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#1 2021-09-29 00:59:33
- A Fine Sadness
- Member
- Posts: 3009
Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
An 'Old Hat' production, but one that may be liked by Yuca and others considering spending their money on a shoo, as that Australian chappie might put it. Mine were admired yesterday, by a much younger man (a much younger woman would have been preferable but hey-ho), and did I not read somewhere recently someone saying he'd had a pair for forty five years? I'm sure I did. Anything better, then, than Imperial? Mine are, as Yuca says, the PTB.
#2 2021-09-29 03:47:21
- An Unseen Scene
- Member
- From: Nottingham, UK
- Posts: 1265
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
I'd say 'was there anything finer'. Original 'FBI' shoes as JS calls them were great. He was always on at my to buy some but never had my size in.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/josephdeacetis/2019/12/10/american-footwear-brand-florsheim-takes-back-the-family-business-while-stepping-into-the-bright-future/?sh=4ed346977e82
Collection since 2019 is made in China and most of it quite vile.
#3 2021-09-29 03:52:08
- A Fine Sadness
- Member
- Posts: 3009
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
I almost crippled myself getting into Walkover FBI. An amusing but ultimately unsuccessful Ebay purchase. Came with the box, original receipt and everything. Long gone.
#4 2021-09-29 09:49:08
- Yuca
- Member
- Posts: 8568
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
I've received a few random compliments over the years for my Florsheim longwings. Much as I love them, I consider the ptb to be even better.
some sort of banal legitimacy
#5 2022-05-28 10:12:10
- AFS
- Member
- Posts: 2740
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
Never really got on with the wingtips, much preferring the low-key (low key?) smooths, which I've now had for about twelve years, I should think. They were about the £40 mark when buying from the Americans on Ebay was a cheap and cheerful (most of the time) business, unlike now. I remember being kicked up the arse by Customs (coalition wankers in those days) when buying the wingtips. People were all over those - not so the plain.
#6 2022-05-29 15:18:07
- The_Shooman
- A pretty face
- From: AUSTRALIA
- Posts: 13191
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
The old Florsheim Imperials after the mid 1950's are o.k, but they are certainly not perfect. Why?
1). Numerous models were made with a plastic heel. Actually, numerous American vintage gunboats were made with a plastic heel.
2). After the mid 1950's they were built with machine assembled t welts instead of hand assembled L welts. Along with the dreaded t welt came other shortcuts, ie, the inseaming from the outside through the L welt was replaced by a different construction method whereby they used machines to stitch the inside of the t welt so the inseaming was hidden. This was very silly and a big problem because the storm welt no longer was water proof like the old L welt because the t welt left a gap between the storm welt and the upper. The t welt is a decorative welt....it functions as a welt, but it is not a true functioning storm welt. Water can get inside the inner workings of the shoe and damage the construction....why?...because the manufacturer took shortcuts. t welts and machine welting are not good ideas, they are a bad combination caused by cost cutting methods.
Those are the biggest gripes l have, but of course there are numerous other gripes l could mention. Pity l could not post pictures to demonstrate these finer points.
Of course the plastic feather and machine stitched sole also takes away from the true gunboat wearing experience, but that is the compromise made when shortcuts are used in the construction....most men wouldn't know any different, they are used to the `rough ride' or riding in the old mass produced Ford with horrible suspension.
Last edited by The_Shooman (2022-05-29 21:49:31)
#7 2022-05-29 15:31:21
- The_Shooman
- A pretty face
- From: AUSTRALIA
- Posts: 13191
Re: Is There Anything Finer? The USA-Made Florsheim?
I have numerous pairs of those old V cleat wingtip imperials, some of which are NOS still unworn. Do l like them?...yes, very much so. Are they luxury?...of course not. They are a very nice factory shoe massed produced that was made accessable to the general public. Considering the market they were aimed for, and under the circumstances, l think the USA made florsheims were wonderful shoos. The factory cut so many corners on these shoos, yet they still did a great job in making a comfortable shoo that could last for decades.