Show us your boots
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I really dislike the thin plastic (or whatever it is) used as a support in the toe box… would have preferred it not present at all. Even though mine are getting fairly broke in it bends down and pushes on the top of my toes when walking and annoys the crap out of me. Wonder what the reason for this was if the plan was to have them collapse asap anyway.... Im not a boot builder though so I won't judge still a good pair of boots
I was checking my new RCs for some sort of celastic or leather toe support, and I can't feel anything - seems like a typical "soft toe" (just leather formed over the last) but it's hard to tell right now with them being so new and the leather so stiff. I'm going to pay attention and see if anything starts to protrude.
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I need a job..I Need more BOOTS!
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yeah… my RC's definitely have some kind of stiffner or a layer of something added to the underside of the toe box. The leather feels noticably different when I checked them out tonite.
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Yeah there's something on mine for sure but no telling if Takeshi messed around under there.
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Very strange, I wonder if it is something that has changed from different runs. Mine feels sprayed with something that has gave it almost a laquer -esque feeling. Oh well
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Toe tracks, were how many people identified the use of "old world techniques and I believe we're signs of how the last was removed… I'm thinking anyways, it's been awhile since I read the info on them but something along those lines... Ed, David, or MCL might be able to chime in....but if memory serves this is what causes it, it's nothing added.
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Wow, never thought of that, I always thought it was cosmetic. I thought the upper was build onto the last and THEN attached to the sole.
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Here you go, this confirms what I thought. A quick article I was able to track down…
"Toe tracks are indentations/blemishes left behind from boot lasts during manufacturing. A flaw that would normally cause a company to render boots a “second” is recognized by collectors as valuable and can add at least another bill to the final price." -from VEB's blog.
- though it does not say it comes form the removal but... what happens is as it was removed the point of the toe would inevitably catch on the leather because of the narrow instep and this would create said "toe track". I believe you are correct that now they are generally built on the last and then soled, but I could be wrong. This is all information I have gathered from reading as much as I can; that does not guarantee that everything I read is 100%truth, but I try.
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Interesting. I'd like to know more about that. I've never seen the track in any boots other than a few engineers. I know it doesn't happen with cowboy boots, and I'd expect the construction methods and lasts to be similar.
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ill try to hunt down some other articles when I get a chance, I have seen it on a few "pecos" style boots on the Bay in the past. Right now gotta a paper I have to finish writing but will hunt some more info down and try to talk to VEB and see if I can get his commentary in here. It was not regarded as something good way back when, and was not intentional; however now, because of its sought after aesthetic appeal to enthusiasts the process responsible is being replicated to achieve this "desirable" effect. Same thing with the tiny hole on the back of the heel counter found on John Lofgren Engineers (though unlike the toe tracks I can not account for the reason for this detail) can also be found on many early engineer boots pre 1940-50s
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Damn T, you know a lot about boots. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting.
I am agreeing with snowy and SF though that I sure cant see or feel anything in the toes of my RC boot but leather. Full day 2 of wear and they are feeling better by a factor of 2 - heel slip barely noticeable and toes still softening up.
You can see the toe tracks a little better on the right boot here…
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Damn T, you know a minute amount of the readily available information with regards to engineer boots.
fixed this for you to more accurately reflect the extent my knowledge.
Chris has a lot of great information on cowboy boots as well, he was kind enough to share an incredible amount of his information with me a few months ago. We all have our little niches, but engineer boots are actually what sparked my interest in cowboy boots.
