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Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

Dickie Teenie

A-List Customer
Messages
367
Location
Iowa now Athens Gr.
Speaking of aesthetics doe's the non celastic toe box bother anyone's toe's, feels strange? I ordered some Wesco's and have time to change my order to non celastic, the last is the Boss MP toe.
 

bretron

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,519
Location
NW
Dickie, I got some soft toe MPs and while i absolutely love how low profile the toe box i do often wonder if i should have gone with celastic. they are tight as hell even after 7mos of wear. My big toe sticks up in the boot. What I need to do is send em back to Wesco for complimentary toe stretching, but I've just been lazy.

If you had your heart set on soft toes, go with it. Just be prepared for a beastly break in!!!
 

fukigen

Familiar Face
Messages
96
Location
Switzerland
I would not do anything with those boots. They are going to develope a nice everyday rough out look on their own if you just wear them.

I kind of agree with you,
but I am more asking about the apache cream, not to apply everyday or once a week, but more in case they get caught in heavy rain, after letting them dry slowly.
Also after some months (or years) of wear, I think it is good to cautiously apply something to avoid the leather to become too dry. (I had some cowboy boot I trashed due to letting the leather becoming too dry..)
 

kyboots

Practically Family
I really let boots be boots. Unless you sit them on a radiator do everything wrong, with the leather wet and full of salt these boots will be fine. The leather is good and will last years. I think we have been programed from companies to apply their product every other week and on every full and quarter moons. I like the look of natural worn leather. Polish/cream for a color and when they look dull to you. Be independent and treat them when you feel they need it. There really is no true rule! ( Hell fire and damnation will begin at the end of the add ).
 

Kato

Familiar Face
Messages
82
Location
Hong Kong
My Wesco Boss PT after polish;)

IMG-20140125-WA0006.jpg
 

Bunyip

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
Speaking of aesthetics doe's the non celastic toe box bother anyone's toe's, feels strange? I ordered some Wesco's and have time to change my order to non celastic, the last is the Boss MP toe.
Hi guys, re celastic toe box. Am I right in thinking if I order boots with a steel or composite toe, I don't need to worry about a celastic toe? I want some nomads, but am first putting an order in for some bounty hunters...I've never ordered custom boots before, and am a bit confused. Thanks for any help.
 

Bunyip

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Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
Does any one have any pics of natural CXL boots with some wear/pAtina?,,I've also been told that CXL isn't as tough as the smooth hides when it comes to Whites..can anyone shed any light on this?thanks.
 

Dickie Teenie

A-List Customer
Messages
367
Location
Iowa now Athens Gr.
Hi guys, re celastic toe box. Am I right in thinking if I order boots with a steel or composite toe, I don't need to worry about a celastic toe? I want some nomads, but am first putting an order in for some bounty hunters...I've never ordered custom boots before, and am a bit confused. Thanks for any help.
If you order the steel toe it in effect becomes a celastic toe. You need to address if you have a need for steel toe (work). If your not in an environment where you have to consider crushing your toes I'd choose a celastic toe. About your question on toughness I've seen some serious work done in CXL and they hold up well, the owners like them others (non owners) not it seems. No up charge on the natural CXL, I think it's $40 extra on brown or black and the natty looks great. Love my SD Whites, you won't be disappointed but you've probably read that already.
 

Grayland

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Messages
2,092
Location
Upstate NY
Isn't is a plastic "cap" that sits over the toe (but is covered by the leather) and prevents the leather from collapsing? It maintains the shape of the toe of the shoe/boot.
 

Will015

Familiar Face
Messages
71
Location
New London, CT
Yeah, it's like a steel toe but softer plastic like stuff. It just stops the toe box from collapsing. In a soft toe boot, you'd be able to wiggle your toes and see them. A celastic toe will have a set shape.

As far as CXL vs. Dress leather. Take a look at white's boots threads/ shoes that look better with age on Styleforum or the Iron Heart Forum. If you're going black, CXL will be a black finish that will wear to the brown underneath whereas Black dress leather is black the whole way through. CXL scuffs easier, but I've also noticed that those scuffs are easier to cover up with colored polish than on a smooth dress leather which will always remain with a scuffed appearance.
 

Bunyip

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Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
If you order the steel toe it in effect becomes a celastic toe. You need to address if you have a need for steel toe (work). If your not in an environment where you have to consider crushing your toes I'd choose a celastic toe. About your question on toughness I've seen some serious work done in CXL and they hold up well, the owners like them others (non owners) not it seems. No up charge on the natural CXL, I think it's $40 extra on brown or black and the natty looks great. Love my SD Whites, you won't be disappointed but you've probably read that already.
Thanks Dickie..if I order composite or steel toe, I can claim a decent portion on tax as a safety shoe for work...I also ride a motorbike, so as long as they don't look too puffy or goofy in the toe, I can justify the steel or composite toe..
 

Dickie Teenie

A-List Customer
Messages
367
Location
Iowa now Athens Gr.
Thanks Dickie..if I order composite or steel toe, I can claim a decent portion on tax as a safety shoe for work...I also ride a motorbike, so as long as they don't look too puffy or goofy in the toe, I can justify the steel or composite toe..
On the steel toe you'll see the outline as the leather shrinks/conforms over the steel, the celastic you won't. I would think White's celastic option would be concidered a "composite" toe, I would check into that. I'm not a beliver in steel toe's unless it's a work requirement. I know they get quite cold and i assume also hot....
 

Bunyip

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Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
On the steel toe you'll see the outline as the leather shrinks/conforms over the steel, the celastic you won't. I would think White's celastic option would be concidered a "composite" toe, I would check into that. I'm not a beliver in steel toe's unless it's a work requirement. I know they get quite cold and i assume also hot....
Cheers Dickie, I have taken a life style change away from a suit and am back into my old career running pubs. Steel toe is handy rolling kegs around etc...celastic will prob be enough as I am definitely trying to avoid that look with the toes. Thanks again for your help mate.
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
A soft toe is just that - the thick boot leather with no reinforcement. It is shaped over the last when the boots is made, and can be a little stiff if the leather is stiff. However, soft toes generally collapse easily.

Steel toes tend to be a little obit bulbous and rounded. They can often be seen when the leather is stretched over them, but not always. They cannot be crushed, but the leather stretched over the toe tends to get more beat up because it is up against a steel plate and cannot flex inward. It is, quote literally, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

A celastic toe is sort of a plastic version of a steel toe, but not usually quote as bulbous. They exist in many differnet shapes - from pointy cowboy boots to round toes on an Engineer boot. Most modern boots have some form of a celastic toe to help the toe maintain it's shape. Celastic toes are a bit flexible, and as a result, they can be crushed if stepped on. However, that flexible nature also helps keep the toe leather from getting cut and abraded when you run into things.

My personal preference is for a solid celastic toe - it will have the benefit of being rigid enough to maintain the toe shape, but not as prone to damaging the leather as a steel toe
 

Bunyip

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Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
Great stuff Jimmer. Sums it all up...can't quite decide between nomads and Wesco...been changing my mind every 5 minutes... Prefer the entire whites line up, but have seen some cracking Wesco.
With the Nomads, to go two tone, the way I've read it, is that the entire top half of the boot, strap included can be one colour, the entire bottom half,strap included in the other colour...is that right, or have I misunderstood?
 

Bunyip

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,069
Location
Australia
Yep...trying to visualize what a 2 tone pair of nomads will look like with Whites strange policy on Nomads...anyone care to do a photo shop of the way they agree to do it?
 

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