Proper leather shoes

Proper leather boots. Lennon.

I've been admiring their engine driver's boots for ages. But not enough to buy them.

The steel toe is bare so the leather doesn't burn when hot coals fall out of the firebox. But I wonder whether the laces would sometimes catch fire?

American train drivers are known as engineers, hence the engineer's boot, which has no laces.

It was adopted by bikers and popularised by Marlon Brando and James Dean.

There's a fascinating site all about the minutiae of authentic Brando and Dean boots.

http://vintageengineerboots.blogspot.com/2010/04/wild-one-engineer-boots.html

You can ask your cobbler to add multiple soles to get the look. I got this done very cheaply by Tony's Heel Bar in Crown Passage, St James.

He was rated by custom shoe makers in St James as the best cobbler in London, but his prices were normal high street. He's not there any more, but I'm going to visit Tony's Heel Bar in Kentish Town in the hope that it's him. https://www.tonysheelbar.co.uk/

Nice. Real sheep skin lining?

Does anyone happen to know how Paraboot Michael’s fit size wise?

I'm eyeing these up as well - apparently they run large so I was going to half size down, or find somewhere to try them on

@Willie - any thoughts?

@leeroy1313

I’ve got 5 pairs of michaels in 9 and a 10 and I wear both sizes - I’m probably a size 9.5. If you stay true to size the wearing in process can be pretty awful but once you’re through it and they stretch out the fit is perfect. My size 10s look a lot neater as they don’t stretch as much and have more structure. They do slip around a bit but nothing too bad..

One thing to note about Michael’s is that theres a limit to how tight you can tie the shoelaces before the constrict the top of your foot… it’s usually pretty tricky to find half sizes in the uk, i usually tell people to buy them from End and use the free returns if the don’t fit!

100% best shoe of all time - My uncle calls them piss catchers 😂

Also selling a load of my shoes on here shortly - let me know if anyone is interested in the following:

Church's 'Bristol' loafer, black, leather sole uk9 (stretched to a 9.5 but not quite there)
Loake 'Anglesey' snuff suede boots in uk10
JM Weston 'Eugene Golf' derby in brown suede (not a golf shoe, just the name) - maked a 9 but fit like a uk 10.5
Fratelli Rossetti wholecuts in black - uk8.5 but fit like a 9
Crocket & Jones 'Onslow' derby in brown grain leather - uk9.5
J Crew 'Kenton Pacer' boots in brown (copy of Alden Indy) in uk10

Picture below pre cleaning etc

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I have a couple of pairs of these and think they fit pretty much true to size (although I do have wide feet).

let's see the collection!! I still keep going back to look at your tout pouls vache ones!

Can anyone do a mirror shine (aka glaçage) to this standard? I can't. This is by someone who works in a Geneva shoe shop.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgjQG95gITT/

I've been watching youtube experts. They all have different methods. Some use a cloth, others use fingertips. Some use ice water, others use warm water. There's even a guy who uses water with rubbing alcohol in it. But he's American, so there's nothing he can teach the English about shoes.

One day I would like to try the molten beeswax method used by Guards regiments.

How it's done: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10158910936410615

Okay great, thanks

Can’t beat a pair of piss catchers

It’s done with practice, patience, the correct polish and cloths. It’s not overly easy to begin with but, as with everything, practice makes perfect. It also helps to have decent leather to begin with.

I was good at it in the air cadets, when I used a cloth. But now I can't make a cloth work. Must try harder.

I dunno but it looks proper shite lol

Could on interested in the C&J. How do they size up? I'm 9.5 in some shoes and 10 in others.

Generally 10s are a tiny bit too big but as I have quite square feet, sometimes that's the least bad option.

Yellow duster with red stitching. Kiwi black. Patience …

These aren’t great.

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Yeah I’m also not quite a 10 - they fit perfectly, I just rarely wear them… will get pictures up in daylight etc

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You can delete your post and avoid forum police reporting you.

@goodhead has these Rag & Bone triple Goodyear welted boots for sale - they are on eBay but £40+ postage for forumengers. Only reason for sale is they come up large and would fit UK 11.5 to 12.

Great boots for an autumn / winter Bigfoot.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/3775­63/

Thanks James 😃👍

Got my 875 red Wings back.
Resoled with a black traction vibram unit, new middle and speedhooks replacing the top 2 eyelets.

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8 UK paraboot michaels
8 UK paraboot chambord
7 UK Redwing anything
8 UK clarks originals
so basically in my experience they fit true to size

A summer operation has meant I’m having to take life easier and move to the e-bike dark side, it’s also precipitated a bit of a clear out. These Grenson shoes are just too heavy for me to wear all day now, the leather is lovely and soft and the Goodyear rubber soles are perfect for winter. Size 10 so size 11 in real life. £30 for a week on here then will move to eBay, collect from Stratford/Leyton borders.

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All sorts of old wives tales, but I never found any of them to produce noticeably better results, than the dusters, budget polish and spit we were issued: small circles back and forth (like a typewriter moving across and down a page), working up to larger ones.

We only had to do toecaps & heels, so applied polish elsewhere but didn't buff it, so the contrast improved the effect. :)

At least you won't have to dodge the fuckers trying to stamp on your toes before parade.