Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Oshare]

Having just looked up hagfish, apparently also know by the even more unappealing name of “slime eel”, I feel strongly that they are even creepier and more deserving of become boot material.

Hagfish - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I wonder if many of these hagfish/slime eels ended up as boots?

Oregon highway 'slimed' after hagfish lorry overturns

A lorry carrying 3,400kg of "slime eels" overturns, covering cars with sticky goo.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cause Moe]

Technically, "eelskin" is made from hagfish, not eel.

But "hagfish" isn't a very appealing name. 🤣

It's not just the name. The primitive fish itself, the slime hag, is pretty revolting.

The skin makes nice durable leather, and the disgusting slime can be used to make fibers similar to silk.

 

[wasmisterfu]

It's not just the name. The primitive fish itself, the slime hag, is pretty revolting.

The skin makes nice durable leather, and the disgusting slime can be used to make fibers similar to silk.

Wow… leather and a silk like material. See, what I want to know is who figured out you could take a super icky creature like a “slime hag” and turn it into such things.

My first reaction would be to kill it with fire.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Today I’m wearing late-60’s Nunn Bush ultra 60’s mod pointy derby’s:

They’re beautifully crafted, shockingly comfortable, very sleek and…

Made out of space-age, better living through chemical science…

Yes, that’s right, these shoes are plastic. Well, not quite: the linings, insole, sole and heel stack are all leather. It’s like the exact opposite of most modern shoes. They’re GYW with a channeled welt (rapid) outsole top-stitch. These were not cheap when new (this is probably the third time anyone’s worn them).

I’ve been wearing these now for several hours, and I’m starting to wonder why Corfam failed. Properly fitted (and these shoes fit like a glove), I’m kinda shocked at how good Corfam actually is. It’s much better than cheap heavy PU CG leather used on less expensive shoes. It does “breath”, and it kinda stretches like real leather (but not exactly). On this second wear, under “real-world” conditions, I think I see why they thought this stuff would catch on.

So why didn’t it? I suspect it wasn’t actually cheap to make real Corfam (and I don’t think cheaper “modern” stuff informally called Corfam, is the same, as that stuff is much stiffer). I also suspect that in any colors, other than black and dark brown, it looks suspiciously synthetic (as seen in DavidVC’s review of his Corfam wonders).

So there you have it, with a bit more time, I’ve grown to like these 60’s shoes, beautifully made from a super weird material in the “science will make everything better”, landing people on the moon, era.

 

[actionjbone]

Wow… leather and a silk like material. See, what I want to know is who figured out you could take a super icky creature like a “slime hag” and turn it into such things.

My first reaction would be to kill it with fire.

You're welcome to try to kill it with fire.

Just so long as you accept that it's a fish and is under water.

 

[suitforcourt]

Today I’m wearing late-60’s Nunn Bush ultra 60’s mod pointy derby’s:

View attachment 2188747

View attachment 2188745

View attachment 2188749

They’re beautifully crafted, shockingly comfortable, very sleek and…

Made out of space-age, better living through chemical science…

View attachment 2188753

Yes, that’s right, these shoes are plastic. Well, not quite: the linings, insole, sole and heel stack are all leather. It’s like the exact opposite of most modern shoes. They’re GYW with a channeled welt (rapid) outsole top-stitch. These were not cheap when new (this is probably the third time anyone’s worn them).

I’ve been wearing these now for several hours, and I’m starting to wonder why Corfam failed. Properly fitted (and these shoes fit like a glove), I’m kinda shocked at how good Corfam actually is. It’s much better than cheap heavy PU CG leather used on less expensive shoes. It does “breath”, and it kinda stretches like real leather (but not exactly). On this second wear, under “real-world” conditions, I think I see why they thought this stuff would catch on.

So why didn’t it? I suspect it wasn’t actually cheap to make real Corfam (and I don’t think cheaper “modern” stuff informally called Corfam, is the same, as that stuff is much stiffer). I also suspect that in any colors, other than black and dark brown, it looks suspiciously synthetic (as seen in DavidVC’s review of his Corfam wonders).

So there you have it, with a bit more time, I’ve grown to like these 60’s shoes, beautifully made from a super weird material in the “science will make everything better”, landing people on the moon, era.

I love your posts.

 

[sam67]

Crosby square in the wild, but to beat up to save

 

[DorianGreen]

 

[wasmisterfu]

You're welcome to try to kill it with fire.

Just so long as you accept that it's a fish and is under water.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Crosby square in the wild, but to beat up to save
View attachment 2188777 View attachment 2188779

That’s too bad. Those are interesting, especially the stitching detail.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Those are terrific. What sizing are we talking about?

(P.S. Awesome pants.)

 

[DorianGreen]

Those are terrific. What sizing are we talking about?

(P.S. Awesome pants.)

It's not mentioned, you can ask directly.

Some more pictures.

 

[wasmisterfu]

It's not mentioned, you can ask directly.

Some more pictures.

Oh, I thought they were your shoes. This isn’t the same guy as the VSA dude, is it?

(Because VSA guy and I have had “issues” in the past.)

 

[Cause Moe]

You're welcome to try to kill it with fire.

Just so long as you accept that it's a fish and is under water.

And in an instant, it can exude an inch-thick layer of flame-retаrdant fish-snot from every pore on its fine "eelskin" hide, and splatter it all over the place. It can did have a memorable effect on a bunch of drunks on a deep-sea fishing daytrip somewhere in the Gulf of Maine.

 

[wasmisterfu]

And in an instant, it can exude an inch-thick layer of flame-retаrdant fish-snot from every pore on its fine "eelskin" hide, and splatter it all over the place. It can did have a memorable effect on a bunch of drunks on a deep-sea fishing daytrip somewhere in the Gulf of Maine.