Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Numbernine]

We were on the subject of vsc. I really like it for cleaning up welt stitching. I cut down the bristles on a 1" artists paint brush so they are about like a stiff tooth brush, working in @ 3" sections squirt on some vsc with a hobby syringe and scrub.Before everything gets dry I wipe the brush on a rag and wipe out the residue with an old microfiber. Repeat.
Awhile back some folks asked about adding brass or stainless eyelets.
You will have to carefully pull out the old inside eyelet with a pair of needle nose pliers and punch a bit larger hole but the rest goes like this.
https://www.amazon.com/vdp/f83327164510453590e59b8cc2c3b1f4?ref=cm_sw_em_r_ib_dt_yV9rHrPhDBC0q

 

[eTrojan]

It’s been a crazy week. Seems I’ve been following in @Oshare ’s footsteps on a shell week, but haven’t managed to get any photos until today.

Monday: Hanover Saddle Oxfords (brown shell)
Tuesday: AE Walton (cognac shell)
Today: 1986 AE Cambridge (#8 shell)

 

[suitforcourt]

Maiden voyage of my Barrie shell PTBs. Width is perfect but a bit long. Buddy across from me wearing AE Strands.

 

[flipstah]

Royal tweed on duty

 

[Oshare]

Maiden voyage of my Barrie shell PTBs. Width is perfect but a bit long. Buddy across from me wearing AE Strands.

Nice shoes but that’s quite a bit of creasing. Does being too long often lead to excessive creases?

 

[happypebble]

Was looking at a pair of Florsheims in the thrift store...nice looking, better shape than the usual Rockports, Aldos and Kenneth Cole in horrible, trashed condition. However, this pair was a full two sizes bigger than my usual. Would it make sense to stuff some kind of insole in them to try and even out the difference?

 

[stook1]

Was looking at a pair of Florsheims in the thrift store...nice looking, better shape than the usual Rockports, Aldos and Kenneth Cole in horrible, trashed condition. However, this pair was a full two sizes bigger than my usual. Would it make sense to stuff some kind of insole in them to try and even out the difference?

I think that's way too far off from your size, personally. It's not a great idea to radically missize your shoes. Bigger is certainly better than smaller but 2 sizes is a lot.

 

[DapperAndy]

Beware: Shoe Appreciation — Not sure how old these Swiss Navyboot Round-toe Oxfords were when I got them about 1.5 years ago for $9. But they are Goodyear welted, have high quality unlined leather, and they still had some life in them, and so I brought them back.

 

[stook1]

It’s been a crazy week. Seems I’ve been following in @Oshare ’s footsteps on a shell week, but haven’t managed to get any photos until today.

Monday: Hanover Saddle Oxfords (brown shell)
Tuesday: AE Walton (cognac shell)
Today: 1986 AE Cambridge (#8 shell)

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Those cambridges are superb. Well done.

 

[happypebble]

I think that's way too far off from your size, personally. It's not a great idea to radically missize your shoes. Bigger is certainly better than smaller but 2 sizes is a lot.

Yeah, I guess two sizes is a lot. I have had decent luck with going from my 13d to a 14c pair; no problems at all, no insole necessary. Oh well, at least I thought to ask first...saved me $6. Thanks!

 

[actionjbone]

Yeah, I guess two sizes is a lot. I have had decent luck with going from my 13d to a 14c pair; no problems at all, no insole necessary. Oh well, at least I thought to ask first...saved me $6. Thanks!

Alternately, buy them, clean them up, eBay them, and use the proceeds to buy another pair of your size.

 

[actionjbone]

Nice shoes but that’s quite a bit of creasing. Does being too long often lead to excessive creases?

My Barrie shell shortwings also have substantial creasing that's hard to remove.

Based on that, and based on some recent water spots on my pair, I suspect they don't use Horween shell. Possibly some European shell that's still good, just not quite as good as Horween.

It's just an educated guess, though. Probably no way to be sure.

 

[smfdoc]

Beware: Shoe Appreciation — Not sure how old these Swiss Navyboot Round-toe Oxfords were when I got them about 1.5 years ago for $9. But they are Goodyear welted, have high quality unlined leather, and they still had some life in them, and so I brought them back.
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Wonderful job

 

[suitforcourt]

Nice shoes but that’s quite a bit of creasing. Does being too long often lead to excessive creases?

I guess so?

 

[friendlygoz]

Beware: Shoe Appreciation — Not sure how old these Swiss Navyboot Round-toe Oxfords were when I got them about 1.5 years ago for $9. But they are Goodyear welted, have high quality unlined leather, and they still had some life in them, and so I brought them back.
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Wowza. Those came out very nicely. Congrats.