[TheForge] [OT] Re: Cats, boots (Was: chickens)

[Mike Spencer]

Bruce wrote:

BF> ...brought to mind those old-fashioned fits any-shoe shoe trees.
BF> Instead of coming in shoe sizes, these had a split "toe" piece.
BF> When you inserted them into the shoe, the compression to fit in the
BF> heel piece also spread the split toe piece sideways.

Yeah.  My Boot Guy [1] has an industrial version of that (which I
haven't seen.)  For anything without steel caps, he'll soak a
too-tight pump, shoe or boot with mink oil and put it on his appliance
overnight.

BF> Chances are, sideways is not issue, but rather up and down -- i.e.,
BF> the steel toe is chafing the top of your toes.

Good bet but in this case wrong.

BF> So, imagine making a form the shape and size of the front of your
BF> foot, with maybe a little extra for comfort.  Then split it side to
BF> side or top to bottom, removing a wedge-shaped piece as you do, then
BF> put it in the boot, and drive a wedge between the two pieces.
BF> Ideally, this should spread the two pieces and form the steel to the
BF> shape you want.

Well, yes.  Maybe we can keep this on topic here.  This is exactly
what the "ideal" tool would look like. But when you come to implement
it, all these annoying details arise.  To re-shape a compound surface
just so, the forces have to be applied just so. You can't get into a
boot to hammer a wedge. Driving a wedge transmits lotsa axial force,
too, that goes where you don't want it.  Etc. etc. such that what I
made is exactly what you describe, except that all the parts that
didn't work as expected have been removed, one at a time, and replaced
with parts that did work.  In the end, everything as-designed has been
replaced with ad-hoc hacks and it looks like the gnarly thing I made.

I'd say that process is right on topic for this forum, 'cause I 'spec
we've all gone through that.  I know Tesla is said to have imagined
the AC motor as a sudden vision while walking in the park, to have
gone home and built a working one on the first try.  But then Tesla
was genius.

BF> I may have a look at these [Doc Martens] later today, though I DON'T
BF> want steel toes, particularly...

Doc Martens might be fine, although the combo of working with
blacksmith's gear, chainsawing, splitting with a maul and, less
frequently, a few similarly toe-threatening activities tilt me toward
caps.  Mostly, all this hoorah is about stubbornly making a couple of
perfectly reasonable but, in the end, bad decisions revert to good (or
at least acceptable) decisions.

"Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net> recounted:

BE> We had a local hardware store colse a few years ago.  I friend of
BE> mine bought some Justen boots that they had in a back room.  When
BE> he started to ware them they just fell apart at the seems.  He
BE> contacted Justen about it they told him that they hadn'r made that
BE> model boot for at least 30 years, and the threads were just
BE> rotted.  They did stand behind their boots and replaced them.

Back off-topic again: The only hit I've had, groveling around the net
for these boots, is a Vancouver company that had a pair of low boots
(nominal 6"? walking-boot style) under the Matterhorn marque.  Well,
now, that was the *original* maker of this desirable style but AFAIK,
no Matterhorns have been made for over 20 years.  I ordered them
anyhow, the very last pair (of that marque) in their supplier's
warehouse, an worried about rotted stitching.  But they're in perfect
condition  Worn for a week or two, they're like they were made
yesterday, very comfortable.  Just not the high boots I'm used to.

pf> Ever since i spent an uncomfortable and rather bloody 1/2 hour
pf> cutting my toes free of a collapsed steel toe boot..i'haven't worn
pf> them.

Yeah, I've heard of toe amputations from dropping really big iron on
just the wrong part of the boot.  I try real hard to stay away from
such opportunities.  I'm pretty good with an axe and splitting maul
now -- over 40 years of practice --  but I did have one pair of boots
long ago with a nice big piece of toe leather sheared away by my axe.

Rule of thumb: The helves of axes, mauls and sledge hammers -- those
used for round-house blows or overhead swings -- should be long enough
that, when the head sits on the ground by your foot and you stand up
straight, the end of the helve lies in your hand.  Shorter and you'll
eventually slice/bash your foot or shin.  Longer and you'll work too
hard.

PaulN> I recently bought a new pair, and while they're rated at 2500
PaulN> lbs, I believe that is static 2500 lbs, and I don't really know
PaulN> how much that relates to say a 200lb anvil falling 2 feet onto
PaulN> my toes.

If I think of it, I'll try that next time I'm in the shop.  I know I
have a pair of old boots saved for the findings somewhere out there.
I'll try dropping a swage block or 1 1 4 anvil on one of them. Not
definitive, of course (retired boots may have badly rusty caps) but
indicative.


Gak!  The sun has come out on the fresh-fallen snow!  What am I doing
inside at the computer?  Gak!


- Mike


[1] My Boot Guy is an actual cobbler.  Arrived in town on a Harley,
    met the local cobbler's daughter, apprenticed with her dad,
    married the daughter and took over the business.

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^