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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Show us your boots

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    • tatmantallT
      tatmantall
      Joined:

      toe tracks look more pronounced than on prior runs, at least from what i have seen. Not that they will be noticeable for long.

      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 know to you it may sound strange, but I wish it would rain…"- The Temptations

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      • S
        Snowy
        Joined:

        I noticed the toe track appeared to stand out more in this run also, good to know it's not just me.

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        • D
          davito
          Joined:

          bluegrass congrats on those beauties, wear em well

          Cheers,
          David

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          • tatmantallT
            tatmantall
            Joined:

            anyone ever heard of wearing your boots in a hot shower? I know this works for leather jackets but would really like the upper toe box to go ahead and mold to my toes a little better. Iver read it over on Fedora before and was just curious if anyoe has experience with this

            "I know to you it may sound strange, but I wish it would rain…"- The Temptations

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            • S
              superfuzz
              Joined:

              It's sounds like it would be pretty much the same as wearing your boots in a down pour. Probably would help break them in. Which boots are you thinking of doing that to?

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              • SeulS
                Seul
                Joined:

                I've heard of peeing in them to break 'm in, but showering in them?.. Now thàt's just plain weird!..

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                • tatmantallT
                  tatmantall
                  Joined:

                  Haha Seul … Your crazy dude.

                  My road champs to get the to box to open up from the top pressure on top of toes joint area when they bend like I mentioned above.

                  "I know to you it may sound strange, but I wish it would rain…"- The Temptations

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                  • S
                    superfuzz
                    Joined:

                    Hmmm… that's weird. It's pretty visible on those pics, I don't notice any kind of substance in the toe box of mine from the second run, just feels like leather. Not sure if a hot shower would help with that. Have you thought of calling MF? They are pretty helpful.

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                    • madmondayM
                      madmonday
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      @superfuzz:

                      Get some engineers, Madmofo!

                      i'm so confused by "engineer" boots what actually makes an engineer verses a short-shift verses a pull-on?  are they just different names used by different makers?

                      maybe this should be in the question thread, but it seems the forum "trend" has turned towards these kinds of boots & it seems like the folks with the most knowledge on them hang out over here.

                      thanks in advance for any guidance

                      head high, middle finger higher

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                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        It is my understanding that what we call an engineer boot must have an adjustable instep strap and a strap adjusted gusset….

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                        • madmondayM
                          madmonday
                          Raw and Unwashed
                          Joined:

                          okay, so a redwing pecos would be a pull on & by your understanding a short shift from viberg could be considered an engineer sort of boot?

                          will plug images when i get a chance & sorry for mucking up the thread, just like to understand what the heck i'm looking at or talking about.

                          thanks G$, you aren't as useless as Geo lead me to believe  😉

                          head high, middle finger higher

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                          • GilesG
                            Giles
                            IHUK Crew
                            Joined:

                            Pecos yes, a pull on.

                            Short shift - the bastard offspring of a pull on and an engineer….

                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                            • tatmantallT
                              tatmantall
                              Joined:

                              @superfuzz:

                              Hmmm… that's weird. It's pretty visible on those pics, I don't notice any kind of substance in the toe box of mine from the second run, just feels like leather. Not sure if a hot shower would help with that. Have you thought of calling MF? They are pretty helpful.

                              I have not. It a very very thin stiffener or something and already breaking down from moisture. It will give shortly either way if just rather speed it up and I would wear them more often. I'm not real sure what it is though when I stick my hand inside it feels like leather so I'm not sure if it's between two pieces or perhaps just a tougher piece on the inside… But it kills the top of my toes up until yesterday everytime I have wore these all day. Not sure if it's noticeable in the pics but it's bèginning to crease across this "stiffener" or wtfe it is and allowing more give in the major crease over my big toe... Before that give started felt like a guillotine for toes.

                              "I know to you it may sound strange, but I wish it would rain…"- The Temptations

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                              • S
                                superfuzz
                                Joined:

                                Try the shower. It shouldn't hurt them.

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                                • tatmantallT
                                  tatmantall
                                  Joined:

                                  Actuslly took some towels soaked in hot water and laid them on toe area of the boots this morning so it didn't get into the stitching of the sole but just saturated the upper and they are feeling quite a bit better gonnavtry to give them a solid week doing this or at least until they give a bit more and see how it goes it's nice my toes can breath finally though… Felt a bit claustrophobic which sucks cause they are great boots.

                                  I think another issue is I bought then after they had been worn a hsndful of times by someone else and they were shaped more to his foot do had to correct that as well..

                                  "I know to you it may sound strange, but I wish it would rain…"- The Temptations

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                                  • mclaincauseyM
                                    mclaincausey
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    Pecos has a western toe too. An engineer is an English riding boot with a stovepipe, developed for steam locomotive workers to protect their legs. It serves the same function for motorcyclists. There are a ton of variations, including the narrow Pecos-like toe last in Tat's custom Wescos.

                                    Think it, be it.

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                                    • S
                                      superfuzz
                                      Joined:

                                      Here's my bastard offspring. Wesco Boss MP toe with no top strap.

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                                      • BluegrassB
                                        Bluegrass
                                        Joined:

                                        @Snowy:

                                        I noticed the toe track appeared to stand out more in this run also, good to know it's not just me.

                                        I assume the "toe track" is the flat strip down the front, on top of the toe??  I've noticed that on some other engineers (not the RCs) that I've seen in this and other threads - actually both of my boots have that, but it's more pronounced/noticeable on the left than the right.  I seem to recall that Davito has some engineers with that look - not his RCs - I could be wrong.  I rather like it, but I wondered if it was "normal".

                                        I wore the RCs all day today and they are stretching and loosening up noticeably, already - and the heel slip is already getting better.  I still might put another hole in the instep strap.  I think over time (hopefully not long) these will be really comfortable - but I can't declare victory after one day.

                                        These boots are not nearly as comfortable "brand new" as my White's - with my first pair of White's it took about a day to get used to the arch-ease, then it was no issue.  My second pair of White's, I was already used to the arch-ease, and they were like slippers from day one.  But other than White's ALL my boots have required a break-in period to get comfortable.

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                                        • S
                                          superfuzz
                                          Joined:

                                          Bluegrass, Davito's Bucos have the really noticeable toe track. I think it looks awesome on '50s style boots like those. I don't seem to have it on my RCs, maybe it's new to the new run. It would be interesting to hear from Mister Freedom about that. I think it looks cool. Keep wearing them, they will mold to your feet. Mine gave me some awful blisters at first but now they feel great. I put a couple extra holes on the instep straps. Post some fit pics if you get a chance.

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                                          • BluegrassB
                                            Bluegrass
                                            Joined:

                                            @tatmantall:

                                            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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