metal plates on bottom of 1940's work shoes?

Greetings folks. It's been a while since I post here but I need some help. The attached photo is of the bottom of a work boot believed to be from the 1940's. I'm curious about the metal plates on the bottom. The one at the heel actually comes up and wraps around the back of the boot. On the front it just has that metal tab which for the life of me I cant understand it's purpose. This was used by someone that worked in quarry type work. Both boots have the same plates in the same positions.

Any explanation as to the purpose of these plates is greatly appreciated.

Metal on the bottom of boots to protect the soles is (AFAIK) an old established practice.

In Northern England, we call 'em Segs.

What's to know?

yakima said:

Metal on the bottom of boots to protect the soles is (AFAIK) an old established practice.

In Northern England, we call 'em Segs.

What's to know?

Click to expand...

I figured they are for protection of the soles but the piece at the front bends up and around the edge only. It doesn't protect the entire sole. It's almost as if intended to be used to protect the shoes when bumping things along with the edge of the shoe? I would have expected something to protect the entire load bearing surface of the bottom of the shoe. Do you guys think this was done based on working with what was on hand or was there some other purpose to that front piece?

I've had metal clips placed on the heels and toes once, without requesting it actually. Drove me up the wall. On the one hand it protected the shoes but on the other you could hear me long before you saw me - it was like free-form tap-dancing. Got rid of them the moment I could afford a new pair.

Yup, I have a mate who always has segs on his heels (to save on repair bills - a bit of a tight so and so). We always know he's gonna arrive in the pub a good two minutes before he arrives!

Those don't look like the metal plates put on to save wear. Those look like they are for traction on ice. The ones they used to put on shoes were smooth brass. Around here they were called taps or clicks.

In Alaska we see a lot of the old "hobnail" boots similar to the above. Miners and mountaineers would use them, as well as being an asset in the icy winters in general up here. They give good traction on frigid icy surfaces. Do you have a few more photos of the boots?

They stick em where the wear is. People vary. Fallen arches and gait affect which bit of the sole wears more, hence the unevenly placed metal.

Sloan1874 said:

I've had metal clips placed on the heels and toes once, without requesting it actually. Drove me up the wall. On the one hand it protected the shoes but on the other you could hear me long before you saw me - it was like free-form tap-dancing. Got rid of them the moment I could afford a new pair.

Click to expand...

Heh. Back in my long-hair, metal days (yeah, I had those...), I had a pair of cowboy boots that I had reheels with the metal tips on the heel. Partly to stop the heel wearing too quickly, but also in large part because I wanted that noise. I think I might have subconsciously been emulating spurs (I clearly saw Near Dark at an impressionable age....).

yakima said:

Yup, I have a mate who always has segs on his heels (to save on repair bills - a bit of a tight so and so). We always know he's gonna arrive in the pub a good two minutes before he arrives!

Click to expand...

Definitely makes a big difference to how long a heel lasts.... not so great for those us us with wood laminate flooring at home, though!

mr_lits said:

In Alaska we see a lot of the old "hobnail" boots similar to the above. Miners and mountaineers would use them, as well as being an asset in the icy winters in general up here. They give good traction on frigid icy surfaces. Do you have a few more photos of the boots?

Click to expand...

I've got a pair of British military boots from the 50s, hobnail soles. One of those things you buy on eBay for buttons, then it sits in the office when it arrives because you woner if you'll actually wear them. I did end up wearing them one day when I had, unexpectedly, to leave the pair I had been wearing in to the shoe-repair place. It was interesting. They weren't bad on ice, but in a quiet road, and particularly inside our building, on tiled floors, I sounded like a half dozen Squaddies, or an Essex hennight wandering around...

Seb Lucas said:

They stick em where the wear is. People vary. Fallen arches and gait affect which bit of the sole wears more, hence the unevenly placed metal.

Click to expand...

That would be my other guess. Workbootslike this were neer intended to be pretty, and a lot of folks would have done anything to bodge a worn pair to get a bit longer out of them. I would suspect that it's at least possible that if you removed the plates under the balls of the feet, you might see signsw of wear on the sole there, unless they were attached preemptively.

Thanks for all your help everyone!