Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[Neognosis]

I think people buy these boots and intentionally go around kicking things and walking roughly through stones and whatnot to get a "patina'd" look.

 

[seann]

Brown Chromexcel

 

[seann]

Those boots are two weeks old!? Well I bet your blisters come from the bashing around and not the boot fit. No matter the environment the boots should fit well and not cause any blisters. Do alternate your boots every other day too. You do seem to get your boots to work! Enjoy them in good health and you certainly seem productive. Best wishes for your success. Seems some conditioning weekly and brushing daily would go a long way to prolonging their life. Enjoy!

Thank you, and I appreciate the advice.

 

[seann]

I think people buy these boots and intentionally go around kicking things and walking roughly through stones and whatnot to get a "patina'd" look.

I think your probably right, although my boots got the "patina'd" look naturally through heavy wear.

 

[Neognosis]

You ought try brushing that chromexcel.

As much as I don't like chromexcel because it scratches if you look at it funny, it does usually buff out pretty easily with just a horsehair brush.

I've worn mine 3-5 times a week since October, to work and on trips around the globe for work, and they look nothing like that. Unless, of course, you like the "beat up" look that all the hipsters seem to be going for lately, and nothing wrong with that, they are your boots, after all!

 

[4characters]

Brown Chromexcel

That would explain the fast evolution… Nice work.

 

[linafelt]

^^ I have heard people talk about buffing out the marks on CXL with a brush, but honestly it has never worked that well for me. I have two pairs of boots in CXL, and while there is much to like about the leather, seann's boots shows just how quickly the it wears if you put it through any paces. If you're going to use boots for real work, I'd look elsewhere than CXL.

 

[climbinglife]

Lina,
Leather laces for your boots, definitely. Sorry, was away for a few days. I come back and its almost back to normal around here...I wonder why?

Maybe it will stay that way.

 

[cathpah]

^^ I have heard people talk about buffing out the marks on CXL with a brush, but honestly it has never worked that well for me. I have two pairs of boots in CXL, and while there is much to like about the leather, seann's boots shows just how quickly the it wears if you put it through any paces. If you're going to use boots for real work, I'd look elsewhere than CXL.

Completely agreed on having less than great luck with trying to buff/brush scratches out of CXL. A little bit of nose grease often does the trick for a while, but I think one has to embrace the scratches and gouges when going with CXL. While I certainly think a leather like Distressed Smooth is much more up to the task of being a "true workboot," I'll be wearing my #8 CXL BHs quite hard, and have no concerns about the scratches that they'll accrue. Given CXL seems like it almost has a cheat code for patina, I think the scratches are just part of that territory.

On a different note, does anyone know what tannery makes the Distressed Smooth? It might be my favorite leather out there.

 

[4characters]

A little bit of nose grease often does the trick for a while, but I think one has to embrace the scratches and gouges when going with CXL.

By nose grease do you mean LP?

 

[cathpah]

By nose grease do you mean LP?

Yep...that just what us gangsters call it on the s-s-s-s-streets!

I speak jive.

 

[4characters]

 

[trvlr472]

I use my CWB's for work and it doesn't take long for them to get beat up looking. Those in the pic look about right for someone who actually wears them for work especially if they are in construction or something where they are crawling around alot and walking on uneven surfaces. Mine get gouges and scuff in them but luckily brushing them and oiling them hides most of it. I've been working on a dock lately and they are picking up a lot of "character". Mine are oil finish brown and it gets scarred up pretty good.

That's what work boots are for. Better to have the nicks and gouges on the boot than on your feet.

 

[whirlybones]

Hi guys, I've been a long time lurker on this thread. I used it a lot doing research for my custom build. Thanks to you guys I was able to just about smell the horse hide before I ever saw the real thing.

Picked up my boots today from the post office, only 1 month after ordering! Specs:

461 Last
Black Horse Hide
Plain cap toe
Antique eyes and hooks
Standard (curved) heel
Standard heel height
Single midsole
Close trim
Vibram 269 sole

I love the boots, but I also have a couple of minor issues. The shelf on the heel was much much closer on the left boot as opposed to the right boot. Also, I noticed that the left boot is slightly shorter than the right, which I think is due to the heel actually being shorter on that boot. It's not much, I wouldn't have probably noticed it except I was looking so close at the heel shelf. Just less than 1/8" I think, but it's hard to measure accurately.



I live in Canada and return shipping would be nasty, so I was able to take the boots to get the heel shelf corrected at a local shoe repair place (awesome guy, has done work for me before and really knows shoes). Spent 15 minutes talking to him about the great quality of these boots! They fit perfectly, and are super comfortable right out of the box.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a problem with heel height like this, and if that would be enough to throw off the comfort level of the boots.



Sorry for the crappy cell phone pictures, I will post nicer ones when I get them back from the shop.

 

[Neognosis]

Seems this heel shelf issue is a consistent problem reported on this forum with White's boots.
Quote:
How is that consistent with such a glaringly obvious QC oversight such as the heel shelf issue?

I am starting to think a lot of this superior quality talk is just hype. How you gonna pay 4 bills for a pair of boots that look like that and feel ok about it? that's some bullshit right there, IMO.

I'm just about ready to pull the trigger and get a pair, but I'm thinking I might be happier with redwings in the hand that I can examine, rather than paying 100 dollars more for boots that have something like those heels, and that's AFTER waiting 4 weeks?

I'm not sure about this anymore.....