Thank you so much guys! The boots turned out amazing, better than I could have hoped. These are for my sister while the other pair that I sent in with them are mine. We’re both looking forward to getting them back. I bought these online over a year ago so unfortunately don’t have any specific history on them but all the research I did led me to the same conclusion of the buckles being a later modification. Thanks again for all of the extra work!
My dad was a lieutenant in the signal corps during WWII. He was in charge of a mobile radar unit. When I was a kid my dad still had a lot of his military service clothing. Including a pair of boots with the two straps and buckles. He also had knee high canvas spats. He said, or at least I remember him explaining that he was initially issued boots without the straps but was issued the spats to go with those boots. Then later on he was issued the boots with the straps and buckles. He eventually cut off the upper leather section which had the straps and buckles. I know he was still wearing them for working around the house when I graduated from high school in 1976. Thanks for bringing up this memory of my dad.
Love seeing that sweet girl photo-bombing the video as the "ofishal" shop mascot, doing what she does best, keeping morale high. One tidbit you did not mention is whether or not the lining of these boots is leather, or canvas. If it's leather, I'd've slathered a generous coat of Bick4 onto that lining leather as well as the new footbed. It not only conditions, but will soften that leather a bit to make the break-in of the new soles easier and enable the owner's footprint to embed into the insole leather. I do that with all of my Allen Edmonds shoes and it works nicely for me. Nice work fellers, love these old boot restorations and a bit of history added in. Thank you for that, and God bless you both in your efforts.
When I served, a lot of guys had their boots modified. In Germany, I had a cobbler sow in zippers. It's not uncommon to have your boots / uniforms modified. The trick is not getting caught. 😊
Fantastic work, gentlemen. As it's always a pleasure to watch and admire your work! Great pair of boots and they turned out exceptionally good-looking.
What! An 18min vid? Boys you know dang well that I like to watch at least an hour of you guys including every detail and explicit explanation including what you had for breakfast in the morning. 😁 As always, another fantastic way to start off my Saturday morning. Thank you and God Bless you and your families.
The top buckled cuff is identical to the US M1943 'buckle boots' but the boot section looks like the the early WW2 US Army Service Shoe (or possibly the late-war high-leg style similar to the 'Corcoran' style Parachutist's boot, but that had a full rubber sole..) I think the boots are a composite of these two - possibly genuine - WW2 components.. This could have been done during the WW2 period or possibly afterwards, but it's pretty much impossible to tell for certain exactly when the amalgamation was carried out..
They did actually modify previous pairs to add the collars, but this pair looks to be a paratrooper boot that was cut down and then modified with the added collar.
To add more weight to the correct speculation, these are not cut down paratrooper boots .. rather service shoes normally worn with high canvas leggings which were delayed late war obsolescence by the addition of buckle cuffs by cobblers post manufacture . It’s very common to see this modification in Italy along with a similar practice of a laced cuff designed to resemble tall paratrooper boots.
The work you did was so great! I love the stamping that you did. You definitely did the job right. The boots looked great. In fact if they were mine I'd wear them as dress boots.
These were probably an Italian theater modified low russet boot, there’s lots of examples of boots that were taken to Italian cobblers and modified during the war. Could also be a post war modification or an early version of the double buckle boots.
My 2 cents. Don't forget during WWII many war items were provided by many different companies, while most had mil specs it is possible that earlier products need were rushed into service and earlier version may not have looked the same as later issues. I've experienced experienced this my self while serving. Some examples are the sights on the M1 rifle differed from manufacturers as well as trigger guards, jeeps manufacturered by Willys and Ford differed in a lot of way because of construction technics and equipment used to produce items. It makes sense that the airborne needed this item quickly so the manufacturer on the earlier version may have stitched the upper buckles to an already existing pair of boots already manufacturers. Just saying things during WWII went always so consistent throughout production.
You guys are incredible leather masters! Please continue your amazing craftsmanship, so I can continue to watch real professionals due your magic. Thank you for sharing!
I used to work for a man who collected WWII memorabilia. Everything from vehicles to clothing. He had a few pairs of the original boots with the double buckle tops, but stopped wearing them because they had a tendency to separate from the bottoms along the stitch line. The leather on the boot portion would tear away. They just didn’t age well.
Great show today! Love to see the history. Maybe a collaboration with one of the history buff RUclipsrs? I'd love to see what you would do with my Whites 350 Cutters - the soles squeak like crazy.
Those were originally the cavalry issue boots. Later in the war they cut them down and added the M43 buckle tops for issue to infantry and other troops.
If you look at old Mail Order catalogs (Sears, MonkeyWards, Pennys), you can find the "WW2 2 buckle combat" boot (or a nigh identical clone) being sold as new up into the 50's.
You guys did amazing work yet again although Annie didn't seem all that impressed with the boots initially. Then her inner service scout dog kicked in and gave you 2 paws up 🐾. I think they turned out great but not diving into the water with those who know more about the every GI wares. I like armor, artillery, weapons and their use more. Keep up the great videos gents. Now I need to send you the old service shop Oxfords for your next donation. Blessings
My uncle. Father's younger brother. Served in Korea. Must have been drafted. After the cease fire he was sent to west Germany. I came across his combat boots in the cellar of my grandmother's house. They looked just like what you showed at the beginning. Heavy and really weather worn. He saw combat in Korea. Told me about a patrol and it was night, dark and lost. They got back okay. But caught hell for getting lost.
What I have experienced is leather boots and shoes in the breakin process not only breaks the shoes or boots in, but also has toughened my feet also. ❤
Interesting bit of history, kind of a new boot made from old parts. When you put the conditioner on to rehydrate the leather, why not do it before attaching the sole, so the nooks and crannies are easier to reach?
These look like genuine WW2 boots, which may have literally been modified and used later for the start of the Korean war. Perhaps a para wanted these over the rough out boots. Certainly looks the part though.
At some point, Tim berland made copies of those boots that laced up to the top with the double bockle. Cause I have a pear. They're smooth top and bottom with the timberland stamp unlabel inside.
looks like WWII tanker boots. "tanker boots" are a variant for tank crews using straps instead of laces so laces dont get hung on stuff inside the tank. not issued from my knowledge but available for purchase from military clothing and sales.
Never say never when it comes to war artifacts. I’m not an expert by any means nor am I an experienced historian or collector. All I can say is I’ve had stuff like this bite me in the butt. Every time you think you have a history and nearly a “birth record” if you will. You find that obscure little tidbit of information that throws your entire idea of its provenance out the window. And don’t forget about the context of the time. Everything was being recycled or reserved for the war effort. Brass, copper, steel, lead, rubber, cotton, silk, fat. Everything was being rationed or reserved. So this makes perfect sense. Recycle some old boots. Strip the upper off and stitch it to a new pare and send the GI on his way. We Americans now a days have no clue what real hard times were like. How about not only having to pay for your groceries but use your ration stamps too? Run out of stamps but still have money? Well you’re not buying any rationed food. Gasoline? Good luck. That was rationed. Kerosene same there too. From 1941 to 1950ish America as a whole had to learn to buckle down and stretch everything, zero waste and you didn’t scrape your plate into the garbage because you didn’t like tuna and broccoli casserole 🥘. You ate what was in front of you and kept your mouth shut. Go back a touch further. The same generation fighting in WWII grew up in the depression. I guess they got trained for what was to come. And here I am just a son of a boomer.
It's also possible that the soldier himself made the modifications to the boots. It's not uncommon for them to make uniform adjustments like that. Especially when it came to airmen. p.s. I made this comment before the end of the video lol
Might have to send ya my 15 year old Justin cowboy boots. Hard to explain but feels like the heels are pushing up against my foot and it's awkward feeling
Nice job guys! I have 2 pair of ww2 german boots. One pair for ifficers, one for soldier. Both from 1943. The thick leather is not brittle at all, after 80 years. I did redo the soles twice for the soldier boots that i wear. I had them on in 2002 at -28 degrees Celsius with 2 pair of socks. one normal, one a little thicker. my feet were warm and i could walk for miles. They dont make boots like they used to. And not only boots, a lot of things are now made for breaking and buying another and another
Remember the brown suede hiking boots from the 70s with the D-rings and the red laces/? What the heck were those? Everyone in Colorado was running around with those back in those days.
The WWII Service shoe was made to be worn with leggings. Anyone who has ever put on a pair knows what a pain and time-consuming process it is. The "Double Buckle" was introduced to fix those issues. It is quite possible that one of the many manufacturers simply added the upper portion to existing stocks of Service shoes in order to liquidate the thousands already produced but not yet shipped.
I was into civil war re-enacting and wore the brogans , straight .The sole is put on with wood pegs. At one event I noticed the toe on the right shoe was peeling away. " What to do?". I had read how some pine sap can get quite hard. At the next event I went out looking fot pine sap, still soft and pliable. Pushed some into toe, It acted like a glue. This was back around 1990. Still have them and the sole looks great. Just wondering could re-enactors try this when issues with their footwear
Trenton and Heath, do you hydrate the lowest part of the upper than is stitched to the welt (ie the part with holes in it). I only saw you condition the uppers above the welt.
These looked rather small. I did see a Size stamp of 6 1/2 at one point which is small - But then I did know a British soldier (with rather small feet) who was a pay clerk at the Nuremberg trials. He was my book keeper in the 1980s.
I have a pair of late 1970s Danner heavy hiking boots. 3/4 shank rough out leather. I have had a partial amputation of my right foot (long story) and will never wear them again. Do these boots interest you? Restoration, donation or any suitable end use. Interested?
Thank you so much guys! The boots turned out amazing, better than I could have hoped. These are for my sister while the other pair that I sent in with them are mine. We’re both looking forward to getting them back. I bought these online over a year ago so unfortunately don’t have any specific history on them but all the research I did led me to the same conclusion of the buckles being a later modification. Thanks again for all of the extra work!
Somehow I found this to be the most impressive rebuild they've done.
My dad was a lieutenant in the signal corps during WWII. He was in charge of a mobile radar unit. When I was a kid my dad still had a lot of his military service clothing. Including a pair of boots with the two straps and buckles. He also had knee high canvas spats. He said, or at least I remember him explaining that he was initially issued boots without the straps but was issued the spats to go with those boots. Then later on he was issued the boots with the straps and buckles. He eventually cut off the upper leather section which had the straps and buckles. I know he was still wearing them for working around the house when I graduated from high school in 1976. Thanks for bringing up this memory of my dad.
Love seeing that sweet girl photo-bombing the video as the "ofishal" shop mascot, doing what she does best, keeping morale high.
One tidbit you did not mention is whether or not the lining of these boots is leather, or canvas. If it's leather, I'd've slathered a generous coat of Bick4 onto that lining leather as well as the new footbed. It not only conditions, but will soften that leather a bit to make the break-in of the new soles easier and enable the owner's footprint to embed into the insole leather. I do that with all of my Allen Edmonds shoes and it works nicely for me.
Nice work fellers, love these old boot restorations and a bit of history added in. Thank you for that, and God bless you both in your efforts.
When I served, a lot of guys had their boots modified. In Germany, I had a cobbler sow in zippers. It's not uncommon to have your boots / uniforms modified. The trick is not getting caught. 😊
My boots feel great with the extra leather. Great work Thank You
I absolutely love the small detail of adding the stamps to the insole!
Love to watch you guys restore old boots. Especially ones with history behind them. Gives you guys a chance to show off your skills!
Fantastic work, gentlemen. As it's always a pleasure to watch and admire your work!
Great pair of boots and they turned out exceptionally good-looking.
What! An 18min vid? Boys you know dang well that I like to watch at least an hour of you guys including every detail and explicit explanation including what you had for breakfast in the morning. 😁 As always, another fantastic way to start off my Saturday morning. Thank you and God Bless you and your families.
I actually really Love the buckle addition on the boots. Without the buckles, they're just a pair of shoes in my opinion. Great job fellas
Well I always enjoy the resto/renovations you do but the research you’ve put in here is first class A good video anyway 👍👍
The top buckled cuff is identical to the US M1943 'buckle boots' but the boot section looks like the the early WW2 US Army Service Shoe (or possibly the late-war high-leg style similar to the 'Corcoran' style Parachutist's boot, but that had a full rubber sole..) I think the boots are a composite of these two - possibly genuine - WW2 components.. This could have been done during the WW2 period or possibly afterwards, but it's pretty much impossible to tell for certain exactly when the amalgamation was carried out..
Customized WW2 boots. They look great now. I'd have to cut my feet in half to wear them. As always another great restoration.
😂
They did actually modify previous pairs to add the collars, but this pair looks to be a paratrooper boot that was cut down and then modified with the added collar.
The boot is not a paratrooper instead a Motor cyle. Reason for that are the buckles which protect the under part of the leg.
@pmue437 incorrect. I'm saying that it isn't an M-43 Combat Boot, it is an earlier model that has been modified, which historically was done.
@@greyhoundTexYou‘re right those M-43 have such buckles.
To add more weight to the correct speculation, these are not cut down paratrooper boots .. rather service shoes normally worn with high canvas leggings which were delayed late war obsolescence by the addition of buckle cuffs by cobblers post manufacture . It’s very common to see this modification in Italy along with a similar practice of a laced cuff designed to resemble tall paratrooper boots.
To me, rather than a vibram sole, A more vintage looking sole from Dr Sole or a retro cats paw type would be more sympathetic.
I love all the little details that make these boots different than most welted boots made today. Videos on World War era boots are the best
The work you did was so great! I love the stamping that you did. You definitely did the job right. The boots looked great. In fact if they were mine I'd wear them as dress boots.
Great restoration, I have been following World War Wisdom for a while because he knows his stuff. One of my favorite periods of history.
The boots turned out fantastic. I love the restorations. Nice job adding the crooked stamped text.
Regardless of the history of those boots, you gave them new life. They look incredible!
These were probably an Italian theater modified low russet boot, there’s lots of examples of boots that were taken to Italian cobblers and modified during the war. Could also be a post war modification or an early version of the double buckle boots.
They look fantastic!! Great job guys!!!
Tanker style boot. I like these better then the ones that are used today!
i really like the new outsoles especially with that chevron pattern, it goes with the military aesthetic.
Awesome job. I love the back stories and research you do on the shoes and boots you repair.
Every good shop has got to have a dog for quality control assurances.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
These boots look very similar to WW2 era airborne jump boots. Nice work.
My 2 cents. Don't forget during WWII many war items were provided by many different companies, while most had mil specs it is possible that earlier products need were rushed into service and earlier version may not have looked the same as later issues. I've experienced experienced this my self while serving. Some examples are the sights on the M1 rifle differed from manufacturers as well as trigger guards, jeeps manufacturered by Willys and Ford differed in a lot of way because of construction technics and equipment used to produce items. It makes sense that the airborne needed this item quickly so the manufacturer on the earlier version may have stitched the upper buckles to an already existing pair of boots already manufacturers. Just saying things during WWII went always so consistent throughout production.
Love the old boots, especially vintage military.
You guys are incredible leather masters! Please continue your amazing craftsmanship, so I can continue to watch real professionals due your magic. Thank you for sharing!
Nice shoutout to World War Wisdom as well
Love it when you guys do the ww2 boot types, would be good to see if there are any WW1 boots around to restore, cheers for the great video.
I used to work for a man who collected WWII memorabilia. Everything from vehicles to clothing.
He had a few pairs of the original boots with the double buckle tops, but stopped wearing them because they had a tendency to separate from the bottoms along the stitch line. The leather on the boot portion would tear away.
They just didn’t age well.
I love the "historical" boots!
I'm not into War Memorabilia, But these Boots Look nice after the refresh, And The Hydration and Buff...WOW The Color looks nice
Beautiful boots anyway. You guys are artists.
Amazing work as always
Great show today! Love to see the history. Maybe a collaboration with one of the history buff RUclipsrs? I'd love to see what you would do with my Whites 350 Cutters - the soles squeak like crazy.
W3 has a great channel. Even though these boots were an imposter, it's still cool to see how they were made. Awesome recraft of the boots
I like all the episodes I have watched. I don’t have a favorite. They are all my favorite.
Those were originally the cavalry issue boots. Later in the war they cut them down and added the M43 buckle tops for issue to infantry and other troops.
Regardless of who did the mod, it is pretty cool and I love the historic reconditions.
Such a craft! Well done!
If you look at old Mail Order catalogs (Sears, MonkeyWards, Pennys), you can find the "WW2 2 buckle combat" boot (or a nigh identical clone) being sold as new up into the 50's.
15:20 Prices in Indian Rupees ("Rs"). That's even more south than expected. LOL !!🙂 !!
That was interesting. Heading over to World War Wisdom to check it the haircut video....😅
You guys did amazing work yet again although Annie didn't seem all that impressed with the boots initially. Then her inner service scout dog kicked in and gave you 2 paws up 🐾. I think they turned out great but not diving into the water with those who know more about the every GI wares. I like armor, artillery, weapons and their use more. Keep up the great videos gents. Now I need to send you the old service shop Oxfords for your next donation. Blessings
what up Annie! and also what up gents!
Great job, guys! If those boots could talk.
Still looks great even modified.
These boots are US double buckle boots WW2, they would usually be rough side out, these boots are smooth side out, awesome boots
Beautiful dog! If those boots were in fact altered at some point, I don’t believe for a second that it was malicious or to be deceptive in anyway.
You guys a tops, every thing you do is excellent. Beautiful job.
I always love old boots!
I really like your craftsmanship.
My uncle. Father's younger brother. Served in Korea. Must have been drafted. After the cease fire he was sent to west Germany. I came across his combat boots in the cellar of my grandmother's house. They looked just like what you showed at the beginning. Heavy and really weather worn. He saw combat in Korea. Told me about a patrol and it was night, dark and lost. They got back okay. But caught hell for getting lost.
My inner grammarnazi is seething....
Remarkable attention to detail.
What I have experienced is leather boots and shoes in the breakin process not only breaks the shoes or boots in, but also has toughened my feet also. ❤
Interesting bit of history, kind of a new boot made from old parts.
When you put the conditioner on to rehydrate the leather, why not do it before attaching the sole, so the nooks and crannies are easier to reach?
The boots came out great no matter what. (11/03/24)
loved it, great video as always
Great stuff guys...
These look like genuine WW2 boots, which may have literally been modified and used later for the start of the Korean war. Perhaps a para wanted these over the rough out boots. Certainly looks the part though.
A "Frankenboot", if ever there was one 😊
They look fantastic!
Apply the leather lotion with a horsehair dauber. Fast complete coverage that gets into all the nooks and crannies.
I used to take my boots as a kid to Frenchs Shoe store in Crossville Tn. I would sit on the shoe shine stand to watch th6e work
At some point, Tim berland made copies of those boots that laced up to the top with the double bockle. Cause I have a pear. They're smooth top and bottom with the timberland stamp unlabel inside.
looks like WWII tanker boots. "tanker boots" are a variant for tank crews using straps instead of laces so laces dont get hung on stuff inside the tank. not issued from my knowledge but available for purchase from military clothing and sales.
Well, that was not only entertaining, it was educational. You guys are like the public television of cobbler videos.
Never say never when it comes to war artifacts.
I’m not an expert by any means nor am I an experienced historian or collector.
All I can say is I’ve had stuff like this bite me in the butt. Every time you think you have a history and nearly a “birth record” if you will. You find that obscure little tidbit of information that throws your entire idea of its provenance out the window.
And don’t forget about the context of the time.
Everything was being recycled or reserved for the war effort. Brass, copper, steel, lead, rubber, cotton, silk, fat. Everything was being rationed or reserved.
So this makes perfect sense. Recycle some old boots. Strip the upper off and stitch it to a new pare and send the GI on his way.
We Americans now a days have no clue what real hard times were like.
How about not only having to pay for your groceries but use your ration stamps too? Run out of stamps but still have money? Well you’re not buying any rationed food. Gasoline? Good luck. That was rationed. Kerosene same there too.
From 1941 to 1950ish America as a whole had to learn to buckle down and stretch everything, zero waste and you didn’t scrape your plate into the garbage because you didn’t like tuna and broccoli casserole 🥘. You ate what was in front of you and kept your mouth shut.
Go back a touch further. The same generation fighting in WWII grew up in the depression. I guess they got trained for what was to come.
And here I am just a son of a boomer.
love my now 32 year oll boots. fourth sole , kept clean and shiny , don t wear them every day but i wanna be buried in them;)))
Love vintage boots or Whites ect .. anything with character 🙏🏻
Beautiful job...I'd love a pair
It's also possible that the soldier himself made the modifications to the boots. It's not uncommon for them to make uniform adjustments like that. Especially when it came to airmen. p.s. I made this comment before the end of the video lol
Might have to send ya my 15 year old Justin cowboy boots. Hard to explain but feels like the heels are pushing up against my foot and it's awkward feeling
Nice job guys!
I have 2 pair of ww2 german boots. One pair for ifficers, one for soldier. Both from 1943. The thick leather is not brittle at all, after 80 years. I did redo the soles twice for the soldier boots that i wear. I had them on in 2002 at -28 degrees Celsius with 2 pair of socks. one normal, one a little thicker. my feet were warm and i could walk for miles. They dont make boots like they used to. And not only boots, a lot of things are now made for breaking and buying another and another
Thanks now they will last another 80 years. Nice job. Thanks.
Remember the brown suede hiking boots from the 70s with the D-rings and the red laces/? What the heck were those? Everyone in Colorado was running around with those back in those days.
Those boots 👢 look fantastic. 😍
love this channel
The WWII Service shoe was made to be worn with leggings. Anyone who has ever put on a pair knows what a pain and time-consuming process it is. The "Double Buckle" was introduced to fix those issues. It is quite possible that one of the many manufacturers simply added the upper portion to existing stocks of Service shoes in order to liquidate the thousands already produced but not yet shipped.
I was into civil war re-enacting and wore the brogans , straight .The sole is put on with wood pegs. At one event I noticed the toe on the right shoe was peeling away. " What to do?". I had read how some pine sap can get quite hard. At the next event I went out looking fot pine sap, still soft and pliable. Pushed some into toe, It acted like a glue. This was back around 1990. Still have them and the sole looks great. Just wondering could re-enactors try this when issues with their footwear
Wabi-sabi is the term you're looking for. 👍👍
Do a pair of authentic US Civil War brogans. Curious how you'd handle them being they were made to fit either foot.
by the time of the Civil War, most (not all, but most) shoes were made for rights and lefts
Great video. So interesting.
Nicely done
❤❤❤
Why would you not condition the leather before working on it? I think it would less likely to crack while working on the sole.
Trenton and Heath, do you hydrate the lowest part of the upper than is stitched to the welt (ie the part with holes in it). I only saw you condition the uppers above the welt.
How much does that cost?
Still cool
Outstanding
I have a pair of these authentic boots, mine don't have the buckle. Same as the other boots but the top comes up higher.
These looked rather small. I did see a Size stamp of 6 1/2 at one point which is small - But then I did know a British soldier (with rather small feet) who was a pay clerk at the Nuremberg trials. He was my book keeper in the 1980s.
Do you all ever do videos of the black label frye boots or similar from the 60-70s?
Hand stitching without gloves is 👀👀👀🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
I have a pair of late 1970s Danner heavy hiking boots. 3/4 shank rough out leather. I have had a partial amputation of my right foot (long story) and will never wear them again. Do these boots interest you? Restoration, donation or any suitable end use. Interested?
So, it's a Frankenboot!
Fake or not. Cool boots.
Handsome dog.