by Aries
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Toys McCoy, so jealous they don't make larger sizes! Looking great Ben.

 

edit: actually Ben, what size are you in these compared to the Real McCoy N-1s (if you ended up getting them)?

 

I'm a 10 in the N-1s so maybe a 10 in Toys McCoy might work...

 

 

Thanks man!

 

I never got the RMC, what size are you in viberg lasts? These fit like a half size bigger than tagged size. I'm a 9.5 US on brannock, wear a 9.5 in vans and a 9 in converse. The 9 in these fit me perfectly.

 

I had some viberg boondockers in the size 8.5 (2045 last) but they were too tight.

 

Other thing though, these are the TMC Railman which have been sold out a long time, TMC is still making the Surveyor which is basically the same thing with a more decorative design on the heel plus two rivets. The rivets are what kept me from buying the Surveyors.

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hey Ed, Unmarked made some horween roughout postman oxfords for you guys, right? Did you guys get them yet?

 

ahh still in mexico not yet. we ordered a line with them actually. all specially spec'ed out. the leather and all..

 

maybe in a month.

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... snip... TMC is still making the Surveyor which is basically the same thing with a more decorative design on the heel plus two rivets. The rivets are what kept me from buying the Surveyors.

I too prefer the simplicity of the Railman without the rivets and excess stitching. But I still like the Surveyor a lot. Beautiful boots, Ben! 

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That was fast! I hope they fit. I think you'll be really happy with them.

 

And thanks guys, I'm really happy since I've wanted some brown laceup boots for a long time and im very particular. Amazingly, just no other brown non-captoe laceup boots did it for me (those were literally my only criteria.) I don't like all of the vibergs on the 2030 last because they look too dainty (especially with usually low heels), but I also dislike clunky workboots that have a bulbous toe or high heels.

 

The railman/suveyor are the perfect combination of rugged and elegant, the shape is just incredible and comes across as well in real life as it does in pictures. So glad I held out and didn't compromise on what i thought I wanted!

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Good on you Ben, and thanks again for the advice, I hope they fit too (Vintage Paradise have already shipped, top notch service as always!).

 

Meanwhile, my Real McCoy N-1s have hit 2 years, still my favourite fitting boot, like a glove.

FullSizeRender_zpsjw7ulmez.jpg

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How much of a good boot do you guys think lies in the construction of the sole/welt and attaching the upper to it?

It almost seems like, as long as the leather is good, it doesn't really matter how it's attached since you can say give it to Takeshi and he could pimp it out, right? Or am I missing something that gives a big advantage to something that was initially constructed really well?

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There are many ways to attach a sole to an upper, and its very debatable which way is better. In terms of craftsmanship, any shoe that is hand welted whether it be a storm welt, Norwegian welt etc. takes a certain amount of skill and training. Does your feet feel a difference? Probably not. A true bespoke shoe will give you the best fit because the last is created from the shape of your feet.

 

I tend to shy away from Blake construction, because the amount of repairs that can be done are limited, but a good cobbler can work magic on anything. I have boots from the 1950s that still hold up even after repairs, and they happen to be welted shoes.

 

Speaking of Takashi-San pimping things out, here is a recent repair. Wolverine 744LTD.

 

wolverine744ltd-02.jpg

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Yep, those boots are exactly what I had in mind. A long way down the line, I'll probably get them resoled just like that. So, those are now considered handwelted? I know very little about shoe construction, other than that that type of welt looks the best to me, I like it better than stitchdown where the upper is flared out, and also dig how the stitching goes around the entirety of the boot.

 

His resole on your Alden "orthopedic" boots also makes them look a million times better.

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Yep, those boots are exactly what I had in mind. A long way down the line, I'll probably get them resoled just like that. So, those are now considered handwelted? I know very little about shoe construction, other than that that type of welt looks the best to me, I like it better than stitchdown where the upper is flared out, and also dig how the stitching goes around the entirety of the boot.

 

His resole on your Alden "orthopedic" boots also makes them look a million times better.

 

Thanks!

 

These are hand welted, but Takeshi-san recently acquired a Goodyear Welting and Gemming machine. He uses this mostly for Red Wing repairs, and utilizes authentic Red Wing Soles. He does this to basically to replicate the Red Wing construction, and also to cut down on turnaround time. So if you want your pair of Red Wings to have the same exact sole as the original, he can now replicate it.

 

Hand welting is tedious and time consuming because it requires the cobbler to use a awl to poke a hole through the welt, upper and insole and thread it by hand to attach the welt. A Goodyear welting machine does it in seconds.

 

Stitch down construction is great for work boots because it makes them more water resistant, and is definitely more for rugged use. A 360 welt is also good for work boots, because the entire mid-sole is stitched to the welt. A half welt looks more elegant for dress shoes, and the waist and heel are held by metal nails or wooden pegs.

 

Take a look at how beautiful Bestetti pegs the waist.

 

bestetti-01.jpg

 

The waist can also be sewn to the insole.

 

bestetti-02.jpg

 

And the final results, including the hidden channel cut into the outsole to hide the stitching.

 

bestetti-03.jpg

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  • sufu1 changed the title to Shoes that look better with age...

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