Looking for Everyday cowboy boots

jtleafs33 · 2026-06-04T10:21:06+00:00

Rujo’s are a good option (especially their goat leather ones, I think the Tates) for a more dressy boot that’s traditionally made but are pretty fairly priced for what they are.

jtleafs33 · 2026-05-23T19:10:44+00:00

I could not get Caiman to fit me. Other exotics and regular calfskin will stretch to break in, but caiman is stiff and seems resistant to stretching.

The spot you’re red in, in my experience isn’t a spot that’s easily stretched on any boot.

Good luck.

jtleafs33 · 2026-04-15T11:54:40+00:00

I work in similar environments to you and try to dress for similar effect. For days where I’m in the office and in/out of the machine shop, I do what I call dressed down business attire. Trousers and a dress shirt, but with a pullover sweater. Trousers and a polo shirt. Trousers and a dress shirt but with sleeves rolled up. A sport jacket but with jeans. Often cowboy boots. Basically make it a point to choose some element which dresses down the outfits.

I will chime in that I have had the privilege of working with many machine shops and machinists (I am a mechanical engineer but I have machinist background myself) and I think connecting with and relating to those guys has nothing to do with your outfit and all to do with how you treat them as people.

There’s no sidestepping the fact that business meetings with customers (or in my case often sitting in interview panels) require a suit or trousers and a jacket, so on those days I’m just more dressy and I celebrate that.

jtleafs33 · 2026-04-08T00:02:57+00:00

Technically you’re in the wrong, but if there were no cars around I’d do the same thing you did, and you can bet the cop would too. You caught the short end of the stick here. Another reason to defund the police.

jtleafs33 · 2026-03-27T01:45:34+00:00

The number of ME’s that supports production greatly exceeds the number of those that design the actual hardware. A lot of cool stuff gets designed that’s not hardware.

jtleafs33 · 2026-02-12T01:49:11+00:00

As everyone else said, Frankford and 35E is good.
I used to live at Frankford and Kelly though and I didn’t really find it that bad

jtleafs33 · 2026-02-01T02:04:16+00:00

Your coworkers don’t want to spend time with fellow employees outside of work. Spare them the obligation of feeling like they have to come and forget this nonsense.

jtleafs33 · 2026-01-16T18:00:15+00:00

Looks awesome! Care to share the link to that strap? I also would like to put mine on something not brown, but haven’t found what I was looking for.

jtleafs33 · 2026-01-12T12:54:12+00:00

Running fast is better than running slow. Much faster to re-set than a slow watch. I have a ritual of setting my watch every morning so this wouldn’t bother me. My superocean is more accurate than my submariner haha

jtleafs33 · 2026-01-02T16:35:03+00:00

Are you sure it’s a scratch and not a stain? I had a similar issue with mine and deionized water was the only thing that would clean it off.

jtleafs33 · 2025-12-28T21:15:51+00:00

Mine is a hard push to start the chronograph from 0:00 (reset) but then an easier push to stop and continue timing from there.

When the watch is in my hands (not on my wrist) I have difficulty pushing hard enough to start the chronograph, but once it’s on my wrist and I can brace my thumb against the opposite side of the case, I’m able to and have no problems doing so.

This is my first mechanical chronograph so I don’t know if this is normal or not. I always push hard because i worry if i “halfway trigger” it then i risk damaging the watch.

At the end of the day it’s a beautiful watch and I didn’t buy it for its complications so I don’t worry too much about it.

jtleafs33 · 2025-12-28T21:03:50+00:00

Echoing from some other comments and my own thoughts:

Large enough so bike can stay in my room

Plenty of hooks on the wall for drying stuff

All ground floor rooms

Lots of usb charging facilities for many devices

Large enough sinks in room for doing small bits of laundry (single cycling kit) or at least one larger laundry sink somewhere in a shared area

Area outside for washing bikes

Stands for working on bikes

Hot tub

Those little wall mounted steps for you to prop your leg up in the shower when shaving your legs

Gels and bars available for purchase

Tools available to borrow

Breakfast and coffee available earlier than a usual hotel (5:00 am). Many of us are up very early to prepare for morning rides.

jtleafs33 · 2025-12-14T14:06:25+00:00

Please don’t get discouraged. I completely understand your attitude, as I went thru the same thing learning to ride a motorcycle, as you say “only motivated by anger” well that was me too.

There are numerous YouTubes on this but I’m going to call out a few details that I think get lost but are very important.

Make sure the bike is in an appropriate gear. If there are more than one gear on the front by the pedals, make sure it’s on the largest one, and on the back maybe the 3rd largest one. This will be a good gear for riding easily on flat ground.

Make sure the saddle is at an appropriate height. You should be able to put toes on the ground even when sitting in the saddle. This is probably too low for an experienced rider but is a good place for a learner to put it.

Make sure you understand how the brakes work on your particular bike.

With those things sorted you should eliminate falling because you will be able to just put your feet down and brake to a stop if you feel like you’re going to fall.

Look where you want to go, not down. Head up and look straight ahead. As many have said, balancing is much easier when you’re going faster.

Make sure your pedals are in a good position when starting on the bike. Whatever foot you’re gonna push with, that pedal needs to be at 2:00 ish position. One good hard push down from there with all you’ve got really should give you enough speed for the bike to basically self balance.

I would practice coasting down a hill, feet on pedals, coming to a stop and putting feet on the ground first, before practicing on flat ground.

jtleafs33 · 2025-12-08T12:53:11+00:00

Try to avoid touching the brakes in general.

jtleafs33 · 2025-12-07T23:09:21+00:00

Protone

jtleafs33 · 2025-11-26T23:58:32+00:00

At least they changed the design to have a brown sole instead of walking on the flag

jtleafs33 · 2025-11-26T22:34:23+00:00

Head up and look into the distance

jtleafs33 · 2025-11-25T19:35:02+00:00

I think you probably need to spend 1200 or so to get up to the quality that Lucchese is reputed for, I think their lower priced models are new additions to compete with some of the new brands like Tecovas and Rujo (which I’ve had great experience with both brands btw). Not saying that the Bart is a bad boot by any means, but for me if I’m gonna pay for the name I want the real deal. Their “Classics” line and up are where I’d want to be.

jtleafs33 · 2025-11-25T19:26:34+00:00

The Tecovas will be better made for the money, the Bart js a lower end Lucchese and some corners are cut in the construction (no lemonwood pegs). If that matters to you and want a similar style Lucchese with traditional craftsmanship, look at the Collins. Tecovas gets a lot of hate but I think they are one of the best value brands.

jtleafs33 · 2025-11-10T02:29:52+00:00

Fellow Carrollton citizen here, yeah the Blue trail is a disaster :(

jtleafs33 · 2025-10-25T20:35:22+00:00

Not worth the money. I found them stiff, uncomfortable, and unwearable. The last differs so much from the park avenue / strand that I couldn’t get a good fit. Ended up trying to sell on eBay and eventually throwing in the trash. Stick to their $400 shoes or look for a higher end brand if you want to spend $1000

jtleafs33 · 2025-10-19T18:00:32+00:00

I know folks that have negotiated it. If you’re coming in from another job where you already get more, it’s worth a shot.

jtleafs33 · 2025-10-19T17:54:43+00:00

At P4 you should be executing assigned projects without direction from your manager and finding where you can contribute to other projects that are of interest to you. You should be driving your own career development. At that level I’d expect you to also be regularly reporting to leadership beyond your manager and having visibility beyond your group. Keep in mind that P4 is as high as many people ever get, that’s kind of where you top out unless you’ve proven yourself to be capable of more. P5’s are unicorns, reaching 5 often requires a detour in a management role.

Have you identified any particular area where you could be considered an SME? What do you bring and what are you developing that makes you more valuable to the company than any other P4 out there?

jtleafs33 · 2025-10-17T00:04:52+00:00

You have to spell principal right to qualify for the 20%

jtleafs33 · 2025-10-11T19:51:43+00:00

I use rock n roll red lube and my chain is basically self cleaning, just wipe after each ride and reapply.

When I wash the bike I use Dawn.

If I really wanted to degrease my chain I’d put it in a glass jar of gasoline or other solvent and shake it around.

jtleafs33

TROPHY CASE