The Shooman
A Pretty Face
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Introduction
For a brand that cuts many corners in making a shoe, Florsheim certainly does a great job in making a shoe that is quite decent. Many people loved the style and the comfort of the Florsheim longwing. Just for interest; lets cast a connoisseur's eye over two similar longwings in pebblegrain - one made properly by hand by a worldclass maker, and the other where lots of corners are cut for a streamlined factory version.
Last comparison
When you compare the longwings side by side, the first thing one notices is the last. The Florsheim is very crude and made to fit many types of feet, on the other hand the last by the worldclass maker is more shapely and artistic, and it is made to fit less feet. The finishing of the leather is clearly superior on the handmade shoe because it is more vibrant compared with the cheap dull finish on the Florsheim. The Florsheim is also machine lasted, so it lacks that nice tight definition that comes from the hand lasting of the worldclass handmade shoe shown here.
Florsheim (left of photo) v's world class maker (right of photo)
Soles and waists comparison
The next thing you notice is how the Florsheim sole and waist is just flat with no sculpture and everything is stitched aloft with no stitch being channelled; lots of handwork is cut out to save time and money, and all the stitching is done by machine. Compare this to the waist of the handmade shoe/sole and you see a bevelled waist that has been sculptured with a channelled sole; clearly lots of time has gone into making this, and all the stitching is done by hand.
Handmade bevelled waist with hand stacked heels (top)
Florsheim waist with plastic heel (bottom)
Handmade bevelled waist
Leather quality
The leather quality is vastly different too. The Florsheim might be a 1992 manufacture, but it is still very grainy and not near the quality of the upper of the handmade shoe which has a much finer grain as seen by the creases in the leather. The Florsheim factory got a certain quality grade to fit a certain budget where-as the handmade went for the best possible with no expense spared. The soles and heels of the Florsheim are not near the quality of the handmade which uses the best quality leather possible from the Martin Tannery - one of the few makers which have access to this tannery. The Florsheim also has a plastic heel block underneath the leather heel top lift, it makes for a rougher ride.
Finer creasing in the tighter grained handmade v's thicker creasing in the more grainy Florsheim upper.
Upper construction
The uppers on the Florsheim are also crudely constructed compared to the handmade. Notice how the Florsheim folds above the longwing broguing? This is a weakness in the design, and it hasn't been reinforced with any structure to keep it from collapsing. They all have that design fault.
Construction failure in the Florsheim upper
No internal reinforcement in Florsheim.
The handmade solves the problem of the upper folding above the broguing line by reinforcing the internal part of the upper and by stitching it diagonally.
By reinforcing the internal parts with felt and a diagonal stitch ,the handmade gets the outside of the upper to avoid folding over itself and thus creating a better fitting and looking upper.
Stitches per inch are very fine with the handmade
but no way near as fine or artistic with Florsheim
Shoe Construction
The major part where the corners are cut is on the construction, this is what sorts the wheat from the chaff. A real shoe experience comes from the handwork. Does one drive an old clunky Ford or a Rolls Royce, the construction and build quality can make all the difference. The way a sole is stitched often makes all the difference, because a hand stitched sole is sewn very differently than a machine stitched sole; both are world's apart. The nature of a machine stitched sole will usually make for a stiffer soles that doesn't mold to the foot as good as a hand stitched sole. For machine stitched soles the top thread stays at the top and the bottom thread stays at the bottom. The bottom thread gets pulled up and gets looped through the top thread, but the top thread always stays at the top, and because it gets pulled the tension makes the sole more stiff. (see 9 minutes onward).
A hand stitched sole has the top thread and bottom thread exchanging roles from top to bottom so there isn't the tension on the top thread going along the shoe when the bottom thread loops into it and pulls it down, so the sole will usually have more flexibility.
The other part is the Florsheim has the component feather glued to it along the insole which makes it more stiff with no give and take, where-as the hand welted shoe has a hand carved feather which allows for much more flexibility of the insole and more give and take of the leather because it has no feather glued on. Of course, the Florsheim's weakest construction point is also the glue holding the feather on to which the welt is attached; the handmade has none of those cost cutting measures built into it.
Florsheim's golden years - using the L welt v's the t welt monstrosity they use for the last 70 years
Florsheim used to make a great gunboat shoe with a proper storm welt, not the pretender storm welt they have used over the last 70 years on their boats. Here is a 1955 model they used to make when Florsehim was at its best.
1955 Florsheim
Notice how close the L welt (a proper functioning storm welt) is stitched securely to the upper with no gap. The feather is done properly, set right on the edge on the insole, and it is hand carved. This means the L welt can be secured properly against the upper so it can actually play it correct role in helping keep water out, especially when the welt is stitched on by hand ensuring the right tension is used.
If you look at the Florsheim in the last 70 years, a big cut was taken in the construction, and it left a big problem that they couldn't properly solve, and as a result the integrity of the construction is greatly compromised. They started gluing feathers to the insole, but after 1950's the feather was no longer on the edge of the insole, instead it was set in from the edge, so this meant that an L welt could no longer be used. As a result Florsheim used t welts (fake storm welts) that were attached from the inside of the shoe instead of the outside, but there was no way the water could be kept out properly because part of the welt sticking up against the upper from outside could no longer be secured properly, so it was basically left just hanging there as a decorative storm welt. This lack of securing usually left gaps between the upper and the t welt, so if it rained some water could run off the upper and get into the most vulnerable part of the shoe (between the upper and welt) where it could seep into the insole if it rained hard enough. If it was snowing, salt could always get in too and raise that feather off the insole and cause construction failure due to the wrong welt being used and unsecured where water gets behind the t welt. Cobblers have told me about the old gunboats having gemming failure due to glued feathers coming undone. The old 1950'sFlorsheim never had this problem because the feathers were hand carved and the proper storm welt (L welt) was used and seeled properly by a hand stitch, but the modern Florsheim have none of those security features to protect the integrity of the construction. The modern Florsheim of the last 70 years play Russian Roulette - those cutting of corners may cause the gunboat to die early or you might get lucky and it may last 20 years. The old Florsheims were made to last because no Russian Roulette features were built into them.
Russian Roulette with the t welt
This is what happens when you cut lots of corners in making gunboats, you can easily get that pronounced gap between the welt and the upper where salt water can get in.
Eventhough the old Florsheims were amazing - handwelted with a proper storm welt, they still had machine stitched soles and hence that cost cutting measure would rob one of the true shoo experience.
A gunboat made properly
A Florsheim look-a-like done properly by Lattanzi. Used a hand carved feather to the edge, uses an L welt (proper functioning storm welt) that is properly secured using a hand stitch, and has hand stitched soles. All the security features are in tact, and it is designed to offer the full shoo wearing experience, but it comes with a very high price tag, almost 9,000 euros.
Conclusion
The Florsheim is built with many shortcuts, but the shortcuts are so cleverly done that this shoe may last a lifetime with good care and be quite comfortable for most people. However, it is still a basic factory built shoe that lacks the real shoo experience a connoisseur desires; it really is like comparing a luxury car to an old clunker. The handmade is superior in every way imaginable, but that Florsheim is still a pretty good darn shoe. Florsheim did an amazing thing, they cut corners and made a shoe affordable to the masses, and they created something really nice.
What is better value for money?
Is the Florsheim better value for money?....to most people it would be, but value is not all about cost per wear. To connoisseurs the handmade could be better value for money because the satisfaction taken over a 30 year period could be worth the cost. Would l rather own the Florsheim and save money, or own the handmade and spend the extra? I would rather the handmade. Why? Because I am in my shoos 18 hours per day, so l want the best and most comfortable and best looking shoos. See...the cost is forgotten, it is really about the satisfaction that makes life more enjoyable. Sometimes a man doesn't want to just settle, sometimes he wants an adventure to see what it is all about. I could buy the cheaper shoos and be smart, but what is life without an adventure. What makes the top clothing and shoos so good??...the only way to find out is to go on that adventure. I may be a boring old white guy these days, but l still like some enjoyment by experiencing great craftsmanship.
(Will edit later if need be).
For a brand that cuts many corners in making a shoe, Florsheim certainly does a great job in making a shoe that is quite decent. Many people loved the style and the comfort of the Florsheim longwing. Just for interest; lets cast a connoisseur's eye over two similar longwings in pebblegrain - one made properly by hand by a worldclass maker, and the other where lots of corners are cut for a streamlined factory version.
Last comparison
When you compare the longwings side by side, the first thing one notices is the last. The Florsheim is very crude and made to fit many types of feet, on the other hand the last by the worldclass maker is more shapely and artistic, and it is made to fit less feet. The finishing of the leather is clearly superior on the handmade shoe because it is more vibrant compared with the cheap dull finish on the Florsheim. The Florsheim is also machine lasted, so it lacks that nice tight definition that comes from the hand lasting of the worldclass handmade shoe shown here.
Florsheim (left of photo) v's world class maker (right of photo)
Soles and waists comparison
The next thing you notice is how the Florsheim sole and waist is just flat with no sculpture and everything is stitched aloft with no stitch being channelled; lots of handwork is cut out to save time and money, and all the stitching is done by machine. Compare this to the waist of the handmade shoe/sole and you see a bevelled waist that has been sculptured with a channelled sole; clearly lots of time has gone into making this, and all the stitching is done by hand.
Handmade bevelled waist with hand stacked heels (top)
Florsheim waist with plastic heel (bottom)
Handmade bevelled waist
Leather quality
The leather quality is vastly different too. The Florsheim might be a 1992 manufacture, but it is still very grainy and not near the quality of the upper of the handmade shoe which has a much finer grain as seen by the creases in the leather. The Florsheim factory got a certain quality grade to fit a certain budget where-as the handmade went for the best possible with no expense spared. The soles and heels of the Florsheim are not near the quality of the handmade which uses the best quality leather possible from the Martin Tannery - one of the few makers which have access to this tannery. The Florsheim also has a plastic heel block underneath the leather heel top lift, it makes for a rougher ride.
Finer creasing in the tighter grained handmade v's thicker creasing in the more grainy Florsheim upper.
Upper construction
The uppers on the Florsheim are also crudely constructed compared to the handmade. Notice how the Florsheim folds above the longwing broguing? This is a weakness in the design, and it hasn't been reinforced with any structure to keep it from collapsing. They all have that design fault.
Construction failure in the Florsheim upper
No internal reinforcement in Florsheim.
The handmade solves the problem of the upper folding above the broguing line by reinforcing the internal part of the upper and by stitching it diagonally.
By reinforcing the internal parts with felt and a diagonal stitch ,the handmade gets the outside of the upper to avoid folding over itself and thus creating a better fitting and looking upper.
Stitches per inch are very fine with the handmade
but no way near as fine or artistic with Florsheim
Shoe Construction
The major part where the corners are cut is on the construction, this is what sorts the wheat from the chaff. A real shoe experience comes from the handwork. Does one drive an old clunky Ford or a Rolls Royce, the construction and build quality can make all the difference. The way a sole is stitched often makes all the difference, because a hand stitched sole is sewn very differently than a machine stitched sole; both are world's apart. The nature of a machine stitched sole will usually make for a stiffer soles that doesn't mold to the foot as good as a hand stitched sole. For machine stitched soles the top thread stays at the top and the bottom thread stays at the bottom. The bottom thread gets pulled up and gets looped through the top thread, but the top thread always stays at the top, and because it gets pulled the tension makes the sole more stiff. (see 9 minutes onward).
A hand stitched sole has the top thread and bottom thread exchanging roles from top to bottom so there isn't the tension on the top thread going along the shoe when the bottom thread loops into it and pulls it down, so the sole will usually have more flexibility.
The other part is the Florsheim has the component feather glued to it along the insole which makes it more stiff with no give and take, where-as the hand welted shoe has a hand carved feather which allows for much more flexibility of the insole and more give and take of the leather because it has no feather glued on. Of course, the Florsheim's weakest construction point is also the glue holding the feather on to which the welt is attached; the handmade has none of those cost cutting measures built into it.
Florsheim's golden years - using the L welt v's the t welt monstrosity they use for the last 70 years
Florsheim used to make a great gunboat shoe with a proper storm welt, not the pretender storm welt they have used over the last 70 years on their boats. Here is a 1955 model they used to make when Florsehim was at its best.
1955 Florsheim
Notice how close the L welt (a proper functioning storm welt) is stitched securely to the upper with no gap. The feather is done properly, set right on the edge on the insole, and it is hand carved. This means the L welt can be secured properly against the upper so it can actually play it correct role in helping keep water out, especially when the welt is stitched on by hand ensuring the right tension is used.
If you look at the Florsheim in the last 70 years, a big cut was taken in the construction, and it left a big problem that they couldn't properly solve, and as a result the integrity of the construction is greatly compromised. They started gluing feathers to the insole, but after 1950's the feather was no longer on the edge of the insole, instead it was set in from the edge, so this meant that an L welt could no longer be used. As a result Florsheim used t welts (fake storm welts) that were attached from the inside of the shoe instead of the outside, but there was no way the water could be kept out properly because part of the welt sticking up against the upper from outside could no longer be secured properly, so it was basically left just hanging there as a decorative storm welt. This lack of securing usually left gaps between the upper and the t welt, so if it rained some water could run off the upper and get into the most vulnerable part of the shoe (between the upper and welt) where it could seep into the insole if it rained hard enough. If it was snowing, salt could always get in too and raise that feather off the insole and cause construction failure due to the wrong welt being used and unsecured where water gets behind the t welt. Cobblers have told me about the old gunboats having gemming failure due to glued feathers coming undone. The old 1950'sFlorsheim never had this problem because the feathers were hand carved and the proper storm welt (L welt) was used and seeled properly by a hand stitch, but the modern Florsheim have none of those security features to protect the integrity of the construction. The modern Florsheim of the last 70 years play Russian Roulette - those cutting of corners may cause the gunboat to die early or you might get lucky and it may last 20 years. The old Florsheims were made to last because no Russian Roulette features were built into them.
Russian Roulette with the t welt
This is what happens when you cut lots of corners in making gunboats, you can easily get that pronounced gap between the welt and the upper where salt water can get in.
Eventhough the old Florsheims were amazing - handwelted with a proper storm welt, they still had machine stitched soles and hence that cost cutting measure would rob one of the true shoo experience.
A gunboat made properly
A Florsheim look-a-like done properly by Lattanzi. Used a hand carved feather to the edge, uses an L welt (proper functioning storm welt) that is properly secured using a hand stitch, and has hand stitched soles. All the security features are in tact, and it is designed to offer the full shoo wearing experience, but it comes with a very high price tag, almost 9,000 euros.
Conclusion
The Florsheim is built with many shortcuts, but the shortcuts are so cleverly done that this shoe may last a lifetime with good care and be quite comfortable for most people. However, it is still a basic factory built shoe that lacks the real shoo experience a connoisseur desires; it really is like comparing a luxury car to an old clunker. The handmade is superior in every way imaginable, but that Florsheim is still a pretty good darn shoe. Florsheim did an amazing thing, they cut corners and made a shoe affordable to the masses, and they created something really nice.
What is better value for money?
Is the Florsheim better value for money?....to most people it would be, but value is not all about cost per wear. To connoisseurs the handmade could be better value for money because the satisfaction taken over a 30 year period could be worth the cost. Would l rather own the Florsheim and save money, or own the handmade and spend the extra? I would rather the handmade. Why? Because I am in my shoos 18 hours per day, so l want the best and most comfortable and best looking shoos. See...the cost is forgotten, it is really about the satisfaction that makes life more enjoyable. Sometimes a man doesn't want to just settle, sometimes he wants an adventure to see what it is all about. I could buy the cheaper shoos and be smart, but what is life without an adventure. What makes the top clothing and shoos so good??...the only way to find out is to go on that adventure. I may be a boring old white guy these days, but l still like some enjoyment by experiencing great craftsmanship.
(Will edit later if need be).
Last edited:
