Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[miggyramone]

View attachment 1341848

Waaaaaaaant

 

[Sledge42]

So. here's my question of the day. Can a Traveler's heel be converted to a Cuban heel through sanding and perhaps a new top lift, or must you replace the entire heel stack?

If you sent them in, they probably could be converted. The cutting of the heel cap would be tough without the proper boot making tools and skill (if you were thinking of doing it yourself.)

 

[Crit_Obs]

”Cuban heel” is not even an option with White’s so I presume the conversion would be done by a 3rd party? It’s a major rework, in any case.

 

[hoppy_IPA]

I’d be in for a whiskey shell group buy.

So. here's my question of the day. Can a Traveler's heel be converted to a Cuban heel through sanding and perhaps a new top lift, or must you replace the entire heel stack?

im going to learn towards maybe. you’d probably need to get a new heel cap because of the location of the nails. My local cobbler replaces heel caps for $25/pair and always lightly sands/refinishes the stack. I’d assume if he can do most cobblers can as well. His shop cannot do full resoles or rebuilds but does a lot of other services. They’re also a retailer for Franks boots which is part of the Whites family tree

 

[Sledge42]

”Cuban heel” is not even an option with White’s so I presume the conversion would be done by a 3rd party? It’s a major rework, in any case.

A "Cuban Heel" would be a "Logger Heel" or "Standard Heel" on White's

 

[tocohillsguy]

A "Cuban Heel" would be a "Logger Heel" or "Standard Heel" on White's

I was intending to reference White's standard semi dress heel.

 

[Crit_Obs]

A "Cuban Heel" would be a "Logger Heel" or "Standard Heel" on White's

Ok but a Cuban heel is nothing like those.

 

[Sledge42]

Ok but a Cuban heel is nothing like those.

Maybe you could submit a picture of what you envision as a "Cuban Heel?" That may help us in the discussion.

 

[linafelt]

Uh oh, not the “Cuban” heel debate again... (Second only to the CXL debate.)

 

[Leveskie]

I thought a cuban heel and a logger heel was 1 in the same.

 

[Legal Eagles]

I thought a cuban heel and a logger heel was 1 in the same.

For our casual purposes, they are... the "Cuban" being used in the vernacular to denote a tapered heel instead of a 90 degree blocked off surface.

As @linafelt pointed out, the semantical debate comes up every so often...

I will summarize the debate here for those newcomers who may have not yet had the pleasure...

Firstly someone always posts this:

Then someone always points out that we should use "packer" or "dogger" or even "buckaroo"...

Someone then insists the correct term is "woodsman" heel.

Next someone always points out that any tapered heel is "Cuban"...

Next someone always argues that if the heel is tapered but straight it should be called "dogger" and if tapered but curved "logger".

Then the purists jump in and say that a true Cuban heel is nothing like any of the above, and they post a picture to support their position... usually something like this:

Then if we are lucky, somehow the Beatles and their footwear get dragged into the debate...

Then someone always tries to be helpful by noting that there are also several different names for a block heel, including, not surprisingly "block heel", "90 Degree", and "Traveler", and we should not get hung up on overly strict definitions...

Finally someone then always chimes in with a question about what the difference is when walking and on the foot, and which is better... this sometimes takes us on another tangent, and by the time we get back to definitions everyone has forgotten the original question.

Usually the debate ends with a whimper not a bang; we all agree that we know what you are talking about when you say Cuban and we agree to keep using it as a heuristic for any tapered heel... the technical "Cuban Heel" crowd slinks off to lick their wounds and hone their arguments for next time, and we all move on to arguing about more important things like CXL for workboots, eyelets vs. hooks, best sole type, does double welt stitching give more rebuilds than single, and what the heck is British Tan leather really...

All in a day's work here on the White's thread....

 

[tocohillsguy]

I've never owned it, I was just going off what Kirby Allison said. Yes you can shine of course but he said there is virtually no need for it. He said there was no patina because it's a membrane not a skin (i.e. not technically leather).

I'm not sure what you mean by "evolution" and I'd be interested. Again, I claim no expertise, I was just reciting what someone said who I thought would know. Doesn't mean I've fully understood what he meant either.

Edit:
If anyone is interested

I disagree with some of Mr. Allison's observations. First, shell cordovan definitely develops a patina (although not so much in black). Second, unless one is going for a distressed look, shell cordovan requires just as much maintenance as calf to look its best; it's just that it tends not to look as bad as calf when it is not maintained (particularly if one has Alden shell cordovan shoes, because Alden dyes and applies an acrylic coat to its shell cordovan which makes maintenance a little easier). That being said, without maintenance, shell cordovan can look worse than calf if exposed to rain or water drops. Third, he failed to mention how shell cordovan tends to roll vs crease, which is one of the most noticeable visual distinctions. Some find the rolls unattractive, particularly in formal shoes, others like it. Fourth, he failed to mention that shell cordovan doesn't "breath" as well as calf, so shell cordovan shoes tend to wear warmer on your feet. Those who suffer hot, sweaty feet may not enjoy wearing shell cordovan.

 

[Leveskie]

For our casual purposes, they are... the "Cuban" being used in the vernacular to denote a tapered heel instead of a 90 degree blocked off surface.

As @linafelt pointed out, the semantical debate comes up every so often... and someone always posts this:
View attachment 1342017
Someone always points out that we should use "packer" or or even "buckaroo"...

Someone points out that any tapered heel is "Cuban"...

Someone argues that if the heel is tapered but straight it should be called "dogger" and if tapered but curved "logger".

Someone points out there are also several different names for a block heel, including, not surprisingly "block heel", "90 Degree", and "Traveller", and we should not get hung up on overly strict definitions...

The linguistic purists are never happy, but eventually we all agree that we know what you are talking about when you say Cuban, and we move on to arguing about more important things like CXL for workboots, eyelets vs. hooks, best sole type, does double welt stitching give more rebuilds than standard, and what the heck is British Tan leather really...

All in a day's work here on the White's thread....

Well that is really in depth

 

[Legal Eagles]

Well that is really in depth

You think that is in depth, you should read the 4 pages of debate I just saved us about whether "dogger" and "cuban" are the same. You are welcome

 

[Leveskie]

You think that is in depth, you should read the 4 pages of debate I just saved us about whether "dogger" and "cuban" are the same. You are welcome

Thank you. Somehow I don't remember that debate, but thank you for the refresher! So, both dogger and logger fall under cuban? Because I think packer is kinda its own thing being taller and all.