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Shoes that look better with age...


kiya

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ta, aries. they're 8.5/26.5 and fit a bit big. i probably need an insole but can't be bothered getting one at the moment. fine with thicker socks. my feet are the typical azn feet i guess, wide, but not much volume. the width and length are great on these, but the "vertical" (?) room makes it a bit, well, roomy. :D

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Would love to hear what you think of those, Aries. Lofgren's the only engineers that has ever tempted me but me thinks it would look a bit chunky/clunky for my style. Though I am having more and more straight-ish fits going on now...

 

Agreed with darn tough socks. Would also suggest wigwam as they have lasted me for some years now.

 

I used to think the same exact thing, thinking they'd be too heavy/chunky for my style, but i was wrong.  The short shifts are just perfect, they are less bulky and more comfortable due to the thinner mid-sole.  I never saw myself getting a pair of engineer boots but i'm hooked now, i may get a burgundy pair too.

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Also to actually contribute, I flattened out the toe box of my Real McCoys N-1s yesterday (dip the front in hot water for 10 mins, then smooth down with your thumb).

 

Worked a treat, much lower profile now.

 

edit: about 1.5 years owned, probably 6 solid months of wear.

FullSizeRender_zps0twn7wb4.jpg

FullSizeRender_zpskzkol9ai.jpg

Edited by Aries
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Yes all request is possible!

Te top roll i dont recommend a small roll but possible no issues

All my engineers fuck up on the roll leather starts to crack and yoi know what wesco told me?

It cant be repaired. And thats how it is so i did a longer overlap like old chippewas. Without actually having a lip ok the top edge which is where all the fuck up starts

Whoever at Wesco told you the rolled top can't be repaired if damaged is a dumbass. I've had that fixed on a half dozen pairs of vintage boots. It's a quick and cheap fix. You take another thin strip of leather, roll it, sew it and move on.

 

Plus, if the boot is well made and cut well, if that top gets damaged and is removed you should be left with a nice clean cut, like on this pair:

 

29905762244_f9ec96184d_k.jpg

30500150506_e6fec54302_k.jpg

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These are Sears Wearmasters that would have had the "Western Made" language on the tag and were likely made by Santa Rosa in the late 40s to early 50s. They have a lot of interesting features you don't see on run of the mill boots. I sold them off about two years ago.

 

A lot of the rarer vintage pairs have cut tops. Keeping the top cut with a sharp clean edge shows the quality workmanship involved in making the boot. A rolled top looks nice too, but it can sometimes be used to cover sloppy cutting.

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@redragon I think your creasing is different and better than mine. Could be fit and gait, etc, or perhaps the luck of the draw in leather batches.  Actually the shoe I included in my pic is a bit better than the other one even.  Oh well.

 

@oomslokop Yours look fabulous, no weird creasing at all.  Perhaps because of the cap toe..?  Or again, just luck of the draw.

 

Anyway I'd be happier with either of these than my own, though i am mostly happy with my own too.

 

As far as fit and feel, the fit to me is at least a half size more than TTS, which is okay cause i anticipated that and wear them with insoles.  My only complaint with feel is that the heel is just a bit too tall for me. I know some guys like that, but I am a real heel-striker and ideally would want it about 1/4" lower. Ah well, perfection is always elusive..

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In other news, if anyone is interested in lightening their wallet a bit by getting in on a GMTO for a pair of Viberg 310s, there is one going on now at Styleforum:

 

http://www.styleforum.net/t/224463/viberg-boots/18600_20

 

A couple of builds being considered at this point, but the most germane to this board I think is the "Millwright Boot."  It will look like this pic, but with lighter "Crust" CXL leather (tanned, but not dyed or finished, so fairly matte in appearance):

 

viberg%20310%20millwright%20boot_zpskpcg

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Indigo laces go well with indigo jeans...if you wore those dubs with black jeans or very dark indigo then the brown laces would go better. That's my opinion :)

Edited by Niro
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In other news, if anyone is interested in lightening their wallet a bit by getting in on a GMTO for a pair of Viberg 310s, there is one going on now at Styleforum:

http://www.styleforum.net/t/224463/viberg-boots/18600_20

Fok @Styleforum is currently running a SFxViberg GMTO in 3 style categories__ City, Street, & Work boots. I'm trying to see if I can round up [a minimum of] 6 bootheads to participate in coming up with a style concept for the street-style version.

Any suggestions to tweak/improve the configuration are mosdef welcome :)

#8) BlackStallion: 6" SCOUT in Black HorseHide X Reversed [RO] heel counter & backstay & eyeletstay[???]

• 1035 last

• Flat GYW

• 6" shaft :: NO pull loops [plain/flat backstay]

• 8 Gunmetal eyelets

• Partially structured toe

• Black Stitch all around, including on welt

• *IndigoDip-dyed [stacked] midsole X **DrSole Strider... or black Gloxisole

* midsoles dip-dyed in INDIGO before sewn to the uppers

** I've seen & held the full ripples currently being used by Viberg, IRL & I personally find the ridges too severe__ DrSole Striders are much rockable, IMO.

FrankenChopped: don't have PS on hand... but u get the idea ;)

47FC09FF-CCCE-4C24-8E8A-4EB4E2F9B8C3.jpg

98A1F96C-14DA-46CD-872F-9F7E34A818DC.jpg

D6E549D2-D5D4-4692-BD92-BEE3F5DCE5C0.jpe

Edited by BrownMetallic
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Cared for my vibergs.

 

Max, how do you like the 310 last?

There's another Styleforum GMTO on the 310 last and I'm not sure if I really like the shape or not.

Do you find that they look really clunky? I've seen some photos of them that look weird, but your boots look very nice with some wear.

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What's the sizing like for Rolling Dub Trio? Is it true to size or a size bigger/smaller? I'm interested in the engineers and boots but I'm concerned with the sizing. I typically wear a size 7-8 in Red Wings.

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wish i could keep my mid sole as clean as you guys. i use mine at work every day and it seems like the front half has been permanently darkened from getting dirty all the time. maybe i just need to be more thorough with the saddle soap?

Edited by Rob060
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wish i could keep my mid sole as clean as you guys. i use mine at work every day and it seems like the front half has been permanently darkened from getting dirty all the time. maybe i just need to be more thorough with the saddle soap?

 

Embrace the wabi-sabi, IMO.

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^^Hear hear.

 

First ever engineer boots just arrived. Fit is great through the mid and vamp, but heel is slipping all over the place, hopefully settles down soon!

 

 

Tighten the instep strap and once the sole breaks in the heel slip will be reduced.

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Tighten the instep strap and once the sole breaks in the heel slip will be reduced.

 

Chalk up another one for Kiya. Looking at the boot I thought the extra holes on the instep strap were simply aesthetic, "there's no way this leather will stretch that far".

 

But Christ this leather is supple, it's stretched all the way to the last hole and now the fit is spot on.

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

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