Bostonians: Thrifter’s Guide / New USA Shoes!

Bostonian was once one of the top makers of good quality Made in the USA dress shoes. In this video I’ll show you which Bostonian shoes to look for on eBay and in thrift stores, as well as some exciting new news (as of October 2018) about 2 new product lines launches!!
Some videos I reference:
“Shoe Construction: Goodyear Welted shown”
• Shoe construction: Goo...
“How to Date Allen Edmonds shoes”
• How to Date Allen Edmo...
“Leather Quality Explained: Aniline? Full Grain? Corrected Grain?”
• Leather Quality explai...
“How I put a Patina on my old Bostonian loafers”
• How I put a Patina on ...
“Why Shell Cordovan (horse butt leather) is so expensive!”
• Why Shell Cordovan (ho...
I apologize, the video production and editing quality of my early videos is much poorer than my latest ones.
Music: "Another Happy Ending"
Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons...

[@CobblerBob]

Gentlemen and women, I was surfing KZbin doing a search for “Bostonian” and to my shock, a video with MY NAME referenced in the title came up! It’s what I would call a “Shoe Showcase” of an example of the kind of Bostonians you can find out there. It’s very well done, check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/np24mKR4pceUbrs

[@frankiecrocker]

I love Bostonians! They look great and the quality is far beyond its price. They do not wear out easily at all!

[@CobblerBob]

I'd agree... if we're talking about the VINTAGE Bostonians. Since releasing this video, I have NOT heard ANYTHING abouth those new US made shoes I showed. I'm surprised they haven't shown up somewhere in KZbin land.

[@frankiecrocker]

@@CobblerBob some of the newer ones have gone the way of Clark's, cheaper materials, less durable.

[@stephenhildebrand8721]

Great tips Robert! I have a cap-toe pair similar to what you showed about 7 minutes in, my pair was marked made in India, they are definitely corrected grain but they did not feel as plastic as some pairs I have had over the years. Regardless, I was able to strip the finish with acetone and am very pleased with the results.

[@paulbrady701]

Hi Robert I was just thinking back to my childhood and youth growing up in N Ireland in the sixties and seventies with very very little our mother always made sure we each had a pair of quality repair friendly shoes or boots ,something that we all carried on with.I get great satisfaction taking a pair of shoes to the cobbler and getting them back better than new.Thanks for taking the time to try and educate us about different types of leather.👍🏻

[@sydney4911]

I've been buying dress shoes and boots at thrift stores for years. You sometimes luck out, like you did, and you find new to nearly new shoes for a fraction of the cost. At the cost I'm picked up some pairs of shoes, I find that I don't have to baby them as much as I would for full price shoes. If they get scuffed up, dusty, dirty, just plain worn, and sometimes abused from wear, I don't worry about them too much. I get my money's worth out of them. I like wearing dress shoes and with the winters we get here in the upper Midwest, I can relax and just wear them.

[@anangelshero0410]

Bob‼️ First, thanks for the video... I have a pair of Bostonian Crown Windsor, and I love them‼️ Second, thank you for the update on the shoes. I'm most likely going to pull the trigger on their Leather Chukkas, and get some sole protectors added for the wet German weather‼️ Thanks again‼️😊😊😊

[@1_Bad_Z]

I bought a pair of Dark burgundy Bostonian in November of 1999 @ Macys. About 10 years ago I took them in for shoe shine. Shoe specialists looked @ them. I mentioned year when I purchased them. He said, shoe was still in production, but quality had gone down. "They don't make them like this anymore". I still have the same pair.

[@robdot0]

Love your videos man, youved helped me a lot. I actually searched and found a pair of brand new Bostonian classics in the box, goodyear welted. Will link a video when they come! I used to be that guy that could have used those shoes!

[@chrisrichardson4899]

check out the current Black Friday sales with 40% off on the Indian goodyear welted shoes, which were already on sale. Outthe door around $70

[@ianbutler1983]

Robert, I am not really into shoes, but for some odd reason I find your channel fascinating...lol. Thanks.

[@CobblerBob]

Ian Butler - we will convert you to our side! Mwahahaha!! LOL. Thank you!

[@marsattacks7071]

In the '90s, I had a pair of Bostonian with steel toe cap and a plate of metal under between the soles. They looked perfectly normal to the eyes. Those were the days....

[@CobblerBob]

Wow, steel toed!

[@marsattacks7071]

@@CobblerBob Yep ! I regret not keeping them...

[@asadb1990]

I recall seeing a redwing wingtip with medallion steel toe for like 9.79.

[@coreyfink6783]

This is a great video! I really think Bostonian is one of the best budget-friendly shoes for people on a budget or who are just getting into higher-end shoes. Seems like you can always find a pretty well-made shoe in great shape for under $20 on the used market.

[@AsAnAtheistFilms]

Bro you are awesome for providing that young man a fine pair of shoes. Hopefully it turns him into finer crafted shoes.

[@Native_love]

Very nice and informative video! Subbed!

[@anarchyinanaheim8079]

Helpful videos, thanks!

[@davidpatton7912]

I noticed your collection of warbird art on the wall. Particularly the B24. My dad was a B24 pilot in WWII, 467th Bomb Group. Cheers!

[@CobblerBob]

Wow! Yes, I love that period of aviation. I’ve got most of the classic WW2 warbirds on the Rec room wall.

[@menoreyes6354]

This guys awesome 😎

[@Likwidl]

Great video! Thanks for sharing the information

[@davidallen346]

I wore this Bostonian black laced shiny dress shoes only once to my brother's wedding

[@justinh2401]

Hey Robert, regarding Bostonian's recent change of heart towards their shoe quality, would you give them the benefit of the doubt to give their new Goodyear welted shoes a chance when you can get Allen Edmonds or even Aldens for comparable prices? I'm just a millennial that only recently got into shoes, so I'm still skeptical about Bostonians as I don't have firsthand experience with the old Bostonians as opposed to the cheaper recent ones. P.S. Thanks for the tips on eBay bargain hunting! With your guidance, I was able to score my first pair of shell cordovan longwings (Hanover LB Sheppards, so not Bostonians but still nice) on eBay!

[@cassandrajmarie]

You are. Very good at cCommunicating great job page enjoy the video learn a ton of stuff

[@Emperor_Mob]

I've got a pair that says made in Italy. Any idea when those were made?

[@CobblerBob]

Sorry, I really don't know that much about Bostonians history, and there's not much info on the web. That being said, more than likely they're probably made after 2000 I'd guess.

[@ryantucker3659]

Bob, when I see the Width "D/B" on shoes, is that a Medium or a Narrow? I know what they are separately as widths, but I am not sure what it connotes when they are coupled together like that.

[@CobblerBob]

Ryan Tucker good question! The 1st letter is usually the shoe ball of the foot width, and the 2nd letter is the heel width. I’m going by memory but I think a 2 letter drop is standard. Now watch out when buying Alden brand shoes... they list the heel width FIRST, and the ball width SECOND.

[@DivorceutahUtahFamilyLaw]

Do you have a list of men's leather dress shoes polish and care products? I want to assemble a top quality shoe care kit, and I figured you would well know how.

[@CobblerBob]

Utah Family Law, LC - that’s a great question... maybe I’ll do a video on that next! But in short, assuming you can spend a couple bucks, here is my list of my favorite products: - Saddle Soap - Saphir Remomat to remove old polish (if the shoes have tons of old polish on them or are still dirty after using Saddle Soap) - Saphir Renovateur or Ashland Leather Co Tanner’s Blend - both are leather conditioners. - Saphir Medaille D’Or Pommadier Creme Polish cream polish in the appropriate colors - Saphir Pate De Luxe paste wax in the appropriate colors (this has more wax than the cream polish) - Saphir Medaille D’Or Mirror Gloss D’Or Mirror shining toe caps (if you want that high high mirror shine on the toes). This is like $26 a can, and you don’t really NEED it, as you can get a similar result from neutral paste wax, but it generates a higher shine faster (see my video “Kiwi vs Saphir: Spit Shine Head to Head!” kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2aso4hrl5x2aNE - 2 nice horse hair brushes. Cheap ones are OK at first, but a high quality brush is nice to have, but difficult to appreciate until you have used a cheap one that’s small, the hair coat is not dense, and the hairs are floppy, and fall out easy. All the Saphir products are available from www.thehangerproject.com or even ebay, but they are about the same price from The Hanger Project, so I’d rather get them from him and support Kirby Allison’s business because of all the advice he puts out. Walmart or CVS or most drug stores have Kiwi Saddle Soap (Open with him before you buy it make sure it’s not dried out). The Hanger Project has Saphir Saddle Soap. Tanners Blend is available from www.ashlandleather.com.

[@ericjohnson7950]

@@CobblerBob Thanks!

[@frederickcalderon7796]

Hello, I watch your videos a lot and was wondering, where do you find your shoes. What thrift stores. What websites. Thank you for all the information, I’ve learned a lot fromyou

[@CobblerBob]

Frederick Calderon - thank you! I have a video in which I cover that... “My 10 Best thrift & eBay shoe deals 2016-2018”: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6WTYZqmltprbac Just remember, you hear and see the glorious deals here, but not the 7 out of 8 times I go to places and they have nothing.

[@jacobbwalters8133]

What do you know about the Bostonians labelled Impressions? They are made in the U.S.A. and look on online postings to be similar the Goodyear welted Classics you showed. I think they are Goodyear welted as well but I can’t tell from the photos whether they are full grain or corrected grain?

[@CobblerBob]

Jacob B Walters - I’m no expert, but I believe the “Impressions” line is usually Blake stitched and corrected grain leather. I don’t remember if the impressions line USA made or not, but as a general rule, of course any of the shoes made in the USA are far superior to the made overseas.

[@benfoust7424]

Do they offer a " Recrafting service" like AE?

[@CobblerBob]

Ben Foust not that I know of

[@paulkissiah8083]

Can't fool Bob

[@r.douglas5695]

I would love to find some new old stock or minty Crown Windsors. How would you compare Crown Windsor’s to Nunn Bush custom grade, J&M Crown Aristocrafts and Florsheim Royal imperials? I have heard from several men’s shoe store owners that J&M Crowns and Royal Imperials were better than AE or even Alden?

[@CobblerBob]

Doug Lax I honestly have NO experience with Numn Bush custom grade - i hadn’t heard of it until you mentioned them. Also, I have handled/polished quite a few pairs of Aristocrafts/Crown Aristocrafts as well as Imperials/Royal Imperials but not many Crown Windors... it’s tough to say which is better! There’s a big difference in quality even among each of those brand models. For example, I found a pair of Florsheim Royal Imperials probably made in the 90s if I recall, but they had a glued on thin leather sole. It was not even Blake stitched. I would therefore assume that they started using lower quality leather as well. The REAL expert on that subject is definitely going to be David from www.VCleat.com. If you haven’t seen it I think you’ll really like his website! I can tell you though, I think sometimes those high-end (made in USA) Bostonians are very undervalued. They did make some awesome shoes pre-1990-ish.

[@r.douglas5695]

Interesting , I know Florsheim doesn’t make the quality shoes that they used to. I also have a pair of Aristocrafts that are corrected grain . And some that are really nice full grain so your right you never can tell! The old time shoe guys I mentioned were circa 1985 so I am assuming they were thinking 80s and older.

[@DivorceutahUtahFamilyLaw]

Older Imperials are excellent. As good a shoe as there is.

[@ryantucker3659]

Bob, do you have any experience with Cole Haan made in the USA shoes?

[@CobblerBob]

Ryan Tucker I’ve run across a few pairs of split toe Cole Haan Derbies and a pair of rubber soled wingtip Derbies. The split toes seemed like decent shoes, with real leather soles and if my memory serves me right I think they were Blake stitched. I think the ones I’ve seen so far were all made overseas though, and had corrected grain leather. I don’t know if I honestly have had a chance to see any of their made in USA shoes.

[@rhdtv2002]

Ive gotten AE for 10.00 thrifting

[@asadb1990]

I have seen a few i just haven't found in my size yet. I fit anywhere from 11 to 13 depending on width.

[@kentpool7414]

What about Bostonian shoes made in Italy? As far as you know, are they better than the Indian shoes? On a par with the US shoes? Great video.

[@CobblerBob]

Kent pool 🇮🇹 Italy? I’m not familiar with them at all! My general experience though has taught me that “made in Italy“ is very attractive to US buyers, but does not “guarantee” high quality. In other words I’ve seen mediocre quality made in Italy shoes, and of course we know they have some of the best in the world as well. Generally though I would put Italian made shoes below made in England (if it’s a US shoe company making them in Italy they’re probably NOT using a high end Italian shop) but above India, and India above China.

[@phillato]

tessel loafers are the best looking...