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Boots / shoes to wear with your flight jacket s...

Grant

Well-Known Member
Speaking of Ralph Lauren, here's my old RRL rough outs bought on sale several years ago. Supposedly RRL used a Pennsylvania boot maker who was contracted during the war to supply boots to the US Army. They've certainly held up well over the years with multiple dubbing.

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Drzdave58

Well-Known Member
Excellent choices on eBay. The one significant detail the new ones didn’t retain is the famous “V” cleat on the heel. A small metal wedge. This would slow down wear and is a very cool detail IMHO. Adds to the “click-clack”sound, too. If you get a pair, look for that. There are shoemakers who can restore them too, if needed.

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So I scored a pair of late 70s I believe Florsheim Imperial Longwings today. I have been on a search for this shoe for awhile. A fellow on marketplace who doesn't live far from me found them at a thrift store and traded them to me for a vintage Ping putter I had. They are in amazing condition.
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Jennison

Well-Known Member
Nice score! Those are the ticket. There’s barely any color loss to the sole edges and they still shine. If it were I, I’d get the vamps good and damp (in the creases), put some shoe trees inside them for a couple of days, run some black edge-coat around the edges, and they’ll look nearly new. Then you can decide how you want to condition the leather, which as mentioned, already looks fabulous.
 

Drzdave58

Well-Known Member
Nice score! Those are the ticket. There’s barely any color loss to the sole edges and they still shine. If it were I, I’d get the vamps good and damp (in the creases), put some shoe trees inside them for a couple of days, run some black edge-coat around the edges, and they’ll look nearly new. Then you can decide how you want to condition the leather, which as mentioned, already looks fabulous.
Yes..good advice..they weren't very dirty so I just wiped them off with a damp cloth. Applied Venetian shoe cream touched up a couple spots with black Saphir cream. A good brushing. I kinda like the faded patina on the edging so I may leave them like that for now. The interior leather heel pads were peeling so I reglued them.
The interior of the shoes are hardly worn. Overall amazing condition for their age! I have shoe trees for them as well.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Been wearing these ATF US Army Rough Outs since I joined the forum in 2009. Still wearing them. They’ve been dubbed once a year for the last 15 years. The heels have worn thru in places and I used rubber bathroom caulk to fill up the inside sections of the heels. The heels have worn down on the outside of the heel very badly, so I took a pocket knife and cut the inside of the heels down to level them out. These boots are worn for all work jobs and they are still going strong . I’d advise anyone thinking of getting a pair to make the
purchase .
Cheers
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LV426

Well-Known Member
B Man , these roughout Type III are fantastic ! I have read that ATF will have some reissues by the year ( Type II and I and Jump boots too ) . Hope that they will be as stiff and solid as the precedent issues like yours . They are quasi undestructible. You did you good Mc Gyver's job with the heels ! But if you decide to make to reconstruct the soles there are still some replacement soles and heels o the ATF site . I got some fom Corcoran special issues for little contractors like ATF , Doursoux in France ( mine , without rivets and tongues reversed - no roughout ) . I bought 'hem in 2015 for urban and rural walk and work , and for the look of course. The screenshot comes from ATF site , I bought a pair of each and heels for my jump boots also. These are the last from Goodyear , the next will be from a new constructor.I'm impressed by the job you've done with the heels ! PS : Mine have not went thru Okinawa ... ;)
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mulceber

Moderator
i really like the look of these sidecar sneakers from lewis leathers but wonder if there are similar stuff out there with less branding (and cheaper/secondhand).

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i see even clarks does a shoe that is effectively a low-top version but... i want the hi top!
Check out Thursday’s sneaker line. They have high tops like those, much cheaper and minimal branding. Alternately, if you’re up for going more expensive, check out Crown Northampton’s sneaker line.
 

LV426

Well-Known Member
Today I went to see my cobbler ( who is also a great "colorist" on leather ) to recover a pair of OG WW2 service shoes Type II that I found in quasi mint condfition except the soles that were both half broken . I bought some DR Sole soles and heels and here is the result . He done a great job , the stitching points are very close together and fine , it's quite rare , his sewing machine is really well calibrated . The color of the photo is a little too red . I putted a little layer of Cordovan surfine cream from Saphir . I love the shape of this type of soles that we do not see anymore , or just on dress shoes , or sometimes on the Whites C350 for example . I post the photos from the vendor site too .
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Smithy

Well-Known Member
Today I went to see my cobbler ( who is also a great "colorist" on leather ) to recover a pair of OG WW2 service shoes Type II that I found in quasi mint condfition except the soles that were both half broken . I bought some DR Sole soles and heels and here is the result . He done a great job , the stitching points are very close together and fine , it's quite rare , his sewing machine is really well calibrated . The color of the photo is a little too red . I putted a little layer of Cordovan surfine cream from Saphir . I love the shape of this type of soles that we do not see anymore , or just on dress shoes , or sometimes on the Whites C350 for example . I post the photos from the vendor site too .View attachment 160457View attachment 160447View attachment 160449View attachment 160451View attachment 160453View attachment 160455

Fucking gorgeous :)
 
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