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Double Buckle Boots


Lucky 7th Armored
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Lucky 7th Armored

I was wondering how can you tell if they are actually repros or if they are the 1950s french boots? I just won a pair of "Repros" and just wanted to make sure. Because i didnt want to disrespect anyone by wearing french double buckle boots. Heres a pretty bad picture of the auction i won, also is it a good price? And is there anything you can do for the leather?

The pair i just won

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

 

Why did these repros go for so much??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

 

Thanks for answering my farb questions haha.

 

Thanks,

Haydn

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Armed 2 tha Teeth

Haydn,

 

Those are French boots. There are a bunch of differences between them and USGI/repro M43 boots, most noticably the soles.

 

When there are so many different places offering reproduction double buckle boots there isn't any reason to dump money into French boots, even the worst reproductions are better than them.

 

I am sorry if this bursts your bubble but I would sell the boots immediately, and then invest in some boots from ATF or if you really want some good boots WWII Impressions.

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Lucky 7th Armored

Ah well this sucks.. thanks for this information, i wished i asked the question before hand. Well the seller has 7 day item return.

Haydn

and i see that i posted the same link twice so please disregard that in the first post.

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Lucky 7th Armored

Do you think that i can get as much as i paid for them? or should i just send them back and lose $20 on shipping?

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To bad they aren't my size, I would take them off your hands. I would just keep them and use them for the really dirty work. I have a pair of French boots that I use when driving my jeep, they work well and I have never had anyone say anything.

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Lucky 7th Armored

Well that made me feel a little better hawkdriver haha. So how do the soles really say French and what other things are there that point out French?

Thanks,

Haydn

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norwegian blue

Hi, please allow a Frenchman add a few words here:

Of course if you've handled both Buckle boots and the French version (which for some unknow reason, we call "rangers"), the main difference would be weight and construction. The French version being made of thicker leather and rubber parts, is very heavy but also much sturdier. The cuff is lined with smooth leather instead of canvas, the soles are thicker and always cleated, also all markings (manufacturer and size) are différent from US-Made shoes.

And thanks Hawkdriver, these are actually very good and long lasting shoes!

Thousands of pairs of these early French boots (in rough out natural leather), that had been stored as 'mobilization stocks', have been auctioned over the last few years, together with regular service shoes from the 50s (same as the "Rangers' but without the cuff, and worn with US style leggings). These apparently are excellent surplus wares and it is always a surprise to see how many have found their way to your side of the Atlantic.

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Just food for thought here, but if you're a stickler for details, maybe it's possible to get them resoled?

 

Just spitballing........

 

Ski

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You could get them re-soled, but you'd have to replace the leather legging/cuff as well. It's not the same as the U.S.-type. Similar, just not identical. I bought a pair a few years ago from cheaperthandirt & was somewhat disappointed. The soles are so stiff & slippery that wearing them would be impractical.

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bootsu.jpg

I also have a pair of French buckle boots, got them off German eBay several years ago when I was invited to my first Swiss reenactment, (I didn't have anything to wear :unsure: ) I think if you wear leggings over them, they look just about like the old rough outs, of course, the problem with the soles, but who's gonna look at the bottom of my feet, plus you can kick a door down with them, I don't think you can do that with repro buckle boots, and they are built to last.

Dug this picture up again of me posing, please remember, I'm not a reenactor, just an ol' tanker without a tank, who likes to hang around, in the background at events. I know, French buckle boots, post war chevrons, but most of the civilians don't know or care. ;)

tanker.jpg

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Again, if you are looking at absolute authenticity, then even the repops are wrong. Since you are willing to utilize repops, then resole the french boots if you feel that inclined, actually, my boots are not that stiff and impractical, they work just fine and I have less issues with my boots slipping off the clutch when they are wet and muddy. My only issue with my boots is that they are old enough that the brass eyelets are full of verdigris and when I tie the boots, the brass eyelets come out. For $40 bucks, they beat the $150 of a new pair of repops. The only thing I had to do was use some neats foot oil to darken them up because they were a little to light. Now, from a distance, you can't really tell the difference.

Oh ya, no offense to the Frenchmen here, but French guys must have really skinny ankles, I have to use the last eyelet on the guantlet to get it around my thick American ankles.

If you are wanting them for a display, then get real boots or a cheap set of US made repops, you wearing them to abuse them, the French boots are fine, resole them if that makes you feel better.

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Armed 2 tha Teeth
You could get them re-soled, but you'd have to replace the leather legging/cuff as well. It's not the same as the U.S.-type. Similar, just not identical. I bought a pair a few years ago from cheaperthandirt & was somewhat disappointed. The soles are so stiff & slippery that wearing them would be impractical.

 

Good point and by the time you take into account the cost for the soles (plus shipping) and the original cuffs (plus shipping) and the work to convert them find out how much cheaper these boots really are. My guess- not much.

 

 

I think if you wear leggings over them, they look just about like the old rough outs, of course, the problem with the soles, but who's gonna look at the bottom of my feet, plus you can kick a door down with them, I don't think you can do that with repro buckle boots, and they are built to last

 

I don't know where the assumption that ALL reproduction boots are poorly made. Even if you have a poorly made reproduction pair of boots, they still beat the hell out of the French Ranger boots which only have a resemblance to the M-1943 boot.

 

If you are in a reenacting unit make sure they are acceptable. If they aren't then you can't use them for anything.

 

Frankly any unit that allows these things probably allows M51 jackets, "hey from 10 feet away a blind guy can't tell". I have heard the same reasoning about these boots be applied to other undeniably farby things like Vietnam era helmets, " no one will check the seam, change the chin straps, and who is going to be close enough to see the liner?" (not even thinking about how obviously different the helmet sits on your head compared to WWII helmets).

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@Armed 2 tha Teeth, I know what you're talking about, and getting at. These people I'm with are not beginners,

Swiss and mostly all ex-military, I reckon I'm the only one who is a Farb/poser, but also the only one who speaks American english, and/or slang. Another pair of boots I wear are the Belgium army boots, look like the old jump boots, from the '50's era I think, please don't quote me.

@Hawkdriver, I gotta agree with you! "Oh ya, no offense to the Frenchmen here, but French guys must have really skinny ankles, I have to use the last eyelet on the guantlet to get it around my thick American ankles."

So I took a picture of the double buckle with leggings, "almost" acceptable? I'm not being sarcastic, I'd like an honest opinion. :)

Thanks, DAT/Pat

 

cimg2655d.jpg

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Armed 2 tha Teeth

Pat,

 

Honestly hidden under leggings the flaws of those French boots aren't as obvious, but those soles are still visible. My point is that these little things that don't appear to be obvious or that no one will notice- do get noticed.

 

As I mentioned earlier things like helmet liners, which are another era where it is enticing to cut corners can become very obvious unintentionally. This is a picture from an event I was at this summer.

Vietnamliner.jpg

 

 

Something similar to this could easily have happened to anyone wearing the French boots, you sit or lay down for a second and then your secret is out.

 

These boots are still very available, and more importantly cheap but reproductions of WWII footwear (and anything else for that matter) has never been so easy available or cheap.

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I had a pair of the French boots at one point to see what they looked like (they were cheap enough), I wouldn't dare do an event in them, but thats just me. There are different levels of what people consider to be authentic and to each his/her own and I respect that.

I have a pair of WW2 Impression boots that I have worn for the last 10 years. I have not had to do anything to them except dub them and waterproof them. I'd defiantly recommend them.

 

Mike

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When I got into the re-enacting hobby, the only US boots made as reproduction were jump boots, and even then people were wearing M-51 combat boots. You either went original or something that wasn’t correct. At that time, I think these French boots would have been forgiven for that reason. But these days with all the great reproduction stuff out there now, there’s simply no reason to be wearing them.

Frankly any unit that allows these things probably allows M51 jackets
Exactly. I had never seen or heard of these until a couple of years ago, suddenly everyone was trying their best to justify their use in re-enacting. They’re about as close to issue WW2 boots as a M-14 is to a M-1 rifle. “Sort of” correct, but not really. Norwegian Blue answered as to why they suddenly were to be found everywhere, I guess.

If you get a set of these French boots alongside some double-buckles, you’ll see there’s a very big difference. :thumbdown:

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Pat,

 

Honestly hidden under leggings the flaws of those French boots aren't as obvious, but those soles are still visible. My point is that these little things that don't appear to be obvious or that no one will notice- do get noticed.

 

As I mentioned earlier things like helmet liners, which are another era where it is enticing to cut corners can become very obvious unintentionally. This is a picture from an event I was at this summer.

Vietnamliner.jpg

Something similar to this could easily have happened to anyone wearing the French boots, you sit or lay down for a second and then your secret is out.

 

These boots are still very available, and more importantly cheap but reproductions of WWII footwear (and anything else for that matter) has never been so easy available or cheap.

"The confessions of a Reenactment sinner". Just to show you I have a pair of repro rough outs, but I only wear them with civilian clothes, they're so light and comfortable. Next to them are the old Belgium army boots, also mostly worn with leggings. And my Belgium army helmet, with other chinstraps, please ignore the 1st Inf. paintjob, I'll have to redo it this winter. You also see very many "US" helmets of questionable backgrounds over here.

I also have a French BC 1000 all doctored up to look like an American.

cimg2657m.jpg

 

cimg2658.jpg

 

cimg2659.jpg

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I would keep the French boots, they have a nice salty look, and they are military quality :thumbsup:

 

you could also use them for French Indo China reenactment

 

not worth sending back, I would keep them

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Those are actually Dutch 1960's boots. :lol:

 

Greetz ;)

 

David

 

David, you're right, I bought them from http://www.aprilorange.nl/ couple years back, looks like he's sold out now. But weren't they also worn in the '50's?

I do buy from different Europeans, including Americans, it does get confusing sometimes.... :unsure:

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bootsu.jpg

I also have a pair of French buckle boots, got them off German eBay several years ago when I was invited to my first Swiss reenactment, (I didn't have anything to wear :unsure: ) I think if you wear leggings over them, they look just about like the old rough outs, of course, the problem with the soles, but who's gonna look at the bottom of my feet, plus you can kick a door down with them, I don't think you can do that with repro buckle boots, and they are built to last.

Dug this picture up again of me posing, please remember, I'm not a reenactor, just an ol' tanker without a tank, who likes to hang around, in the background at events. I know, French buckle boots, post war chevrons, but most of the civilians don't know or care. ;)

tanker.jpg

 

Pat

Are those Air Corps suspenders???Got to do what ever you can to "support" the troops!!!

 

RD

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Doyler, this is getting off subject here.....got the suspenders of US eBay, sold as US Airborne suspenders.

suspenders.jpg

But I thought at my ripe old age, I could allow myself to wear those, and NOT pretending to be Airborne, at the most Chairborne :w00t: !

As to my US/European uniform parts, I also have a Post war(?) French overcoat, looks quite a bit like the ww-2 US overcoat, it is a XL, I can't find a ww-2 US overcoat XL which I can afford, and also have it sent to Germany, another couple of bucks. My jacket size is 46R, pants size 36, shirt size 17-17 1/2, shoe size 10 1/2D-11D and I'm not 6 feet tall, 5'/8" or so. So I'm happy to find something that fits without having to take out some credit! Then all I have to worry about is you Hard Core reenactors getting on my case for not being 100%! :lol:

I won't be doing this much longer anyway, pretty soon I'll get an ol' Tank Officer's uniform together, stand on a hill with my binoculars/swagger stick and try to look important, like my old movie hero Lloyd Bridges when he played the role of Admiral "Tug" Benson. :thumbsup:

admiralbenson.jpg

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Doyler, this is getting off subject here.....got the suspenders of US eBay, sold as US Airborne suspenders.

suspenders.jpg

But I thought at my ripe old age, I could allow myself to wear those, and NOT pretending to be Airborne, at the most Chairborne :w00t: !

As to my US/European uniform parts, I also have a Post war(?) French overcoat, looks quite a bit like the ww-2 US overcoat, it is a XL, I can't find a ww-2 US overcoat XL which I can afford, and also have it sent to Germany, another couple of bucks. My jacket size is 46R, pants size 36, shirt size 17-17 1/2, shoe size 10 1/2D-11D and I'm not 6 feet tall, 5'/8" or so. So I'm happy to find something that fits without having to take out some credit! Then all I have to worry about is you Hard Core reenactors getting on my case for not being 100%! :lol:

I won't be doing this much longer anyway, pretty soon I'll get an ol' Tank Officer's uniform together, stand on a hill with my binoculars/swagger stick and try to look important, like my old movie hero Lloyd Bridges when he played the role of Admiral "Tug" Benson. :thumbsup:

admiralbenson.jpg

 

 

Pat,

Thanks for the reply.

 

Tugs the Man

 

RD

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Lucky 7th Armored

I think i am going to keep them. I did not mean to offend any French people, and i bet that they are very sturdy boots. I just dont want to be the guy who is trying to get away with wearing incorrect things. But like Hawkdriver said i think i am going to use them for work. I am not in a local unit/group but i want to be, and Im probably not going to go through the trouble to find the correct soles and cuffs.

 

By the way they came today and they are a little dirty, and the laces are stiff, anything i should do to the leather? And the seller said they were US GI Reproductions which kind of makes me mad if they lied to me (or if they just didnt know) but i am mad at myself for not using such a great resource such as this forum.

 

Thank you everyone for the comments and replies,

Haydn

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