Show us your SHOES !!!

bigshoe · Dec 9, 2014

Part of my stash of NOS heels.
I bought most of these from old repair shops closing up.

jamespowers · Dec 9, 2014

bigshoe said:
Part of my stash of NOS heels.
I bought most of these from old repair shops closing up.

:faint: I'll take them if they are taking up too much space for you there.

LuvMyMan · Dec 9, 2014

Isshinryu101 said:
Bostonian was a relatively small maker in the glory days of US shoes (compared to Florsheim and many others). Business was pretty bad in the 1960's & 1970's especially. In 1979, they were purchased by C&J Clark who turned them into a true international shoe company, producing shoes in massive amounts. You will find a TON of 1980's Bostonians and newer.

Yes. They are all over the map now with Bostonians. Pity they sold out to the "cheap crew". Although they are about the same quality today as the rest of the typical shoes around. Lots of glue and not much quality.

Shaw shoe company would make orders for Bostonian...but that was in the good old days when Shaw was still around.

LuvMyMan · Dec 9, 2014

bigshoe said:
Part of my stash of NOS heels.
I bought most of these from old repair shops closing up.

That sure looks like our pile of heels. Those neolites are great for non-gunboat shoe heel replacement. The Cats Paw of course is fantastic for wingtip work. O' Sullivan seems to be able to fit in on most Oxford shoes really well. We did have a pair that were a light brown/tan over all color, that is not common for the Cats paw.

Our Cobbler loves that we can bring along our own heel unless he is making a stacked leather for what we would be having repaired.

bigshoe · Dec 10, 2014

Finished these today. American alligator and calf apron front. My design.

LuvMyMan · Dec 11, 2014

http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/IMAG1006_zpsin5ypasn.jpg.html]

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These are some slick vintage Formal Tux Pumps, Daniel was lucky to have these handed down from his late Father. Hand made from Dunhill, in England. They are at least from 1947 as that is the year his Father wore these on the day he was Married. They fit almost perfect, a tad bit long as they are a long size 11.

LuvMyMan · Dec 11, 2014

bigshoe said:
Finished these today. American alligator and calf apron front. My design.

Geez...super nice!

LuvMyMan · Dec 11, 2014

http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/IMAG0995_zpseh3clcap.jpg.html]

[/URL]http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/IMAG0992_zpsctcpdbxr.jpg.html]

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I replaced the thin original laces with a pair of nicer looking vintage laces. The laces are OLD...not silk...not cotton and not nylon...but made of rayon. They appear just like silk. I think they look much nicer than the skinny minnie laces that were in the shoes. Daniel was wearing these shoes for the first time yesterday. He loves them! Sharp looking shoes, footjoys!

Luftwaffles · Dec 14, 2014

Got some new derbies for my dark suits today. Replaced the laces with some nicer ones.

Say what you will about Florsheim, but for $57, you can't beat it.

LuvMyMan · Dec 14, 2014

Luftwaffles said:
Got some new derbies for my dark suits today. Replaced the laces with some nicer ones.

Say what you will about Florsheim, but for $57, you can't beat it.

They sure do look nice!

dh66 · Dec 15, 2014

Yes, those do look nice, Luftwaffles. And a great price. (Always a good thing!)

LuvMyMan · Dec 15, 2014

http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/LoveMyHats2001/claptoppicture_zps5071e075.jpg.html]

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http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/LoveMyHats2001/clappspadesole_zpsc73b9d1d.jpg.html]

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More pictures of these later, after they are cleaned up, conditioned and some polish.

LuvMyMan · Dec 15, 2014

http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/LoveMyHats2001/clappinsideb_zps97cb0c8b.jpg.html]

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http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/LoveMyHats2001/footjoyside_zpsd19f0e86.jpg.html]

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http:/[URL=http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/LoveMyHats2/media/LoveMyHats2001/footjoytoppicture_zpsd74441e0.jpg.html]

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Another pair of footjoys. These will have some work done on the "top side" to rid them of that lace cover, and then cleaned up, conditioned and polished. More pictures to come later.

cookie · Dec 15, 2014

You do know these Clapps were AA/B width?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Edw...hH2WzxnoYF%2B7P6IUDaA%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

dh66 · Dec 15, 2014

The cap toes are veeeery nice! I like the pointed toe.

Leave the kilties on the green ones.

LuvMyMan · Dec 15, 2014

cookie said:
You do know these Clapps were AA/B width?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Edw...hH2WzxnoYF%2B7P6IUDaA%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Yes that is how wide they are at the moment...but they will be real wide when I am done with them! LOL! I have been able to use caddy on shoes for a few days in a row, almost just drowning the shoes in caddy condidioner, and when they are still super wet with conditioner, the shoe stretchers go in and I crank them up tight. Then let them sit for a day with the stretchers in. Repeat soaking them after a day, and then crank the stretchers in again. The measurements on these clapps, make them by today's length just a touch longer than a normal size 11 (they are marked a 11 1/2) and they are a touch wider than 4 inches inside the shoe, perhaps due to the spade sole welt? When I am all finished they should be right on a 11D fit. The shoes I sent you originally were a 10 1/2 C. It was only a 16 hour process to ease them out to a D size fit. Of course footjoys are really easy to work with. Our cobbler here has shown me how to do the stretching safely and slowly. And the conditioner works better than the shoe stretch spray. If shoes are stretched too fast too much, the surface of the finish of the leather gets ruined. Also it the width of the shoe originally is too narrow, you can only do so much. Most AA width shoes are less than 4 inches inside the shoe. If so, you cannot make the shoe wider and have it work for a D or Medium width. Also you cannot do much with any shoe that is alligator or croc....the plates of the alligator or croc can "pop" as also the membrane in between the plates can pop off.

About three years ago, Daniel sold a pair of 12 AA spectators made by Bostonian, NOS from the 1940's, extremely spade sole and were that reddish tan brown and then the white suede. The length was such had we known about the stretching he could have kept them. You will not make a size 10 1/2 AA fit a 10 1/2 D. But depending on the inside sole of the shoe width, greatly determines how much you can stretch a shoe the same as the length. You have to have enough "leather" to give the stretch. Suede is perhaps the most easy to stretch. On suede however, you have to condition the inside of the shoe a few days behind the suede and then on the outside gets the stretch spray. I made my own spray. 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent distilled water in a spray bottle.

It will take me about five days to make the clapps fit Daniel and look like totally brand new shoes. Had these shoes been a size 11 AA I don't think I could make them fit. I was not even going to bother bidding on them as I have wanted to save up for having some custom made shoes, but geez, the seller did not ask much to start the bidding and I just tossed a number a few times and was shocked no one out bid me!

But no more ebay shoes for now. CUSTOM is what I will be doing next. I desire to see how nice some shoes from www.civilwarboots.com can be. His website and things he has shared here seems to be super fantastic and his price range sure beats up any competition. So...custom dress boots will be next up on the "to buy" list.

LuvMyMan · Dec 15, 2014

dh66 said:
The cap toes are veeeery nice! I like the pointed toe.

Leave the kilties on the green ones.

I would leave the kilties on....but I have some very one of a kind laces for these and the kilties would hide them too much! These will make some great summer shoes. Medium green pants, white jacket, some of your skinny ties you sent and then the shoes.

LuvMyMan · Dec 15, 2014

cookie said:
You do know these Clapps were AA/B width?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Edw...hH2WzxnoYF%2B7P6IUDaA%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I am attempting to find something this nice also for Isshinryu101, for a Christmas gift to give him. As he does have some splendid shoes, I want to find something that has some "wow" factor to the shoes. So far not any luck but I am not going to give up yet! Until I do find something amazing for him, I will probably send a package with some shoe related "goodies" to him. It is just how it is...got to take care of our friends during this time of the year for sure!

jamespowers · Dec 15, 2014

LuvMyMan said:
http:/
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Another pair of footjoys. These will have some work done on the "top side" to rid them of that lace cover, and then cleaned up, conditioned and polished. More pictures to come later.

I have an all white pair of kilties like that but I use them for golf.

I would use those too---after putting some spikes on them.

Mormonopoly · Dec 15, 2014

LuvMyMan said:
Yes that is how wide they are at the moment...but they will be real wide when I am done with them! LOL! I have been able to use caddy on shoes for a few days in a row, almost just drowning the shoes in caddy condidioner, and when they are still super wet with conditioner, the shoe stretchers go in and I crank them up tight. Then let them sit for a day with the stretchers in. Repeat soaking them after a day, and then crank the stretchers in again. The measurements on these clapps, make them by today's length just a touch longer than a normal size 11 (they are marked a 11 1/2) and they are a touch wider than 4 inches inside the shoe, perhaps due to the spade sole welt? When I am all finished they should be right on a 11D fit. The shoes I sent you originally were a 10 1/2 C. It was only a 16 hour process to ease them out to a D size fit. Of course footjoys are really easy to work with. Our cobbler here has shown me how to do the stretching safely and slowly. And the conditioner works better than the shoe stretch spray. If shoes are stretched too fast too much, the surface of the finish of the leather gets ruined. Also it the width of the shoe originally is too narrow, you can only do so much. Most AA width shoes are less than 4 inches inside the shoe. If so, you cannot make the shoe wider and have it work for a D or Medium width. Also you cannot do much with any shoe that is alligator or croc....the plates of the alligator or croc can "pop" as also the membrane in between the plates can pop off.

About three years ago, Daniel sold a pair of 12 AA spectators made by Bostonian, NOS from the 1940's, extremely spade sole and were that reddish tan brown and then the white suede. The length was such had we known about the stretching he could have kept them. You will not make a size 10 1/2 AA fit a 10 1/2 D. But depending on the inside sole of the shoe width, greatly determines how much you can stretch a shoe the same as the length. You have to have enough "leather" to give the stretch. Suede is perhaps the most easy to stretch. On suede however, you have to condition the inside of the shoe a few days behind the suede and then on the outside gets the stretch spray. I made my own spray. 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent distilled water in a spray bottle.

It will take me about five days to make the clapps fit Daniel and look like totally brand new shoes. Had these shoes been a size 11 AA I don't think I could make them fit. I was not even going to bother bidding on them as I have wanted to save up for having some custom made shoes, but geez, the seller did not ask much to start the bidding and I just tossed a number a few times and was shocked no one out bid me!

But no more ebay shoes for now. CUSTOM is what I will be doing next. I desire to see how nice some shoes from www.civilwarboots.com can be. His website and things he has shared here seems to be super fantastic and his price range sure beats up any competition. So...custom dress boots will be next up on the "to buy" list.

I don't think you'll have too much trouble getting those to fit. I have a virtually identical pair by Edwin Clapp in a tannish orange color. They're marked a 12B, but are definitely generous in the width.

Show us your SHOES !!!

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