Feet Up! The Work Boot Thread

[MightyEighth]

This mean place here, combined with the little fairy that insisted that dad goes with her:



Resulted in some very visible marks on my new White's. I know things like these are unavoidable in the long run, but since the boots are only a few weeks old it hurts (like the first scratches in a HH jacket).

Any ideas on how to make the marks a little less visible?

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Wow! Those are lovely boots!

They look nice when worn in a bit, but as with my jump boots, that light brown/russet does mark easily.

I've found that for light marks (if you don't want to use polish), a non-scented moisturizer such as the other half might use on her face, can work wonders if used sparingly. It seems to help the treated area go back to one colour, darkening the scuffed areas but not noticeably darkening the colour of the rest, like a leather oil might. And the nice bit is that a decent face moisturizer will leave it in a matte finish, rather than shiny. Try a pea-sized amount rubbed in to the toe caps - you might be surprised by the result. A small bit of Lanolin should work the same.

 

[Will015]

FFF, the iron rangers are about the worst winter boots money can buy. The soles are almost equally as slippery as just a leather sole.

Cole, as for making those scuffs on the White's less visible....get more of 'em. They'll blend in.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Corcoran?
If so, how do you like them? I've been considering a pair.

This might not be helpful to you, but I own a pair of Corcoran II field boots. They were priced very right, and because I was going to be on my feet eight hours a day in an especially cold climate, I gave them a chance. I thought the different soles might fare better in such weather. A comfortable, well-made boot for sure. I'm not sure they warrant a $165 price tag (I paid 30% of that), but I have no complaints. And while this may be blasphemous to some, the speed-lacing is awesome. I would definitely give another style of Corcorans a try.

 

[dh66]

Thank you for your input Ernest P.
I've been considering getting some for work.

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[Dickie Teenie]

John Lofgren's Donkey Puncher boots.

 

[GuyLdeB]

I have a pair of hawthorne muleskinner red wing iron rangers. They're the best boots I've ever had, I also have a pair of RW Beckmans which I also love but which I haven't worn once after I got the IRs a year ago. Since then I think I must have worn the IRs every day but i have fairly wide feet and originally they were so tight they were a nightmare to break in. I got loads of blisters especially across my toes where the toecap creases. I used to fill them up with water before I went out walking. Even though I got them professionally stretched etc it still took me about 4 weeks of agony until they were comfy, now they're like a favourite pair of kid gloves and can be worn 16h a day. I think the heavily stitched toecap slowed their stretching widthways.

I'm dreading them wearing out and having to break in another pair!

 

[Grayland]

John Lofgren's Donkey Puncher boots.
View attachment 10930

Yes, please.

 

[dh66]

Very nice D.T.
I used to have a pair of Chippewas made like that, but with 8" tops. I wore them completely apart. Big fan of that style, got a lot of compliments on those boots.

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[Maxwedge 413]

Wow! Those are lovely boots!

They look nice when worn in a bit, but as with my jump boots, that light brown/russet does mark easily.

I've found that for light marks (if you don't want to use polish), a non-scented moisturizer such as the other half might use on her face, can work wonders if used sparingly. It seems to help the treated area go back to one colour, darkening the scuffed areas but not noticeably darkening the colour of the rest, like a leather oil might. And the nice bit is that a decent face moisturizer will leave it in a matte finish, rather than shiny. Try a pea-sized amount rubbed in to the toe caps - you might be surprised by the result. A small bit of Lanolin should work the same.

Ummm.....
I like this site because I like learning about various fabrics, leather types, sole options etc.. When I take my wife out to dinner, or attend functions, or funerals and weddings, I dress in well-fitted, stylish, quality clothing. I'm usually quite debonaire (I'm told). But I am blue collar thru and thru, usually working 50-60 hours wk outside in dirt wind and rain (this winter has been harsh here on the East Coast). I buy workboots that appeal to me style-wise, but must perform and last through anything I throw at them. It is to this end that I must say sir....

If Whites Boots, who design their top-end boots for the needs of Loggers, Wildland FF's and ACTUAL construction workers heard you suggesting Oil of Olay for the pristine preservation of their TOOLS (workboots are tools, not accessories)..... They would slap you across your pink face. If you're preoccupied with the luster on your $400 workboots, then you'll never understand their true nature or purpose. A sad fate for quality boots.

 

[MightyEighth]

Ummm.....
I like this site because I like learning about various fabrics, leather types, sole options etc.. When I take my wife out to dinner, or attend functions, or funerals and weddings, I dress in well-fitted, stylish, quality clothing. I'm usually quite debonaire (I'm told). But I am blue collar thru and thru, usually working 50-60 hours wk outside in dirt wind and rain (this winter has been harsh here on the East Coast). I buy workboots that appeal to me style-wise, but must perform and last through anything I throw at them. It is to this end that I must say sir....

If Whites Boots, who design their top-end boots for the needs of Loggers, Wildland FF's and ACTUAL construction workers heard you suggesting Oil of Olay for the pristine preservation of their TOOLS (workboots are tools, not accessories)..... They would slap you across your pink face. If you're preoccupied with the luster on your $400 workboots, then you'll never understand their true nature or purpose. A sad fate for quality boots.

He asked, I gave a method. I guess your suggestion to his question of "how do I blend these marks" or whatever, would be to run them over with your car and throw some mud and tar on them, because that's more manly and workman-like right?

 

[Maxwedge 413]

No, I would never accept artificially aging or wearing of work clothes. Might as well buy those jeans with the thighs and butt cheeks bleached white. I didn't mean anything personal to YOU M8, just to the whole side of this forum that is of the "how do I LOOK like a working man?" mentality. I have dress boots that I hate to nik or scratch. But they are dress boots. When someone comes to work with new (or new-looking) boots, or shiny new pliers, EVERYone notices. We joke and tease the newness. So the whole idea of spending big money on workboots, and being afraid to get them dirty or wet, is laughable. Especially on a site that is all about how to be a classic man. Your grandfathers would put you over their knees.

 

[MightyEighth]

No, I would never accept artificially aging or wearing of work clothes. Might as well buy those jeans with the thighs and butt cheeks bleached white. I didn't mean anything personal to YOU M8, just to the whole side of this forum that is of the "how do I LOOK like a working man?" mentality.

They are just boots, which cost the guy money, and he had that niggle you get when the first bit of damage appears - whether that be the first stain on your new carpet, the first scratch on your new car, etc.

I made a suggestion which works, because LEATHER IS SKIN, and yes your weird comment about slapping my face was personal.

With reference to artificially aging them, I was being sarcastic about you taking offense at the guy pondering a way to preserve the mint look of his "work" boots. That's up to him.

Or I suppose you have never bought a pair of shoes/boots or any item of clothing based on the looks, all you consider is the utilitarian purpose? So I guess you must wonder around in a water-proof hi-vis, a bullet proof vest, wooden clogs (hey, they never wear out), and a skirt because it saves you dropping your pants to have a shit

If you can't handle that there is a fashion element to looks, and that might include someone wearing work boots but wanting to keep them clean, why on earth are you on this forum????

Nothing personal to YOU M8.

 

[Cole]

...

If Whites Boots, who design their top-end boots for the needs of Loggers, Wildland FF's and ACTUAL construction workers heard you suggesting Oil of Olay for the pristine preservation of their TOOLS (workboots are tools, not accessories)..... They would slap you across your pink face. If you're preoccupied with the luster on your $400 workboots, then you'll never understand their true nature or purpose. A sad fate for quality boots.

I'm certainly not gonna hit the boots with Oil of Olay, but just because they are named working boots they don't have to be worn solely on construction sites. They are a fashion items as well.

I bought my White's because I like the stile of these boots and because they are made with the best materials and quality. I had a similar looking pair of Diesel Boots that fell apart after a few years, because of inferior materials and craftsmanship.

I wear my boots in the office, where I sit most of the 8 to 10 hours I spend there every day, I wear 'em on the playground when I'm out with the kids or when I'm out with my wife or to any other occasion. To my understanding the sole purpose of a shoe or boot is to be worn by the owner, and my boots get a lot of wear, since I'm realy not into sneakers.

And yes, I'm not ashamed that the first scratches on this pair of White's did hurt me somewhat. The first scratches and marks on a new item allways hurt, be it on every single one of my leather jackets, my boots or my watch.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Maxwedge 413 please stop trolling and insulting. If you as manly and hard working as you want to appear....why are you registered in a fashion forum? You should be out, chopping wood or something.
An occasional laugh about overpriced "workwear" is OK but directly attacking members surely isn't.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Maxwedge 413 please stop trolling and insulting. If you as manly and hard working as you want to appear....why are you registered in a fashion forum? You should be out, chopping wood or something.
An occasional laugh about overpriced "workwear" is OK but directly attacking members surely isn't.

+1

 

[andy b.]

The funny thing about this recent group of posts is that rubbing Obenauf's on your hands is probably better for your skin than Oil Of Olay. I'm thinking Max won't be around here very long.

 

[MightyEighth]

The funny thing about this recent group of posts is that rubbing Obenauf's on your hands is probably better for your skin than Oil Of Olay. I'm thinking Max won't be around here very long.

Good

 

[Boyo]

Friday's Feet

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

And yes, I'm not ashamed that the first scratches on this pair of White's did hurt me somewhat. The first scratches and marks on a new item allways hurt, be it on every single one of my leather jackets, my boots or my watch.

I'm OCD (surely not alone here), and this very thing is why I prefer to buy used clothing. It pangs me a bit to be the first to damage new anything. Savings aside, used gear is a relief in that way. That first mark eats away at me for a while, and I skip over that burden when I avoid the new. Even when I was in a steel mill and buying $75 boots that were going to get destroyed, I took notice of that first mark.

 

[handymike]

I wore these boots to work this week....

AE Daltons

Wolverine Krauss