Shoes that look better with age...

[spidereye]

Score this vintage wolverine with awesome Neoprene Cat's paw sole..sadly is not my size. I wore 8 -8.5 UK 

[julian-wolf]

Got a pair of Frank's around a month ago that I've been wearing consistently; today was time for their first conditioning, so I took the chance to get some before & after photos

Specs are: Front Range, 8" shaft, tan oiled Latigo leather, 700 soles, bonus toe bug

Really, really good boots. Def. see myself buying more from them in the future.

Before:

[julian-wolf]

After (now feat. Obenauf's leather oil):

[mlwdp]

Franks has been coming up lately.  

[spidereye]

Question how to clean this dot marks stains? Abiline  8268

Edited September 8 by spidereye

[julian-wolf]

Is that mold?

[spidereye]

@julian-wolf I think so ...my friend trying to sell this 8268 tempting to get have this color on Rw engineer boots cant get it new at my local rw store  

[mlwdp]

Saddle soap maybe?

[mpukas]

If that's mold - IMO it is - you should use some type of antibacterial disinfectant to kill the mold first. Then use saddle soap to clean that stuff off. Anything done to clean the leather will most likely change the color of it. 

[spidereye]

On 9/10/2023 at 8:21 AM, mlwdp said:

Saddle soap maybe?

Going to give it a try .. thanks 

On 9/12/2023 at 6:18 AM, mpukas said:

If that's mold - IMO it is - you should use some type of antibacterial disinfectant to kill the mold first. Then use saddle soap to clean that stuff off. Anything done to clean the leather will most likely change the color of it. 

How if I shave or sand paper the suade leather first and then do like what you said .

[Broark]

What's the general consensus on Russell Moccasin sizing?
They just released a new Clays model that I'm interested in, even though I'm a little put off by the asking price.

[julian-wolf]

Their asking prices have been out of control, since the recent change in ownership—no more so than, e.g., White's, though (not that that's a very good justification).

Sizing should be the same as PNW boots: I wear a very comfortable 10.5D in White's, Frank's, Nick's, and Russell. That's down around 1/2 size from Brannock.

Current pricing aside, Russell Mocs are really fantastic. When I don't need serious support, they're my definite go-tos. Most comfortable shoes I've worn.

[Broark]

Thanks Julian, the pricing is certainly out of control ever since new ownership took over.
I'd love to get these but I don't think they're worth nearly $600 bucks. Not like I actually need more boots anyways!

[julian-wolf]

It's worth putting some thought into. Sure, they're less "fancy", and comparing the current prices to the historical prices makes it a bit hard to swallow, but I can guarantee that these are better shoes for everyday wear than some others that you've spent much more on. Even if they were priced the same as each other, I'd take Russell over Lofgren any day of the week, for example—and the latter are 50–100% more expensive at this point.

[Broark]

I don't doubt that one bit, just having a hard time justifying the price when I already have a pretty full stable.
I've always wanted a pair, but the recent price hikes have been making me second guess the purchase.

[MJF9]

There a nice looking brown leather pair of chukkas too. What did they cost before the takeover?

(Noticed that MTO are now starting at $1,500!)

Edited September 22 by MJF9

[Duke Mantee]

Are they still cheaper than the likes of Yuketen though?

[julian-wolf]

Still cheaper than Yuks at MSRP, and a lot nicer—but the latter tend to go on steep sale pretty consistently at the end of each “season”, so it’s a bit of a wash 

@MJF9 I think the sporting chukka in nicer leathers was around $400 or $450 before the recent bump?

[Broark]

They're getting close to Yuketen pricing with some of their models (the other recent Clays were $635, and Yuketen's Blucher is ~$650).

[Duke Mantee]

16 minutes ago, julian-wolf said:

Still cheaper than Yuks at MSRP, and a lot nicer

Was really my point - strikes me as Russell being quite substantial and more labour intensive than Yuketen

[MJF9]

Anyone have insights on their product quality compared before and after takeover?  A long shot but worth asking

[merzbot]

As Julian said, sizing is about the same as PNW boots in my experience.

This shop has some beauties for sale that all appear to have been made before the change in ownership:

https://cwoodcockandco.com/shop/ols/search?keywords=russell moccasin&sortOption=descend_by_match

Sizing is pretty limited sadly. Consider it your lucky day if you find your size there.

Here's a quick snap of my walking shoes (double vamp) and Art Carter chukkas (triple vamp):

Edited September 23 by merzbot

[merzbot]

Looking back through some archives, this is what they looked like eleven years ago

[tjsma]

I’d be interested to hear people’s criticisms of Yuketen. I’ve a couple of pairs that I find comfortable and I like how they look, but they both have pretty useless crepe soles that have worn away very fast. Have there been other issues with durability?

[mlwdp]

On 9/8/2023 at 2:02 AM, spidereye said:

Question how to clean this dot marks stains? Abiline  8268

 

[mlwdp]

1 hour ago, tjsma said:

I’d be interested to hear people’s criticisms of Yuketen. I’ve a couple of pairs that I find comfortable and I like how they look, but they both have pretty useless crepe soles that have worn away very fast. Have there been other issues with durability?

Vibram 2021 soles in general wear out fast.  I’ve owned two shoes with this sole and they’re soft but worthless imo.

[mpukas]

I haven't been following Russell Moccasin for years and wasn't aware of the take-over. They're kind of in their own class, as there aren't really any other boot makers that make true moccasin boots. They're good at what they do. Personally, I didn't find their finish quality as good as other boots I have. 

Re: sizing, I went back and forth many times trying to get sizing dialed in. They were very nice to work with and finally got the sizing right. In general I'd say they run fairly true to size. Get a trial pair if they still offer it. They are comfortable, as long as the fit is right. 

I'm not convinced that moccasin construction is best, when it comes to heavy outdoors use. The way the sole is attached to the upper leaves a big gap that debris can get trapped in. As opposed to stitch down where the upper is turned out and sewn to the midsole which makes for a tighter connection. But they have a decades long loyal following, so who am I to question it...? 

Hikers after a couple years of wear: 

Imperials with a wonky twist on the right boot. 

[willi]

Has anyone tried rancourt's moc boots? They retail for 1/2 price of russels with the same leather, and they can be had for less than 1/3 price if you get them on pre-order. I love and wear rancourt slip ons every week but I've never seen anyone in their boots.

[mlwdp]

Ironically, a few years ago I used to live near where they make Russells in Wisconsin but never thought about visiting them

[julian-wolf]

3 hours ago, tjsma said:

I’d be interested to hear people’s criticisms of Yuketen. I’ve a couple of pairs that I find comfortable and I like how they look, but they both have pretty useless crepe soles that have worn away very fast. Have there been other issues with durability?

Their construction seems plenty fine in terms of utility & durability, but their finishing and presentation make it really difficult to take them seriously. The first (and most significant) thing that comes to mind is that, while the main selling point of moccasin construction is the ability of the single-piece bottom to mold to the foot & cradle it over time, they fit theirs with thick cushioned insoles to remove any direct interfacing between the foot and the boot. At that point, they may as well be using standard top-first construction; the moccasin aspect seems to be purely aesthetic. 
 

That said, from what I’ve seen their non-moccasin shoes seem great, if aggressively priced. Good buddy has a pair of (made in Mexico, I think?) dress boots that he loves.

Edited September 26 by julian-wolf