My Balmoral Boots - Page 52

So do I put your name down for a pair? I can make them daintier if you want!!

If this is directed at my boots, thanks.

I really like speed hooks but have the same experience as you. I damaged a pair of trouser in super 160 once because the well made cuff (with strong thread) still caught in a hook and made a small rip. So no more hooks for me. i also had issue with zip boots where the zipper caught as well.

This has happened to me also - twice on the same pair of trousers in fact. I think I need to find someone else to do my hemming and alterations...

Note to self - no speed hooks.

Is it normal for Cliff's shoes to form a V shape [like seen in the picture above] where the laces are? I don't know the term for that but it's the two parts of leather by the laces. When I wear mine it forms that shape when on my other shoes this is not the case as the two leather sides are joined together when I tie the laces. I have also found them to be hard to put on. Could this mean they are somewhat tight? Otherwise they are great (length is good etc, toebox perfect) Thanks!

Totally normal to see a V-shape....

Thanks

I actually thought the lack of such a v-shape was (one of) the hallmark(s) of a bespoke shoe, but am happy to be corrected.

Is this Cliff's stock last?

THis V shape does happen often and means either you have a higher instep than the last used (most likely) or it could also be that the shoe was designed to show a V when laced or you are not lacing tight enough (less likely).

In any regards beautiful shoe and the V would be of minor consequence to me.

Not that Simon Crompton is by any means the ultimate arbiter of mens style, or bespoke shoe making for that matter, but on the page linked below, fifth paragraph, towards the end, he says that a gap of at least half an inch is what Cleverley aim for in their bespoke shoes.

http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2...ey-part-8.html

In my experience, which may not be the same of anyone else here, shoes tend to loosen and fit to the foot the more I wear them. On several pairs where there has been a gap at the lacing, this has allowed me to lace the shoe tight despite this slight stretching over time. On shoes where the lacing had no gap when I bought them, the fit has worsened slightly (become looser) because after a while I was not able to tighten the laces as much as I would have liked... maybe I just buy sh-t shoes...

Thanks. I believe your first observation to be correct. The shoes are hard to get on. Hopefully that will be easier after heavier use. The V shape bothered me slightly but good to hear that this phenomenon is not uncommon in bespoke shoes.

Thanks - I had seen that too, but thought that I had read here and in other places, from people who are much more knowledgeable than I am, that that's not entirely correct. E.g. why would the additional comfort spacing not be necessary for monks?

Monks achieve the same result by having more than one hole on the strap, so you can adjust the fit.

One of the relevant issues is the way the leather is cut. Calf stretches more in one direction than another, so depending on how the pieces are laid out on the hide, there may or may not be stretching that would make an initial gap necessary.

Bespoke makers seem to handle it in different ways. Some include the gap to compensate for the stretching, while others cut the pieces out so that there's little or no stretching possible in that direction.

With RTW shoes, the makers generally try to get as many pieces out of a hide as possible, so the stretch direction could be any which way.

Thanks - these are good points.

Check out 4:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_0hczSirzY