Shoes that look better with age...

[garden gnomes in space]

haha i saw that on their IG and thought it was some new sole they were making.  I was like, thats ugly but whatever floats their boat.  I didnt realize that was a destroyed Red Wing sole

[Spiraltoy]

3140 at about 10 years. Curiously mine are lined. Toe box is lined with canvas and everything else with leather with padding between.

[edmond]

On 1/11/2018 at 3:25 AM, mikecch said:

Super interesting boot for sure. 

Why CXL and not something like Essex, at least though. I've never understood CXL on expensive boots, but Japanese brands like Lofgren, RDT and my own pair of Monad boots are the same...

CXL is 5 bucks a square feet. 

True that  why cxl?!?

[Iron Horse]

Doesn’t Lone Wolf use CXL?

[spacecadet]

Viberg 2045s on Horween crust horsebutt from MTO last year. They have darkened fairly quickly after break in.

 

 

[Broark]

Love the shape of the 2045 last, probably my favorite fitting boot that I own.

[mikecch]

6 hours ago, edmond said:

True that  why cxl?!?

It's a great work boot leather for sure, and truly Americana. 

But given the material cost and the actual quality of the leather, better suited for sub $500 boots. 

I certainly don't miss the days back in 2011 when absolutely everything was made with CXL. Now everything is shell which isn't so much better - where's the grain? Is it leather if it has no grain?

I recently saw a Japanese boot maker offering Baker's oak bark leather, which is pretty cool. 

 

4 hours ago, Iron Horse said:

Doesn’t Lone Wolf use CXL?

Yes, I think CXL, various latigo leathers, etc. 

I think for strict repro boots those leathers are great. 

[Iron Horse]

5 hours ago, mikecch said:

Yes, I think CXL, various latigo leathers, etc. 

I think for strict repro boots those leathers are great. 

I was just messing with Ed. 

[Rob060]

2 year old bounty hunters

distressed smooth

antique hardware

[spacecadet]

On 1/14/2018 at 12:06 PM, mikecch said:

It's a great work boot leather for sure, and truly Americana. 

But given the material cost and the actual quality of the leather, better suited for sub $500 boots. 

I certainly don't miss the days back in 2011 when absolutely everything was made with CXL. Now everything is shell which isn't so much better - where's the grain? Is it leather if it has no grain?

I recently saw a Japanese boot maker offering Baker's oak bark leather, which is pretty cool. 

 

Yes, I think CXL, various latigo leathers, etc. 

I think for strict repro boots those leathers are great. 

Sounds interesting using Bakers oak bark leather for boots. Do you have any pics or additional details on the Japanese maker? I’d imagine it would be pretty stiff so I’m curious what thickness it needs to be reduced down to in order to make it wearable?

[Aries]

Clinch 1 year on:

Indy 5 years on:

Edited January 20, 2018 by Aries

[mikecch]

10 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Sounds interesting using Bakers oak bark leather for boots. Do you have any pics or additional details on the Japanese maker? I’d imagine it would be pretty stiff so I’m curious what thickness it needs to be reduced down to in order to make it wearable?

Sorry buddy, no additional information from me.

I'm guessing the thickness would be around 3 oz. Maybe 5 oz if they oil the leather up beforehand.

[spacecadet]

8 hours ago, mikecch said:

Sorry buddy, no additional information from me.

I'm guessing the thickness would be around 3 oz. Maybe 5 oz if they oil the leather up beforehand.

Cool. I’ll be on the lookout.

[Aries]

Oh god couldn’t help myself. Went into one of my fav stores in Melbourne and they had the natty cxl in stock.

 

[Broark]

John Lofgren engineers? They look great!

[Iron Horse]

Pickings and Parry?

[Aries]

Ha, spot on @Iron Horse; yep @Broark.

I have a pair of cognac badalassi "short shift" in 10.5 but they just don't fit my feet right. These were in 11 and they fit really, really well.

Perhaps it's something to do with the longer shaft? Or perhaps the "short shift" last is different? I dunno, feet are weird...

Speaking of which, selling my short shifts on eBay for serious discount, if anyone's interested.

 

[Iron Horse]

The short shift last should be the same, John hasn't done a custom engineer last for anyone AFAIK. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  

Probably just getting the right size, and the taller shaft, that made the difference. 

[Aries]

Yeah for sure @Iron Horse, makes a hell of a difference.

[MJF9]

Cracking boots @Aries.

[DhaaDhaaa]

Few recent acquisitions.

Clinch Lineman in Timber Chromexcel 

Julian Bowery in Cognac Kangaroo

Very impressed with both pairs. Clinch in particular. I compared the finishing with my Crockett&Jones Handgrade and boy the Clinch are every bits as comparable. Julian's finishing isn't as refined but still very very nice, along the same line as benchgrade Northampton shoes.

White's Bounty Hunter in Red Dog worn about a year for comparison.

Once I have more free time I would love to take more photo and do some write-ups on them. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by DhaaDhaaa

[edmond]

how to size on those clinch? what size ar eyou on those whites?

[DhaaDhaaa]

4 minutes ago, edmond said:

how to size on those clinch? what size ar eyou on those whites?

I wear 8D in Whites and I had to size up on Clinch (NPT Last). So these are size 9. 

[edmond]

oh fuck yeah? how do they fit compared to the whites after you size up one?

[mlwdp]

Nick's is rolling out a new boot.  Wished they had more official stockists besides the west coast fwiw.

 

[DhaaDhaaa]

2 hours ago, edmond said:

oh fuck yeah? how do they fit compared to the whites after you size up one?

at least for the NPT last and my white's, which is in 55 last, the NPT is narrower and very slightly longer, though with less room in the toebox. the whites fit wider around the ball and the toebox and is roomier in general, albeit very slightly shorter. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by DhaaDhaaa

[Aries]

After trying a lot of clinch, I’d say the rule is go up 1 size for NPT, 1-2 sizes for CN, and their wide last I haven’t tried.

[mlwdp]

Decided to put these up for sale on EBay under same name as they're collecting dust and were too big.  A impulse buy I didn't really like afterwards. They just weren't meant for me.

Edited January 24, 2018 by mlwdp

[UkeNo]

After 5 years of wear and two resoles I'm having these rebuilt with a new leather mid and Dr.Sole raw cord sole. 

Update when they're back.

[fre-co]

where are you getting that done?