Show us your SHOES !!!

[Dlaniger]

Wow I like those. where are they sold?

I picked them up at a local shoe store in Center City, Philadelphia called ToBox. My favorite shoe shop in town.
Thanks.


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[LuvMyMan]

I picked them up at a local shoe store in Center City, Philadelphia called ToBox. My favorite shoe shop in town.
Thanks.


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Thanks!

 

[LuvMyMan]

Another pair of spectators...vintage bostonian...

 

[Short Balding Guy]

[First pair of Barker Black shoes we have owned, they already seem to have a high gloss polish to them

Those look terrific. In dynamite wearable condition. Congrats on continuing to source interesting vintage spectators.

R.M. Williams “Craftsman” in Chocolate.

Sir your Williams have me doing some searching the internet. They look like very comfortable boots. Elegant lines when you look at the pic taken from the top angle. The chocolate suede appears very rich. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Another pair of spectators...vintage bostonian..

Riches of spectators! Excellent finds of late. Love the spad profile and the different brogueing around the heel of the shoe. Congrats again and thanks for sharing.

Eric -

 

[tropicalbob]

I just saw that Allen Edmonds Factory Seconds have posted their Leeds Country Grain Derby shoe in brown for $197.00. All Sizes. I've been hoping for this for some time. Now - have I blown too much cash this month already?

 

[LuvMyMan]

I just saw that Allen Edmonds Factory Seconds have posted their Leeds Country Grain Derby shoe in brown for $197.00. All Sizes. I've been hoping for this for some time. Now - have I blown too much cash this month already?

Pinch them while ya can!

 

[Giftmacher]

What do you think of these, or better about the price? It's like $526.
https://aukro.cz/stare-panske-kozene-boty-polobotky-c-42-30-leta-6925387417

 

[LuvMyMan]

You do artistic work. Mind if I ask is this a hobby or do you restore shoes professionally?

I do shoe sole and heel replacement for a side income, and some rehab of shoes that are old vintage and very dry, and deep conditioning and gloss shine if someone wanted it. I just started with dye for shoes, I used some real junk a few times that was acrylic and was very nasty after it dried, as it crackes and then flakes and peels...basically that is a "surface paint" it just does not work well on real shoes. So I did research and asked shoe makers that have websites if they work any of their own colors on leather? A few do. The higher end shoe makers do burnishing by hand. Those shoe makers use a fast dry dye made for shoe leather some by Angeles, some by Fiebing. Both dyes are similar in performance but are a real mess, leather prep is critical and when dealing with a vintage shoe, a lot of prep is due for a number of reasons. Vintage leather is more prone to being a bit dry. Conditioning the leather has to be done before a dye job or the prep for the dye with about ruin the leather and make it crack. So I have to deep condition the leather to obtain a very soft and supple feel and result for a few weeks prior to then using the dye prep and then the dye itself. Both dye's are very strong and give fairly good first coat coverage, but the dye is a thin liquid that loves to run all over. Both also need to be thinned a bit so you learn how to mix a neutral dye that has no color in with the color dye you decide to use. I've just learned the right amount of mix for what application I have done and would do in the future, and if a custom color and look was desired, a mixing of more than one color and colors being applied on top of another in a thinned out coat, seems to be very versatile and would give some of the "burnishing" effects that some custom shoe makers are noted for doing. I also found a white shoe dye that works fairly well. I say this as it is very hard to do white on black leather to obtain a spectator theme on all black shoes. My attempts of this in the past used the shoe paints that just don't work, crack and peels as soon as you wear the shoe and then flakes right off. Shoe paints just do not soak into the leather to become a true leather finish...shoe dye IS a real finish that soaks into the leather and when dry you can buff it and then of course go from there to do what ever look a person wants as far as shine.

 

[LuvMyMan]

What do you think of these, or better about the price? It's like $526.
https://aukro.cz/stare-panske-kozene-boty-polobotky-c-42-30-leta-6925387417

Those shoes are vintage and when new had a very high level of workmanship and quality, most likely all hand made. The inside of these shoes needs some work if you notice the white powdery look, could be from water damage at some point of time in their past, but nothing that some spray disenfectant and then some soaking of conditioner could not fix! The price....well not sure I would part with that much money for those shoes. But I do suspect the seller will find someone to buy them. Thank you for sharing these, as it gives us an idea of real vintage shoes from another part of the world. Even for vintage, the over all look of these shoes are "in fashion" now.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thank you Cindy: good idea to check the bay for a donor pair. Thanks so much for sharing the construction of cleating. I never considered a mounting plate inside.
Be well. Bowen

If you are going to resole the shoes/boots, and have the metal plates to hold mounting the cleats, you can find a leather hole punch after you mark a location on the new soles so that everything lines up for the cleats. The metal plates of course will be hidden by the soles, and I would advise some extra layer of "cork" sheeting be used to help cushion your foot from the metal plate. If you have a decent cobbler near you, I m sure with the cobblers help you can put this project together and have a decent outcome. Ebay has had a flood of old golf shoes so you can about find anything cheap to work for your donor shoe as long as when you are looking at them you see they have a real leather sole and have a good year welt. You are about insured that the donor shoe is going to have the metal plate you need for your project.

 

[tropicalbob]

Broke down and ordered the Leeds. No self-control. There's just something about the minimalist design and the brown Scotch grain I couldn't resist.

 

[Jaxenro]

Thank you for the long and detailed answer I am always fascinated by all types of restoration work but didn’t know much about restoring shoes

Work was giving us a special 200 anniversary discount this week it was hard not to purchase a few pairs of the Peal & Co shoes at these prices. They are nice

 

[LuvMyMan]

Broke down and ordered the Leeds. No self-control. There's just something about the minimalist design and the brown Scotch grain I couldn't resist.

Well you did good!

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thank you for the long and detailed answer I am always fascinated by all types of restoration work but didn’t know much about restoring shoes

Work was giving us a special 200 anniversary discount this week it was hard not to purchase a few pairs of the Peal & Co shoes at these prices. They are nice

That is very nice. Where do you work?

 

[Jaxenro]

Brooks Brothers in the IT area data warehouse and database reporting

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thank you for the long and detailed answer I am always fascinated by all types of restoration work but didn’t know much about restoring shoes

Work was giving us a special 200 anniversary discount this week it was hard not to purchase a few pairs of the Peal & Co shoes at these prices. They are nice

Not all shoes that have dry leather can be restored. Sadly once the surface of any leather starts to get cracked and is "popping" off, the leather is really doomed. We have had some shoes that were made around 1905 or so...the leather was just too far gone. Even soaking in a tub filled with conditioner to really soak the leather did not much for restoring...the leather can just rip like old cardboard. But is even with very dry leather in a shoe or boot, if the boot or shoe has by luck, never been worn and has no flexing or folds in the leather (normally that starts the leather dry rot to have the popping of and hundreds of small spider cracks)...if the leather is still smooth...you can have a chance on saving it.

About five years ago I purchased some shoes that were made in about 1960. Actually 2 pairs almost exactly alike but one was a slip on and one with laces. They were "London Fog" brand name and the color was "smoked elk" which is an off green color. The leather was super dry and brittle. Feeling the tongue of the shoes was like a Dorito Tortilla chip. Had I bent the leather it would have just snapped off. Daniel soaked both pairs of shoes for about a week. Both pairs of shoes had crepe soles. The soles also were rock hard and if not treated with something, would have just crumbled. As crepe is a product of rubber base, Daniel soaked the shoes in a old pie tin with about a 1/4 inch of clear silicone what was made for trim on an Auto, Black Magic brand name. The crepe soaked up the silicone and it restored the supple feel and made the soles be just like new. However, the silicone was sort of sticky on the bottoms of the shoes for about 6 months after this. We learned that doing this again, we would wipe the shoes with a damp clothe with some diluted dish soap and wash off the very bottoms of the shoe soles to get rid of the excess silicone.

Shoe care is all about using what makes sense and putting some time into maintaining your investment. If we could go back in time and find shoes to condition properly and sit them on the shelf...then today those shoes would be in great shape. Not too long ago someone had an entire shoe store filled with vintage shoes...promoting the sales of those shoes. I know some got a great deal on super nice vintage. BUT all those shoes were in serious dry leather condition. We purchase four pairs...and barely saved them.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Brooks Brothers in the IT area data warehouse and database reporting

Geez...that is a great place to work! Lucky YOU! I just purchased some Evening Slippers from them not long ago...and yes I am sure PEAL made the shoes...they are real Patent Leather, as my Husband has a few pairs for wearing with his Tuxedo's, but needed something new as his foot size had become a bit larger then what it was. I hope you will use your discount and make some purchases and share with us your "loot"! LOL! Thanks so much!

 

[Jaxenro]

I ended up getting mostly mundane items like dress shirts

Did get a nice linen pants and vest in white for summer

 

[tropicalbob]

I ended up getting mostly mundane items like dress shirts

Did get a nice linen pants and vest in white for summer

I have a few of their silk/linen vests. Perfect for the climate here.

 

[Jaxenro]

Yes they don’t make enough of them