tecnic

[guybagnall]

It seems like 'Vintage' boots and shoes being bought on ebay by 'paraphernalia' types into WWII, rather than being interested in classic english shoes and wearing them - although I could be dead wrong. Looking further afield for interesting english classic shoes came across a loft-find of tecnic police boots and a police shoe brand called 'Distinctive' which I could find nothing about on the net or via the Rushden research unit. All in black and size 12 - that suit me due to horribly wide feet.

 

They both seem rather handsome to me - ello, ello? I have a bit of form on english shoes - Citadel burgundy boots just repaired by T Jackson, ditto Tricker's Ikley apparently over 20 years old - Zug - which I love and seems to be disappearing by the day? Nobody seems to do 'Scottish grain' with leather soles - only sale items and not in my awful size - do fans need to look wider to save the english shoe story?

 

[guybagnall]

I even got my Tricker's wrong - I have the Otley - a Veldtschoen with traditional welt. I did just go a bit mad for a pair of Matlocks, with leather sole and storm welt, good condition and an 11-6 which I'm afraid I need...

 

I was speaking to David at Tricker's and he told me that the zug leather they use is actually Italian, not Horween as I had read elsewhere. He said zug is greased leather and should be treated with dubbin - my favourite tipple, apparently coming back into fashion.

 

Did anyone see those Frank Wright veldts, new, went for £65 on ebay - sadly not my awful size. The classic shoe site is selling some for 450euros...

[Paul T]

There's a lot of info on Tecnic, Velddtschoen and zug grain on the original shoes that look better with age thread.

 

Some more bits here:
 

http://loomstate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/lotus-veldtschoen-guaranteed-waterproof.html

[guybagnall]

Thank you, Paul, I read your piece religiously as the obsession took hold. Do you happen to know if Sanders did a veldtschoen years back - I fell for a pair of zug looking derbys but until they arrive can't tell if they're veldts? Someone ought to do a history of English classic shoes - if I wasn't doing other stuff I'd be tempted myself...