Recent content by Ernest P Shackleton

I've used Nikwax TX.Direct Wash-In Waterproofing and was satisfied with the results. It does have a smell though. There are other brands, like Gear Aid, that have similar products.

Do you mean a fanny pack?

This is a tough one. I'd probably use the ones with the most wear. I never like to be the first one to mark something, and in the case of vintage, I purposely look for worn pieces. A little hole. Missing a button. Needing a cleaning. I appreciate the price usually being cheaper, but for a...

Hotel Portofino. PBS. I believe this is the standout new series of the year for me. I don't see anyone talking about it, so I'm either an island or it's a bona fide sleeper. Upstairs. Downstairs. A slimey underbelly. A cast of interesting characters. Beautifully shot. The hotel premise...

The Old Man. FX. The season finale was absurd. To avoid spoilers, I won't get into it. No season 2 for me.

Hotel Portofino. PBS. I'm liking this one a lot. The tech and filming quality is great and reminds me of The Durrells in Corfu. An English family owns a hotel in 1920's Italy, and Mussolini and fascism is affecting their operation. The wife comes from money and runs the hotel, while the...

I don't know if they're screwing it up, but it's far less convincing the further they get into it. All of a sudden, all these geniuses are not so genius, and the one who isn't a genius, is suddenly a genius. It's really no surprise though. It's common for writers to inject ideas and...

Gentleman Jack. HBO. I've really enjoyed this series. It somewhat has a similar cadence to Deadwood, though nowhere nearly as nicely written. And you know, I'm a sucker for a period piece. Really fine acting as well.

Got a link? They remind me of some of the LL Bean jeans I liked many years ago.

If you have any luck with this project and find a skilled pattern maker, please post about it. I also have to thank you for putting a name to this jacket. I always thought they were smoking jackets.

Call Baker's and talk to their resident boot expert. Can't remember his name at the moment (Kyle?), but they'll immediately know who to put on the phone.

I suspect the problem with stretching some wool is the scaly surface of wool fibers. The fibers can't slide over each other. They lock to each other. They dig into each other. Amongst other microscopic things happening, the fibers can't move freely as you're trying to pull the fabric.

This isn't the only, or possibly best, remedy, but I've fixed old running shoes with similar foam breakdown with Gorilla Glue. It is activated with water, so it can seep into all the foam as it expands and begins bonding.

Slow, air dry. Now that they're wet, you might as well clean them the best you can. I'd just use water and a soft brush, like a soft toothbrush. Shoe trees are definitely good if you have them. Or you could go the route of stuffing them with towels. Really cramming them in there to get as...

I use them in hiking boots. They have the plastic arch support thing. Not sure if they all have that or not.