Shoes that look better with age...

[Duke Mantee]

9 minutes ago, mlwdp said:

@Duke Manteehaha no.  Just the run of the mill stuff I’ve used for some time on shoes and leather goods.

😉

You know that Wesco leather ‘amore’ is a combination of lubricant additive, herbicide, laundry soap and olive oil?

[mlwdp]

@Duke Manteehmm..Didn’t know that.  I’ve only used it on my Romeos twice when Chris from Wesco first recommended it to me awhile back when I first got the shoe.  It’s been collecting dust since then.

Gonna put it in the garbage now.

Edited January 7, 2024 by mlwdp

[Duke Mantee]

28 minutes ago, mlwdp said:

@Duke Manteehmm..Didn’t know that.  I’ve only used it on my Romeos twice when Chris from Wesco first recommended it to me awhile back when I first got the shoe.  It’s been collecting dust since then.

Gonna put it in the garbage now.

Don’t throw it out if it works mate - this is the whole point of the discussion 

Folk find what works for them. Just because I wouldn’t recommend it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it.

I read an article long ago … along the lines that in Périgord where the bulk of foie gras is produced that the residents ate the most foie gras in France, smoked more than any other area in France and consumed more wine per head than any other region in France … not exactly doctors orders then. However it was noted they were also the longest lived people in France.

I’m not entirely sure how true all that was, but I’m sure you get the gist of things. 

[spidereye]

RW moc toe ebony

 

Edited January 8, 2024 by spidereye
Wrong picture

[ATWM]

2 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Don’t throw it out if it works mate - this is the whole point of the discussion 

Folk find what works for them. Just because I wouldn’t recommend it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it.

I read an article long ago … along the lines that in Périgord where the bulk of foie gras is produced that the residents ate the most foie gras in France, smoked more than any other area in France and consumed more wine per head than any other region in France … not exactly doctors orders then. However it was noted they were also the longest lived people in France.

I’m not entirely sure how true all that was, but I’m sure you get the gist of things. 

Probably a healthy and active social and community life. Turns out that's worth a lot of years. 

[mlwdp]

2 hours ago, spidereye said:

RW moc toe ebony

 

I have the same ones I bought from Stumptown.  Feel like they fit a have size bigger like converse.

[Broark]

I think this is going to be the year I finally get some black engineer boots.
Walking around Paris, I gained an appreciation for all the people wearing chunky soled black boots. While that's not really the same vibe, it gave me some inspiration to seek something similar out. I'm not into side zips or anything more hip like that, so black engineers seem to fit the bill.

On the short list I'm looking at Attractions, Clinch, Ol' Shanks and maybe Lofgren.
Attractions seem to be the best option, decent price and they go up to size 12. Not too pointy of a toe or too narrow.
Clinch seem to be very pricey these days and almost impossible to get ahold of. And even if I did get a pair I'm not sure the last would work well for my feet.
Ol' Shanks seems to be an outlier, I saw an international guy on Instagram was able to get a pair. I just reached out to see if it's possible to order, I don't mind a long wait.
I find the black horsehide leather that Lofgren uses to be a bit too irregular in grain, which is why they're probably at the bottom of the list. And the pair that I have are so difficult to get on and off, causing me not to wear them often. So that might just eliminate them entirely.

Any other brands that I'm missing? Maybe Keystone? Not really interested in Wesco or Brian the Bootmaker.

[l13902733261]

The recent Attractions Lot.602 with vibram sole are a good option, the last are wide foot friendly too.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Brass Tokyo and their scarcity scheme.

[mlwdp]

Rolling Dub Trio makes a interesting boot that doesn’t stay in stock much.

How about Unsung?

[Broark]

8 minutes ago, l13902733261 said:

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Brass Tokyo and their scarcity scheme.

Yeah, I'm kind of feeling the same way honestly. Not sure how much of it is real versus fabricated scarcity.

3 minutes ago, mlwdp said:

How about Unsung?

Hadn't really heard of these before, seems like they might be full up at the moment.

[mlwdp]

You got Motor as well for a good price point.

[julian-wolf]

^ Not for size 12 feet

[Broark]

Yeah if Motor did a size 12 I'd give them a try.

[tooth]

@Broark what about Skoob?

[Broark]

6 minutes ago, tooth said:

@Broark what about Skoob?

Good call out, however I've been confused about how I would go about ordering from them.
Is the best way to get in contact via email?

[beautiful_FrEaK]

East West Apparel, DC4 and stuf|f carry Skoob if you can live with not buying directly from Japan. (dunno if those shops have the Engineers though).

[Broark]

@beautiful_FrEaK I was peeping a few of those web pages just now, but no size 12 available.
According to Skoob's Instagram they do offer the engineers up to size 12.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Stuff has them in 12

https://www.stuf-f.com/bekleidung/schuhe/3174/skoob-wander-engineer-boots-natural-brown

but not the blac ones, sorry

[Broark]

I shot Skoob an email, we'll see if anything comes of it.
Makers makes a nice one as well, but same story as a lot of JP brands: no size 12 available.

[mlwdp]

Nick’s is now making an engineer boot.

[Broark]

Never been much of a Nick's fan for whatever reason.
I think I'm just not all that intrigued by any of the PNW bootmakers.

[vIGGiou riou]

7 hours ago, Broark said:

I shot Skoob an email, we'll see if anything comes of it.
Makers makes a nice one as well, but same story as a lot of JP brands: no size 12 available.

I can recommend  Skoob Tokyo (bookS :o)). I have them couple of months and from first day I feel in as in home shoes...

[chicote]

I'm broke right now and have no business shopping for engineer boots, but these Motos are up on Yahoo right now for an excellent price, if anybody wants to grab them: https://item.rakuten.co.jp/jumblestore/2342862227545/?scid=af_pc_etc&sc2id=af_106_0_10001056

fromjapan link:

 https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/special/order/confirm/jumblestore:29760214/2_1/

[Cold Summer]

@Broark Here are my Lofgren Shinki horsebutt engineers. This leather can be a bit of a lottery since I’ve seen some pairs with weird grain or the two boots have dramatically mismatched grain. But my pair is absolutely gorgeous, easily the most beautiful leather on a pair of shoes I’ve owned, and I love the profile. Still breaking in, but they should be very comfortable afterwards. The CXL version is cheaper and easier to get, but I really dislike black CXL. 

I know you said you don’t like PNW brands, but here are my Wesco Mister Lous. Maryam veg tanned horsehide is great and forming nice rolls. Really the only bad thing about these boots is that the stitchdown stitching is pretty sloppy and uneven, unlike my older Wesco 7500s which are very cleanly stitched. Fit is excellent on these. 

 

Unfortunately neither of these is particularly cheap or easy to obtain, but both excellent options. 

Edited January 10, 2024 by Cold Summer

[Broark]

@Cold Summer you seem to have definitely won the grain lottery with your pair of Lofgren's, I've just seen some photos online that make me think twice.
How difficult is your pair to get on and off? I have a pair of the Devil's Causeways and the right boot is still very difficult for me to get in an out of.
This might be caused my an ankle injury that I suffered in high school, but I figured by now I'd have broken them in. Guess I just need to keep at it and see.
Once they're on my feet they feel great, I just dread putting them on / taking them off.
I think for now I'll probably either try Attractions (if I can ever find a pair in size 12, Attractions hasn't replied to my email) or hope I score a pair of Clinch I guess.

The left boot in this product shot from S&S is a good example, I don't want anything this pronounced.

[Cold Summer]

Yeah, I don't like that sort of grain either. My left and right boots don't look exactly the same, but the difference is not really noticeable.

I don't have much trouble getting mine on and off, but I have skinny ankles and heels, low profile feet, and a low instep, so all that is probably helping me out. Never had to use the plastic bag trick or anything like that.

[Duke Mantee]

52 minutes ago, Cold Summer said:

… and forming nice rolls.

… usually caused by a last shape that isn’t suited to the foot. Somehow though it’s become desirable - I have a feeling folk have picked up from Brass / Clinch photography 

I’ve said my piece on the Lofgren ‘wabi-sabi’ marketing ploy before - I remain unimpressed 

[Cold Summer]

I can see how that could be the case @Duke Mantee - however, I'll say that my two pairs of Wesco engineers in the MP last are the best-fitting boots I've ever worn, and really only a bespoke shoe would be an improvement over that. But I do feel my feet are a somewhat unusual shape - low instep, low profile, small ankles, but somewhat long. Also, my right foot is slightly larger and fills out the boot a little more than the left, but the right boot also has more rolling going on. I'm sure the individual qualities of the particular piece of horsehide used for the vamp is a big part of that as well.

It makes me wonder if Clinch's pursuit of a particular rolling-focused aging originated in Japanese enthusiasts wearing vintage engineer boots that didn't exactly fit their feet just right (given the relative lack of choice you have for fine-tuning your fit when trying vintage boots), and sort of took on a life of its own in becoming a desirable characteristic - along the same lines as denim's fading or Union Special 43200G roping originally being defects, but now constitute idealized features.

I'd be unhappy with such mismatched boots as in the above S&S product photo - but it's easy enough to avoid, just go with the Chromexcel version, which is not just cheaper but regular and predictable in terms of grain. When you go with the Shinki ones you're sort of taking a higher risk/higher reward approach. I hate how black Chromexcel looks on boots like this and didn't mind taking the risk, but I'm in the minority there.

Edited January 10, 2024 by Cold Summer

[Duke Mantee]

@Cold Summer I’ve no issue about rolls or creases as such (much like denim fades and creases you rightly reference too) - all leather will crease, can’t be avoided - but leather generally has the least impact v. where the leather sits on the foot and the gait.

Anyway, some folk are happy to buy what’s offered (rolls, combs, teacore, whatever) - I’ve a lot less interest in that, other than thinking about why/what/how. Diff'rent Strokes …

I’ve got the Lofgren CXL from way back - they’re fine, but I agree that CXL is fairly nondescript although I do also think that horsehide has been put on a pedestal simply because the sellers tell the buyer something they want to hear.

Edited January 10, 2024 by Duke Mantee

[julian-wolf]

I really dislike how shallowly the dye job on the black Shinki horsebutt penetrates. It feels like its primary purpose is to cater to the short attention spans and ultra fast, contrasted patina needs of the same folks that buy 20+ oz. denim and never wash their jeans.