Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[wasmisterfu]

Elvis has not left the building! Maybe try the coconut oil shampoo method?

View attachment 1220221

Coconut oil? Now things are getting weird. Possibly kinky weird.

 

[wasmisterfu]

I bought a pair of Bostonians marked same for my brother. My guess is the following: uppers made in India, or mostly put together in India. The remainder assembled in USA. If anyone else knows, please say so.

Yeahhhhhhhhh, so I’m sorry to say those may have some questionable insoles. They’re from a very questionable period for Bostonian.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Speaking for myself, I never seek an apology when another person fair and square wins a bid. It's how it works. Though I hate snipers, especially when they snoop in on a lady I am talking to at a party, they are accepted members of the online purchasing community.

I set an extremely arbitrary limit of $150 for used shell. I have to factor in the additional shipping to Canada, and the taxes. For NOS shoes, calf or shell, I set $250 as limit. Again, no rhyme or reason.

Post pics once you receive them. They should clean up really nicely.

I, on the other hand, will harbor an irrational grudge for the rest of my life.

 

[wasmisterfu]

I dunno,it may be even worse—according to these catalog covers the black insole was around in Spring ‘09 but gone by fall! View attachment 1220159 View attachment 1220160

Here’s what I do know:

1. They were veg-tan died black.
2. AE probably thought they looked swank.
3. AE fan-base invented insane conspiracy theories...
4. AE decided to go back to regular insoles.
5. Nobody really knows when they precisely started and stopped... it will remain a mystery for the ages.

(6. I think they look kinda cool.)

 

[eTrojan]

This is a question for @Lmrjfud -- and anyone else who has moved or is considering moving to mechanical brushing/polishing options.

My original intent was to have my bench grinder serve dual purposes: wire wheel for cleaning/polishing yard tools, and cotton/flannel wheel for buffing shoes. I have subsequently seen a poster on another board claim that the 3600 RPM of a bench grinder is way too much and there is significant chance of burning the leather. So I'm wondering if it makes sense to add a low speed bench grinder (1750 RPM) instead. Or if I am deft and light of hand, can I buff out shoes with a high speed bench grinder and a fluffy cotton wheel?

 

[stook1]

This is a question for @Lmrjfud -- and anyone else who has moved or is considering moving to mechanical brushing/polishing options.

My original intent was to have my bench grinder serve dual purposes: wire wheel for cleaning/polishing yard tools, and cotton/flannel wheel for buffing shoes. I have subsequently seen a poster on another board claim that the 3600 RPM of a bench grinder is way too much and there is significant chance of burning the leather. So I'm wondering if it makes sense to add a low speed bench grinder (1750 RPM) instead. Or if I am deft and light of hand, can I buff out shoes with a high speed bench grinder and a fluffy cotton wheel?

Not sure if you like to tinker but a motor speed controller could be an option. Here is an example... not sure if this specific one is suitable.

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[actionjbone]

Not sure if you like to tinker but a motor speed controller could be an option. Here is an example... not sure if this specific one is suitable.

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

This was going to be my suggestion, too.

 

[ccpl14]

I bought a pair of Bostonians marked same for my brother. My guess is the following: uppers made in India, or mostly put together in India. The remainder assembled in USA. If anyone else knows, please say so.

Funny this comes up as I was out looking for a pair of shoes for the challenge at lunchtime today. Saw a pair of crown Windsors with that very marking and was wondering about it myself. If it is as Sfc suggests, then wouldn’t it be similar to what AE does today with the uppers sewn in The DR and then finished in WI?

Anyway, they weren’t extremely impressive shoes, nor were they beat up enough for the contest, and 7.5E, so back they went.

Also threw a pair of AE Clark Streets in 8.5E back overboard.

 

[eTrojan]

And just for reference, today was a sharkskin kind of day. AE Nassau. 1983 if I remember right.

 

[mreams99]

Thanks. So there are no color variations in black shell?

I’ve seen hints of brownish burgundy peeking through in places.

 

[suitforcourt]

I’ve seen hints of brownish burgundy peeking through in places.

I have a pair like that. I assumed they were burgundy and then dyed black, and now the dye is wearing off.

 

[Lmrjfud]

This is a question for @Lmrjfud -- and anyone else who has moved or is considering moving to mechanical brushing/polishing options.

My original intent was to have my bench grinder serve dual purposes: wire wheel for cleaning/polishing yard tools, and cotton/flannel wheel for buffing shoes. I have subsequently seen a poster on another board claim that the 3600 RPM of a bench grinder is way too much and there is significant chance of burning the leather. So I'm wondering if it makes sense to add a low speed bench grinder (1750 RPM) instead. Or if I am deft and light of hand, can I buff out shoes with a high speed bench grinder and a fluffy cotton wheel?

Not sure if you like to tinker but a motor speed controller could be an option. Here is an example... not sure if this specific one is suitable.

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

uniquegoods 12V 24V 36V 48V 40A 2000W PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable Speed Switch HHO Driver - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

My intent is to mount the horsehair wheel that I have on a spindle being turned by my wood lathe. This allows me to use the pulley system of the lathe to reduce the brush speed to a lower RPM than the 1800 RPM motor.
Bench grinders running at a speed of 3600 RPM turning an 8" Dia buffing wheel would create a very fast brush speed which could easily generate a great deal of friction/heat to the shoe.

The motor controller identified is a pulse width modulating design which is for use on DC voltage motors (yes, PWM controls can be used to drive AC universal motors). This is not typically how you want to control AC synchronous motors which require frequency control (VFDs) and are generally designed around 3 phase motors.

 

[HalfHuskyBite]

Got my Allen Edmonds Odenwald re-soled. Big thanks to Timeless Shoe Repair in Thunder Bay.
Big question is, black or beige laces?

 

[actionjbone]

Got my Allen Edmonds Odenwald re-soled. Big thanks to Timeless Shoe Repair in Thunder Bay.
Big question is, black or beige laces?

Neither.

Red laces.

 

[suitforcourt]

Got my Allen Edmonds Odenwald re-soled. Big thanks to Timeless Shoe Repair in Thunder Bay.
Big question is, black or beige laces?

Martin has recrafted 2 pairs for me. Great work!