shoes for metal work....

A

alinwa

oft dis'd member
Yup, shoes. Like footwear.....

I'm fiddling around with drill/mill/lathe again after a 25yr hiatus and my regular work shoes/tennies/slipons are getting chewed from walking on twisted metal. I have a large rolling magnet and some pickup magnets so I keep the concrete floor pretty clean but you know the deal.

Anyone have a standout shoe material? What's the best sole for working around a hobby machine shop? Back when I did this in the 80's I seem to remember a yellowish rubbery (neoprene??) with a fairly flat tread.......

I haven't looked in any supply catalogs or anything.

Shoe soles that don't pick up metal shavings?

as much?

al
 
Shoes for working at the machines.

I have tried almost every type of shoe and boot.

About three years ago I went to the sears to get a new pair of steel toed work boots. I ended up buying a pair of timberland steel toed work boot (low top). They look like hiking boots. They have been better than any work boot I have ever ordered. I bought them a half size to big because I have had steel toed boots rub on my last two toes before.

These boots are so comfortable I wear them to hunt in on dry days. They were not too expensive either. I an about to buy a second pair.

They have been more comfortable than Red Wings, Hermans, Caterpillar, Justin, and several others.

You might give a look at them.

Nat Lambeth
 
I have been in a Machine Shop all my adult life and now teach Precision Machining. On the shop floor all day long walking in chips. The best shoes I have found are Wolverine Durashocks. Comfortable, good looking and the chips don't stick. About $100 per pair.
 
I like Red Wing boots/work shoes with the Vibram soles last a good long time and are comfortable. I wear them 12/14 hours a day.
 
Al

I go through about 3 pair of work boots a year, the ones I like are still Red-Wing. Not only because they hold up very well in the septic inviroment I stomp around in, they don't tear your feet all up. That is a big consideration when you darned near live in them.

My two brothers like the Wolverines. They are 1/2 the cost of the Red Wings, which might also be a big consideration..........jackie
 
Oakley makes a pretty durable boot. Mine have done pretty well in the shop over the last 7 months.
 
Wolverines are a very comfortable boots but the several pair I had always seemed to crack in the sole where the foot flexes. For the money, they should last longer than they do.

I have since gone to Danner boots. Can't beat 'em for comfort and durability but the stitch downs cost some $$.
 
I live in Danner Country... I've got a Danner outlet store 30min down the road.

Is the sole to get the "Vibram" sole? Are we in agreement on this point?

thanks

al
 
alinwa said:
I live in Danner Country... I've got a Danner outlet store 30min down the road.

Is the sole to get the "Vibram" sole? Are we in agreement on this point?

thanks

al
Click to expand...

Al,

I've got 4 pair of Danner's. The oldest ones were bought in early 1990. They have survived a police academy, foot chases, SWAT, wind, rain, hunting trips, submersions, and everything else I've subjected them to...including "the shop". They are still in the starting rotation.

They have Vibram soles which seem to do a good job of repelling metal chips by virtue of the sole hardness, and the fact that with a Vibram sole, there is a lot of room, or empty space in the sole pattern which give chips nothing to get stuck in.

An unabashed Danner fan,
Justin
 
Besides metal chips I'm on concrete most of everyday. For the better part of ten years I've been wearing the Red Ring Pecos Boots. I've worked around guys wearing the Wolverine Boots and they just dont last as long as the Red Wing Boots. I get the non-slip/skid soles and they work great.
 
Cape Boots....RIP....they were the highest quality 100% U.S.A. built boot that went out of business some 3-4 years ago. They were built in Cape Gireardue ? sp Missouri and they were great. I wore a single pair (working outdoors) for around 5 years. Have two others and hope to get another 5 years or so without re-soling. Otherwise I'd get Carolina Boots, they told me that they were the next best choice for U.S. made boots after Cape went out. Had several Red Wings that didn't compete with anything.

Carp
 
Carp said:
Cape Boots....RIP....they were the highest quality 100% U.S.A. built boot that went out of business some 3-4 years ago. They were built in Cape Gireardue ? sp Missouri and they were great. I wore a single pair (working outdoors) for around 5 years. Have two others and hope to get another 5 years or so without re-soling. Otherwise I'd get Carolina Boots, they told me that they were the next best choice for U.S. made boots after Cape went out. Had several Red Wings that didn't compete with anything.

Carp
Click to expand...

Wellll, I'm not much of a custom boot guy but if you are, and if your company went away, and if you're looking for real handmade work boots then you can't get any better than White's from Spokane.

http://www.whitesboots.com/

These are individually fitted to each foot, one side will be different than the other.

But I ain't wearing 500.00 boots on metal chips! :)

al
 
Yes, they will have the Vibram sole. Bottom line is that if you want quality, I would stay away from the boots with soles that are glued on much like your cheaper hiking boots. The Danner brand you want to look at are the Quarry or RainForest line or any other line with sole similar to these (stitchdown sole). They take a bit to break in but will last as long as you want them to.


alinwa said:
I live in Danner Country... I've got a Danner outlet store 30min down the road.

Is the sole to get the "Vibram" sole? Are we in agreement on this point?

thanks

al
Click to expand...
 
Carp said:
Otherwise I'd get Carolina Boots, they told me that they were the next best choice for U.S. made boots after Cape went out.
Click to expand...

I've got a pair of Carolinas that I wore working for my city and they're okay, only problem is they took four weeks to break in. Can't say much for picking up steel though, my problem was asphalt.
 
The best thing that I did was to build a wood walkway in front of my lathe. I use strips of 1X2 about an inch apart nailed to 3 - 1X2 crosswise. What doesn't go in the chip bin falls between the rails. I don't have any shoe problem.
Butch
 
Pad in front of equipment

Butch I like the idea of getting off the chips.

I went to Tractor Supply and bought rubber mats that are put in horse stalls. If memory serves me correctly they come 5' X 10'. I cut pieces 2' X 5' and put them in front of my lathe, mill and surface grinder. The rubber makes it much easier on the knees, back and feet.

Nat Lambeth
 
Butch Lambert said:
The best thing that I did was to build a wood walkway in front of my lathe. I use strips of 1X2 about an inch apart nailed to 3 - 1X2 crosswise. What doesn't go in the chip bin falls between the rails. I don't have any shoe problem.
Butch
Click to expand...

My family has been in the machine tool manufacturing business since my grandfather founded the business just before the depression up until we sold the business in 1972. With a shop of 10,000 sq. feet and approximately 90 machines and as many as 85 machinests in the shop, we found the wood matts such as Butch describes to be the best solution. To the best of my knowledge, there is no ideal footwear other than to say any good quality work shoe or boot with protective toes and Goodyear oil resistant lowers and welts works best. Oil resistance is the most important factor for footwear in the machine shop. Keeping a change of shoes handy and never wearing your shop shoes into the house is paramount!!!

Happy Shooting,
Mitch & Shadow...
 
Shoes

Al,
I've had several pair of Wolverine Durashocks; good shoe for the money. If you can do without steel toes, it makes it much easier to kneel or flex your foot. Steel or composite toes really bother my feet.

I've had Red Wings, Carolina, Irish Setter, etc. and I'll still cast my vote for the Wolverines.

Lou Baccino
 
chino69 said:
Al,
I've had several pair of Wolverine Durashocks; good shoe for the money. If you can do without steel toes, it makes it much easier to kneel or flex your foot. Steel or composite toes really bother my feet.

I've had Red Wings, Carolina, Irish Setter, etc. and I'll still cast my vote for the Wolverines.

Lou Baccino
Click to expand...

I do agree that boots without protective toes are more comfortable, but it took one time for a steel toe to save my foot (co-worker dropped a heavy engine cover onto my toes) for me to prefer wearing them while working. Prevention is paramount to safety, but then again- s*** happens.
 
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