Beckett Simonon shoes

[The Knize]

I agree that HP is charging a substantial premium and that JR soles are not exclusive to HP. I am not sure I have a local cobbler up to HP standards. Anyone have any suggestions for the Washington, DC area? I have used Corrective Shoes, and it was pretty good. Perhaps on par with AE recrafting, which seems pretty good.

As to quality, I personally cannot tell by looking. I will need some experience. I am not at all sure that I have had any AEs make it to a 3rd resole, but I am probably taking better care of my shoes these days, so who knows how long things could actually go. FWIW, my sense is that modern AEs are not generally up to modern Aldens. I do not think more recent AEs I have are up to older AEs I also have, but I could be wrong.

 

[eelhc]

I agree that HP is charging a substantial premium and that JR soles are not exclusive to HP. I am not sure I have a local cobbler up to HP standards. Anyone have any suggestions for the Washington, DC area? I have used Corrective Shoes, and it was pretty good. Perhaps on par with AE recrafting, which seems pretty good.

As to quality, I personally cannot tell by looking. I will need some experience. I am not at all sure that I have had any AEs make it to a 3rd resole, but I am probably taking better care of my shoes these days, so who knows how long things could actually go. FWIW, my sense is that modern AEs are not generally up to modern Aldens. I do not think more recent AEs I have are up to older AEs I also have, but I could be wrong.

DC Area?

Bedo's in in Falls Church.

 

[The Knize]

I do not know how I missed Bedo's being in Falls Church. I know exactly where their builiding is. I have watched that video before. Great suggestion. Many thanks. I will give them a try.

 

[eelhc]

I am not at all sure that I have had any AEs make it to a 3rd resole, but I am probably taking better care of my shoes these days, so who knows how long things could actually go.

I didn't have many dress shoes in my 20s and wore the same shoe several days in a row. No shoe trees, but I did shine them once in a while with kiwi. The uppers cracked or the stitching on the heel would come undone at the end of life.

Back in those days, I've had multiple pairs of Bass Weejuns that made through maybe 3~4 resoles and a heel lift between each resole. I believe they were goodyear welted back then but I'm not sure if that's the case. ~$100 for a pair of Weejuns, I think I recall ~$30 for a complete resole. A lot of money back then.

Looking back, I probably would still have a pair or two of the Weejuns and other shoes (had a couple of pairs of Florsheim Imperials as well) had i taken care of them. I've given my son the basic, lazy college kids method for making shoes last.

shoe trees when not wearing them
never wear the same pair 2 days in row
saddle soap
leather conditioner (Bick 4 works fine)
horsehair brush

Just brush off dirt, apply conditioner by hand and brush in every ~10 wears or so. Clean with saddle soap a couple of times a year.

 

[The Knize]

I take it your Weejuns had the suicide heels?

 

[The Knize]

Question: The Bedo's video seems to show the installation of a brass toe plate directly on top of the toe of the sole. The Hanger Project seems to install such a plate by hollowing out an indentation in the sole, which seems nicer, but for which HP charges $65. Do I have that right? Does either method create any problems? Have any advantages that are not obvious?

JohnnieGold, this might be a question for you!

 

[eelhc]

I take it your Weejuns had the suicide heels?

Not my weejuns... The Imperials did. Complete with the pie shaped heel tap. But when I went to get them resoled, the cobbler at the time replaced them with rubber top lifts. We think of the suicide heels as cool/vintage these days but the cobblers back in the day all thought "what were they thinking?".

 

[The Knize]

Your Imperials were just like the ones in the video, then, before your cobbler got ahold of them!

We think of the suicide heels as cool/vintage these days but the cobblers back in the day all thought "what were they thinking?".

I am with them. The suicide heels I used to have on my Weejuns were scary. The came with a round plastic cylinder stuck in the rear corner which may have helped with wear, but made them all the more slippery. Senseless!

 

[eelhc]

Question: The Bedo's video seems to show the installation of a brass toe plate directly on top of the toe of the sole. The Hanger Project seems to install such a plate by hollowing out an indentation in the sole, which seems nicer, but for which HP charges $65. Do I have that right? Does either method create any problems? Have any advantages that are not obvious?

JohnnieGold, this might be a question for you!

I've seen Bedo's install both ways. I think in this case the customer wanted the shoe as original as possible. Screw on toe taps preserves what would have been done back in the day.

 

[The Knize]

Thanks!

 

[Whiskey Badger]

Just placed an order with Beckett Simonon for two pairs of Dean Oxfords. Shipping estimate says May time frame so I will have to remember to post back when I get them.

In the mean time I am not familiar with Bedo's but will have to check them out. The only shoe repair I have used recently is the tiny shop in the Pentagon for emergencies (and for a good old fashioned shine while reading a paper).