How Not to Break in New Brogans

[pgboyd]

Since I'm a new wannabe reenactor, I thought I would share my recent experience with a new pair of brogans. These weren't made expressly for my feet by some of the higher end makers, but a good quality progressive brogan nonetheless. I massaged the backs of the shoes a bit to try to soften up the leather, then decided to go for a short mile walk around the neighborhood. Probably a mistake not to put on thick wool socks - I was doing okay until the last quarter mile or so.

I managed to get some pretty good blisters worked up on the backs of both of my feet. I have an order in for some Pecard's oil and hope to try again after I've had a chance to work the leather some more. During the last quarter mile I was thinking that soldiers going barefoot might not have just been due to lack of shoes, but lack of time and materials to break in what they had available.

Phil Boyd

[fahnenschmied]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

Next time - stand them in a basin of water till they are soaking wet. Put them on, preferably over good woolen socks, and just wear them casually round the house, while fishing, or whatever you do. Wear them till they are about dry again. Yes, it will take a while. When you take them off, oil them, if you care. Sometimes oil will penetrate deeper on damp leather than dry. What you did is break your feet to fit the shoes...wetting them lets the shoes have a chance to let your feet shape them. No need to "work" the leather - just get it totally soaking wet and leth the natural action of wearing it "work" it.

Dave Stone

[Gallinipper]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

Ouch, that hurts just reading about it! I'm getting a mental flashback of Denzel Washington in the movie Glory.....

I purchased an authentic pair of CS brogans from MB&S once, the ones with the rough sides "in". Yeah, those. Great looking shoes, but they ruined an entire weekend for me, not to mention a pair of Messr. Black's handiwork. I spent most of that event in bivouac, nursing damaged feet, after having trekked but a half-mile or so to get onsite. Even worse, the boys treated me like their cook-wench. Never again. Since they were direct copies of originals, I couldn't help but wonder how the original owner fared with his pair. I definitely had a lot of time to think about that!

In short, I feel (felt) your pain. Get well soon, pard....

Rich Croxton
Wannabe Walking-again Mess

[rkg]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

You know, I have never soaked my brogans in water (intentionally), to break them in. I wore my MO Boot & Shoe federal brogans a little to break them in and had no problems with them.
Rich Mt, no blisters; BGR one small blister on a heel, my fault, cotton sock problem; ITPW,
no blisters. Marmaduke's Raid, no problems! I did those events , as well as many others where the marching was less, with no problems from my shoes. I can't say that I buy in to the soak your boots and wear them till they are dry theory, but then again, I just might have happy, lucky feet. For me, it has been more about wearing a good wool sock.
Not feeling the pain from my shoes, I remain yours respectfully,

[Marylander in Grey]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

What I usually do with new reenactment shoes is to run the bath hot as posible. Fill the shoes with water and pour out, without soaking completely.
This will allow the leather to soften and streatch ( an old leather workers trick) then wear them with the heaviest stockings you plan to where all the time to an event. It takes a couple of hours for them to dry and shrink to the contours of your feet.
As stated before keep them oiled. I use Black Ball (Kiwi Shoe polish works also) and keep them well coated in the polish this will help water proof them and they will last for years.

[mtodriscoll]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

Hard lesson to learn...Ouch!

My first new pair of brogans, I oiled them over winter break, but had not taken the time to break them in before the first event arrived. I was dreading the blisters I new would come. Thankfully, it rained buckets that weekend (so much so they called Sunday off altogether) and my brogans were soaked. Wore them Friday evening and all day Saturday wet. Now they fit like a glove. I've had them 2 seasons and never a blister one.

Note: Mine were a little too soaked. The leather layers between the bottom sole and the upper was actually softened too much and "squished out" a little on the edges. So it is also possible to get them too wet. Just something to keep in mind. Wet enough to get stretchy, but not so wet as to become overly misshapen.

[PogueMahone]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I've had my shoes made by Bob Serio for many years. I've never done anything but take them out of the box and put them on. They fit that well.

If you are buying cheap shoes, don't soak them too much. All the glue will melt.

[Rob Murray]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I recieved my new pair of bootees from *** ******* (not an approved vender) 2 weeks before ITPW. I had no problems.

If you are buying cheap shoes, don't soak them too much. All the glue will melt.

Joe, wouldn't those be the most awthentic?

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I bought a couple of nice pairs of brogans from Mike Clark at Gettysburg 1988, he had a great piece of advice which I did immediately, I put the new shoes on, found a creek, walked into the water soaking the shoes, then walked around with them on until they dried & formed to my feet.

Greg Starbuck

[rogue]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

Greg,
But you must add, that at the 125th Gettysburg in 1988, it was incredibly HOT and DRY, so the brogans you soaked in the creek probably dried fast, very fast, as I recall.
S.Sullivan
at that time with the 64th NYVI

[Gallinipper]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I've had my shoes made by Bob Serio for many years. I've never done anything but take them out of the box and put them on. They fit that well.

Amen to that, bro. Had similar pleasant experiences with Mr. Land's boots, as well.

Rich Croxton

[55th VVI]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I have shoes from MB&S and Robert Land. I have done nothing but wear them. I made sure they fit well when I bought them. Thats it. I will say the soles on Robert Land shoes seem much harder than the MB&S shoes. Anyone else have this experience? Anyone else notice that with Robert Land shoes you need to get 1 to 1 1/2 sizes smaller than your normal shoe size? I am not complaining, I just want feedback from others.

[Mutt]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I have shoes from MB&S and Robert Land. I have done nothing but wear them. I made sure they fit well when I bought them. Thats it. I will say the soles on Robert Land shoes seem much harder than the MB&S shoes. Anyone else have this experience? Anyone else notice that with Robert Land shoes you need to get 1 to 1 1/2 sizes smaller than your normal shoe size? I am not complaining, I just want feedback from others.

I'll say ditto to that Mr. Siegel. I was just two days ago looking over my gear and noticed my Robert Land "workman's boot's" soles to be much harder then other shoes I've had. Hard enough that I thought I had messed them up by storing them wrong when not using them. Then I recalled that they had been that way since purches, though maybe a tad harder now.

Had a pair of MO Boot and Shoe "English walking shoes", loved em! Fit to my foot as is protocal for Serio's ordering (foot tracing). Leather was softer then my brogans and the workman's boot all round. They still had life left in them after several events and nearly 6 months of continuous use at my old Ft Delaware job, wore through the first sole. Sold them to a chum and they're still kickin.

The case for both: Took em out of the box, wore em to an event, they got wet by chance of weather, oiled periodically (I use Neatsfoot Oil). I used to obsess over leather care, saddle soaping to clean in the winter. I really do think the humidity on the island helped them conform to my foot.

A note from a conservator where I work now: "Oiling leather can hurt leather more then help in the long run." I'll try to round up the specifics on why, but I do recall her saying just that about an old leather book binding that she could tell was treated with oil at some point and was now deteriorating. She may have meant not to oil OLD leather.

My two barks,

Best,

[Fenianboy]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

I normally wear Land brogans and didn't have to adjust size for my size 12's. I also have Mattimore boots again true to size.Hank kluin of Burgess & Company long ago taught me the the merits of gylcerine saddle soap available at most saddle shops.It softens.protects and preserves.Only my hunting boots get oil and they are so old and beat the oil most likely keeps them from falling apart!

[Dreamer42]

Re: How Not to Break in New Brogans

Glad this topic came up. I wear a nice pair of Matimore Harness brogans. They have served great up until my last event at Port Hudson where it rained non-stop for about 6 hours. The ground was soaked, and so were my booties. Now the problem...the soles are stiff as a board after drying out AND soaking for quite a while in Neatsfoot Oil. I'm considering just having them re-soled, unless some of you fellas have a better remedy.

Gotta have something ready for Outpost '09

Signed,
"Footless" and fancy free

Jay Reid
Dreamer42
9th Texas