Shoes that look better with age...

[nycsurfer530]

Here are some of the leathers they use. Most are from Horween

 

 

 

Here was my favorite part, I was able to view one of the workers hand sewing the shoes together.

 

 

 

 

 

here's a before and after for some blutchers

 

[cameosis]

great godzilla's gonads!

 

awesome -- style wise, it looks almost like our workshop (we're not shoemakers but saddlers and produce parts of the thonet s33 and s34 chairs), with the work benches and vintage machines.

[heinrich BCN]

........4 MONTH OLD.........

 

what maker are those?

[mlwdp]

Thats a pretty big statement!

I'll try to post a review on unmarked reddit thread. My size wasn't listed so these had to be made to order somewhat. I'm interested in seeing what they can do with some cordovan leather.

The break in is stiff at first but loosening up.

Here's a video of their work for SSDD a year ago. The last boot shown looks similar to my workman boots.

[Iron Horse]

Finally got my Chippewa 27863s back from Dr. Sole; he's currently setting up his first resoling storefront here in Taipei. Talked for a while about his resoling works, sole making business, and general boots industry stuff while taking a tour of his workshop. Will be doing an interview with him and his new cobbler when their shop is done, perhaps sometime this month. Anyway, on to the boots, which they did a lot of work on, namely:

 

-Removed the steel toe

-Hand re-welted with Barbour storm welt

-Replaced stock buckles with solid brass roller buckles

-Leather mid-sole and heel (and replaced Chippewa's foam under the insole with cork)

-Added Dr. Sole raw cord half soles and heels

 

He also threw in some veg tan leather insoles that he made, free of charge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[volvo240thebest]

very nice!

I am contemplating to try a pair of engineers myself. Currently checking out a pair on ebay..

they're growing on me, a few years ago I thought that style was for bikers only, but I'm changing my mind...

the resole he has done looks very clean. Some of his samples I've seen before were not quite as good as this (wobbly stitching)..

Edited April 6, 2016 by volvo240thebest

[Iron Horse]

Yes, Dr. Sole did a great job this time (personally, I don't know if he or his cobbler did the stitching). Part of the reason perhaps for some off stitching in the past is because Dr. Sole started doing resoling about two years ago and is completely self-taught, and all of his stitching is done by hand. He doesn't have a sole stitching machine at the moment, though that could change. 

 

That said, the stitching was flawless on my Red Wing 875s that he resoled with his cushion wanderer soles (better than Vibram, IMO). That includes his signature braided stitching:

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Iron Horse

[volvo240thebest]

yeah it's definitely because of hand stitching.

One of my colleague had a few pairs of Tricker's resoled recently by Ger Wijsman in The Nederlands and the workmanship on those is out of this world. Better than the original, and he uses a stitching machine.

Anyhow both of your pairs look brilliantly done!

[Maynard Friedman]

Those look great IH. What colour are the uppers and what have you treated them with - conditioner, cream, polish, etc? I need to start looking after mine.

[Iron Horse]

Those look great IH. What colour are the uppers and what have you treated them with - conditioner, cream, polish, etc? I need to start looking after mine.

Thanks Maynard; they're the Oro-riginal leather. As for creams, I use Red Wing's leather conditioner or Mustang Paste, along with occasional brushing and wiping down with a damp rag.

[karanimal]

Finally got my Chippewa 27863s back from Dr. Sole; he's currently setting up his first resoling storefront here in Taipei. Talked for a while about his resoling works, sole making business, and general boots industry stuff while taking a tour of his workshop. Will be doing an interview with him and his new cobbler when their shop is done, perhaps sometime this month. Anyway, on to the boots, which they did a lot of work on, namely:

 

-Removed the steel toe

-Hand re-welted with Barbour storm welt

-Replaced stock buckles with solid brass roller buckles

-Leather mid-sole and heel (and replaced Chippewa's foam under the insole with cork)

-Added Dr. Sole raw cord half soles and heels

 

He also threw in some veg tan leather insoles that he made, free of charge.

 

This may be a really stupid question...how do i get in contact with dr sole? I want to get my shell allen edmonds redone on a raw corded sole and i don't trust anyone in sydney to do it....

 

Just email them at [email protected] ? 

[Iron Horse]

This may be a really stupid question...how do i get in contact with dr sole? I want to get my shell allen edmonds redone on a raw corded sole and i don't trust anyone in sydney to do it....

 

Just email them at [email protected] ? 

 

Yep, that's their e-mail and they speak English well so no worries about that.

[oomslokop]

cheaney sizing question/sorrow: would you say that the size conversion on cheaney's site is (generally) accurate? it says us 8.5 = jp 26.5 = uk 7.5. i'm trying to work out sizing for the veldtschoen shoes the cairngorm. i see it's on the g (wide) fitting, but what about the length? to throw a spanner in the works, i'm a 26.5 in rdt coupen (fits slightly loose which i prefer). 

[volvo240thebest]

sorry for clog this thread with more sizing help questions.

 

I am looking for advice re sizing on a pair of White Nomads/general sizing enquiry on engineer boots.

Never had a pair of engineer boots myself before. I usually like to buy all of my shoes on the loose side and then slap an insole. Am i correct to think that with engineers it's better to size them "just" as our Japanese friends would say in their Anglo-Japanese gramelot? I am coming to this conclusion seen that there are no possibility to fasten the strings tight as I could do with normal boots.

 

onto Nomads sizing, I've done a bit of research on the internet and I've seen that the general consensus is that Nomads run considerably large. I read someone saying that it's a safe idea to a half size down comparing to Converse All Star sizing. Anyone could confirm that?

I am a EU size 44 on Chucks, which translates to a US 10. Thing is, i've found a used pair of Nomads that are 9.5 US EE width (which is great for me), and I am on the fence of wheter taking the risk of buying them or not.

I usually size the rest of my boots in a very crazy way, I like to go oversize (to compensate my foot width when it's not possible to find shoes with the correct width for my feet, which hapens often, especially when buying 2nd hand). I wear a 10 UK on Tricker's and a 10 UK on RW8111 (which funnily translates into a US 11 instead of a US 10,5 according to the RW label inside the tongue of the boots!).

Last question, I am not a biker, I plan to use the boots just to live my normal [volvo] life, which includes walking often as well as driving a car... Does engineer boots are comfortable to walk normal distances? I don't mind a weighty boot (I am used to Lennons which weight A TON) unless we're talking about a very heavy weight.

 

thanks in advance!

Edited April 7, 2016 by volvo240thebest

[Cucoo]

Engineers have the strap to tighten them up if needed, but as with all high shaft pull on boots you won't get a really tight fit overall, some heel slippage is normal (and needed since you wouldn't be able to pull them on otherwise).

 

Comfort depends on the sole I guess, I have three pairs of Red Wings with the neoprene cord sole and I find them comfortable enough for medium walking duty - I've worn my 2268's on a city trip to Salzburg when they weren't even broken in yet and had no problems. Soles with lower heels might even be more comfy (but to me, Engineers need high heels for that vintage look).

 

I guess you won't go for steel toe? Because then I'd advise you to go as wide as you can

Edited April 7, 2016 by Cucoo

[rayw44]

Volvo I have a pair of the Nomads and my sizing differed from the consensus you mentioned. I am an 8.5 D in most boots (and all White's boots I have tried so far), and the 8.5 D in the Nomads fit me perfectly. For reference, I am an 8 US in Chucks. I would suggest that the Nomads are very comfortable for walking long distances, and the extra width in the pair you found may be enough to make that pair work.

 

Feel free to PM me to discuss further.

[volvo240thebest]

 

I guess you won't go for steel toe? Because then I'd advise you to go as wide as you can

for Gawd's sake, no way that I go for a steel toe boot! there's nothing I hate more than the felling of steel inside the boots when curling my toes!

[fre-co]

sorry for clog this thread with more sizing help questions.

 

I am looking for advice re sizing on a pair of White Nomads/general sizing enquiry on engineer boots.

Never had a pair of engineer boots myself before. I usually like to buy all of my shoes on the loose side and then slap an insole. Am i correct to think that with engineers it's better to size them "just" as our Japanese friends would say in their Anglo-Japanese gramelot? I am coming to this conclusion seen that there are no possibility to fasten the strings tight as I could do with normal boots.

 

onto Nomads sizing, I've done a bit of research on the internet and I've seen that the general consensus is that Nomads run considerably large. I read someone saying that it's a safe idea to a half size down comparing to Converse All Star sizing. Anyone could confirm that?

I am a EU size 44 on Chucks, which translates to a US 10. Thing is, i've found a used pair of Nomads that are 9.5 US EE width (which is great for me), and I am on the fence of wheter taking the risk of buying them or not.

I usually size the rest of my boots in a very crazy way, I like to go oversize (to compensate my foot width when it's not possible to find shoes with the correct width for my feet, which hapens often, especially when buying 2nd hand). I wear a 10 UK on Tricker's and a 10 UK on RW8111 (which funnily translates into a US 11 instead of a US 10,5 according to the RW label inside the tongue of the boots!).

Last question, I am not a biker, I plan to use the boots just to live my normal [volvo] life, which includes walking often as well as driving a car... Does engineer boots are comfortable to walk normal distances? I don't mind a weighty boot (I am used to Lennons which weight A TON) unless we're talking about a very heavy weight.

 

thanks in advance!

Those are my old nomads that you found. I don't wear chucks but I wear an 8 1/2 in Trickers. The nomads were too big for me by about 1/2 size or so.

[volvo240thebest]

Volvo I have a pair of the Nomads and my sizing differed from the consensus you mentioned. I am an 8.5 D in most boots (and all White's boots I have tried so far), and the 8.5 D in the Nomads fit me perfectly. For reference, I am an 8 US in Chucks. I would suggest that the Nomads are very comfortable for walking long distances, and the extra width in the pair you found may be enough to make that pair work.

 

Feel free to PM me to discuss further.

cheers at I'll be mp-ing you shortly!

[volvo240thebest]

Those are my old nomads that you found. I don't wear chucks but I wear an 8 1/2 in Trickers. The nomads were too big for me by about 1/2 size or so.

hey that helps thanks. so you wear a 8.5 in trickers and went for a 9.5 ee on the nomads?

[fre-co]

I went 9.5ee because my semi dress are 9.5e

[fre-co]

Wrong choice for me

[aho]

Volvo, I didn't read through the thread, but have you considered Role Club? http://www.roleclub.com/boots/

[volvo240thebest]

Aho, I'm eyeying an used pair of whites. no chance on earth that I could fork out the €€€ for a new pair of role clubs, and tbh while of course I appreciate his workmanship greatly, other brands offer a design that I like better.

Edited April 8, 2016 by volvo240thebest

[Cucoo]

for Gawd's sake, no way that I go for a steel toe boot! there's nothing I hate more than the felling of steel inside the boots when curling my toes!

 

That's why you go wide Also it's not blank steel, there's the lining and when feeling around with your toes it doesn't feel any different from boots with a celastic toe box, IMO. Doesn't matter though, I just like a bulbous toe better on engineers than a flat toe box, doesn't matter to me if it's steel or celastic that forms the toe box

[volvo240thebest]

I only had one pair of steel toe boots, many years ago, they were doc martins. I've hated the steel toe..

[Iron Horse]

Got rid of my steel toe; the trick is to size up half a size or one full size, which I didn't do and lived to regret.

 

Volvo, if you're looking at the same used White's Nomads that I think you're looking at, then they're going for a very good price. Change out the buckles down the line if you like and they'll be a real bargain!

 

Edit: It's also worth checking out Wesco's factory seconds:

 

https://www.wescoboots.com/builder/FS.aspx

Edited April 8, 2016 by Iron Horse

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Regarding steel toe:

How do your Red Wing 8268 fit you @Cucoo?

[Cucoo]

Since they're a half size up from my 2668 I had to experiment a bit with insole / sock / instep strap combinations, but I found a satisfying configuration Thick socks and no insole works fine

[Dr Feelgood]

SAGARA COMBATANT BLACK ROUGHOUT