Recent content by Ernest P Shackleton

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.

Don't underestimate the value of good inserts, and they don't have to be custom made. Even the Super Feet Green will surprise you. They have a regular and a high arch option. Around $20.

A lot of line workers, loggers, and forest firefighters wear $500 boots. Nicks. Whites. Wesco. Viberg. Some have work allowances where the company works with discounts or the laborer is reimbursed, at least partially. It's sort of part of the old world, but it does still exist in certain...

I remember Sarah Silverman being on a talk show. One of the questions was how she treated herself. Like after a success or a big pay day, how did she reward herself. She said she bought a pair of combat boots for herself at a high end department store after her last movie. She gave the...

I had a great time looking at all these. Thanks. Most I haven't seen. The prices are insane.

Corcoran 1500. Actual combat boots, but with pants over them, they don't really stand out. I always thought they paired well with jeans.

Depending on where you live with smells, pollution stink etc, outside line drying is the way to go. I don't know what happens to wool in the winter when you hang it out, but it takes on a whole other smell property. I even think something happens to the fibers, like it tightens them up or...

Wool was meant to get wet. It can absorb 60% of its own weight and still feel dry to the touch. It's one reason why it remains popular in wet and cold climates, like in Scotland and the upper ranges of New Zealand. Heck, Mongolian Nomads and the more primitive cultures in Russia still live in...