Vintage Spade Sole Shoes

[Isshinryu101]

So, what do you do when you wear out the sole? Send it to the cobbler with instructions to use a time machine and go back to the '40s to get it redone? Or do you have so many by now that you'll never possibly wear them down enough?

Well, any time you have a shoe re-soled, the cobbler takes a piece of sole leather, sews it on, and then trims the extra leather off, correct? Finishes off with edge dressing and it's done.

I would imagine that one could use a cowboy boot sole, such as a lucchese for this job. Cookie has pointed out to me in the past that the spade sole often lives on, in a certain manner, in many styles of cowboy boots. That said, finding a cowboy boot sole large enough to cover the spade sole shouldn't be too difficult.

Sew, cut, edge, and... viola. I may be wrong about this, but it seems to make sense...

 

[Dinerman]

I've done some moving, some splitting and some splicing to bring you a better "spade sole" thread. Enjoy.

 

[Isshinryu101]

I've done some moving, some splitting and some splicing to bring you a better "spade sole" thread. Enjoy.

Great job! I'm a HUGE fan!

 

[cookie]

Thanks D-man! You're a good bloke mate.

Some FootJoy Spades 10D

 

[Isshinryu101]

It must be my birthday because THESE recently arrived in the mail from my good buddy in Australia.

Regal Paddock Boots. NOS. KANGAROO Skin (I really like this skin. Very tough, and the "crinkling" is natural. They will get better with age, I think). Spade Soles. Oh My Gosh!

MANY, MANY THANKS!

And 1 of me wearing them to work today!

Yes, I know they're only laced halfway up. I can't stand having to loosen a ton of laces to get my shoes/ boots on. This works best for me.

 

[sproily]

Oh my god!!!!!!!

 

[Qirrel]

Yes, I know they're only laced halfway up. I can't stand having to loosen a ton of laces to get my shoes/ boots on. This works best for me.

Get long laces and lace them in a cross lace (too tired to come up with a better formulation). Then they wont have to go out of their holes when you take on and off your boots. In addition the cross lacing is easier to tighten and untighten.

 

[cookie]

Spade Square





At rear from left:

Stetson Spades c1930s/40s

Crosby Square Coronet Spades c1930s/40s


At front from left:

Winthrop spade spectators c1940s ex Liberty House HNL

City Club Captoe Brogue Spades circa late 1940s (as advertised by Marilyn Monroe)

click on pics for closer views.

 

[flyfishark]

Spade Square





At rear from left:

Stetson Spades c1930s/40s

Crosby Square Coronet Spades c1930s/40s


At front from left:

Winthrop spade spectators c1940s ex Liberty House HNL

City Club Captoe Brogue Spades circa late 1940s (as advertised by Marilyn Monroe)

click on pics for closer views.

These are the kind of shoes that cause the "occasion to sin"--envy is still one of the 7 deadly ones and I have a really bad case of it. Absolutely gorgeous shoes, Cookie!!!

 

[Isshinryu101]

This thread's been dead for a MONTH now! My buddy, Flyfishark just posted some vintage Foot Joy golf shoes (in the shoes thread), so here's my go at it.

Foot Joy Spade Sole Lizard & Pebble Grain Calf Spectator Golf shoes.

This is my 3rd pair of vintage Foot Joy exotics. Love 'em. By the way, I'm a big fan of pebble grain for the white sections of traditional Spectators. Of course suede is more luxurious, but I've got 3 young stains & am a chronic stainer!

 

[Isshinryu101]

These are pretty much a "holy grail" of shoes for me. 2 problems exist, however...

1) They are too small, 8C, where I would need at least 8D

2) They are so dried out that there's no way to bring them back. The tongue of the left shoe actually disintegrated in my hand. The condition, wear-wise, is very good, but most of the moisture has left them & they are as brittle as can be. I've been conditioning them for 3 weeks now, and they have stopped deteriorating. However, they'll never be safely wearable.

I hope to one day have this exact pair custom made.

MONSTER SPADES by Stoebener (I call them "Monsters" because I've never seen a topsole so wide. At its peak, the spade extends 5/8 of an inch from the uppers. They are a whopping 5 inches wide).

 

[cookie]

The top of those spades is identical in design to my Crosby Square spades down to the stitching. I would supect they were made in the same factory to a different width spec.

Stunning!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

1940s Thom McAn shoes.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The Thom McAn shoes in the post above go on eBay tonight.

 

[cookie]

1930s/early 40s Crosby Square Spade shoes size 11D. British Tan.

Probably first time they have been worn in 60 years...very comfortable!

 

[Rudie]

Awesome find. How and where do you find shoes like this in such large sizes?

 

[Mario]

I believe it's in the genes. Just as the Baron has this uncanny ability to sniff out awesome vintage suits. Some do it with suits, some do it with shoes, others (like me) don't do it at all. Beats me...

 

[cookie]

Awesome find. How and where do you find shoes like this in such large sizes?

Luck and friends....

 

[Feraud]

Beautiful!

 

[Isshinryu101]

1930s/early 40s Crosby Square Spade shoes size 11D. British Tan.

Probably first time they have been worn in 60 years...very comfortable!

Such a perfect shoe. Workmanship is superb!