Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

[feltfan]

Anyone else follow this auction? If they had been any wider, I might have
done something rash...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250576995726

"rare ENDICOTT JOHNSON 1910-1920's"

Anyone care to lift the pictures and post them for posterity?

 

[kyboots]

Engineer Boots

Those motorcycle boots are great. I love those too. Would like to try them but size 13 here. My preference is the Wesco engineers which I wear daily. I also wear Justin cowboy and Frye engineers depending on my mood.The Wesco's are premier; thick leather well made and stiched and of course made in the USA. If you are a bootman Wesco is the engineer you save for.

 

[Creeping Past]

I told him that I wanted the most rounded Boss toe (when looking down at my feet) and he said that I shjould go with the standard Boss Last (9165). He told me that the "Bump Toe" 9109 last is vertically taller, but horizontally, it is a little narrower when compared to the 9165. He sent me some photos to illutstrate this, and I thought you all might be interested in seeing them.

That's some really useful information. Thanks, Jimmer.

I'm saving up for a pair of Wesco leather soled tall boots in brown cow or horse. I'll be doing it long distance, if I can persuade myself to chuck the cash at them, so this is a great help.

CP

 

[South]

I have owned my fair share of Engineer Boots - 2 Pairs of Skechers (they're not as bad as you might think), a pair of Chippewas, and a fantastic older pair of Durangos with Goodyear branded soles. However, I think it is time to go the custom order route to get my perfect pair.

I have been doing some thinking, and I am pretty much set on ordering a pair of Wesco Boss Engineer boots though Big Black Boots.

I have been mulling over the details, and this is whatI have so far:

- Redwood or Brown Leather
- 9165 last (standard Boss last, NOT the 9109 Bump Toe last)
- Vibram 100R Non-marking Lug soles
- Natural Leather welts, midsole, and heel leather (no dye, just the raw finish)
- Extra Leather midsole
- Nickel (silver) Hardware
- 11" height, standard straps, etc.


I am having a hard time deciding between the brown and redwood leather colors. If the Redwood was a little less orange lookng, I would probably already have my mind set on it, but I'm not positive yet. Do any of you have a pair in this color? Here are a few pics of the Brown and Redwood colors:


As for the lasts, I called Wesco directly and spoke with Pete in their custom fit department. I told him that I wanted the most rounded Boss toe (when looking down at my feet) and he said that I shjould go with the standard Boss Last (9165). He told me that the "Bump Toe" 9109 last is vertically taller, but horizontally, it is a little narrower when compared to the 9165. He sent me some photos to illutstrate this, and I thought you all might be interested in seeing them.

jimmer,

This is all great info. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

[kyboots]

Engineers Wesco Brown vs Redwood

I have a pair of brown engineers that I love and they offer a little more diversity in wearing then my black ones, but the key here is also a statement of the boots. Most people know me and know my boots. Strangers ask about them all the time. Many would like to have them. I would love to have redwood as the brown ( well they look like other brown boots ). The redwood is a beautiful color that will stand out and really be appropriate in more locations than black or brown because of the color. They can be toned down with a little polish if you like, but look what beauties they are! Go for the Redwood!

 

[univibe88]

Jimmer thanks for the pics and the info.

You are not helping with my feeble attempts to resist ordering some Wescos!

 

[kyboots]

Wesco's

They fit like a glove. I love them. You will too. Never take "em off. Jim

 

[South]

All the folks that say their Wescos fit like a glove, are you ordering standard sizing in Wescos, or are you sending in the drawings for custom fitting?

Thanks.

 

[kyboots]

Wesco's

The standard fit Wesco has been good for me and I can buy off the shelf. If they don't work, you can have the option of sending in your measurements. That is probably the better idea if one is ordering custom boots anyway.

 

[HDRnR]

All the folks that say their Wescos fit like a glove, are you ordering standard sizing in Wescos, or are you sending in the drawings for custom fitting?

Thanks.

Custom, they have my foot measurements on file.

 

[s_crumb]

I was hoping some of you guys might know something about these boots. Marineabilly especially. I got these a couple of years ago aand only wore them once or twice. They were supposedly NOS or Deadstock, not sure about the difference. The seller claimed they were vintage, I'm not sure. I mostly got them because it's very difficult to find boots in my size. These are size 14 E. The maker is "Herman Shoes and Boots" and as you can see on the soles they are "Biltrite Griplugs". The soles remind me of Cats Paw. I'm completely in the dark about boots. I know less than nothing. I wasn't even into vintage jackets or boots at the time. I picked them up only because they fit and they were relatively cheap. Now that I've discovered jackets and boots I had them mailed to me from storage.

Does anyone have anything at all to say about them? Good quality, crap quality? Thanks guys.

 

[univibe88]

Just by looking at them, I say I like them! I love the half sole and the natural midsole. They definitely have a vintage look to them. I can't define "deadstock" NOS means "new old stock." It means that something for sale is brand new and never been used, even though it has sat on the shelf for a long time.

You say you only wore those boots a couple of times, but they look pretty broken in. So I don't think they were NOS.

Either way, I found this on Marinebilly's blog: http://vintageengineerboots.blogspot.com/2009/05/maker-herman-shoe-boot-co.html

It looks like you got a really nice pair of boots! Would you mind sharing what you paid for yours?

 

[HDRnR]

I remember Herman Survivors workboots from when I was a kid. They got bought out by Walmart and they are made in China now. Those boots look high quality.

 

[marineabilly]

WOW! WOW!!

Wow!! You all know how much I love Engineer Boots and these, my friend, are TOP NOTCH. Without having seen the label, I would date these from at least early 1950's. I've seen rivets placed on the leather part of boots with half-soles, but never on both the leather and the half-sole like yours. These boots were built to go to war and last a lifetime with all that sole reinforcement.

I'd be very curious to see the label and if a "toe track" exists on the vamp.

Just to give you an idea, in this condition and at a size 8 to 8.5 (label and toe track, site unseen), I'd easily pay $800 to start off.

These are SUPER RARE in that, they fit you and the probability of finding a similar boot in this condition is extremely slim. Not sure if you're in the market to sell it, but you may not fetch much at that size. Hang on to it and ENJOY it with PRIDE!!

Edit: Now that I'm seeing the pictures on a computer and not on my iPhone, I can tell that these bad boys are going to fade into an awesome brown. Take a look at a post on my blog where an original 1940's pair of Engineer Boots faded into a two-tone thing of beauty: Original 1940's Engineer Boots

 

[jimmer_5]

Vintage Hermans

S Crumb - THose are fantastic - if they fit like a 13 and you ever tire of them, let me know! I'd say they look like fantastic quality vintage boots.

 

[s_crumb]

Marineabilly, Thanks for the info. I gotta say I'm surprised. I generally have no luck on Ebay, I pay too much for things and they don't fit, then I can't sell for what I paid. I'm glad you mentioned that they wouldn't go for nearly as much money because of their size. If they were worth too much I would have been tempted to sell them. Now I can just enjoy them.

I got them off of Ebay a couple of years ago for right around $300. At that time it was more than I wanted to spend but they were vintage and they were unworn so I figured what the hell. Of course now that I've seen the prices of good boots and the rarity of boots that large, I would have killed for them.

Jimmer, I normally wear a 15D. These 14 E's are narrower than I expected and fit like a D. The length is spot on for me.

 

[marineabilly]

Marineabilly, Thanks for the info. I gotta say I'm surprised. I generally have no luck on Ebay, I pay too much for things and they don't fit, then I can't sell for what I paid. I'm glad you mentioned that they wouldn't go for nearly as much money because of their size. If they were worth too much I would have been tempted to sell them. Now I can just enjoy them.

I got them off of Ebay a couple of years ago for right around $300. At that time it was more than I wanted to spend but they were vintage and they were unworn so I figured what the hell. Of course now that I've seen the prices of good boots and the rarity of boots that large, I would have killed for them.

Jimmer, I normally wear a 15D. These 14 E's are narrower than I expected and fit like a D. The length is spot on for me.

Wear them often and the width will conform to your feet like a glove :eusa_clap

 

[marineabilly]

Anyone else follow this auction? If they had been any wider, I might have done something rash...

"rare ENDICOTT JOHNSON 1910-1920's"

Anyone care to lift the pictures and post them for posterity?

Already done and featured them on my BLOG. I found an add from 1933 of the same boots you can see as well.

 

[feltfan]

Already done and featured them on my BLOG. I found an add from 1933 of the same boots you can see as well.

Nice. I do regret not buying them... but it's just as well.
I can't imagine they'd fit my EEE-EEEE feet and as you point
out, that's an awkward high boot. But look how well built
that boot appears to be!

 

[marineabilly]

S-Crumb's boots really caught my eye, so it was only right that I featured it on my Engineer Boot Blog. Thanks so much S-Crumb!!! :eusa_clap You, Sir, are a true Gentleman.

Cheers!!