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Post by Desert Dweller on Apr 17, 2008 19:32:08 GMT -5
Hello all, I just joined and am so happy to have found a community of fellow enthusiasts. I just purchased a pair of 405's from the Alden Shop in San Fran last week! I phoned it in and my Aldens were shipped from the Massachusetts factory to me in about a weeks time. I wasn't happy with the boot color and white stitching so I used Meltonians black shoe creme on the boots to color the white stitching and give em a nice "antique base" in the crease areas and then brown shoe cream to finish em off. I think that they came out pretty good! I'm finally glad that the boot care I learned in the Army years ago has paid off. What do you guys think?? here's a photo:  |
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Indiana Sam
Temple Guard
Fortune and Glory kid.....Fortune and Glory...
Posts: 248
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Post by Indiana Sam on May 1, 2008 20:04:10 GMT -5
Those are some fine boots Desert Dweller.
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Post by GCR on May 1, 2008 23:39:35 GMT -5
Wow, I can't believe I didn't catch this thread sooner!  Those are some swell looking Aldens, Desertdweller! Man, I am jealous! These boots are one of the few big ticket items I never sprang for during all my years collecting gear. I just couldn't get over that lofty price tag. I like the treatment you gave the boots to darken them up a bit. They really look the part now!  Congrats on the new boots, man!  -GCR |
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 2, 2008 1:18:28 GMT -5
Thanks a lot guys!
I posted this right after I joined, but figured that since I was the new guy that I was just under everybody's radar. Thanks for the kind words though!
GCR I know what you're saying about the hefty price tag. I had been looking at 405's for the past 3 or 4 years and thought they had a lot of potential and old world style. I had read about Harrison Ford's history with them and I thought it was a good way to have some Indy stuff, but still blend into regular society unnoticed. When I started looking at em,they were only a couple hundred dollars...sheesh, talk about inflation!! Once the sequel was announced I started thinking that it was time to buy. Heck, after 3 years it was pretty apparent to me that it wasn't just a wacky impulse buy. I liked the old color leather they used to use better, but that's another reason I was so happy to find the Lounge: where else can you find a group of people who encourage buying high end, high quality apparel..and beating it up, changing the color or aging it?!
Besides, if I had really wanted to splurge (and I may later on), I would have ordered the shell cordovan 405's with the leather sole from Hawaii. Those buggers are around $600 (I think). Shell is really durable, but doesn't soften up or break in to much though (imo).
Anyway, thanks again guys!!
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Post by Kaplan on May 2, 2008 8:50:11 GMT -5
boy did that stuff you put on them make the leather look nice. I thought I was looking at one of the Alden of Carmel shoes! Great job Double D!
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 2, 2008 17:29:14 GMT -5
boy did that stuff you put on them make the leather look nice. I thought I was looking at one of the Alden of Carmel shoes! Great job Double D! Thanks Kap, I used Meltonian shoe creme on em. I read in few places across the net that Meltonians and Pecards were pretty popular for stuff like this. Haven't tried Pecards yet, but the Meltonian creme works really well. All I'd ever used on shoes before was Kiwi hard polish. This creme stuff is awesome and much easier to use (imo). I used black first, then Navy blue(an article recommended the blue, but I noticed no visible difference to the end product) and finished with brown. It scared the pants off of me at first when I couldn't get the black off with my rubbing cloth. My first reaction was: "oh man, I just ruined a $300 pair of shoes", but as soon as I put the brown on, the black wiped right off in all the areas except for the seams and thread areas. Those are. The areas that I wanted black anyway. I'll take some different angle photos tomorrow and maybe post them in the "gear" thread, as the "distressing issues" thread seems to get overlooked a bit. |
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locoindhead
Temple Guard
"I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up."
Posts: 175
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Post by locoindhead on May 6, 2008 2:14:06 GMT -5
Those are sweet boots, if you distress them you are more of a man then me, I'd be to scared...of my wife , who let me spend $350 on boots to wear on Halloween only to make them look like they were run over by a herd of stampeding elephants.
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 6, 2008 2:39:14 GMT -5
Those are sweet boots, if you distress them you are more of a man then me, I'd be to scared...of my wife , who let me spend $350 on boots to wear on Halloween only to make them look like they were run over by a herd of stampeding elephants. I year ya, man! Nope, no distressing for me on my boots. There is plenty of stuff that one can do with Pecards or Meltonians shoe creme to make them look old and antiqued, while actually helping to preserve the leather.  To each their own, but I can't imagine using sandpaper or some of the other distressing techniques I've heard tell of. When these get older and need sole work, I may have vibram soles attached to the bottom and have new 405 heals put on, but that's a ways off. The soles supposedly wear out rather quickly, but we'll see. Then every 5 years or so, I'll send em in for a refurbishing. Arizona huh?? I'm moving to Phoenix in 8 weeks. |
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locoindhead
Temple Guard
"I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up."
Posts: 175
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Post by locoindhead on May 6, 2008 17:31:56 GMT -5
Yeah I'm Buckeye born and raised. It's about 20 minutes west of Phoenix. 8 weeks, just in time for the 115* summer heat.
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 6, 2008 20:21:09 GMT -5
Yeah I'm Buckeye born and raised. It's about 20 minutes west of Phoenix. 8 weeks, just in time for the 115* summer heat. How far are you from Pala Verde Nuclear? I was thinking about working out there and commuting from West Phoenix. |
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locoindhead
Temple Guard
"I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up."
Posts: 175
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Post by locoindhead on May 7, 2008 4:33:01 GMT -5
I would say about 30 minute drive maybe. My mother in law actually works there as security for APS.
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 7, 2008 7:23:02 GMT -5
I would say about 30 minute drive maybe. My mother in law actually works there as security for APS. Funny, thats exactly what i had in mind. |
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Post by tron7960 on May 7, 2008 9:08:41 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of 405's, DesertDweller, and yours are one of the best looking pairs I've seen. Great job! Tron |
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Post by Desert Dweller on May 7, 2008 17:22:31 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of 405's, DesertDweller, and yours are one of the best looking pairs I've seen. Great job! Tron Thanks a lot, man!! Each boot is dry-rubbed with a special blend of herbs and spices and roasted til...oh wait a minute...damn it...that's a recipe for beef ribs. I think that they worked out really well. I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out. I had heard how comfy 405's were before I got mine and now I know what they meant. I love em. |
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