Period footwear

[Oregon Bill]

This has probably come up many times before, but among the correct square-toed footwear of the period, seems there are the various varieties of pull on boots as well as Civil War brogans and Jefferson Booties. These come from a time when folks didn't have to worry about hobnails scarring the floor or bare leather soles slipping on asphalt. How do you wear these things without bustin' your keester or being struck in the back of the head with a frying pan (cast iron, of course) by your honeybunch for wrecking the linoleum?
Among the brogans and Jeffersons, who's got advice or experience?
Thanks.

[Lars]

I went through all this about a year ago, on the NCOWS BB on The Frontier Spot, but, that is all lost in the crash of that site. I got lots of good information from NCOWS members.

What I ended up with is a pair of Civil War brogans that are plenty larger than needed with normal socks. Then I added the semi-custom foot support items I need inside, including some very thick wool socks. I also had thin, tough rubber soles added over the leather soles. I will have them added on the heels as soon as I get the heels worn down a bit, to nice comfortable contours. The thin rubber soles solved all my concerns about poor traction and marring of floors. I also used SnowSeal on the lower parts of the boots to provide a nice measure of resistance against moisture getting in.

I have been very satisfied with mine. I only use them for NCOWS and other shooting sports, so, they should last for a very long time.

Lars

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Oregon Bill,

I have both brogans & boots that have iron heel plates to prevent wear to the soles.  Asphalt isn't so bad.  Tile, stone and polished wood floors are terrible.  You learn to walk very flat footed and carefully.  Small steps planted straight down are what I find to be the best.  I don't know when rubber was first used on shoe soles.  It does solve the problem, but I won't use it until I know that I was "common to the era."  Good walking!

[Mogorilla]

No real way to walk on interior floors with Hobnails without getting in a lot of trouble.   I have been a history fanatic all my life and I must confess that the Old West is my second love, 1st being the post Roman period in Europe, specifically Britian (King Arthur nut).  Anyway, I have over the years made roman caligae (The sandal/boots the army wore and from which Emperor Caligula took his name).   Traditionally they had hobnails in them and my first set did as well.  I took one step inside and scarred the linoleom and was in TROUBLE!!!  For a 12 year old, I moved fast!.   Avoid the hobnails for any items to be worn in doors.

[Lars]

Oregon Bill,

You have perhaps already heard about the mythical NCOWS stich police, maybe the rubber soles police too. I have yet to knowingly encounter a member of the NCOWS stich police. Nor do I have any information about folks that might be subject to the oft mentioned NCOWS stich police.

I have encountered NCOWS members with rubber soles on their footwear. They did not seem to fear the mythical NCOWS rubber soles police. Actually, those wearers of rubber soles struck me as valuing security and safety of walking with loaded guns somewhat higher than the siren call of authenticity. It is comforting to be shooting in the company of such practical folks.

Lars

[Delmonico]

Rubber soled shoes came out in the late 1840's after Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanizing process for rubber.  Also at least some guards in Norther Prisons wore rubber soled shoes so they could slip around more quietly to prevent escape attemps.  Confederate General John Morgan and his group tossed crushed coal in the halway of their Ohio Prison to help hear the guards better.  It worked, he and several others dug out.

Common"  Not as much as leather, the cost was much higher on rubber soles at the time than on leather soles and the rubber of the period was not as durable as today.  Does it make sense to use them if needed?  Yes, broken bones are not a lot of fun, plus the rubber sole savers can extend the life of a shoe or boots that are worn a lot and keep you from having to have them half soled because of wear on hard surfaces and gravel.

[Oregon Bill]

Informative replies, fellas, and thank you. Lars, any particular maker of brogans you like? And by the way, who did all those brogan wearers manage on wet grassy slopes?

[Lars]

Oregon Bill,

I chose mine based on price -- they were discounted -- and because they were all made wide enough across forefoot. Think I paid something like 60 dollars. Most seem to be made outside of USA, to specs and sizes given by USA merchant. Some merchants sell by nominal size, others by more personal measurements. You should go to Google and enter "brogans" or "civil war brogans" and then comparison shop the various websites, maybe e-mail or phone with specific questions. Also, obviously, watch for sales -- I could have paid much more for mine.

Lars

[Wymore Wrangler]

Safety first, and then authencity!  If you don't feel comfortable with leather soles moving with loaded firearms, especially when it's wet, they make a great little rubber sole that is glued on and you'd have to have a magnifying glass to see that your wearing them without showing your soles...  Terry Lane told me about them, and my cobbler knew what I was talking about when I took my boots in to have them added...

[Chantilly]

I've been told you can take gritty sandpaper and scuff the bottom of the leather to reduce slippage also.  I haven't tried it so I don't know how well that works.

For women:  I got a great pair of civil war era ladies boots that I like very well and are correct for most any of the Victorian era from Blockade Runner (same boots that Nicole Kidman wore in Cold Mountain).  I find that they are very well made and fit well although I've heard that others did not find them as comfortable.  Shoes are such an individual thing!  Check them out at http://www.blockaderunner.com/nlc/14.html

Thanks for the info on the rubber soles! 

[Delmonico]

As a side note, the word "Gum Shoe" meaning a detective dates to around the Civil War and came from there habit of trying to be sneaky by wearing show with gum elastic soles, another common name from the era for rubber. 

I often go to a good Dictionary first in reseaching if an item was avallible in the era, if one remembers it will tell you when a word came into use in the language.  I figure if folks were taliking about it, the item must be in somewhat common use and it then is worth me time to dig deepeer.