not sayin I know for sure, but I will wager it has a lot to do with STRAIGHT LASTED boots used in 1880s for civil war etc. the ring coulda let you pull material though and run a longer pin with it in lieu of havin an instep cut in. similar ring clasps are used for scots fly on the shoulder (or see janet jackson's wardrobe malfunction thing). Spurs attach more at the extra lip/gap between counter and outside edge of heel.
for that matter the so cal bikers from california who started wearin the wrong boots to bike in... a real biking boot is padded inside and the two buckles are absolutely on the back of the calf. theyre never on the outside like engineer boot (deflect coal shovel striking on inside of boot),
Only other really good idea is that the bottom strap woulda been good place to attach the shank and keep it more in place before there were compound rubber soles. They'd have used railroad spikes, church nails, or any bit of iron, laid it on that stiff argentine leather outsole, and those things probably dissolved into rust powder before anyone could reverse engineer. One of my biggest discoveries is record of all the many many lawsuits involving Joseph Corcoran in the Boston area when he first got here from Scotland. Cobblers sued each other all the time. Heh.
for that matter the so cal bikers from california who started wearin the wrong boots to bike in... a real biking boot is padded inside and the two buckles are absolutely on the back of the calf. theyre never on the outside like engineer boot (deflect coal shovel striking on inside of boot),
Only other really good idea is that the bottom strap woulda been good place to attach the shank and keep it more in place before there were compound rubber soles. They'd have used railroad spikes, church nails, or any bit of iron, laid it on that stiff argentine leather outsole, and those things probably dissolved into rust powder before anyone could reverse engineer. One of my biggest discoveries is record of all the many many lawsuits involving Joseph Corcoran in the Boston area when he first got here from Scotland. Cobblers sued each other all the time. Heh.
