The All-Inclusive Shoe & Boot Thread

This bloke is a total hoot. If shoes are too big for him he shrinks them to try and get a bespoke fit.


He recently was given three brand new Gaziano & Girling bespokes that are a size too big. No problems, he is going to shrink them all including the soles so they fit. He irons the shoes so they shrink.

A background on his shoo projects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekLIBRSnC9s

Here he does a good video on how to tell the difference between crocodile and alligator leather. See from 5:30 onwards.
 
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This bloke is a total hoot. If shoes are too big for him he shrinks them to try and get a bespoke fit.


He recently was given three brand new Gaziano & Girling bespokes that are a size too big. No problems, he is going to shrink them all including the soles so they fit. He irons the shoes so they shrink.

A background on his shoo projects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekLIBRSnC9s

Here he does a good video on how to tell the difference between crocodile and alligator leather. See from 5:30 onwards.


Crocodile and alligator does not appeal to me. Maybe if you are keen on conspicuous consumption / wealth display but for me a plain leather is nicer on a shoe.

On a side note, your man has a pocket handkerchief combined with an undershirt. Not a good look.
 
This bloke's mackey sewing machine is broken so he blake stitches a Huge Boss shoe by hand. It's a real hoot because he puts it through the sewing machine without any thread and then hand stitches it.


I'm keeping this in my special files.


It's kinda funny that he's putting in so much time on a pair of shoes that don't seem very good.

Incidentally, I wonder if cobblers would be able to handle goiser/bentivegna/norvegese welts. Can't just put them through the goodyear machine right?
 
It's kinda funny that he's putting in so much time on a pair of shoes that don't seem very good.

I agree. Certainly made me smile and laugh.

shookt said:
Incidentally, I wonder if cobblers would be able to handle goiser/bentivegna/norvegese welts. Can't just put them through the goodyear machine right?

Good cobblers should be able to handle goiser etc, it's just a stitch, no big deal. It's not a tough skill to learn and is one of the first jobs shoemakers learn because it is largely mechanical in nature. The real skilled jobs are the lasting and closing. Just my understanding.

shookt said:
Can't just put them through the goodyear machine right?
A proper goodyear machine at a factory should be able to do goiser and bentivegna actually, but not norvegese because it has no feather. Still.....who's going to be stitching welts on a handmade shoo in a factory...the thought makes me roar laughing thinking of the scene. BWAHAHAHAHA.
 
Here we go again. This time it is with Red Wing boots. Half the time the videos show proper inside pics of shoos l see gemming failure, no joke. These blokes at SF that deny it are living in lala land!

MASSIVE GEMMING FAILURE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8I5ev9bJVw

A few points:-

1. As was stated in the comments, I am not sure why he resoled those boots as they were not in need of repair.

2. The boots were obviously repairable. So what is the big deal with “gemming failure” here?

3. Minor observation. Not sure why he needs to wear his hat indoors. Probably part of a retro look.
 
A few points:-

1. As was stated in the comments, I am not sure why he resoled those boots as they were not in need of repair.

2. The boots were obviously repairable. So what is the big deal with “gemming failure” here?

what l find odd is why he rips the welt off each shoe he repairs and then hand stitches a new welt on. Totally unnecessary, and the only person l have seen do this. .

What's the big deal with gemming failure here? It just tells us that the goodyear construction is not sound because it's weakest point is glue that causes the construction to often come apart. So one pays $2000 for a goodyear shoe, yet it's weakest point is still glue. It can be fixed but it shows that goodyear is cheap and nasty cost cutting. They should have integrity and do a hand carved feather instead and just machine inseam it.
 
Doesn't gemming failure mean that the shoe can lose shape in that area? (Just reading stuff on SF from DW). It's also surprising that he didn't replace the canvas or glue it back down.

It makes sense that these boots suffer heavily from gemming failure - people probably wear their boots more roughly than dress shoes. Guess it means its much more impt to have a handwelted boot! Thinking about making one...perhaps a George boot in black calf.
 
Doesn't gemming failure mean that the shoe can lose shape in that area?

Such massive gemming failure could be a real problem here because if the gemming is not glued back in the exact place the fit is going to change. The bigger the area where the gemming failure is, the more chance for error. It could be an issue if the boot becomes too tight or too loose.


shookt said:
It's also surprising that he didn't replace the canvas or glue it back down.

No need to replace the canvass. He would have glued it back down, but he didn't show it in the video.
 
All right for the workmanship, but it looks like a woman's shoe. Horrible.


It's all about the workmanship and balance. It is extremely rare in that it is a 100% handmade shoe using no electricity at all. Even the heels and sole edges and steel was hand carved. The hand stitched upper and high sole stitching is extraordinary!!!

The conversation with Jim McCormack is fascinating.


Anthony Delos got 8th place.
 
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Shoes that are around 480 years old
Shoes 1540.jpg


From here:
https://deskgram.net/p/1507135586682464208_2396849504
 
Truth = the BIG daddy of boots.

It doesn't surprise me that Truth does things in big ways. No C&J for Truth...no way, he is far too big for those types of things...Truth goes all the way to Lobb for his fix, no messing around here. BIG daddies don't play games, they go straight to the good stuff.
 
Truth = the BIG daddy of boots.

It doesn't surprise me that Truth does things in big ways. No C&J for Truth...no way, he is far too big for those types of things...Truth goes all the way to Lobb for his fix, no messing around here. BIG daddies don't play games, they go straight to the good stuff.

Thanks Shooey. When it comes to boots, Big Johnny Lobb's are elusive. Not many in their current catalog. Most have to be done via their By Request MTO service.

While their shoes are sexy, many of their boots leave something to be desired.

Prestige Line boots from the Core Collection available for MTO

Canonbury - does nothing for me.
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Oake - nay
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Classic Line

Abbott - sexy jodhpur

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Alder - meh

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Combe - ewww. Would be fine without the buckle and strap. Looks like an abortion an iGent would come up with.

1555868038743.png


Elmer - I think the Romsey chukka is nicer and the 2012 St. Crepin two eyelet chukka (kind of a George boot vibe) is sexy.

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Romsey II

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2012 St. Crepin chukka

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Endel - another peculiar one

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Fern - classic PTB

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Ferris

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Grove - a more casual chukka like the Church's Ryder III

1555869129700.png

Hinton - meh

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Lawry - not as nice as the Tudor

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Tudor - one of the sexiest dress chelseas there is

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Scott

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Talland

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Wareham

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William II - the original double monk boot

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Highgate - 2511 is a sleek, sexy last

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Moor - please remove and leave out on the moors

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Helston

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Fowey - if you favour an apron toe

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Chambord II - nice if you dig split toes. Does up very nice in suede too.

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Deauville - I prefer the proper jodhpur

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It's interesting how you like jodhpurs. Out of all the footwear that is the one design l don't like, however l do appreciate that it suits certain people. I like any plain chukka with a single sole. As for chelsea boots, l differ from most in that i'd only wear them with jeans or casual pants. Wearing chelseas with trousers is a big no no in my book.

Hinton = looks like an AE boot, meh.

Eventhough l don't like the modern shoes of John Lobb Paris rtw, it is one of the reasons l do love John Lobb/Berluti and others. They understand the marketplace and know how to bring $$$$ in. They understand that there are cashed up people that want edgy shoes that don't look like their grandfathers, so the Lobb brand appeals to more people. Companies like EG etc are small because they only serve a small market that focuses on the small number of people who want traditional shoes. A shoe designer of many decades explained to me how the business works and how big shoe companies think. The mens forum think is in a bubble and far from the reality.

Obviously Paula Gerbase (modern shoe designer for John Lobb Paris) has been successful because they haven't sacked her. While l don't like her designs, l can understand why many men would. See...JLP could be around for a long time because they tap into the market and give people what they want....they are not in a time bubble like the igent companies. Modern men of the world don't want the old staples, they want `collections' they are new and exciting. ...keeps business vibrant and keeps people coming back to the websites.
Paula-Gerbase.jpg
 
Resoling Alden shoes after a shoddy repair job. An interesting video.

- gemming is completely trashed and failed
- welt completely trashed and removed due to shoddy repair job (the restitched the sole in other areas of the welt and wore it out).
- foam used instead of cork by ex shoddy repairer
- rewelts shoo is detail 17 mins
- reinforces gemming


It gets really interesting after 19 minutes.
- puts new gemming on the shoo and does a complete rebuild.

Was quoted $400 USD but should have been much more.
 
Most Louis Vuitton leather goods are not leather at all, they are canvass and plastic coated!!!

Btw, Steve at Bedo's does confirm what l have been saying for several months now. Most Louis Vuitton leather goods are not leather at all, rather, they are canvass goods coated in plastic made to look like leather. The only leather thing on many of these bags is the handles on the bags.

The way to tell most L.V goods are PVC plastic coated
Bend and area of the purse/bag and white marks will appear.

When l was younger l remember examining those bags and remember how cheap and plastic-like they felt. Now l know why. Apparently L.V has been doing this for a long time.

See video from 7:30 - 7:52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJEideJteGg&t=37s


my email:
Hi Steve,
is it true that most louis vuitton leather goods are not real leather anymore (handles excepted). Most `so called' L.V leather goods have the body of the bags made of canvass coated in PVC plastic?
would be good to read what you have to say about this.

Steve's email:
Yes it’s true, canvas with dye on-top which is like a vinyl texture. It’s like that with most designers. Only the trim handles are leather.
 
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Um, that case is not leather - it's canvas.

As far as I'm aware, LV's monogrammed goods have always been canvas, not leather (although some people may mistakenly think that they are leather, particularly given the extortionate price charged for them).

It's not always a great source, but here's what Wikipedia has to say:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vuitton#Founding_to_World_War_II

In 1858, Vuitton introduced his flat-topped trunks with trianon canvas, making them lightweight and airtight...

To protect against the duplication of his look, Vuitton changed the Trianon design to a beige and brown stripes design in 1876. By 1885, the company opened its first store in London on Oxford Street. Soon thereafter, due to the continuing imitation of his look, in 1888, Vuitton created the Damier Canvas pattern...

In 1896, the company launched the signature Monogram Canvas and made the worldwide patents on it...
 
New single - Filmed at the (actual) brothers home in Warrandyte.

Good to see the old Cuban Heels back
 
Finally succumbed and purchased a SuperDry product, handy poolside and will make a good pair of slippers around the house:
IMG_1732.JPG

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'Aloe Vera! Aldens:

IMG_1963.JPG
 

it's fine.

The best leather in the world
btw, l have access to sole leather that is far better than the Rendenbach or Bakers leather said to be the best in the world today. It is so tough that it is impossible to cut with a knife. It is 50 year old vintage oak bark tanned leather from Australia. I am not going to reveal the source yet.
 
If it is so tough, then how does a cordwainer skive down the leather to create the sole?

they use a machine that many cobblers use (see at 22:40 of this video below) , and they also use the grinding machine to finish it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGiZeXiSxnE

Would be very difficult to make bespoke shoes with i'd imagine. What I need to ask him is how he goes with resoling double soled shoes, does he ever break the needle....surely he'd need to dig a deep channel in order to do it.
 
World shoe making championships 2019 - full review

The shoes are well worth looking at. Here are the top 10.
http://shoegazing.se/english/2019/0...n-shoemaking-2019-all-competition-shoes-pt-1/

The places from 11 - 40. Also worth looking at the last places by the amateurs and people new to cordwaining.
http://shoegazing.se/english/2019/0...n-shoemaking-2019-all-competition-shoes-pt-2/

I've been waiting for these pictures for a long time.


something which took my eye, a handstitched shoo from India.
Indian bespoke shoe - Thivakaran.jpg Indian bespoke shoe - Thivakaran 2.jpg Indian bespoke shoe - Thivakaran 1.jpg
 
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The Greatest Showman seeks $25 million R.M. Williams payday
1113e378aaa73452e3c5ce608df57110d474f64f
By Patrick Hatch May 16, 2019
https://www.theage.com.au/national/...he-former-prime-minister-20190517-p51o9g.html
Iconic Australian bootmaker R.M. Williams has been put up for sale, with its owners, including Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman, looking to offload the company for as much as $500 million.
A sale at that price could deliver the star of The X-Men and The Greatest Showman $25 million for his minority stake.

Adelaide-based R.M. Williams is majority-owned by Singapore-based L Catterton Asia, a private equity firm backed by the owners of Louis Vuitton. The firm has brought in investment bank Goldman Sachs to look for buyers and run an auction later this year, sources confirmed.
R.M. Williams – best known for its elastic-sided horseriding boots – has been a mainstay of rural fashion since its foundation in 1932, and in recent years has been positioning itself as a luxury shoe brand for "townies" both in Australia and abroad.

The company has about 50 retail shopfronts, including outlets in New York, London, New Zealand and Scandinavia, and its boots are stocked in about 500 department stores.
Global sales push
R.M. Williams sales have been growing thanks to that global push, coming in at $142 million last financial year. That was up from $126 million in 2017, $119 million in 2016 and $124 million in 2015, documents filed with the corporate regulator show.
https://www.dressedwell.net/javascript:void(0);
The bootmaker's largest shareholder is L Catterton, a private equity investor backed by LVMH Moët Hennessy – the French luxury goods conglomerate that owns Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and the famous Moët Hennessy Champagne house.

L Catterton bought a 49.9 per cent stake in R.M. Williams from former News Corp Australia boss Ken Cowley in 2013, and upped that to 82 per cent a year later.
IFM Investors, which operates on behalf of non-profit Australian superannuation funds, owns 13 per cent of the company.
'Brand ambassador'
Hugh Jackman, who was one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors in 2013, pulling in $60 million from two films, owns the remaining 5 per cent.
Jackman has recently been fronting an R.W. Williams ad campaign as a "brand ambassador".

Sources close to the deal said all three investors were looking to sell to the right buyer.

R.M. Williams' sellers are looking to fetch between $400 million and $500 million for the company, they said.
A price of that magnitude would be a strong return on their investment, having bought the company for about $110 million in 2014.
L Catterton and IFM Investors have been contacted for comment.
 
I recently saw an RM Williams shop in Austin, Texas. They’ve done a pretty good job of positioning themselves for this market, but in my opinion they really need to launch a few nice, thicker soled casual boots (something between the Gardener and the Craftsman).
 
^Nice!

I picked up a pair of suede single monks by Sutor Mantellassi some years ago. I'd never really thought about single monks before I saw them, but they're very nice and also very comfortable:

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For a long time I was turned off by monks, they seemed so reminiscent of the 80s, but in a way a didn't want to revisit. Had a few pairs back then. But I've been thinking it's probably right on time to get another pair and these Greve ones look just the ticket:

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The Shooman The Shooman
What’s for dinner shooey?
The pointe shoe too gained significant cultural cachet. Taglioni wore soft satin slippers with leather soles, whose sides and tips she darned to give them more support. But the first boxed-toe pointe shoe wasn’t used until 1841, by the Italian dancer Carlotta Grisi. Taglioni became such a celebrity that, after her final performance in Russia in 1842, her biggest fans apparently bought her used shoes, cooked them and ate them with sauce.
 

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