Looking for a pair of brogues...

[Brian K]

Wow...and thanks to those links, RSV, I've finally found the exact black lace boots that I've been searching for to wear with my Army dress uniforms...the patent leather "George" boots made by Sanders! Now, for $231 plus shipping plus duties, I can own a pair...but alas, I don't envision being able to make that investment any time soon!

I'm glad you've finally found these, Jeff. I remember you posting about looking for boots like those previously. I have always been curious, though, about the military using patent leather for dress shoes. I know the shine is always a high gloss and relatively easy to maintain, but it has always looked plastic to me. They also have always made me think of children's or women's shoes.

I have owned regular leather shoes that I, or a shoe shine stand, can get a near mirror finish on and I like the look better because it actually looks like leather. I haven't owned a pair of "plastic" shoes since I had a pair of perfectly hideous (in retrospect ) pair of maroon and black platform saddle shoes when I was 16 and I don't expect I'll ever own a pair again unless I have to in the unlikely event I have to buy some for some sort of uniform.

I'm genuinely happy for you because I know you would really like them and they fit the dress regs, but can you enlighten me as to why the military switched from more normal leather to that with a patent finish?

Regards,

Brian

[thescot]

. . .I haven't owned a pair of "plastic" shoes since I had a pair of perfectly hideous (in retrospect ) pair of maroon and black platform saddle shoes when I was 16 and I don't expect I'll ever own a pair again unless I have to in the unlikely event I have to buy some for some sort of uniform.

. . .

Don't believe I'd a told that, brother.

Notice I have not mentioned the tan and brown cap toe palstics I owned back in the early 70s.

Hey, I was young and dumb, and I thought they were cool. Come to think of it, they were kind of cool back then. But that was in another country, and besides the wench ins dead. (10 points to anyone who can spot the allusion without Googling!)

[thescot]

. . .I could perhaps be talked into the pebble grain texture. . . .

Tobus, I think you'll find that the pebble grain in not on the cap of the toe, which is smooth leather that will take an awesome shine. However, the pebble grain in the crease will wear better over the years. I suspect you'll be very happy with those shoes.

[acolander]

Wow - if this British Military Surplus shop has prices that low, I may look there for other stuff. Do you have a link to them?

PM has been sent.. cheers.

[Brian K]

Don't believe I'd a told that, brother.

Notice I have not mentioned the tan and brown cap toe palstics I owned back in the early 70s.

Hey, I was young and dumb, and I thought they were cool. Come to think of it, they were kind of cool back then. But that was in another country, and besides the wench ins dead. (10 points to anyone who can spot the allusion without Googling!)

LOL, Brother. I was 16 in 1973 and a lot of people were wearing them back then. Whether we should have is another question altogether . I'm not proud of all my wardrobe choices back then, but I fit in with the crowd. Today I am much less worried about "fitting in." One of the best things about being in my second half-century is that I have finally learned that the opinions of others are just that - opinions - and 98% of them just don't matter!

Regards,

Brian

[Tobus]

Tobus, I think you'll find that the pebble grain in not on the cap of the toe, which is smooth leather that will take an awesome shine. However, the pebble grain in the crease will wear better over the years. I suspect you'll be very happy with those shoes.

Well, it looks like in the picture that it does have the pebble grain at the toe, although probably not as pronounced as the rest of the shoe. Some of the other pictures I've seen, though, do seem to suggest that some of them may have a smooth leather at the toe (maybe they've been polished so much that the grain has been filled in somewhat?).



At any rate, I do like the looks of this shoe and I think I'll be happy with it. The pebble grain ought to hide the crease, as you said, as well as some normal scuffs between polishing. This will be the most I've ever spent on a pair of shoes, so hopefully they'll be long-lasting and comfortable.

acolander, thanks for the link. Lots of cool stuff there. It's definitely going on my favorites list. I may eventually place an order for several items from them, including perhaps a set of their brogues for occasions when I don't want to abuse my expensive shoes.

[thescot]

I stand corrected. You're right about the pebble grain being all over.

If you do a really good job of pollishing, you can pretty much fill in the tow cap part so that they look slick and shiny. That's a really good look if you want it. You end up with lots of polish, and the scuffs and scatches go on the poish, not on the leather so they're easier to repair.

In the USMC, our frame covers--the peaked cap with the short brim in front like a cop's cap--came with a pebble grain that we had to spend a lot of time polishing to fill in so that they looked like patent leather. Real patent leather. It took time, but by the time we left boot camp, you could part your hair in the reflection. . . .if you had any hair, which we didin't.

[rsvpiper]

Nice one I love my'n

[Tobus]

My new brogues came in yesterday! They look exactly like the picture posted above, so I won't bother posting pics of them. But I think they're great! It just took a while to get them from Sanders and Sanders because they didn't have any in stock and had to make them especially for me.

One thing I'm not used to, though, is that the soles are STIFF. That's to be expected, I suppose, from a leather sole. They'll take more breaking-in than I'm used to on the el-cheapo shoes I usually wear which are usually rubber soles. They're also slicker than owl poop on the bottoms, so I'll have to be careful not to fall down.

I'm going to give them a good polish before I wear them. I also need to find a set of shoe trees for them.

[rsvpiper]

Glad you like em the grain on the toes will fade down over time as you polish them. I gave my'n a good few coats of polish before i wore them just to help soften the leather

enjoy!