Random questions to which you seek an answer
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Hey folks. So I'm posting this here and not in the Viberg thread because I don't want to shit it up over there. I have a possibly naive question. I noticed on my new pair of service boots that the placement of the top section (not sure what it's called, pics in a moment) on the right boot is slightly off by about 1/4 inch. It is noticeable if one is looking at both boots on my feet, as it looks like the right one is slightly off centered.
In the photo here I made a black mark to show what measurement I'm talking about. Look at the right boot and you'll see that this distance is not the same. I've tried to show it from the front angle in the second photo; here, the boots are on an even, flat surface and you can see how that piece of leather is sewn a bit off on one side.
Finally to my question: is this normal and to be expected on hand sewn boots? I recognize that the stitching is not always 100% symmetrical, and that seems reasonable to me, plus it gives the boots character and a true hand made look. However, this actually affects the overall look of the boot, so I'm curious to know if anyone here received a pair like this, would you consider it par for the course or send them back? Full disclosure: I am not sending these boots back and this is not a knock at Viberg. I'm genuinely curious, and while it is a small detail, it was one of the first things I noticed.
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That is essentially my feeling as well. It nagged at me just enough to ask about here since there are so many Viberg owners.
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Gonna let the ship sail and wear these fekkers hard. I don't want to wait for their restock and it isn't worth the shipping, etc.
Edit: I did email Guy just to see what he thinks. Curiosity got the better of me.
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Personally, I'd write that off as the natural variation found in hand lasted boots. Yes, it's cosmetically an imperfection and if you are truly bothered by it, I'm sure Viberg would be willing to work with you to make it right. That said, it won't have any negative impact on the durability of the boots, so you don't have to worry about that. And since you said you're going to just wear them, I guess it's not really an issue, anyway.
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Thanks Chris; I'm curious to hear Guy's take, which I assume will be what we are all saying here. In any event, I've already begun to scuff them so tis but water under ye olde bridge.
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Mine are off a bit too, now that you mention it. Thanks a lot, dick!
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my thoughts, if this is whats gonna happen now with viberg only doing batch runs. i'm not impressed
yes it doesn't effect the durability of the boots
but there craftsmanship is what you're paying for
they're not even close to what i expect from a 900 dollar pair of boots
this is even worse then the wack stitching jeff got on his whites
they almost look like two different size patterns were used
sorry to be the fart in the soup bowl but i'd be pissed at that
especially after you had to send your engineers back when the straps failed
and just for the record, i'm a big viberg fan for those that didn't already know
sorry
someone had to say it -
@natehate I appreciate the frank thoughts. Part of me definitely feels this way; I phrased my question to Viberg very carefully, basically noting upfront that I love their stuff and think it's awesome but wanting to know if this is something they would stand behind as a part of the hand lasting process.
Guy has been nothing but awesome all along, so I'll report back once he responds.
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Alright guys- just following up. I heard back from Guy. Bottom line, it is because of the hand lasting process and is effectively found on one degree or another on most pairs of service boots like these. Guy said specifically "It can be even more obvious on lace to toe models because of the proximity of the hardware to the midsole."
Obviously he offered to take them back if I wasn't happy with the product, but that's a moot point since as has been noted here already comfort and durability are unaffected. Guy said they would not consider this to be a flaw, and neither do I.
No you can all go back to measuring how many centimeters off your seams are.
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Well for what it's worth Guy said that the lasting process is literally done "by feel." I don't see this as an to dodge the issue, but rather an honest accounting for what is happening when boots are crafted in this way. G said it first: embrace the small "imperfections."
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@4c:
@Spring:
Now you can all go back to measuring how many centimeters off your seams are.
*4c runs off to get his ruler… and… (sigh of relief) perfect.
