Time for shoes

By: Adam Johnson

The article has previously been published in Out of Time magazine #1. We also recommend a listen through Urbildningsradion’s special episodes about quality shoes. You will find the episodes here.

Quality shoe is a term that is often heard today. But what is it that distinguishes a quality shoe from everything else in the shoe line? Is it just that the shoe is produced in a craftsmanlike way? Does it have to do with the materials that are used or is it the tradition behind the factory and the shoe? We thought we would leave the watches for a while and try to go deeper into what distinguishes a quality shoe. In short, we are going to nerd out on shoe constructions, shoe types and shoe care. Because it is actually the case that a quality shoe, just like a quality watch, is something that you will have pleasure from for several years.

The interest in high quality products is increasing within most areas. Products that are made with durable construction and timeless design. Shoes are absolutely no exception. And when it comes to shoes in particular the term welted is something that keeps coming back. Not least among many smaller manufacturers who with a focus on welted shoes have met something of a new spring in step with the increased demand for quality. All welted shoes are however not equal. Within the category there is a plethora of different price classes, materials and techniques that all affect the shoe’s final quality and area of use.

First and foremost we have to understand what a welted construction is and why it is to be preferred. Shoes that are welted or goodyear welted have got their name from their distinctive welt that runs along the edge of the sole. The welt is there to attach the insole and outsole to the shoe’s upper leather without having to use glue. The construction has several advantages such as for example increased comfort and water resistance. But the foremost advantage of a welted shoe is the possibility of repairing it. Since the outsole is attached to the separate welt it is easy to remove and replace a worn out sole or heel, which means the shoe gets a longer lifespan than a shoe where the sole is glued on.

So how did the technique of welting shoes arise? The history of welting stretches far back and the year 1869 is often given as the start. It was that year that the American Charles Goodyear JR presented a technique for sewing shoes that could be done efficiently and durably with the help of a machine. The method then came to be called goodyear welt, named after Charles Goodyear JR himself. Welting as a technique was however used earlier than Goodyear’s invention. During the 1500s they began making shoes with a similar construction. But sincethere was no supply of machines as aids the process was done by hand. The tools that were used also looked different compared to the Goodyear construction, but the result was similar.

Goodyear’s method became immensely popular because the technique meant that shoes no longer had to be sewn by hand but could instead start being mass produced while the shoe maintained high quality in terms of construction. In short, it became possible to produce considerably more shoes per hour than had previously barely been dared dreamt of.

Types of welting

Now it is not as simple as there being a single way to welt a shoe. On the contrary there are a handful of different variants. Which variant or method is used is primarily about the function and the properties that are desired in the finished shoe. It can be about things like water resistance or simply appearance.

Goodyear welt is usually the method many mean when they use the word welted. What it actually means is the type of machine welting we described above and which gave the possibility of a commercial breakthrough for welted shoes. In short, the construction means that the shoe’s insole and outsole are fastened together by a machine sewn welt or welt. The shoe’s upper leather is in turn attached to the insole and the welt. This means you can easily replace the outsole without replacing the welt.

Hand welting or handwelted is done, just as it sounds, by hand. The difference compared to goodyear welt is that the shoe’s welt is sewn by hand and directly against the shoe’s insole. This type of welting is most common on shoes in the upper price segment and perhaps above all within the increasingly popular bespoke segment where you not only get a shoe that is perfectly adapted to your foot but also get a product with a great focus on the classic shoemaking craft in particular.

Veldtschoen is reminiscent of goodyear welt, but is a technique that is mainly used for boots. The method consists of attaching a part of the upper leather to the welt, and thereby making the shoe more waterproof. A good example is the Crockett & Jones Snowdon boot which is made with this technique and is equipped with a heavy commando sole.

Norwegian welt is based on a seam from the insole being sewn against the shoe’s upper leather and thereby running along the shoe’s outside. The stitching works mainly as an extra detail which gives the shoe a unique appearance. The French shoe manufacturers Heschung and Paraboot are known for using this technique on several of their models.

The choice of leather

Now it is not enough that the construction method itself is good and of high quality. At least as important is a high quality upper leather for the shoe to last a long time. A high quality leather that is looked after in the right way also ages with a certain dignity and develops a natural patina after a period of use.

Since a calf hide has both worse and better areas, these age differently. That is why it can be difficult to tell whether the shoe has an upper leather of good quality or not. What you can look at, however, are the various quality grades and tanning processes that exist for leather. When we talk about smooth calf leather chrome and vegetable tanned are the two most common variants of tanning. In the chrome tanned method chrome is simply used to tan and treat the leather. This method is also the most common since it is both time and cost efficient. It is however less positive from an environmental perspective as the process causes a fair amount of harmful waste. In addition there is a risk (albeit a very small one) of an allergy to the excess chrome that the leather absorbs,

The vegetable tanned leather on the other hand is tanned naturally, often with the help of oak bark and other natural substances. Vegetable tanned leather also often ages better and gives a more exclusive impression.

The sole

The upper side of the shoe is important, not least visually since it is the part of the shoe that is seen the most. But at the same time the quality of the sole is at least as important. It is the sole that is exposed to the most wear and load and is one of the shoe’s most critical parts. Welted shoes are therefore made with a wide range of different outsoles. Depending on the model and manufacturer a shoe can be offered with everything from a simple leather sole to coarsely patterned commando soles. And since the outsole is a separate part the welted construction in the vast majority of cases makes it possible for you to choose, at a skilled shoemaker, to switch to a completely different sole when resoling. For example a low shoe with a simple leather sole can be resoled to have a more hard-wearing sole in materials other than leather.

Generally speaking the simple leather sole is the neatest and most elegant, but it is also more sensitive to wear and is not something that is recommended for rougher terrain. You should also avoid using the leather sole in snow or overly wet road conditions as the sole absorbs moisture, which can cause both deformation and extra wear. But, just as most people do not wear a Patek 5970 when they are going to chop wood, most people do not choose a pair of freshly polished oxfords in a total snowstorm either. As so often it is about context. And of course about personal taste.

Shoe types

Welted shoes of a more classic cut are made in a great many different variants and models, where some of the most common are; oxford, derby, derby boot, chelsea boot, loafer and monkstrap. There are of course masses of other shoe models, but when we look so specifically at classic quality shoes, whether it is about men’s or women’s models, it is around these types that most of it revolves.

The oxford shoe has a characteristic lacing where the eyelets lie over the tongue which contributes to a more formal and clean impression. The shoe is generally regarded as more formal and can easily be worn with a suit or more formal attire. Oxfords are made for both men and women in a great many different versions in everything from very formal so-called wholecuts which are cut from a single piece, to more relaxed brogues with perforated patterns as decoration. It is also common for the toe cap to be marked and divided off with a seam which makes the shoe a so-called captoe oxford.

Derby. Unlike the oxford the derby has an open lacing, which means that the eyelets run to the side of the shoe’s tongue. This gives the shoe a less formal impression and many probably consider it to be a bit more versatile than the oxford shoe. The advantage of the placement of the eyelets and the construction of the upper leather is above all the shoe’s fit. If you have a higher instep and a higher arch the derby looks more balanced compared to the oxford which can easily strain and form a sharp V when laced.

The loafer is characterised by the absence of both lacing and buckles which means it becomes a kind of slip on shoe. This shoe type is made in a great many different variants, of which the most common for both men and women are the tassel and penny loafer. Tassel loafers have two distinctive tassels on the upper side of the shoe and are a shoe that at present is very popular. One of the most well known manufacturers of the tassel loafer is the American Alden which is made in calf leather, cordovan and suede. The penny loaferr instead has a piece of leather on the shoe’s upper leather, a so-called saddle piece. This part was originally there to tighten around the foot so that the shoe would get a better fit. The most well known loafer of the penny model comes from the British Wildsmith, who during the early 1900s designed a more casual shoe for king George VI. This loafer has formed the basis for many of the similar loafers that various shoe manufacturers offer today.

Monkstrap is a model that in recent years has had something of a renaissance. To fasten the foot around the shoe the monkstrap shoe uses buckles, usually single or double ones that run across the upper side of the shoe. A monkstrap shoe can, just as with a loafer, be used both casually and formally since it is easy to dress up or down. By far the most common is for this type of shoe to be made as a low shoe without a brogue pattern, but some manufacturers also make boot-like variants of the monkstrap boot type and some present them as full brogues with more or less imaginative perforated patterns.

The derby boot has, just as on a derby shoe, an open lacing where the eyelets sit to the side of the tongue. What separates a derby boot from the low shoe is that the shoe’s shaft stretches further up, over the foot’s ankle. This type of boot comes in a great many different variants, which are made with most of the different sole types. Often higher boots are also equipped with so-called speed hooks which make quicker putting on and taking off of the shoes possible since you avoid unlacing the upper eyelets.

Chelsea boots are a kind of boot which instead of lacing has elastic around and just above the ankle. There are a great many different types of chelsea boots in versions that are everything from extremely coarse to neater, more dressy variants. Edward Green’s Newmarket is an excellent example of a well balanced, dressy chelsea boot. On the other side of the spectrum is Cheaney & Son’s considerably coarser interpretation in the form of the Tamar, which is made in grain leather with a coarsely patterned Commando sole.

Different traditions in different parts of the world

The appearance and construction of shoes differ when you look at different parts of the world and perhaps mainly between certain countries. The USA is one of the foremost countries in terms of shoe production and has a number of producers that are well known both for their style and their manufacturing. Among the most well known are Alden, Allen Edmonds and Red Wing shoes. Both Alden and Allen Edmonds have a long history of making shoes in the horse leather Cordovan, a leather type that has been chosen largely because of the strong relationship that the producers have built with the Horween tannery in Chicago. Horween is and has long been one of the world’s largest producers of Cordovan leather. When the leathers are tanned they go through a six month long tanning process at Horween where only natural substances are used. The result is a very oily leather with good wear resistance that ages fantastically beautifully. Generally speaking it is usually said that about one and a half so-called “shell” (ham) is required to make a pair of shoes.

The American shoe style has over the years become increasingly popular. Something that can certainly be explained by many of the models being made in a relaxed workwear style that suits today’s fashion and trends very well. A prime example of this is Alden’s Indy boot model with its rounded toe. A boot that got its celebrity from being worn by Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones films, which has also led to the now established name of the shoe model.

Another shoe giant is Great Britain which has a long history of making quality shoes and in addition boasts a series of world famous shoe producers. British manufacturers offer everything from well built but simple shoes in the entry class to bespoke at some of the world’s most skilled shoemakers. A striking majority of the British shoemakers are located in the town of Northampton. A town that has become something of a centrefor  welted shoes and which houses among others Church’s, Crockett and Jones’s and Edward Green’s factories.

The reason for the town’s function as a centre for shoe production has to do with the town’s location. Northamptonshire lies centrally in England and had early in history a good supply of the materials that are needed to tan leather and make shoes. The leathers could be obtained from local animal keepers and water came from the watercourses that run to and around the town. In short they had an optimal amount of the resources that were needed for shoe production in particular. British shoes are often conservative but clean-lined in their design and often a bit coarser in style and often with a brogue pattern.

In more recent times Asia has also emerged as a player on the market for welted shoes. Since production is often cheaper a number of good value shoe producers have emerged from among others China and Vietnam. But the country in asia that has perhaps distinguished itself the most regarding shoe production in the higher school is Japan. IN recent years the country has become home to some of today’s most exclusive shoemakers. Characteristic of Japanese shoes is the incredible focus on details that many of the shoemakers offer. These shoes can in many cases be regarded more as works of art than actual shoes. One example is Yohei Fukuda which has developed into one of the most well known Japanese shoemakers. Typical of Fukuda’s shoes are clearly arched waists, tightly sewn welting and overall a fantastic finish. Every pair is made by hand, with hand welting as standard and with some of the finest leathers that can be obtained.

Whichever shoe style you prefer and whatever price class you start from, the interest in quality shoes seems to have increased enormously in recent years. Perhaps there is an explanation in the fact that shoes, just like watches, appeal to many purely in terms of nerdiness at the same time as the general interest in style and clothes is increasing among men too. Perhaps both shoes and watches have the parameters that are required to awaken the nerd in both women and men?

Just as for watches the community around quality shoes is also fairly extensive. Especially online. And just as there are online communities for watch nerdery there are a range of different blogs and platforms for discussion around welted shoes. Competitions in shoemaking, shoe polishing and resoling for those interested in shoes are also arranged annually. So if you have not yet started to burrow into the subject of shoes you have every reason to start. A welted shoe will not make the nerd in you disappointed.

Shoe care

To maximise the lifespan of shoes regular shoe care is required. Some choose to polish up their shoes down to the smallest detail their shoes, while others only do the most necessary. Whether you choose to go all in on shoe care or just take care of them at a basic level you gain in the long run from taking care of your shoes.

Everyday shoe care: How you look after your shoes day to day makes a big difference to the shoe’s appearance and lifespan. After use it is important to brush off the shoe and insert shoe trees. Then you get rid of dirt and grit that can damage the upper leather and the shoe trees straighten out the shoe and help them keep their shape. Wooden shoe trees also absorb moisture that the leather has been exposed to during the day.

Regular shoe care: Regular shoe care is about impregnating the leather, moisturising it and creating a protective surface. That is done with shoe cream or, if they are suede shoes, with suede spray. Be careful to brush off the shoe before you get started!

A more complete treatment should be done once a year. Then you start with a thorough cleaning and wash the shoe properly, then you moisturise the leather and finish by applying a protective layer with shoe cream.

For the advanced:  When you have brushed your shoe properly you can use shoepolish to create a crisp high gloss surface that is both dirt repellent and good looking. You apply the polish directly to the leather, then let it rest for a few minutes and then you brush up the surface again. The result will be agood looking and even shine over the whole shoe.

If you want to take the step even further you can try doing a high gloss polish or spitshine. A high gloss polish is traditionally done only on the shoe’s toe area and sometimes the heel. This is because the shiny surface risks cracking if it is done on surfaces where the shoe is often bent. If you are going to do a high gloss polish you use a pure mirrorshine product or a wax together with a few drops of water. Use a polishing cloth to polish the surface until you have got the shine up to the level you want it at. Laying down a good spitshine requires patience since it takes a while to work up the surface. So see it as a while of almost meditative relaxation and enjoy an end result that stands out from the crowd.