**The Official Shoe Care Thread: Tutorials, Photos, etc.**

[MonotovsOpera]

Storm welt is what you see on most boots (the rugged ones) where the welt is 2 piece (or split). I borrowed a pic I found on this thread. this is a 360* storm welt. Your dress shoes which are GY welted don't have this.

That's incorrect. It's important to differentiate between a storm welt and a split welt, as well as between construction techniques and welts. A storm welt is a type of welt, which can be used on Goodyear welted or handwelted constructions.

 

[DWFII]

MonotovsOpera has it right...

And unless I misunderstand what is being referred to, split welt is not two piece. No welt, that I know of, is two piece.

Both storm welt and spit welt are one piece of leather split along one edge.The only difference between the "storm welt" and split welt is that split edge on the storm welt is a little thinner on one half and then, as it is pushed up, it is wet-"formed" into a barrier roll.

Split welt...which I and every shoemaker I have ever run across also called "storm welt"...is partially split in exactly the same manner, but the turned up/ turned back edge is a little thicker and left as a flat upright "bar."

Both would be inseamed in exactly the same manner whether by hand or by machine (GY).

The following photos are of some split storm welt that I made from scratch...spur of the moment and with less than optimal leather.

Rolled/formed storm welt cannot...or is not ordinarily or easily...be made by hand. It requires a machine to form the leather into the roll.

 

[Kahuna75]

Well, WADR, I wouldn't count on it. Have you ever heard of Groupthink? I'm not saying good or bad about any particular outfit...just that, again, it is unwise to accept the common doxology. And the more common it is, the more suspect.

You are making the task of finding a cobbler to add metal tips to my shoes nearly impossible lol. My indecisiveness combined with your skepticism is a lethal combination.

I have used bnelson several times and been very happy...they will do a fine job with your toe taps.

 

[thefastlife]

question: is 2 pairs of shoes "enough" for the 5-day work week?

i know 3+ is optimal, but is wearing a pair every other day OK or will they break down quickly?

thanks!

 

[emidyl]

question: is 2 pairs of shoes "enough" for the 5-day work week?

i know 3+ is optimal, but is wearing a pair every other day OK or will they break down quickly?

thanks!

that is not nearly enough.

You def need a black cap, brown version with maybe some quarter broguing, longwings, a brown suede version is a must to soften any outfit. Pr of Dmonks also a must in choice of material.
Then you have to carry at least a couple pr of boots.
You get the idea...realistically if they "breakdown" then you're going to need a 3rd pr to be backup when the other is in the shop, assuming you are wearing repairable shoes (read good quality GY perhaps)

But if you need for 5 day business attire, I think at least 3-4pr but that's just me, I enjoy mixing it up. I have some shoes that are once a week.

 

[pnewelljr]

So some how I still have the ability to return these Cheaney Chelsea boots I recently bought, despite wearing them a few times. Now is the moment of truth. They feel comfortable pretty much everywhere, but the heel is loose. Just a little. When sitting I can slide my foot back and forth (just a little), and the heel slips a little bit when I walk. I have never had a goodyear welted shoe, and heard that slipping is normal initially. Should I return these and take the chance sizing down, or will they break in and not slip? The joys of buying Cheaney shoes in America because there is no local place to try them on...

 

[DWFII]



So some how I still have the ability to return these Cheaney Chelsea boots I recently bought, despite wearing them a few times. Now is the moment of truth. They feel comfortable pretty much everywhere, but the heel is loose. Just a little. When sitting I can slide my foot back and forth (just a little), and the heel slips a little bit when I walk. I have never had a goodyear welted shoe, and heard that slipping is normal initially. Should I return these and take the chance sizing down, or will they break in and not slip? The joys of buying Cheaney shoes in America because there is no local place to try them on...

First, I suspect that every shoe you've ever owned has been Goodyear welted, unless you've limited yourself to really...I mean really...cheap cement construction or athletic shoes. These days, nearly every welted shoe from Walmart to Northampton is GY welted.

Second, heel slippage is not a default on any shoe. On some pull-on boots, with a more or less un-cupped heel stiffener some initial slippage is to be expected. But on shoes, the heel stiffener is shaped to fit the back of the last and your heel.

Given that, if the long heel is correct and the instep girth correct, the shoe should hold you firmly into the back of the shoe--it's a chelsea right? An elastic gore boot/shoe? All the more critical considering that you've no laces to compensate.

Now, you may never experience that kind of fit short of bespoke but no matter how you parse it, if you can slide your foot back and forth, the shoes don't fit you.

 

[pnewelljr]

First, I suspect that every shoe you've ever owned has been Goodyear welted, unless you've limited yourself to really...I mean really...cheap cement construction or athletic shoes. These days, nearly every welted shoe from Walmart to Northampton is GY welted.

Second, heel slippage is not a default on any shoe. On some pull-on boots, with a more or less un-cupped heel stiffener some initial slippage is to be expected but on shoes, the heel stiffener is shaped to fit the back of the last and your heel. Given that, if the long heel is correct and the instep girth correct, the shoe should hold you firmly into the back of the shoe--it's a chelsea right? An elastic gore boot/shoe? All the more critical given that you've no laces to compensate.

Now, you may never experience that kind of fit short of bespoke but no matter how you parse it, if you can slide your foot back and forth, the shoes don't fit you.

It's so hard to tell, but the sliding is only a little, like a very little. And yes it is a chelsea. So its hard for me to tell, is this just how a chelsea boot feels, or is this too loose. Grr

 

[pnewelljr]

It's so hard to tell, but the sliding is only a little, like a very little. And yes it is a chelsea. So its hard for me to tell, is this just how a chelsea boot feels, or is this too loose. Grr

What is worse, a shoe that is a little tight or one that is a little loose?

 

[DWFII]



It's so hard to tell, but the sliding is only a little, like a very little. And yes it is a chelsea. So its hard for me to tell, is this just how a chelsea boot feels, or is this too loose. Grr

Comes down to what you want to tolerate, I suppose. I have no way of knowing what you mean by "a very little." Is the foot actually sliding or are you just shifting bones in the meat?

The foot doesn't need to be squeezed or compressed but any actual sliding is not good and potentially will get worse--every time the foot slides forward it stretches the leather over the instep just a tiny bit. And the next time it will be just that much more loose or ready to stretch.

It also suggests that the joint is not properly seating in the shoe...that the critical heel-ball measurement is slightly off.

What is worse, a shoe that is a little tight or one that is a little loose?

You tell me...one thing for sure, a shoe that is slightly tight will either open up in wear or can be stretched. A shoe that is too loose can never be made smaller.

 

[tifosi]

What is worse, a shoe that is a little tight or one that is a little loose?

I prefer my shoes to not squeeze my foot too tightly. My feet don't slide, either. So I prefer a looser shoe, but not where the shoe rattles around on my foot.

 

[DWFII]



I prefer my shoes to not squeeze my foot too tightly. My feet don't slide, either. So I prefer a looser shoe, but not where the shoe rattles around on my foot.

The thing is that by any objective definition...such as might be provided by a bespoke shoemaker ...what you're describing is nothing more or less than a proper fit.

At which point, "loose and tight" ain't in it. As those are words that describe variances from a proper fit.

 

[tifosi]

The thing is that by any objective definition...such as might be provided by a bespoke shoemaker

...what you're describing is nothing more or less than a proper fit.

At which point, "loose and tight" ain't in it. As those are words that describe variances from a proper fit.

Good to know that my shoes are sized properly, haha! Go me!

I have shoes/boots that have pinched in areas during break in, but have relaxed. I actually just brought up this situation on this thread a week or two ago. That particular pair has relaxed and there is no pinching any longer. They are quite comfortable, now, and I'm actually wearing them today.

 

[Munky]

I have a new pair of Tricker's shoes and they have a very, very thick sole. At the moment, my feet don't slip forward in them but there is a little movement at the heel. Otherwise, they are very comfortable. I was wondering if the soles need time to bend a little. I imagine that very thick soles on shoes may influence movement at the heel - the uppers are stitched to - initially - very hard and unbending soles. The soles on my Tricker's are probably as thick as the soles on many boots (they are thicker, for example, than the ones on my Loake Chester's). I would have thought that the soles on boots are subject to a different sort of leverage than is the case with shoes.

 

[pnewelljr]

Interestingly enough, I have always bought size US 9.5 shoes. Just measured my own foot at exactly 10" of length which coverts to a US 8/8.5. These chelsea boots are UK 8.5 or US 9/9.5. Not conclusive, but interesting to me at least.