Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
In Red Wing Heritage Blacksmith
Any Red Wing blacksmith review on its shoes proves the name is famous for its clean lines, its simple leather construction and its sought-after styling. The boots look grand, both new and roughed up as well!
Ask the guys; many don’t even use these boots for work; plenty are just looking for a fantastic casual boot to wear. Even though they might be costly, they literally grow on you. It is because they accommodate your feet. It’s also because of their toughness and durability.
A testimony to hard work and care
A testimony to hard work and care
It’s not by mistake that the Red Wing Shoe Company has such a successful record with their shoes. Years back in 1905, Charles Beckman created the Red Wing Shoe Company. His aim was to introduce boots for all the oil field workmen. They developed speciality boots to meet different occupational requirements. That meant the boots had to be reliable and versatile. They needed to suit working on farms and in blacksmith workshops. They also had to be durable. They needed to be used for daytime use, night time use, and even church. The men would just clean and shine them up before using again.
The boots also had 6 inches of extra height too. This was to offer protection to the men’s feet and ankles from the hot cinders where they worked. They protected feet from freezing in the winter snow. In summer, no dirt could creep in. The best thing about the boot was that it was comfortable. With such long hours at work and then painting the town red at night, these boots had to be comfortable. They had to look good too!
Like old wine to new
Like old wine to new
Today’s Red Wing Blacksmith boots haven’t changed much. In fact, when you buy them, you kind of get taken back in time. The boots were meant to last a lifetime. They were meant for hard-working tough men who worked by the sweat of the brow. The boot was not meant to ever disintegrate; it would need to last from hours spent behind the wrench to walking day and night.
Benefits of today’s Red Skin Blacksmith
Benefits of today’s Red Skin Blacksmith
Today’s Blacksmith boot is made with sexy black rough-out leather, meant to look better over time. It comes with triple-stitched seams with a steel shank for added support. The sole of the boots comes with mini-lugged Vibram rubber. That means it is meant to last, working or playing.
Rough-out leather comes about by using a kind of reverse-suede method. A lot of tanneries split, thin out and then weaken hides. They do this to create the rough-look suede surface of the hides, Red Wing does it differently. They use the hides another side. This way they avoid the thinning and splitting of their hides. They end up with their very durable leather.
Specifications
Take a look at the specs
- Rough-out Spitfire leather waxed
- Vibram mini-lugged sole
- Goodyear welt construction, ensuring the boot can be re-soled later for lifetime wear
- The boot has 4-eyelets with 3-speed hooks so you can lace up quickly
- 48-inch flat waxed- laces
- Triple stitch construction
- Round Toe
- Resistant to oil and water
- Easy to clean, shine and buff to impress anyone
- Steel shank
- Shaft height of 6 inches
- Most recommended use: casual
- Manufactured in Red Wing, Minnesota, USA
The black Spitfire is a completely new leather-type in the Red Wing Heritage range. It’s heavily waxed leather. The wax with the reversed rough-out leather guarantees wearers a stunning worn look over time. It offers optimal grip and is a feature the men love. The proof of the product is in the wearing.
what people are saying
And look at what people are saying
PROS:
- “They look nice and they are comfortable” – from someone whose job requires a lot of walking.
- “Classic” – from someone who loved the comfort, the mini lug and durability. “Updated shoe” – from someone who found the shoe very comfortable. Not aggressive looking. Perfect for winter.
- “Great boots. I wear them everywhere and would wear anywhere” (5-star rating).
- “The difference with Redwings is that you get the highest quality leather and it feels substantial” (5-star rating).
CONS:
- “It requires a break in period”. It’s tough!” “It’s not cushioned” – from someone who felt they needed to add an inset into the shoe.
- “Nice but size has gone down” – from someone who says they had to drop almost a whole size down to find the right fit. When comparing with another leather shoe, he found the Red Wing shoe shorter by an inch. He felt it wouldn’t work for him.
- “The right eyelet panel on the right shoe is improperly stitched so that the laces are not even” (1-star rating).
Cleaning your boots
Cleaning your boots
There are different ways to clean your boots; this will depend on you entirely. Methods of cleaning are:
1. CLEANING
- Light cleaning: Just simply use warm water with a soft bristle brush, This will remove dirt that has stuck on. After that, use a dry and clean cloth to remove remaining dirt.
- Deep cleaning: Where the boots are really dirty, a clean cloth or a brush with a Red Wing Leather Cleaner will do the job. Use a damp cloth afterwards to wipe the cleaner away. Let the leather dry.
2. CONDITIONING
With proper conditioning, you preserve your boots for years to come. There are Red Wing products to condition the boot, such as their Mink Oil, Natural Boot Oil or their Natural Leather Conditioner. You apply either of these conditioners with your fingers or a soft sponge or cloth.
3. PROTECTING
Further protecting your boots will just continue to keep them looking good. The Red Wing Leather Protector is just the product that kind of shields the shoe from dirt, oil, water and mud.
Remember too, that all the Red Wing products have a warranty on workmanship and material defects. It has been over a century that Red Wing has produced their purpose-built shoes. They are still committed to producing the best of the best in footwear. Over one hundred countries order Red Wing shoes throughout the world. If you want quality, the Red Wing Heritage Blacksmith 6″ Boot Black Spitfires remain true to Beckman’s vision of “never compromise on our quality.”
Red Wing Blacksmith vs the Red Skin Iron Ranger
Red Wing Blacksmith versus the Red Skin Iron Ranger
Lovers of the Red Wing shoes always ask – which one? Which out of the Red Wing Iron Ranger or the Red Wing Blacksmith boot?
The Red Skin Iron Ranger is one of the most popular boots. They have extraordinary details in design. They also combine great style and function.
Even though the Red Wing Blacksmith maybe is sleeker and a bit dressier, there is basically one factor to consider and that is the suede. If you want your boot in a suede like material the Blacksmith doesn’t offer it but the Iron Ranger does. But the pros and cons of both boots apply to both boots. It’s really about what suits or appeals to you most.
PROS:
- Great quality
- Great welting to the strips running along exterior of shoe sole
- Durability, made to last
- Comfort
- Both are relatively waterproof boots
- With their steel shank, they are almost unbreakable
CONS:
Such high-quality boots have few cons but here is a couple:
- Pricey, but they are high quality and high quality isn’t cheap
- The boots are unlined so in the snow, your feet can get icy cold
- Heavier than a hiking boot; not suitable really for heavy type hiking
- Breaking-in can take some time, about 2 weeks
It is important to buy Red Wing rough-out boots because some companies use the term alongside suede. You would never buy this if you knew there was rock salt lying on the ground! Trust Red Wing to give you the real deal.
