Hello, from Portugal. We love shoes and how his the best way to rise the level of quality. First, for sure, are the masters who did the fundations of the diferent shoes and styles. Hand made and historical, of course.
It really reminds me of how the Georgia Bulldogs stepped on the nose of the Tennessee Volunteers in 2001. Do y’all remember that game? I’m glad you vols are willing to make a video that commemorates that game. It seems like that would still sting, I know it would for me. Go Dawgs.
Awesome work ! I am a Bundeswehr - Fallschirmjäger veteran ( served in the 80s -90s ) & had very similar type of boots ( soles made by Continental - also a German Tire manufacturer in ww2 ) , We melted the shoe polish into the white stitching with a lighter that made it turn black to add waterproofness . The metal Cleates were also widely used by the Mountain troops - "Gebirgsjäger" wich operated with Fallschirmjäger too .
Dude... Victorian and Edwardian Fashion was the height of the faux things, especially in women's wear. "Slim waist?" "Sure, I can do that... by padding my butt." Humanity always did "faux things", it's nothing new.
Where I live, this construction is known as the goiser. They are originally used as high performance hunter/hiker/forester boots in the Alps. They are really great, especially because the L shaped welt works as a bumper all around the shoe. Nowadays, they can be seen as dress shoes as well, and people can do a lot of fun stuff with that outer stich, such as putting colored cord or leather strips into it.
@@nirfz We called gojzerice even the modern boots. Tipical boots that was called gojzerice were "adidas gojzerice". Try to google it. We were probably wrong, but we didn't know better :)
@@MrSatelit28 I did a picture search for the adidas ones. :-D Wrong would be a strong term i guess... In your language the word got a little modified over a little more than the last century and then used as generic term for boots . I can see how that happened historically. We for sure also have similar kind of words, but it's often not easy to notice. (The name for the biggest glacier we have "Pasterze" originates in the slovenian language as far as i read, but almost nobody here knows. And what we call Gulasch, the hungarians call something like Pörkölt...)
The white contrast stitching (sometimes called Dresden Point or Dresden Stitch) has a long tradition in the German Bundeswehr going back to the 19th century. It was a stylistic choice that originated in Saxony to accentuate the lacework, and was seen as a sign of quality and nobility, similar to the white glove in the US and UK. People with bright white stitching on their boots were either officers who didn't have to do much trench or mudwalking, or brand new recruits who hadn't yet darkened the stitches with dirt. It was considered poor form to go about with bright white stitches, so most personnel darkened the stitching with dubbin wax. You can see examples of Dresden Stitching in all forms of German military leatherwork, from watchbands to aviator caps. It was most closely associated with air forces (pilots, paratroopers and zeppelinmeisters) but examples can be found across all branches.
I did service in the German Bundeswehr in the 1980's. The boots we were issued did not look that different from the ones you worked on. They also had white stitching everywhere. First thing we were told to do when we received the boots, was to use black colored "Lederfett" (leather care grease) and darken all the white stitches. Especially the groove between the leather upper and the welt had to be slathered with the black grease to make the boots waterproof (which worked well).
Lederfett "wears off" but the stitching stays dark. (Because you would need to use some form of cleaning agent instead of water, brushes and elbowgrease when cleaning) We did the same in austria, either Leather grease or black shoe creme that had water proofing oils and wax in it.
@@nirfz Our trick in the Bundeswehr in the 80s was to fatten the stitches and then to ignite the grease. It was not hot enough to damage the boot, just melted and soaked and blackened the stirches.
@@operator8014 We were expected to grease and polish the boots all the time. It kept them waterproof and soft. And obviously had the proper military shine.🙂
It’s interesting as I nursed a lovely old gentleman until his passing at the end of last year. Like Many Austrians they were made to fight in the German army and he served most of his time serving in Russia. We talked about what they wore in that cold weather and he said his boots were thick leather with leather soles with these hobnails which were essential in the muddy conditions he experienced. Here in Austria in the parts of Austria rich in traditional wear and hunting there are boots made in the old way, very much like these and they are all fitted with hobnails as they like the traditional noise they make when they take part in the many celebrations of traditional culture take place here. I actually saw a pair in a small bespoke shoemakers in Salzburg a few months ago.
@@royfrady8219 It sounds amazing especially with the brass bands playing. I love many things about living here ( I am British, lived in Canada for 16 years before moving here) is how they celebrate their traditions with a great deal of passion. There is always something going on and its all free to watch and take part in.
Many Austrians happily volunteered to fight in the German army, as did people of all nationalities and races, to stop the Bolshevik horde… A truly righteous cause. It’s a shame the allies took up such a scandalous war, for scandalous reasons, and committed scandalous atrocities in doing so. Becoming an adult is realizing the Germans were the good guys 🤷🏼♂️
Fantastic...really enjoyed this one. I do need to confess that I am a former paratrooper in the Canadian AirbornevRegiment and like all things regarding boots and shoes that are leather and well made. These refurbished paratrooper boots were a labour of love and an example of true craftsmanship by both of you folks. Thanks and keep up the great work.
I worked for a family shoe store in Kansas fifty years ago. We carried many major brands of dress, sports, work/outdoor types of footware: Red Wings, Florsheim, US Keds, Clinic nursing shoes, Red Goose, etc. We actually measured feet and fitted shoes back then. That is a lost skill. We sold a fair amount of children's corrective shoes that had to be sent out to our shoe repair expert. I love seeing all the repairs/restorations on your channel. These historic videos are especially interesting. Love the channel. Thanks
Loved this! I’m retired military and am really into military history. Videos like this say nearly as much about the life of the soldier as they do about the boots. Looking forward to seeing more!
Love the video! The German Fallschirmjäger were used in WWII during Operation Mercury (Invasion of Crete) in the first (and last) all-airborne invasion in history and, as it turns out, Crete is where my family is from! I remember my grandfather telling me stories of looking up to the sky and seeing the Germans parachuting down to invade the island. The Cretan resistance was able to fight off the Germans for 11 days before eventually losing the island. Great content guys!!
Amazing video and as always you guys do fantastic work. A couple of things about these boots, It looks like these might have actually been old SMwholesale boots by the shape of the uppers although it's hard to tell from how worn in they are haha. Fallschirmjager boots were also never issued with hobnails like these boots had at least to my knowledge. The main reason being is that you'd have zero traction on the metal floor of the inside of a JU-52. As someone who has worn hobnailed boots, they are great for off roading but definitely aren't good on any smooth surface. A lot of times guys would add them on or even ditch their jump boots for infantry or mountain boots because the smooth leather sole, while good for the airplane was practically useless in the field. Finally, the "first" pattern jump boots actually had a rubber sole with a sort of wedge arrow pattern, I don't know how else to describe it if you look it up you'll see what I mean, and were the preferred type by Fallschirmjager as they proved excellent for both jumping and in the field. The switch to leather soles came because of rubber shortages that Germany was facing during the war and that particular resource was needed elsewhere. The switch began I believe around 1941 after the invasion of Greece and the rubber soles would be phased out quickly to help simplify and ease production. Also Fallschirmjager would never again preform a massed air drop after the high casualties suffered on Crete, being relegated to more ground combat roles it makes sense to see more of these boots with hobnails later in the war for better traction. Sorry for the book by I just wanted to have the info out there for anyone interested. Amazing video again!
I can be wrong, but i think the boots of the mountain troops were equipped with hobnails. So if they switched out their boots for those of the mountain troops they would have ended up with something like in the video... The mountain troops were also more common to need the groove for the ski binding. Being from austria, my heavy combat boots (we have conscription) around the turn of the century had such a groove in the heel for a ski binding. I was lucky that i got to use "half-hard" ski boots in my size, but some of my comrades had to use the heavy combat boots for skiing, as they had a too common shoe size and there weren't enough of those boots in their size. (Not that it made skiing downhill any easier, as the name i gave them suggest, they only were rigid up until the ankle, and so they did not provide better ankle support than the combat boots. But they did provide better thermal insulation, which you only need if you standing around a lot or goind downhill a lot. Uphill or cross country the body heats up and supplies the feet too ;-))
"A lot of times guys would add them on or even ditch their jump boots for infantry or mountain boots because the smooth leather sole, while good for the airplane was practically useless in the field." Especially after Crete, when most of them didn't have jumps anymore. Most Fallschirmjägers at the end of the war had probably not seen a plane from the inside.
I love seeing vintage military boots be restored. Especially jump boots. Definitely my favorite type of boot. This was a great video! I'd definitely like to see more like it.
Backi in the 50s we still had Shoemaker Repair shops on the East Side of Manhattan. One in particular, just around the corner, was owned by a guy named Tommy. I used to be fascinated watch him use the big machines. Ours was a blue collar working class neighborhood, not too many dress shoes, except maybe the go to Mass Sunday shoe. Most adult men in our neighborhood were in construction (Electricians, Iron workers, Bricklayers, etc.). These men bought good work boots, Red Wings with the high heel were the flavor then. Great boots, but construction work ate them up. By the time they got to Tommy they looked like they went through WW2 in a bomb crater. Tommy was an artist, a craftsman, and he took care of his customers. When he was done with the boots they looked brand new. After the repairs was done he would use the buffing machine to put a high gloss on the boots. It always fascinated to watch him work his art on those boots and shoes. I once asked Tommy were he learned his trade. I was about 13 at the time. Tommy said," I made a mistake once, a big mistake, and i got sent to college". I had not the slightest idea what he meant when he said "I went to college". A few years later I asked my Dad what Tommy meant about college. My father laughed and said, "Tommy was telling you he did time in the State Pen and he learned there. They teach some of the guys". Pen or no Pen, Tommy was an artist in his craft. Today to find a Shoemaker in NYC, you might as well look for alligators in the Arctic. I dont think I have seen those type of machines since the late 50s, thank you, it brought back a lot of good memories.
It was common practice for most boots in the German army to have hobnails, at least amongst the common infantry arms. Tank crews and other specialists who were vehicle bound or unique otherwise typically had a leather soled boot. I have seen both examples appear with fallschrimjägers. I love the historical boots, I probably need to send you guys a pair of my reenacting boots!
Love this! As an American it is always weird seeing German war equipment being restored. It is such a good reminder of the craftsmanship that was in these countries and the huge importance of keeping those makers and engineers recognized. In 200 years people won’t have the same prejudices that plague humanity. Thank you for making sure these pieces of history last longer so that we can have this history for future generations. You guys are the best out there. Go predators! Go titians! Go grizzlies! And go VOLs!
I want to ad, I hope it is less time and we can actually join together and be a better world. I am also aware that prejudice will never end. However, I hope that we humans can make it much less.
First of all, Happy Father's Day to you both and Stormin' Norman! Enjoy! And as for the boots: Whoa! "Yikes" is an understatement when you removed that sole. This was intense. I was literally glued to the tiny screen on my phone with each step of the restoration. Such a different project, all the research definitely paid off. Diggin' that heel construction! A stellar job, gentlemen. Happy weekend all! 🤙🥾
We have grooves for the skis on our vintage boots as well here in Sweden. On both army and hiking boots. Old army boots from the 40s were issued with and without hobnails. The stitches where white as well. They look brown but when I've cleaned them they turn out to be white. Good job and thanks!
S&Mwholesale made my boots I’ve worn for 4-5 years. It’s the US Service shoe w/runner half sole and they have survived mountains, woods, streets and some snow. Amazing
The groove on the heel was designed for a rubber overshoe that was intended to be worn inside the aircraft while transporting to the drop zone, since the boots were intended to be a leather sole. The rubber over shoes were to be discarded upon landing on the drop zone.
Super cool seeing this older style of construction! Oddly enough, the custom welt you had to make is what I used to think Goodyear welts were. Good thing I found your channel and started learning more! 😅
Awesome video as usual. I’m a real fan as my Dad was a shoemaker, watching you two bring me back to memory lane for sure. It would be nice to see how you carved the heel block maybe a quick clip after the video? Great job and enjoy the weekend.
I had some German winter boots while serving in Germany in the 1990s, the ones in that era had the sane grooved heals and tows for the purpose of using snowshoes and ski attachment points. So, this was a much later boot but very similar heels. I enjoy your work and craftmanship.
I've always enjoyed your channel but if you're getting into restoring historical footwear... that's just exciting! Love this video and hope to see more like it. 👍
I still have my jump boots from the US Army and it was interesting seeing a similar style from a different country. One thing I can say is I really like the studs on the sole of these German boots.
Hey fellas, I have my cigar lit and a cold drink and I’m just starting the video, but I am totally jazzed on the subject matter, WW2 boot resoration!!! Awesome! I love all the restorations, but please do more vintage, old and cool stuff.. I think this makes a great occasional topic for video.. thanks!!
Great video and work. Your craving for historical accuracy is much appreciated and the craftsmanship reflects that. I too have seen photos where field troops and Fallschirmjager had the hob nails as well. Love that period of military history 🪖
Great restoration project, you really "nailed" those boots🙂. First pattern Fallschirmjäger boots had a Vibram soles and 2nd type boots had a regular leather soles without hobnails. But like everything in military, especially during the war, there were variations where jackboot hobnails were installed, or even a Gebirgsjäger heavy boots hobnails for the paratroopers located in the mountain regions.
Love this new format of video, get to learn bit of history and bit of boot making, always fascinating to take a sneak peak of history from different perspective
You guys did an amazing job. When I was stationed in Germany, I tried to trade with a pair of their issued boots for a pair of mine, unfortunately, none wore the same size.
Great content as usual gentlemen. I really enjoyed watching your restore the boot. I wish we could have seen some of the work you did on the heels. Keep the historical refurbishments coming.
Personally, I would love slightly longer videos! Would like to see the heel details and how you dealt with the longer nails in the sole. I know there's pressure to keep them short but some of us enjoy the details however long it takes! Thanks for another great job.
Yes -- a bit different ... and not in the wrong way at all. You guys always seem to keep it interesting ... and this fits the bill very very well. I totally enjoyed that along with the history. I do like the construction you went with; a more authentic re-creation, differences really show. Thank you for another great vid and the history lesson. Be Safe
This was one of the most interesting videos you have done. Don't get me wrong, I like the modern shoe videos, bur being a "history nerd" this one was really a bonus.
The channel in the heel block did not click into a binding of the modern stiyle where the comlete sole of the boot is fixed to the ski, but served as a guide for a steel cable that ran round the heel but made it possible to lift the boot off the ski at the heel while still fixed to the ski at the tip. In this way you could use the ski snowshoe style i. e. Langlauf as it is called in German. When I served in the Bundeswehr in the 1980ies our boots still had this groove at the back of the heel block and we still used it for the assigned pupose in winter combat training.
I love seeing y'all looking back and learning from how things were done well in the past! I loved the comment that everything they did had a reason. Yes, it can be time consuming and a pain, but there is a good reason why some of that old stuff has lasted the test of time. We (Hull Millwork Hull Homes in Fort Worth) find the same thing working on historic homes and building new old homes. Lots of builders and architects now are just copying the look of things without understanding why it was done the way it was done, they get the details wrong, and it ends up looking "off". It's always a good sign when a craftsman is cracking open a book and studying from the past. 👍🏼 Keep up the good work!
I’ve been watching for a long time (years?) and really enjoyed these. Moral quandary about the origin and interest in this particular style of boots, I hope to see others from different parts of the world - including non European. Thanks for another entertaining video.
An historical footnote. During the WWII era, rubber was not what we see today as rubber. As an example, today a Vibram sole vs rubber, the Vibram will last much longer. Technology has radically changed rubber, like the materials soles are made of today. Further, leather would have been easier to use because rubber was not as easy to get for Germany (it had to travel across the oceans). Rubber was saved to be used in critical aircraft, vehicles, and industrial applications. Great video. Capturing history, especially in a video, is fantastic!
What did y'all think of the video? Do you enjoy the historical footwear videos? Let us know down below. Thanks so much for watching!!
I dig it
Hello, from Portugal. We love shoes and how his the best way to rise the level of quality. First, for sure, are the masters who did the fundations of the diferent shoes and styles. Hand made and historical, of course.
Definitely enjoy this aspect of footwear. I strongly recommend a _behind the scenes_ edit where we watch how you built those heel blocks.
Awesome love the history behind things
It really reminds me of how the Georgia Bulldogs stepped on the nose of the Tennessee Volunteers in 2001. Do y’all remember that game? I’m glad you vols are willing to make a video that commemorates that game. It seems like that would still sting, I know it would for me. Go Dawgs.
Awesome work ! I am a Bundeswehr - Fallschirmjäger veteran ( served in the 80s -90s ) & had very similar type of boots ( soles made by Continental - also a German Tire manufacturer in ww2 ) , We melted the shoe polish into the white stitching with a lighter that made it turn black to add waterproofness . The metal Cleates were also widely used by the Mountain troops - "Gebirgsjäger" wich operated with Fallschirmjäger too .
Smiling thinking about how much Communist ass these boots kicked😂
Wow, I got a pair of German boots too but the soles were made by Winterberg, I wonder if it's the later version or the early one
@@hefellump1and ammi ass 😂🎉
@@hefellump1
or British, or French, or USA.
or, more likely, civilians gathered into the barns and then set a flame.
@@simongrushka983 projection? Ever heard of Dresden? The dirty war criminals .
“They didn’t do ‘faux things’ back in the day. Everything had a purpose.” What a great line which describes modernity.
Thank you, yes!
The USSR did. Their Jack boots were made of a PU leather over a rubber impregnated cotton/canvas for a while. Real weird.
@@jadsmvs8651 it was made that way so they could save the leather. Kirza its called, I really dont think thats the same thing he was talking about
Dude... Victorian and Edwardian Fashion was the height of the faux things, especially in women's wear. "Slim waist?" "Sure, I can do that... by padding my butt." Humanity always did "faux things", it's nothing new.
@@Ruhrpottpatriot Thats not the same as putting non-functional stitching on a boot. That's just fashion accessories that made you look a certain way.
Where I live, this construction is known as the goiser. They are originally used as high performance hunter/hiker/forester boots in the Alps. They are really great, especially because the L shaped welt works as a bumper all around the shoe. Nowadays, they can be seen as dress shoes as well, and people can do a lot of fun stuff with that outer stich, such as putting colored cord or leather strips into it.
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
The name comes from Bad Goisern, and we call them Goiserer in the alps. (the ones with the nailed soles)
You are from Hungary? We in ex Yugoslavia also had term gojzerice for this kind of boots :)
@@nirfz We called gojzerice even the modern boots. Tipical boots that was called gojzerice were "adidas gojzerice". Try to google it. We were probably wrong, but we didn't know better :)
@@MrSatelit28 I did a picture search for the adidas ones. :-D Wrong would be a strong term i guess... In your language the word got a little modified over a little more than the last century and then used as generic term for boots . I can see how that happened historically.
We for sure also have similar kind of words, but it's often not easy to notice. (The name for the biggest glacier we have "Pasterze" originates in the slovenian language as far as i read, but almost nobody here knows.
And what we call Gulasch, the hungarians call something like Pörkölt...)
The white contrast stitching (sometimes called Dresden Point or Dresden Stitch) has a long tradition in the German Bundeswehr going back to the 19th century. It was a stylistic choice that originated in Saxony to accentuate the lacework, and was seen as a sign of quality and nobility, similar to the white glove in the US and UK.
People with bright white stitching on their boots were either officers who didn't have to do much trench or mudwalking, or brand new recruits who hadn't yet darkened the stitches with dirt. It was considered poor form to go about with bright white stitches, so most personnel darkened the stitching with dubbin wax.
You can see examples of Dresden Stitching in all forms of German military leatherwork, from watchbands to aviator caps. It was most closely associated with air forces (pilots, paratroopers and zeppelinmeisters) but examples can be found across all branches.
I did service in the German Bundeswehr in the 1980's. The boots we were issued did not look that different from the ones you worked on. They also had white stitching everywhere. First thing we were told to do when we received the boots, was to use black colored "Lederfett" (leather care grease) and darken all the white stitches. Especially the groove between the leather upper and the welt had to be slathered with the black grease to make the boots waterproof (which worked well).
Does that "Lederfett" wear off in the field, allowing the blackened stitching to turn white again? Or is that grease a permanent colorant?
@@operator8014 I would think it would have worn off over time but before that ever happened, the goo was re-applied frequently to keep water-proofness
Lederfett "wears off" but the stitching stays dark. (Because you would need to use some form of cleaning agent instead of water, brushes and elbowgrease when cleaning)
We did the same in austria, either Leather grease or black shoe creme that had water proofing oils and wax in it.
@@nirfz Our trick in the Bundeswehr in the 80s was to fatten the stitches and then to ignite the grease. It was not hot enough to damage the boot, just melted and soaked and blackened the stirches.
@@operator8014 We were expected to grease and polish the boots all the time. It kept them waterproof and soft. And obviously had the proper military shine.🙂
True craftsmanship, that’s for sure! I saw that first boot come apart and thought, “Okay, NOW they’ve met their match.” Y’all just keep killing it!
Thanks, Aaron. We love doing these!
Epic! Watched start to finish. Great jobs gents!
Wow this one was so good, amazing work fellas
Also that mustache 👌🏻
Very funny Rose Anvil
Wow didn't expect to see you here
Thanks man! You’ve set the bar high. We’re trying to step up our game a bit. 😉👍
It’s interesting as I nursed a lovely old gentleman until his passing at the end of last year. Like Many Austrians they were made to fight in the German army and he served most of his time serving in Russia. We talked about what they wore in that cold weather and he said his boots were thick leather with leather soles with these hobnails which were essential in the muddy conditions he experienced. Here in Austria in the parts of Austria rich in traditional wear and hunting there are boots made in the old way, very much like these and they are all fitted with hobnails as they like the traditional noise they make when they take part in the many celebrations of traditional culture take place here. I actually saw a pair in a small bespoke shoemakers in Salzburg a few months ago.
When I was stationed in Germany in the early 1980s, many of the old marchers wore boots with the hobnails.
@@royfrady8219 It sounds amazing especially with the brass bands playing. I love many things about living here ( I am British, lived in Canada for 16 years before moving here) is how they celebrate their traditions with a great deal of passion. There is always something going on and its all free to watch and take part in.
Please tell me what is a 'bespoke shoemaker'? In my part of the world we have, mostly, zapateros (cobblers). Thank you 😊.
that explains the ''tap heelling'' of the Radetzky Marsch
Many Austrians happily volunteered to fight in the German army, as did people of all nationalities and races, to stop the Bolshevik horde… A truly righteous cause. It’s a shame the allies took up such a scandalous war, for scandalous reasons, and committed scandalous atrocities in doing so. Becoming an adult is realizing the Germans were the good guys 🤷🏼♂️
there is no cobbler that has anything over on you,this job is way over the top in genuine quality. ty santee.
This is really an interesting video. I love the history that went along with it. You did a great job!
Thank you, Jason!
Fantastic...really enjoyed this one. I do need to confess that I am a former paratrooper in the Canadian AirbornevRegiment and like all things regarding boots and shoes that are leather and well made. These refurbished paratrooper boots were a labour of love and an example of true craftsmanship by both of you folks. Thanks and keep up the great work.
I really am a big fan of your videos. Yes, I’m one of the guys that watch the whole process throughout the video.
I worked for a family shoe store in Kansas fifty years ago. We carried many major brands of dress, sports, work/outdoor types of footware: Red Wings, Florsheim, US Keds, Clinic nursing shoes, Red Goose, etc. We actually measured feet and fitted shoes back then. That is a lost skill. We sold a fair amount of children's corrective shoes that had to be sent out to our shoe repair expert. I love seeing all the repairs/restorations on your channel. These historic videos are especially interesting. Love the channel. Thanks
Loved this! I’m retired military and am really into military history. Videos like this say nearly as much about the life of the soldier as they do about the boots. Looking forward to seeing more!
Thanks, Kelly
I'm a big WW2 enthusiast and videos like yours are one of my favourites...
Love the video! The German Fallschirmjäger were used in WWII during Operation Mercury (Invasion of Crete) in the first (and last) all-airborne invasion in history and, as it turns out, Crete is where my family is from! I remember my grandfather telling me stories of looking up to the sky and seeing the Germans parachuting down to invade the island. The Cretan resistance was able to fight off the Germans for 11 days before eventually losing the island. Great content guys!!
That is an amazing story. Thank you for sharing.
You guys did an amazing job on the restoration of these boots.
Thank you!
Amazing video and as always you guys do fantastic work. A couple of things about these boots, It looks like these might have actually been old SMwholesale boots by the shape of the uppers although it's hard to tell from how worn in they are haha. Fallschirmjager boots were also never issued with hobnails like these boots had at least to my knowledge. The main reason being is that you'd have zero traction on the metal floor of the inside of a JU-52. As someone who has worn hobnailed boots, they are great for off roading but definitely aren't good on any smooth surface. A lot of times guys would add them on or even ditch their jump boots for infantry or mountain boots because the smooth leather sole, while good for the airplane was practically useless in the field. Finally, the "first" pattern jump boots actually had a rubber sole with a sort of wedge arrow pattern, I don't know how else to describe it if you look it up you'll see what I mean, and were the preferred type by Fallschirmjager as they proved excellent for both jumping and in the field. The switch to leather soles came because of rubber shortages that Germany was facing during the war and that particular resource was needed elsewhere. The switch began I believe around 1941 after the invasion of Greece and the rubber soles would be phased out quickly to help simplify and ease production. Also Fallschirmjager would never again preform a massed air drop after the high casualties suffered on Crete, being relegated to more ground combat roles it makes sense to see more of these boots with hobnails later in the war for better traction. Sorry for the book by I just wanted to have the info out there for anyone interested. Amazing video again!
I can be wrong, but i think the boots of the mountain troops were equipped with hobnails. So if they switched out their boots for those of the mountain troops they would have ended up with something like in the video... The mountain troops were also more common to need the groove for the ski binding.
Being from austria, my heavy combat boots (we have conscription) around the turn of the century had such a groove in the heel for a ski binding.
I was lucky that i got to use "half-hard" ski boots in my size, but some of my comrades had to use the heavy combat boots for skiing, as they had a too common shoe size and there weren't enough of those boots in their size. (Not that it made skiing downhill any easier, as the name i gave them suggest, they only were rigid up until the ankle, and so they did not provide better ankle support than the combat boots. But they did provide better thermal insulation, which you only need if you standing around a lot or goind downhill a lot. Uphill or cross country the body heats up and supplies the feet too ;-))
"A lot of times guys would add them on or even ditch their jump boots for infantry or mountain boots because the smooth leather sole, while good for the airplane was practically useless in the field." Especially after Crete, when most of them didn't have jumps anymore. Most Fallschirmjägers at the end of the war had probably not seen a plane from the inside.
Love the historical content. Learning a bit about the history of your profession is awesome.
You are pretty crafty guys. I love those boots and your job of course.
i’ve been watching for years and he still scares the hell out of me with that knife
Awesome job! Glad to see Heath make an appearance after all the hard work was done.
Wrong person
I love seeing vintage military boots be restored. Especially jump boots. Definitely my favorite type of boot. This was a great video!
I'd definitely like to see more like it.
Enjoyed every aspect of this presentation. History and creativity in the production gets a big 👍.
Thank you!
Backi in the 50s we still had Shoemaker Repair shops on the East Side of Manhattan. One in particular, just around the corner, was owned by a guy named Tommy. I used to be fascinated watch him use the big machines. Ours was a blue collar working class neighborhood, not too many dress shoes, except maybe the go to Mass Sunday shoe. Most adult men in our neighborhood were in construction (Electricians, Iron workers, Bricklayers, etc.). These men bought good work boots, Red Wings with the high heel were the flavor then. Great boots, but construction work ate them up. By the time they got to Tommy they looked like they went through WW2 in a bomb crater. Tommy was an artist, a craftsman, and he took care of his customers. When he was done with the boots they looked brand new. After the repairs was done he would use the buffing machine to put a high gloss on the boots. It always fascinated to watch him work his art on those boots and shoes. I once asked Tommy were he learned his trade. I was about 13 at the time. Tommy said," I made a mistake once, a big mistake, and i got sent to college". I had not the slightest idea what he meant when he said "I went to college". A few years later I asked my Dad what Tommy meant about college. My father laughed and said, "Tommy was telling you he did time in the State Pen and he learned there. They teach some of the guys". Pen or no Pen, Tommy was an artist in his craft. Today to find a Shoemaker in NYC, you might as well look for alligators in the Arctic. I dont think I have seen those type of machines since the late 50s, thank you, it brought back a lot of good memories.
It was common practice for most boots in the German army to have hobnails, at least amongst the common infantry arms. Tank crews and other specialists who were vehicle bound or unique otherwise typically had a leather soled boot. I have seen both examples appear with fallschrimjägers.
I love the historical boots, I probably need to send you guys a pair of my reenacting boots!
Being a history nerd is awesome.
Love this! As an American it is always weird seeing German war equipment being restored. It is such a good reminder of the craftsmanship that was in these countries and the huge importance of keeping those makers and engineers recognized. In 200 years people won’t have the same prejudices that plague humanity. Thank you for making sure these pieces of history last longer so that we can have this history for future generations. You guys are the best out there.
Go predators! Go titians! Go grizzlies! And go VOLs!
I want to ad, I hope it is less time and we can actually join together and be a better world. I am also aware that prejudice will never end. However, I hope that we humans can make it much less.
First of all, Happy Father's Day to you both and Stormin' Norman! Enjoy!
And as for the boots: Whoa! "Yikes" is an understatement when you removed that sole.
This was intense. I was literally glued to the tiny screen on my phone with each step of the restoration.
Such a different project, all the research definitely paid off. Diggin' that heel construction! A stellar job, gentlemen.
Happy weekend all! 🤙🥾
Thank you so much, Jon!
We have grooves for the skis on our vintage boots as well here in Sweden. On both army and hiking boots. Old army boots from the 40s were issued with and without hobnails. The stitches where white as well. They look brown but when I've cleaned them they turn out to be white. Good job and thanks!
The reconstruction of the boots was awesome!!! Very neat to see old methods used for a solid result. Well done gentlemen. Stay awesome.
S&Mwholesale made my boots I’ve worn for 4-5 years. It’s the US Service shoe w/runner half sole and they have survived mountains, woods, streets and some snow. Amazing
The groove on the heel was designed for a rubber overshoe that was intended to be worn inside the aircraft while transporting to the drop zone, since the boots were intended to be a leather sole. The rubber over shoes were to be discarded upon landing on the drop zone.
Super cool seeing this older style of construction! Oddly enough, the custom welt you had to make is what I used to think Goodyear welts were. Good thing I found your channel and started learning more! 😅
I'm a history buff myself, so I enjoyed the historical take on this video. More like this!
Awesome video as usual. I’m a real fan as my Dad was a shoemaker, watching you two bring me back to memory lane for sure. It would be nice to see how you carved the heel block maybe a quick clip after the video? Great job and enjoy the weekend.
I had some German winter boots while serving in Germany in the 1990s, the ones in that era had the sane grooved heals and tows for the purpose of using snowshoes and ski attachment points. So, this was a much later boot but very similar heels. I enjoy your work and craftmanship.
Thoroughly enjoy the historical boots. The older the better which requires mores research and to me that's where the fun starts.
It's truly amazing that you are capable of such detail and craftsmanship. What you fellas do is definitely an art !
Thank you
Your sir are a craftsman! Outstanding work. Thank you for sharing!!
Incredible craftsmanship.
This is probably my favorite episode yet!
I've always enjoyed your channel but if you're getting into restoring historical footwear... that's just exciting! Love this video and hope to see more like it. 👍
Thank you!
Great video. I'm of German heritage and hardly know anything about German history other than Porche and WW2 movies! Cool stuff!
It was great to have a bit of history thrown into the mix. Strangely satisfying noises resulting through the process.
Thanks
More historical boot restorations sounds great.
Cannot believe Ronnie Pickering wrote that book!!! There's no end to his talents!
You guys are amazing. Hobby n history is a good combination.
This is one of the best videos to date. There’s only so many times you can watch a pair of loafers being done. This was awesome
your creativity never ceases to amaze me! good job !
Who needs the History channel when we can just watch your videos. Awesome job gentlemen!
Thank you very much, Warren!
I still have my jump boots from the US Army and it was interesting seeing a similar style from a different country. One thing I can say is I really like the studs on the sole of these German boots.
I’ve been watching y’all for a while. This is the coolest thing y’all have ever done
Enjoyed the historic boots! Great restoration!
"Very interesting" Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In seems so appropriate for this. Excellent content.
Hey fellas, I have my cigar lit and a cold drink and I’m just starting the video, but I am totally jazzed on the subject matter, WW2 boot resoration!!! Awesome! I love all the restorations, but please do more vintage, old and cool stuff.. I think this makes a great occasional topic for video.. thanks!!
I love the history that went along with it. You did a great job and more like this please!!!
That welt was intense! I enjoyed this video. Historic boot videos are always cool.
Love seeing the restoration of historic boots.
Love the historical boots and the fact you re-did them the way they were originally done! Good attention to details!
Great video and work. Your craving for historical accuracy is much appreciated and the craftsmanship reflects that. I too have seen photos where field troops and Fallschirmjager had the hob nails as well. Love that period of military history 🪖
Fantastic job!
What a craftmanship! That is why I like this channel most. Very much adding to sustainability too. Thanks guys, love your work!
Great restoration project, you really "nailed" those boots🙂. First pattern Fallschirmjäger boots had a Vibram soles and 2nd type boots had a regular leather soles without hobnails. But like everything in military, especially during the war, there were variations where jackboot hobnails were installed, or even a Gebirgsjäger heavy boots hobnails for the paratroopers located in the mountain regions.
Thank you. 👍
As always guys excellent work
Definitely would love to see more of the historical shoes and boots done! Amazing video guys! Keep it up!!!
Love this new format of video, get to learn bit of history and bit of boot making, always fascinating to take a sneak peak of history from different perspective
Thanks for watching
You guys did an amazing job. When I was stationed in Germany, I tried to trade with a pair of their issued boots for a pair of mine, unfortunately, none wore the same size.
Great content as usual gentlemen. I really enjoyed watching your restore the boot. I wish we could have seen some of the work you did on the heels. Keep the historical refurbishments coming.
Thank you, Nathan!
Love the direction this video sets!
Thanks, Caleb
Really interesting. I learned a lot, please keep these coming
Thank you
Always interested in historical boots. The lemonwood pegging reminded me of custom cowboy boots.😎
Probably the best restoration yet.. 👍
Thank you, Ben!
Personally, I would love slightly longer videos! Would like to see the heel details and how you dealt with the longer nails in the sole. I know there's pressure to keep them short but some of us enjoy the details however long it takes! Thanks for another great job.
I know nothing about repairing shoes but i like your show it is very interesting
Yes -- a bit different ... and not in the wrong way at all. You guys always seem to keep it interesting ... and this fits the bill very very well. I totally enjoyed that along with the history. I do like the construction you went with; a more authentic re-creation, differences really show. Thank you for another great vid and the history lesson. Be Safe
Thank you so much, Rod!
This was one of the most interesting videos you have done. Don't get me wrong, I like the modern shoe videos, bur being a "history nerd" this one was really a bonus.
We love some good history
It has been a pleasure to watch a master at his craft. Well done!
As always, appreciate the attention to detail and pride in the work
Thanks, Michael
This is exactly the kind of thing I like to see
I'm a huge history buff
Love seeing the historical footwear being done correctly and in a similar manner when they were first made!
Thanks, Dalton
19:20 Absolutely enjoyed it!
A story behind a pair of shoes adds so much more to it!
Thank you
Interesting build especially wood pegs
The channel in the heel block did not click into a binding of the modern stiyle where the comlete sole of the boot is fixed to the ski, but served as a guide for a steel cable that ran round the heel but made it possible to lift the boot off the ski at the heel while still fixed to the ski at the tip. In this way you could use the ski snowshoe style i. e. Langlauf as it is called in German. When I served in the Bundeswehr in the 1980ies our boots still had this groove at the back of the heel block and we still used it for the assigned pupose in winter combat training.
I love seeing y'all looking back and learning from how things were done well in the past! I loved the comment that everything they did had a reason. Yes, it can be time consuming and a pain, but there is a good reason why some of that old stuff has lasted the test of time. We (Hull Millwork Hull Homes in Fort Worth) find the same thing working on historic homes and building new old homes. Lots of builders and architects now are just copying the look of things without understanding why it was done the way it was done, they get the details wrong, and it ends up looking "off". It's always a good sign when a craftsman is cracking open a book and studying from the past. 👍🏼 Keep up the good work!
Great video guys. I really admire how you guys restored these boots. The quality and craftsmanship is top tier. Thank you.
Very impressive restoration. Y’all are true artisans.
I didn't think I was going to like this video. But it's one of my favorites you've done. Great entertainment!
I’ve been watching for a long time (years?) and really enjoyed these. Moral quandary about the origin and interest in this particular style of boots, I hope to see others from different parts of the world - including non European. Thanks for another entertaining video.
Moral? Wtf, are you saying paratroopers were part of the hollowfraud??? That's rich!!!
Really liked this video! Thanks guys!
An historical footnote. During the WWII era, rubber was not what we see today as rubber. As an example, today a Vibram sole vs rubber, the Vibram will last much longer. Technology has radically changed rubber, like the materials soles are made of today. Further, leather would have been easier to use because rubber was not as easy to get for Germany (it had to travel across the oceans). Rubber was saved to be used in critical aircraft, vehicles, and industrial applications.
Great video. Capturing history, especially in a video, is fantastic!
Cool restauration!
I did like. More history renovations please.
Beautiful boots, you guys did an excellent job.
Always like watching pro's at work,learning more than I ever thought I would about history😁👍
The video was very great and aewsome,good workmanship too..
Very interesting video. Appreciate the historical viewpoint. The boots turned out beautiful.
I love the historic aspect t this video
Current British army/marine ski boots have the channel you describe on the heels. It perfectly accepts the ski bindings.