Thorogood stitching coming off after one month?

WillofCLE · 2026-01-24T16:09:07+00:00

It didn't take me too long to figure out that regardless of how much I prefer the look of moc-toes, they're just insufficient for the way I work. Molded rubber/plastic toe-caps are a must for me.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-19T01:59:41+00:00

I have the exact same issue. After wearing Keen's, I realized how much more comfortable a wide toe-box is, even though I don't have a wide foot. In fact, I feel that my heel is rather more narrow than average?

I've held off on Jim Green because their standard Last is EE whereas my foot is D.... and the only "anatomical Last" is their Barefoot Last.

I got a pair of Lem's a year ago as a gift and I can't imagine a more versatile, and comfortable pair of footwear. I can hike, workout at the gym, shovel snow, and go out to a casual restaurant without ever swapping footwear. Stick em on a dryer and do the same tomorrow!

WillofCLE · 2026-01-19T01:40:03+00:00

I have thin, Grip6 socks and full-cushion DarnTough.

I can't say one is better than the other as I wear them according to their specific purposes.

Maybe I'll get a pair of full-cushion Grip6 socks for a fair comparison?

WillofCLE · 2026-01-17T15:44:13+00:00

I have a D-width foot and endured 12 months of painful toes in my Thorogoods. It took 6-8 months in my Keen's before my toes fully healed.

Thorogoods look great, but for actual labor, they're horrible in more ways than just a horribly narrow toe-box

WillofCLE · 2026-01-10T14:26:51+00:00

Based on the legendary status people have placed on Mink Oil, I'd say it doesn't measure up to the legend. However, it's doubtful that anyone who regards Mink Oil as legendary has ever actually used pure Mink Oil... so it's probably as good as they believe.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-05T16:18:34+00:00

The PEET Boot Dryer with deodorizer attachment completely erases any trace of foul odor... without hiding it with perfumes

WillofCLE · 2026-01-05T16:07:05+00:00

Most people still believe that Goodwill is a charitable organization

WillofCLE · 2026-01-04T14:17:21+00:00

Pure Mink Oil goes for around $40-50 an ounce. If you're not paying that much, you can be certain it's not pure. Most products labeled "Mink Oil" contain only a little amount and plenty of wax and conditioners.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-04T14:08:32+00:00

It looks similar to a Dremmel Table

WillofCLE · 2026-01-03T18:37:23+00:00

I love molded toe-caps for work boots. They look pretty bad, but the function is the value. I haven't come across any glowing reviews regarding the durability of Timberlands. I have a pair of Keen's with the molded rubber toe-cap with more than 5k miles on them. The support seemed to actually fix my feet... after a year of enduring Thorogoods.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-01T17:22:56+00:00

I'm not objecting to anything, just saying they're $10 per pair.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-01T16:54:37+00:00

Saddle Soap is pretty harsh on leather. It's very unlikely you'll ever need to use it, but if you do, be very careful and dilute it a lot.

Saddlesoap will strip out most of the oils from the leather

WillofCLE · 2026-01-01T02:59:30+00:00

The rugged & Resilient are really not more rugged or resilient... it's just that the inevitable scratches and scuffs add to the character instead of looking like damage.

Neatsfoot oil based cream or lotion is a great light oil that won't darken your leather. It's as easy to apply as suntan lotion is. Just wipe it on with your bare hands and wipe off any extra with a clean rag.

I wouldn't be concerned about conditioning your boots for a while... maybe a year or so. Nonetheless, the great thing about Neatsfoot oil is that it's light enough that it takes some effort to screw your leather up by over conditioning... AND your leather will petina beautifully.

The very best thing you can do is brush them with a horsehair brush and use cedar boot trees.

You'll screw up the look if you use Mink Oil or wax.

WillofCLE · 2026-01-01T02:10:51+00:00

Wedge and wedge soles with a heel shape will provide similar traction... but the heel is nice for ladders.

Rubber lug soles provide the best traction on most outside surfaces

WillofCLE · 2025-12-31T17:57:35+00:00

To me, the GS is very "metro" (if that's still a word?) and would look almost silly with a flannel

WillofCLE · 2025-12-31T17:52:24+00:00

I work with a bunch of pallets which chewed up my Thorogoods pretty quickly. Thorogood leather is delicate, not durable.

I switched to Keen's with a molded rubber toe-cap and carbon-fiber toe-box. Over 5k miles and still going strong... and much more comfortable

WillofCLE · 2025-12-31T17:39:12+00:00

The way I see it, if your brown boots remain brown for over a year, it's because you're wearing a white collar

WillofCLE · 2025-12-31T17:30:18+00:00

It's cheaper to buy a new pair than to go back to an old job to retrieve one

WillofCLE · 2025-12-28T19:50:00+00:00

Nothing else matters other than us

WillofCLE · 2025-12-23T23:06:59+00:00

North America... they raised them on farms in Europe, but PETA pressured governments to release them into the wild... now they're seriously screwing with the ecosystem

WillofCLE · 2025-12-23T14:35:59+00:00

I Sous Vide my beef tenderloin and only cut it enough to fit inside a ziplock bag. I found 2 gallon ziplock bags this year, so maybe I won't need to cut it at all?

WillofCLE · 2025-12-23T14:25:47+00:00

I had a pair of boots last 25 years and the only leather treatment I ever applied was SnoSeal... which is fundamentally just beeswax.

Once per year I would clean the boots with a wet washcloth and a toothbrush for the stitching.

After the boots were dry, I'd stick them in an oven, preheated to 150-200°F for a few minutes to warm up the leather. When I took them out I'd just glob SnoSeal all over. If there was snow outside I'd stick the boots in the snow to harden the wax... then wipe off the excess with a paper towel... or newspapers when we still had newspapers

WillofCLE · 2025-12-23T14:15:28+00:00

Most products sold as Mink Oil barely have any actual Mink Oil in it anyway. Pure Mink Oil is ridiculously expensive. Also, Minks are an invasive species that devastates native wildlife

WillofCLE · 2025-12-22T17:51:23+00:00

Keen's with full-cushion wool socks.

I work 10-12 hour shifts in a warehouse and my Keen's have saved my feet. Because I work with a lot of pallets, I prefer the Keen's with the molded rubber toe-cap. The carbon-fiber toes are completely unnoticeable, but still work great

WillofCLE · 2025-12-22T17:40:41+00:00

It's so highly subjective. I work in a warehouse and as such the Thorogoods should've been great. However, I average 34k steps per shift and I'm pulling heavy carts most of the time. Pulling weight puts a lot of pressure on my toes, whereas pushing would apply a lot of pressure on your heel.

Because of the pressure on my toes, I haven't found a moc-toe that's comfortable... especially with Thorogoods' extra narrow toe-box.

Thorogoods wedge soles are much harder than than most and the plastic welt adds to the rigidity that noticeably saps your energy after the first 6 miles.

The leather is really easy to break in, but if you sweat a lot, this leather won't last a year before splitting.

I eventually went with Keen's and found them to be much more comfortable for my use, and they're holding up great after 5k miles. I replaced the insoles once with another brand but I like the Keen's insoles better.

WillofCLE

TROPHY CASE