J&M Quality

[mrchapel]

Have an unusal amount of free time today, and came about these:

http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/catalo...le&PLOID=46534

Is is it worth the sale price? Picture looks a little funny; the enlarged picture looks a bit better. What is the general consensus on J&M shoes? Good, bad? I've heard varying things sense a lot of their production was moved to China.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by mrchapel

Have an unusal amount of free time today, and came about these:

http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/catalo...le&PLOID=46534

Is is it worth the sale price? Picture looks a little funny; the enlarged picture looks a bit better. What is the general consensus on J&M shoes? Good, bad? I've heard varying things sense a lot of their production was moved to China.
Hmm, "leather-covered latex"? Sounds a bit . . . kinky.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by mrchapel

Have an unusal amount of free time today, and came about these:

http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/catalo...le&PLOID=46534

Is is it worth the sale price? Picture looks a little funny; the enlarged picture looks a bit better. What is the general consensus on J&M shoes? Good, bad? I've heard varying things sense a lot of their production was moved to China.

Setting aside the issue of aesthetics, I would not pay that much for them. In general, J&M's quality is well below AE. I own one pair of J&Ms that I found for $50. The leather has creased very badly, though I've worn them sparingly and always used shoe trees. I can't say I expect to get many years of service out of them, like I would AE. Fine for rain shoes, I guess.

 

[RJman]

Is it just me, or does the finishing on them look ragged? They look badly made and badly styled from the picture. I'd avoid. I'd wear used shoes from ebay before buying that.

 

[mrchapel]

Most of the comments here were inline with my thinking. Just wanted to confirm. lawyerdad: yeah same thought when through my mind...not sure I've ever heard of such a thing.

Thanks for the solid advice

.

 

[Vintage Gent]

What the hell is "bondwelt construction?"

 

[Patrick Bateman]

A euphemism for glue?

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by Vintage Gent

What the hell is "bondwelt construction?"

iirc, a glued construction using using a welt strip and glue. i would guess that the welt is stitched to the upper and glued to the sole.

 

[grimslade]

Why do they insist (AE included) on calling shoes "airport friendly" when the TSA brownshirts make you take them off whether they set off the detectors or not?

This drives me nuts...

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Why do they insist (AE included) on calling shoes "airport friendly" when the TSA brownshirts make you take them off whether they set off the detectors or not?

This drives me nuts...

It really depends on the airport. some airports don't care. you seem to be in nyc, which is a place that will make you take off the shoes. DC is the same - everybody takes them off pretty much before they get to the machine.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by NoVaguy

It really depends on the airport. some airports don't care. you seem to be in nyc, which is a place that will make you take off the shoes. DC is the same - everybody takes them off pretty much before they get to the machine.


This is true. Sometimes in the hinterland you can sneak by. But the fascists in NY always insist that it's TSA policy everywhere when you object. Then they call for the body-cavity search.,,

 

[JR_Rider]

Originally Posted by NoVaguy

It really depends on the airport. some airports don't care. you seem to be in nyc, which is a place that will make you take off the shoes. DC is the same - everybody takes them off pretty much before they get to the machine.


Every airport I have been to in the last year has made me take off my shoes. I have been to LAX, IAH, Hobby, RDU, ORF, and Williamsburg, Va.

 

[LegB4Wicket]

Okay, I might take a beating on this, but here is my opinion.

I own four pairs of Johnston & Murphy's (three leather soled dress shoes and one rubber soled casual boot) and for what I paid on eBay (no more than $50 per pair) I am very satisfied.

While I would not pay full retail for them, they have not let me down and are very comfortable. All the pairs I own were made in Italy and the construction has held up. I've owned the dress shoes for at least a year and they are still going strong.

Granted they are no Aldens, Lobbs or Grensens and my Sanders, Crockett and Jones and Tricker's are superior but if you need to purchase several pairs of dress shoe quickly with a limited budget - like I had to do just over a year ago - J&M are a good buy.

Best regards,

LBW

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by LegB4Wicket

but if you need to purchase several pairs of dress shoe quickly with a limited budget - like I had to do just over a year ago - J&M are a good buy.

yes, but why should you settle for 'several pairs... with a limited budget' when you could spend it on a pair or two of say, c&j which you mentioned is far more superior?

 

[LegB4Wicket]

Originally Posted by acidicboy

yes, but why should you settle for 'several pairs... with a limited budget' when you could spend it on a pair or two of say, c&j which you mentioned is far more superior?
I needed shoes quickly and my options were limited. Victoria, British Columbia is hardly a Mecca for shopping and I did not want to pay $100 or so for more pairs of dubious quality Florsheim's or Bostonians at The Bay. The only store in town that sells A&E's charge around $450 Cdn. At the time I was also able to pick-up two pairs of new Sander's Diplomats at under $75 each (again off eBay) and at the time I felt it would be best to have five pairs of new half-decent dress shoes that I could rotate. For $300 in total, I might have been able to pick up two pairs of C&J's but not three. And that's if I could find them in my size. Like I said, I am satisfied with my J&M's. They are comfortable, are nicely styled and have plenty of wear left in them. A year later, my dress shoe wardrobe now contains three pairs of C&J's, two Loake's and two Polo made in Italy Carlson's, in addition to my Sander's and J&M's. My former Bostonian's and Florsheim's have been donated to the Salvation Army.