Edward
Bartender
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Thought this might be an appropriate place to post with regards to some boots I just recently picked up on OFAS. They're patterned brogue dress boots, over the ankle, non-fast-lacing. Mine are black:
They're also available in a brown which (assuming my monitor and their photography to be accurate) is what I'd call russett - could look great with khakis and an A2!
I'm presuming that I have understood the house rules re eBay here, and that positng this is ok because a] it's a closed 'auction' and b] in any case the seller puts up multiples at a fixed BIN, but here's a link to the closed sale - I paid the standard price of GBP43.50, plus a few pounds shipping - bascially ninety five dollars plus some cents all in.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=330178073773&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014
Seller "Shoeandbootman"
The seller will only post to the UK, but I thuoght this was worth posting for the benefit of other UK Loungers. I do now have the boots in my possession. We'll see how they wear over time, but on first inspection they seem to me to be every bit as good as similarly styled items I have seen selling at up to GBP120 in central London. I can't find any branding on the boots at all (aside from sizing and the leather mark on the sole). There is one very slight imperfection on the leather on one of the boots. Nothing as noticeable as the inevitable 'first scuff' that happens to new shoes, and in any case it's up on the side of the boot covered by the trouser leg. Nothing to worry about, it's something I would call a slight imperfection rather than a damage. Just makes me wonder whether these are actually a much more expensive boot that are what a very-picky QC spec would term a 'slight second' and are therefore being sold off unbranded?
I will of course post my own photos at first opportunity. We'll see on the durability front.
I presume (looking at it from the perspective of a civilian who's never been in the military) that it's designed as one of those requirements that don't have any practical purpose but to build discipline.
One thing that sticks in my head.... in Taxi Driver, before he goes out on the shooting spree at the brothel, Travis Bickle polishes his boots in preparation. This appears to be approached as more a ritual than anything - it's not a simple "oh, my shoes need polishing" affair. Notably, he sets light to the polish itself still in the tin, then puts it out quite quickly with the lid before applying the polish with a cloth. Bickle of course was meant to be ex-military (a Para trooper? I have something in my head about paratroopers and the distinctive mohican he adopts for the shooting. I can't remember..... something about a King Kong unit? I believe the characters was a Vietnam vet). I had presumed that this was a military way of dealing with the boots - was this the US Army equivalent of the bulling process, heating the polish itself rather than applying heat to the boot with the spoon?
Another thing I've often wondered is whether bulling an Oxford dress shoe would have the same end look as a patent shoe? (Much more work for the same result, I know, but for the sake of argument, or say I fell into possession of a pair of superb shoes that I wanted to use for evening wear).
Would I be wrong in saying (as I think I've gathered from various army surplus stores) that DMS boots came in post WW2 for field use (becoming longer length post Falklands), with ammo boots being dress uniform kit from thereon (and still today)?
I've been tempted to buy a pair of Ammo boots as like much army surplus new they're still much cheaper than an equivalent quality civilian pair. What makes me wary, though, is that they don't seem to be available without the metal toe and heel pieces (I've seen some for sale without the hobnails). I don't think that would worry me but for the fact my home flooring is mostly wood laminate.... concerned that they would scratch that terribly?
They're also available in a brown which (assuming my monitor and their photography to be accurate) is what I'd call russett - could look great with khakis and an A2!
I'm presuming that I have understood the house rules re eBay here, and that positng this is ok because a] it's a closed 'auction' and b] in any case the seller puts up multiples at a fixed BIN, but here's a link to the closed sale - I paid the standard price of GBP43.50, plus a few pounds shipping - bascially ninety five dollars plus some cents all in.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=330178073773&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014
Seller "Shoeandbootman"
The seller will only post to the UK, but I thuoght this was worth posting for the benefit of other UK Loungers. I do now have the boots in my possession. We'll see how they wear over time, but on first inspection they seem to me to be every bit as good as similarly styled items I have seen selling at up to GBP120 in central London. I can't find any branding on the boots at all (aside from sizing and the leather mark on the sole). There is one very slight imperfection on the leather on one of the boots. Nothing as noticeable as the inevitable 'first scuff' that happens to new shoes, and in any case it's up on the side of the boot covered by the trouser leg. Nothing to worry about, it's something I would call a slight imperfection rather than a damage. Just makes me wonder whether these are actually a much more expensive boot that are what a very-picky QC spec would term a 'slight second' and are therefore being sold off unbranded?
I will of course post my own photos at first opportunity. We'll see on the durability front.
Alan Eardley said:
I presume (looking at it from the perspective of a civilian who's never been in the military) that it's designed as one of those requirements that don't have any practical purpose but to build discipline.
One thing that sticks in my head.... in Taxi Driver, before he goes out on the shooting spree at the brothel, Travis Bickle polishes his boots in preparation. This appears to be approached as more a ritual than anything - it's not a simple "oh, my shoes need polishing" affair. Notably, he sets light to the polish itself still in the tin, then puts it out quite quickly with the lid before applying the polish with a cloth. Bickle of course was meant to be ex-military (a Para trooper? I have something in my head about paratroopers and the distinctive mohican he adopts for the shooting. I can't remember..... something about a King Kong unit? I believe the characters was a Vietnam vet). I had presumed that this was a military way of dealing with the boots - was this the US Army equivalent of the bulling process, heating the polish itself rather than applying heat to the boot with the spoon?
Another thing I've often wondered is whether bulling an Oxford dress shoe would have the same end look as a patent shoe? (Much more work for the same result, I know, but for the sake of argument, or say I fell into possession of a pair of superb shoes that I wanted to use for evening wear).
PADDY said:
Would I be wrong in saying (as I think I've gathered from various army surplus stores) that DMS boots came in post WW2 for field use (becoming longer length post Falklands), with ammo boots being dress uniform kit from thereon (and still today)?
I've been tempted to buy a pair of Ammo boots as like much army surplus new they're still much cheaper than an equivalent quality civilian pair. What makes me wary, though, is that they don't seem to be available without the metal toe and heel pieces (I've seen some for sale without the hobnails). I don't think that would worry me but for the fact my home flooring is mostly wood laminate.... concerned that they would scratch that terribly?
