Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[smfdoc]

Happy Wednesday forum pals. Defying convention, PTBs for a wingtip Wednesday.

 

[CWOyaji]

Here's is a discussion of Alden codes and sample photos. I think it could be a 7, I'm not sure about it.

Alden Model Numbers Decoded – Alden Model Project

aldenmodelproject.com

 

[suitforcourt]

One of my first pairs and still a favourite. B Mason Executive Imperials.

 

[eTrojan]

There seems to be a fair amount of black shell here in the last week or so, so I thought I’d pile on. AE MacNeil. To me, it looks better in indirect lighting (#2) than direct sunlight (#1).

 

[friendlygoz]

Attn: 9.5 folks… NML. I have a pair of these and they are awesome.

https://posh.mk/TZsixVQmTtb

 

[Nealjpage]

Florsheim Imperial NST from 1967. These are a half size too small so I hardly ever wear them though I desperately want them to fit.

And a 1957 or '58 Hamilton.

 

[friendlygoz]

93606s from 1969. I don’t wear these often enough.

 

[friendlygoz]

Not vintage, but I had fun just now refreshing a pair of sad-looking AE Bradley shell I scored for peanuts on Ebay, for personal.

This orange peel deposit on the outside right heel was a bit of a concern.

Turns out they came right back with only water, trees and a good scrub with VSC and a stiff bristle brush. Then a rubdown with an automotive cloth and more VSC, brushing with a horsehair brush and buffing with a cut-up silk shirt.
View attachment 1838590
Love me some norwegian split toes.
View attachment 1838591
The rough section cleaned up really well with the 3500 grit auto polishing cloth and some VSC.
View attachment 1838592

Wow those cleaned up nicely!

 

[suitforcourt]

Florsheim Imperial NST from 1967. These are a half size too small so I hardly ever wear them though I desperately want them to fit.

View attachment 1840368

And a 1957 or '58 Hamilton.

View attachment 1840369

Have you tried stretching them? @CWOyaji has a great method.

I'm also slowly sliding into watches. I've saved some Soviet era mechanicals in my eBay list. Same local seller, so I may make "lot" offer once I break my quarantine in December (I.e. I promised my wife I won't buy new shoes or watches until December).

 

[smfdoc]

93606s from 1969. I don’t wear these often enough. View attachment 1840405 View attachment 1840406

Well you should wear them more frequently as they are amazing.

 

[Nealjpage]

Have you tried stretching them? @CWOyaji has a great method.

I'm also slowly sliding into watches. I've saved some Soviet era mechanicals in my eBay list. Same local seller, so I may make "lot" offer once I break my quarantine in December (I.e. I promised my wife I won't buy new shoes or watches until December).

I have not tried stretching them yet but I should. . .

Careful with the watches. It's a terrible rabbit hole.

 

[smfdoc]

Happy Thursday forum pals. As you may recall, these were originally 93602s that I stripped and dyed to get a Golden Harvest color. Although I dyed them, I never finished the dye process with Resolene. I only recently obtained a bottle when I finished the blue dye job on another pair. I treated them last night and I like the look. To my eye, it's a better finish to more closely match something the factory would have done.

 

[Bon Vivant Life]

Hello, came up on these new old stock wingtips. Trying go determine size on oakwoods. And never heard of mcelwain shoes.

 

[Bon Vivant Life]

Hello, came up on these new old stock wingtips. Trying go determine size on oakwoods. And never heard of mcelwain shoes. View attachment 1840559 View attachment 1840560 View attachment 1840561

 

[smfdoc]

Hello, came up on these new old stock wingtips. Trying go determine size on oakwoods. And never heard of mcelwain shoes. View attachment 1840559 View attachment 1840560 View attachment 1840561

These makers are using a sizing convention that is no longer common because it is confusing. The Black LWBs are an 11D and the brown are an 10.5D. The first number in both corresponds to the width. The first number is a 4, which is a D. A, B, C, D, E would be 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. The last number will be a 0 or 5 representing the half size. 110 would be 11. the 105 would be 10.5. So, 4110 is an 11.0D and 4105 is a 10.5D.