Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[ccpl14]

Just got these for a song! Moving up from 10.5D to 11.5C = perfect fit.

 

[suitforcourt]

Mystery shell Florsheim PTBs from vcleat.com list.

Rebuilt with SViG soles, crespino sole protectors, and grommets.

 

[CWOyaji]

These are 70's vintage, but not dress shoes. Still, for $19 I got a bit of my youth back so forgive the OT post. Back in the 70's I was an avid hiker and backpacker and bought a pair of these at Eastern Mountain Sports in Boston, not far from where I grew up. Even paid retail, perish the thought. Fast forward a bunch of years and a woman who shall remain nameless tossed them without asking me first. An unforgivable sin.

Then, as good luck would have it I spotted a pair for sale on Ebay for peanuts.

Mine are the 'Rotondo' model, which mercifully have only a 1/4 shank, so they flex. The full shank ones would probably be like walking in ski boots. This is from the 1976 REI catalog, so these boots are OG vintage and they don't make them anymore. They have Norwegian welts, leather inside and out and are pretty heavy. The fact that they're fully broken in is very helpful, since that takes a long time.

Norwegian storm welts are actually an Italian technique, but anyway water isn't getting in these boots.

I scrubbed them down to get the neglect off, soaked them with water and fitted chunky 13D heavy-duty trees to reshape them. Then left them out in the sun for several days to develop a thirst for mink oil. They'll lighten up when the oil sinks in.

 

[friendlygoz]

Dack’s kudu wholecuts.

 

[friendlygoz]

11B brothers: jump on these. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Florsheim-...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

 

[KarlHungus]

Someone should also jump on these. Listing is poorly marked but clearly size 10.5 Shark AE Shelton
saddles

Allen Edmonds | eBay

<p>Allen Edmonds dress shoes great shape. Lightly worn no damage. Looks to be made of alligator. Happy Bidding. </p>

www.ebay.com

 

[Nealjpage]

11B brothers: jump on these. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Florsheim-...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Those are special. I think the date code says 8S, which I think translates to 1958.

 

[mormonopoly]

Those are special. I think the date code says 8S, which I think translates to 1958.

The 8S in these is part of the model number (a special order), not the date code.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

11B brothers: jump on these. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Florsheim-...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Those are special. I think the date code says 8S, which I think translates to 1958.

The 8S in these is part of the model number (a special order), not the date code.

all right you all convinced me. I have some 11.5B that still fit. I have several 11C Florsheim that fit. This is a gamble. I guess we’ll see if they fit.

I do agree the S is probably for Special Order. I don’t know how old they are.

 

[Nealjpage]

all right you all convinced me.

I think the word you're looking for is enabled.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

I think the word you're looking for is enabled.

Yes, that is definitely more accurate!

 

[pasadena man]

These are 70's vintage, but not dress shoes. Still, for $19 I got a bit of my youth back so forgive the OT post. Back in the 70's I was an avid hiker and backpacker and bought a pair of these at Eastern Mountain Sports in Boston, not far from where I grew up. Even paid retail, perish the thought. Fast forward a bunch of years and a woman who shall remain nameless tossed them without asking me first. An unforgivable sin.

Having had similar boots at a similar time, the project seems worthwhile. Hemingway's first wife lost the manuscript of his first novel on a train. He didn't stay with her, either.

 

[CWOyaji]

A pair of 45 year old boots can not show their age at all.

These are all leather everywhere, inside and out.

But for brunch today with my youngest son and his girlfriend, the C&J Harvard loafers get the call.

These have Dainite soles, so when we go for a walk afterwards along the San Francisco Marina, they won't even notice.

Should be a good day for it.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

A pair of 45 year old boots can not show their age at all.
View attachment 1711397
These are just leather everywhere, inside and out.
View attachment 1711398
But for brunch today with my youngest son and his girlfriend, the C&J Harvard loafers get the call.
View attachment 1711399
These have Dainite soles, so when we go for a walk afterwards along the San Francisco Marina, they won't even notice.
View attachment 1711400
Should be a good day for it.
View attachment 1711401

i had an old school pair of hiking boots like those when I was in Scouts. They were fantastic. Took 2-3 long hikes to break them in, but they lasted forever and had tons of support. The speed hooks rusted off before the leather gave out. I had a pair years later that were Vasque or Danner that were almost as good.

 

[kilowatts]

Funny how we shoe guys seem to have a collective memory. I remember my Boy Scout boots quite well as they were somewhat controversial at the time. They were US made moc-toes and as I was raised in the UK in the conservative 1950’s my scoutmaster was aghast when he saw them. Muttering something about second class colonials etc. Little did he know, eh?
Kilowatts