RM Williams Boots - Everything You Wanted to Know

[jksgoh55]

Not worried about the colour itself, I love the colour.

Just wanted to know the name of the colour so I could get the appropriate polish.

 

[milw50717]



Not worried about the colour itself, I love the colour.

Just wanted to know the name of the colour so I could get the appropriate polish.

Choose the polish based on the colour of the boot or your wishes for a desired finish and not the name of the leather colour. There will be slight variations within the leather stock of any given colour. Similarly, there will be variations across the manufacturers of the polishes, what one calls merlot another may call bordeaux.

A neutral, clear polish is sometimes a good way to go.

 

[Silent Speaker]



Put some leather conditioner on my shoes and this is their colour now. I'm now more confused!

I agree wholeheartedly with milw50717's advice to you.

This pic does make it look more like the Cognac to me. However, I was under the impression that the new seasonal cognac colour was only available in calf, not yearling. At least, I've only ever seen them in calf myself, and on the RMW's own site they're only listed as calf, whereas Dark Tan and Tan are both available in yearling.

(what's with all the alcoholic seasonal names of late? Whiskey, brandy, rum, cognac? couldn't be anything but an Aussie company lol - I wonder what's next?)

There is a dark tan stockman's polish, as well as tan and neutral. I think tan would be too light for your boots now. There's surely no cognac polish.

I like the cognac, it's a richer, deeper shade than my darkened-by-conditioning tanbark roo's. If I didn't already have the tanbark roo's I might've considered this latest seasonal.

 

[Silent Speaker]



Yes my first pair was Dark Tan yearling with leather sole, once the sole wore thin i had then replaced with rubber sole, they are over 20 years old now, the colour is now way darker than the first day I wore then. I think today, they look so close to chestnut in colour as all the years of leather conditioner and polishing has made it appear a lot darker. My first pair are now aging so fast, with hair line cracks appearing around the last toe area...

Thank you for your reply! May ask whether it may have perhaps been your choice of polish colour that darkened your boots so (that they now resemble chestnut)? I've just retrieved my chestnut craftsman after their overhaul (relast to a G, re-line, resole etc.) and just am quite bored with the very dark brown colour that they are.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

^^ The rum leather is pretty nice actually. Probably the only RMW calf leather than has real depth of colour out of the box, and as you noted, much richer than chestnut. I would describe it as a mid-to-dark brown with blonde highlights, though it's possible it has some red as well. I get the feeling the exact colour of rum boots would vary depending on the batch of leather used.

The samples I saw last year were quite similar in colour and "antiquing" effect to vesta leather boots such as these.

I actually think it is a very versatile colour as it is both dark brown and light at the same time, and goes well with a broad range of colours from denim to dark brown to grey.

This colour I find really confusing. I looked at a pair closely and, although I didn't detect any antiquing effect, I can (at least) see that there's a difference with the stock standard chestnut yearling (calf chestnut seems always to be lighter). In direct sunlight the rum seemed almost to have some red in them, but that could just be my screwy eyes. They do feel somehow less grainy, more smooth-like, than the other yearling's I've felt. Even on that keyring of swatches they hold at RMW's stores the rum swatch (much darker than what I've seen on the boots) looked a lot shinier and felt more slippery than the other yearlings.
Maybe for a rigger boot? I could do with a nice, lace up boot with a lower toe box.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I did see at a RMW's outlet and retail store some of their lace up men's shoes. One's a brogue, in "bass" black leather (leather sole etc.). Just your generic brogue, nothing special, and bulky as most english country brogues are. Another - I think it was called the Ashby? - I saw in the discontinued Brandy colour and some random black leather. I guess they didn't do too well. The styling was kind of odd; very elongated and with a chisel toe. Just, not a nice design IMO.

The Bass Brogue pretty new and thus still in production though. Perhaps a sign that RMW's wants to branch out from country boots to city shoes? (I wonder if this is LVMH's influence?)
I would welcome such, as Australia currently has no decent mens shoes for sale. I hope that they don't make any more ashby's though - damn.

The Kingsvale chukka is intriguing. Perhaps in a suede?

 

[jksgoh55]

I agree wholeheartedly with milw50717's advice to you.

This pic does make it look more like the Cognac to me. However, I was under the impression that the new seasonal cognac colour was only available in calf, not yearling. At least, I've only ever seen them in calf myself, and on the RMW's own site they're only listed as calf, whereas Dark Tan and Tan are both available in yearling.

(what's with all the alcoholic seasonal names of late? Whiskey, brandy, rum, cognac? couldn't be anything but an Aussie company lol - I wonder what's next?)

There is a dark tan stockman's polish, as well as tan and neutral. I think tan would be too light for your boots now. There's surely no cognac polish.

I like the cognac, it's a richer, deeper shade than my darkened-by-conditioning tanbark roo's. If I didn't already have the tanbark roo's I might've considered this latest seasonal.

Thanks for the reply.
So would you recommend the dark tan polish to keep that colour? or would it make it too dark? or would you use a natural polish?

 

[jksgoh55]

Also how do I confirm what leather it is. As obviously the tag on the shoe was wrong. Did they evermore cognac with yearling?

Does the stamp on the inside of the shoe mean anything (apart from the size obviously)

 

[SpeedBird]

The only polish I have used for my Dark Tan is the tins that RMW sell, and that colour on the tin was called Dark Tan, the leather conditioner is the RMW one. Now looking at the tins I used, it appears just a few shaded lighter and less redness than chestnut colour tin. I will say more coffee or chocolate hue compared to the redder/claret chestnut colour.

 

[Silent Speaker]



Thanks for the reply.
So would you recommend the dark tan polish to keep that colour? or would it make it too dark? or would you use a natural polish?

Probably the neutral.

Also how do I confirm what leather it is. As obviously the tag on the shoe was wrong. Did they evermore cognac with yearling?

Does the stamp on the inside of the shoe mean anything (apart from the size obviously)

The code on the box/tag probably would - but since you've encountered a discrepancy between what the store person told you and the tag accompanying the boots themselves then who knows? Were they 2nds from a dfo outlet? Because the depot I've visited wasn't staffed by the most knowledgeable sales staff, just part-time young folks mostly and I guess the company doesn't see the need to train them as well as the real store staff, understandable I guess ("Do you have any blaxland models in stock?" "Oh the blaxland, yeah you don't want those, they use inferior leather compared to the top model, the craftsman" "... don't they both use yearling? and if so, would that be the comfort craftsman or the regular craftsman that's the top of the line?" -silence and a confused stare- "brass screwed sole? yeah I think that's like, a vintage thing that we don't make anymore" - I show them their most recent catalog- "oh"). They're know-what-you-want, fork over cash, get in/get out kinda dealios I guess. Maybe the one you went to was different?

The only polish I have used for my Dark Tan is the tins that RMW sell, and that colour on the tin was called Dark Tan, the leather conditioner is the RMW one. Now looking at the tins I used, it appears just a few shaded lighter and less redness than chestnut colour tin. I will say more coffee or chocolate hue compared to the redder/claret chestnut colour.

I wonder how much RMW polish has changed over time?
Maybe it's just my 4 year old plastic container (and my funny eyes), but I don't really see any red in my chestnut polish. Just a dark and disheartening brown.
Some DT's I've seen have developed an nice, reddish hue with polish patina over many years, but I think those were polished with Kiwi's old dark tan.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Speaking of chocolate, anyone notice how the chocolate colour differs from chestnut?

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Speaking of the latest catalog, it's nice to see RMW's showing now all the different side-elastic colours they offer for MTO's. Perhaps this shall produce some interesting results!

 

[Snacks The Cat]

Hey folks,

Just put a pair of 8.5G Chestnut Comfort Craftsman boots in the Marketplace; got them today but sadly there's about 1/2 to 1 inch of room in the toe box, which is odd b/c I am generally a size 9.5 US, and I gathered on this thread that sizing down 1 was the move.

Perhaps its the chiseled toe? Does anyone know if there's a significance sizing difference between the chiseled and rounded toe lasts? My heel was sliding significantly when I first put them on, but not as much when I tried them on a second time. I'm worried that I might just be between sizes on this model.

I ordered the boots from Bootsonline, hopefully their great customer service extends to returns/exchanges if I can't get rid of these guys soon.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/382389/rm-williams-chelsea-boots

 

[cmd06]



Hey folks,

Just put a pair of 8.5G Chestnut Comfort Craftsman boots in the Marketplace; got them today but sadly there's about 1/2 to 1 inch of room in the toe box, which is odd b/c I am generally a size 9.5 US, and I gathered on this thread that sizing down 1 was the move.

Perhaps its the chiseled toe? Does anyone know if there's a significance sizing difference between the chiseled and rounded toe lasts? My heel was sliding significantly when I first put them on, but not as much when I tried them on a second time. I'm worried that I might just be between sizes on this model.

I ordered the boots from Bootsonline, hopefully their great customer service extends to returns/exchanges if I can't get rid of these guys soon.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/382389/rm-williams-chelsea-boots

That is unusual because the Comfort model fit somewhat more snug than the regular Craftsmans which I have in 8.5G. I too wear 9.5D in most shoes. Unless you're willing to take a loss selling them, I suggest buying a thick aftermarket insole and wearing thick socks. Perhaps they'll slip less. The shipping back to Australia will be expensive.

 

[click here]

How can I make these boots snow ready? Should I even bother?

 

[Snacks The Cat]



That is unusual because the Comfort model fit somewhat more snug than the regular Craftsmans which I have in 8.5G. I too wear 9.5D in most shoes. Unless you're willing to take a loss selling them, I suggest buying a thick aftermarket insole and wearing thick socks. Perhaps they'll slip less. The shipping back to Australia will be expensive.

I thought they fit snugger as well, but I heard from Bootsonline and they said the Comfort Craftsman is "very roomy" inside and that I might be better off with the regular Craftsman. I need them for snow/ice conditions, though, so that's not an option.

Sooo I might size down to 8G, but I read earlier in the thread that half sizes don't change in length--is that true? Otherwise maybe a 8.5G in Turnout would have less room in the toe?

 

[overtone]

How can I make these boots snow ready? Should I even bother?

My thoughts exactly. I'm planning to email bootsonline or another retailer to discuss a makeup that could work. The catalogue shows some tougher materials you can make your boot out of and add a flat rubber sole. With the right conditioning and proper care, I don't see why these boots couldnt handle an urban winter (in rotation with other boots).

 

[titsmcgee852]

I might be wrong, but the elastic on the side could be quite problematic in snow and I'm not sure if you could waterproof it.

 

[Prince of Paisley]



My thoughts exactly. I'm planning to email bootsonline or another retailer to discuss a makeup that could work. The catalogue shows some tougher materials you can make your boot out of and add a flat rubber sole. With the right conditioning and proper care, I don't see why these boots couldnt handle an urban winter (in rotation with other boots).

RM boots aren't made for the snow and ice. They were designed for horsemen and stock agents who get around dusty, or muddy semi-arid/occasionally flooding pastural land in country Oz. Bear this in mind when thinking they will make good snow boots if you live in icy climes.

Also, the stock rubber soles will kill you on ice. I've heard of more than a couple of stories of bruised and broken limbs. If anything, the treaded welt is the way to go, in a lace-up configuration, like the Rigger boot, in a water resistant leather like vesta.