made in usa work boots?

I used to wear Knapps to work. I don't recall whether it was in the early 80's when I worked at a shipyard, or the early 90's at an aviation depot, but at that time, Knapps were made in the USA and were quite comfortable for all day standing at a machine and/or crawling around a submarine. I don't know if that's still the case though.

Their current page seems to indicate at least one line made in USA,

Hi Greg,

I wore the soles out on a pair of CAT boots in a little over a year. The tops seemed pretty good yet so I had them resoled for ~$35 (almost what I paid for them originally, on sale). Had a nearly smooth, cleat-less sole put on. I like to be able to scuff my feet off and leave my shoes on when I come inside. I'm still wearing/using them today and the resole job was at least 6 years ago (don't wear them everyday anymore). The resole job held up way better than original. I would say by a factor of 3x. Mine were called "Sheffield" I believe. Just took a look and I can't read it on the tongue anymore. Steel-toe and about a 6 inch height.

They look a lot like this, but brown in color:

Try here:

I wear my boots 10-12 hours a day, at least 6 days a week and find I am lucky to get a pair to last two years. I have given up on the expensive boots and buy hikers that seem to last about two years then they are trash. The soles are worn out, plus the uppers are in poor shape too so I just toss them. Greg

Pretty good shoes, I wear 6Es. Some years back they moved production to Mexico and the shoes became unwearable, but then they they moved production and the shoes were OK again.

No m,atter how bad private enterprise is, the govt can do it worse. What is needed is to get the govt off the backs of SMALL private enterprise so it can start and grow. That means lower taxes and regulations, exactly the opposite of what almost all govts do.

============================ This may well be the case, but how small is small?

Unfortunately this also assumes that the person starting a small business is honest and knowledgeable. In general, governmental regulations are not created out of thin air on a whim, but rather in response to a series of incidents, many of which involve maimed/dead workers and defrauded customers/creditors.

As one writer remarked, "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization."

To be sure, some or even most of the taxes collected may be wasted, but without the basic tax revenues, the services required for a civil society such as police, the courts, fire protection, public health, etc. would not be available. The critical problem is the "free loaders" that expect a "civil society" [how they howl when their BMW is "keyed"] and thus the required services, but won't pay for them. The people that do pay their (and the free loaders') share of the cost to maintain a civil society (taxes) are the average citizen and small business, not because they are civic minded, but because they lack the political "suction" required for exemptions.

It is precisely the "junk bond, bust-up" specialists and "bust out" scam artists that are the most adept at getting tax abatements, tax increment financing, etc., and thus free loading on the rest of us, in the run-up to the "blow off" when they skip town with the jobs and the "boodle bag." Generally the bigger the corporation involved, the more successful they are at this.

The attitude of these "entrepreneurs" is well expressed in the following quote:

We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes. Leona Helmsley (b. 1920), U.S. businesswoman. Quoted by Helmsley's former housekeeper during her trial for tax evasion, in New York Times (12 July 1989).

FWIW -- In March 1992, Leona Helmsley was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for tax evasion.

Unka' George (George McDuffee) .............................. Only in Britain could it be thought a defect to be "too clever by half." The probability is that too many people are too stupid by three-quarters.

John Major (b. 1943), British Conservative politician, prime minister. Quoted in: Observer (London, 7 July 1991).

Hi Greg,

I'm semi-retired now and walk/run ~60 miles a week, 52 weeks a year (not counting yard work, going to the store...). I can wear out any shoe that isn't made from solid steel :)

The longest wearing shoes I've ever had were Knapp's with the 2-shot sole (got those in the late 80's?) and Sears DieHards. The DieHards have a sole which is very similar to the old Knapp 2-shot and feel really nice. I bought a pair of DieHards on sale about the time I was beginning to worry about the old CAT's giving out (just before I got them resoled). Broke them in and tucked them off to the side waiting for the CAT's to give up. Well I still wear the old CAT's and they are comfy, but a little thin in the soles. I dug out the DieHards I had set aside recently and figured I would wear them on occasion. BIG MISTAKE setting them aside. The bottom/soles have rotted out and they are worthless now without getting them resoled. Wear wise they are new for all practical purposes. So if you try/get any DieHards, don't let them sit around. They will be shot in ~6 years whether you wear them or not.

If you get into a Sears store look them over. You can get them on sale for a reasonable price if you watch their ads. It would be easy for you to wear them out before the sole rot became a problem. "DieHard 6 in. Nubuck Boot -Tan" See:

A small business starts with one worker, the owner. If he prospers he hires more help.

True, but more people are defrauded by govt than by non-monopoly businesses. More lives are wasted following govt paperwork than are lost by accidents.

When I lived on Merritt Island, it was a bustling community but not an incorporated city and had NO city taxes. The fire department supported itself by selling chicken dinners the first sunday of every month, and they had all the money and new equipment they needed. The library kept building bigger buildings, they lived on donations. The local merchants improved & beautified the roads in town to attract shoppers. IIRC there was one traffic light put up by the state road dept and few people liked it. The police & courts were tax supported at the county level, but crime was low since shooting burglars was an accepted practice.

================= You were lucky to experience this.

The problem is that the discussion must start at what "is" and not what "ought," and the "is" is that huge and rapidly increasing fraction of the people now live in urban areas. I was lucky enough to be able to retire in a rural area outside municipal jurisdiction, but in Kansas they just expanded the zoning/inspection authority of the municipalities far into the unincorporated counties.

The SBA says a small business is one with 499 people or less and some of these "small" businesses do 100s of millions of dollars in business.

Basically, what I am saying is that "small business," "less regulation," and "lower taxes" has become a chant that in too many cases is used to blind people to reality. While this sounds good, where/what are the numbers, and do these "numbers" include all the costs or were some or most of these costs simply "externalized" to be paid by the suckers, er... taxpayers, employees, customers and suppliers.

At some point we all must stand up and say "SHOW ME THE MONEY."

If its about all about virtue, accumulating merit and "stars in my crown" in the next life, thats religion and not economics/politics, and I don't do religion/theology.

Unka' George (George McDuffee) .............................. Only in Britain could it be thought a defect to be "too clever by half." The probability is that too many people are too stupid by three-quarters.

John Major (b. 1943), British Conservative politician, prime minister. Quoted in: Observer (London, 7 July 1991).

If comfort and safety are important to you, you might want to check out Wilkuro safety toes. They are an overshoe that slips on over almost any type of shoe. They have a steel toe embedded in it that has been certified by many organizations such as ANSI and SATRA.

Check them out: http:\\

Be careful not to buy some other knockoffs. This company has been in business for decades.

have a look at

good luck!

lord snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

Paddy you are laughable. Safety toes has no certification and their toes will fall out the first time they are dropped from chest height. At least the Wilkuro toes stay where they are put.

Wilkuro Toes are far cheaper to buy and their stylish look fits easily over any shoe.

Wilkuro Toes have evolved immesely over the years and have just recently adopted PVC due to its abilities to withstand many more chemicals than vulcanized rubber. That is why they changed away from rubber products.

Wilkuro Toes are also the only toes with SATRA approval.

Remeber how I said to be wary of knockoffs? I'm sorry friend, but thats what you have there.

Dear Lord,

you don't know what you are talking about. the 'slipp-r' is the most advanced steel toe overshoe on the market. it has been tested by SATRA and complies with OSHA requirements for toe protection up to 100 Joules.

the 'slipp-r' is made of a vulcanised rubber material. it doesn't look like a Wilkuro and has many features over and above providing toe protection. the material used has anti-slip qualities as well as being acid, oil and animal fat resistant.

the design of the 'slipp-r' is unique for which there is a patent pending. it is a 'top-of-the-line' product which can truly claim to have evolved. it was created after many years of experience selling safety toe overshoes and customer feedback.

unlike PVC, this material will not stiffen, crack or change in any way in cold temperatures. it is exteremly hard to tear or cut. Wilkuro? have you ever seen a PVC car tire?

the 'slipp-r' has material thickness from 4.5 mm to 6.9 mm. Wilkuro? minimum required is 2.5mm

the resistance to abrasion is measured at Density 0.9 g/ml, Volume loss

the tear strength of the material is measured at 13.8kN. Wilkuro? minimum required equal to or greater than 5kN

the extension at break is measured as 780%. Wilkuro? minimum required 250%

the flex resistance is measured as cut growth of only .1mm. Wilkuro? minimum required Cut growth equal to or less than 4.0mm

resistance to Fuel is measured at 0.6% hardness 0 IRHD. Wilkuro? minimum required equal to or less than 12%

what is true is that PVC is cheap, resistant to some chemicals and that the owners of the Wilkuro have been trying to spread the malicious falsehood that the steel toecap in the 'slipp-r' "will fall out the first time they are dropped from chest height".

(in fact, your phrase looks exactly like it came directly from them. maybe you are one of the owners?)

however, unlike the Wilkuro, the steel toecap is an integral part of the 'slipp-r'. it is manufactured with the steel toecap completely enveloped by the vulcanised rubber material. you may know that rubber-based products have superior grip qualities. this is why it is such a popular material for safety footwear. (ask yourself this, have you ever seen a "PVC Safety Boot"?)

anyway, I'm all for competition but when you have to hide the facts from your customers and resort to false claims then that is a good indication that you aren't too confident anymore. the Wilkuro is a cheap safety toe overshoe that when compared with other products that do the same job, and better, becomes an expensive one.

I would worry if I was told to buy a rubber steel toecap overshoe and bought a Wilkuro.

you are right about one thing though - the Wilkuro is "cheaper". But, only in the material used. PVC is a much cheaper material compared to any rubber-based product. the 'slipp-r' sells for a lot less than a Wilkuro.

(even the ACTON product, which is exactly like the Wilkuro, is made of rubber. they were smart.)

many have asked if we are "crazy" to sell at our prices when the slipp-r is such a superior product. we tell them, "no, not crazy, just not greedy".

maybe you would like to present some actual facts in your next post? however, I would not be surprised once you have seen the SATRA test results for the slipp-r that you will be unable to respond. no worries, you're not the first to be mistaken about these things.

maybe you would like to join me at the safetytoes blogg?

cheers, mister safetytoes.

merry Christmas and a happy new year.

lord snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

On the same lines, but not needing the protection, do Timberland still make _any_ boots in the USA ?

I've got two pairs of Timberlands, one's 14 years old, one's 2 years old. They're both wearing out now, so I'd like to replace them with the same model as the old (US-made) pair. I won't buy another like the recent ones.

My good "dress" boots are hand made locally, to order. He costs 2-3 times what similar factory boots would cost, the materials are incomparably better and the lifetime cost (my usual pair are 9 years old) is a fraction.

Why only 100Joules. My walk around the office shoes have 200Joule toecaps in them. as do my workshop boots and my gardening shoes.

Mark Rand (I don't own any shoes without steel toecaps) RTFM

Mark,

good question - at first I had trouble with this one myself.

OSHA, and other safety in the workplace governing bodies, limit the claim a manufacturer can make regardless of the attributes of components in safety footwear.

in the case of the steel toecap in the slipp-r, even though it is rated and tested for a 200 Joules impact, we are limited to claim that it is good up to 100 Joules only.

the level of toe protection required by OSHA in the workplace differs considerably. in the case of a light manufacture situation, or a visitor to a manufacturing facility, the minimum toe protection is 100 Joules. a slipp-r is approved footwear.

on a construction site, while a 100 Joules toecap might suffice, it is worthless if there is no nail penetration sole protection. in that case a slipp-r will not do.

so, even though our steel toecaps are rated and tested for toe protection up to 200 Joules, we cannot claim it for our product as it could mislead. given that we are providing a safety product that affords toe protection in certain situations only (up to 100 Joules), this is very understandable. when it was explained top me I readily accepted.

the situation in the home is another matter. that's where I really am trying to make inroads. do you remember when we used to protect our shoes years ago with galoshes? I'm hoping that the slipp-r will be adopted to provide 200 Joules toe protection for the many home and garden situations where our toes are way more valuable than a pair of shoes. the slipp-r's unique design can truly accomodate all types of outer sole shapes (flat or heel) and being made of a rubber-based material it has many uses beyond the obvious toe protection. it is truly the easiest steel toe overshoe to slip on and slip off. it is extremely well made and will not tear easily. it can be worn in cold climates since the material used will not stiffen, crack or split. being of a flat soled rubber-based design, it has anti-slip qualities and is easy to use on many of the situations one finds in the home or garden. naturally, it can be used as a simple galosh that keeps the mud off your shoes and out of your house.

great for gardeners.

not everybody can afford safety boots for the home. the slipp-r is changing all that with its exciting low retail price point.

cheers

Mark Rand wrote:

I find it strange how you seem to understand how you are only allowed to claim 100 joules but you can't seem to understand the need to make minimum thresholds for quality control.

I imagine any item that doesn't meet their own minimum specs would not be acceptable for sale, but I do not make their policies. No I do not work for them. My company is an end user.

As for all of the reasons they decided to go to PVC, I cannot tell you. All I can see is what is listed on the site. You can look at an easy comparison Wilkuro had produced displaying rubber compared to PVC. It is on their website. Sure every change has a few drawbacks as you have pointed out, but "192% better performance" sounds like a really good reason to me.

I seem to remember in my early investigations of alternatives seeing something remarkably similar on your web site. Why would you remove a useful table like this?

Quote:

Actually, I was among the first to hear of this. I ordered a number of Slipp-r to try out. I did the test myself. I could not believe it until I tried it. I think I have another set around here somewhere. I think my secretary threw them out. If I can find them I'll record it and put it on You-Tube and link back to here.

Quote:

If Acton is made of rubber, then aren't they more similar to other rubber products than to PVC products? Just asking.

Acton is not the only other company with a cheap knockoff either. Tingly has one as well. None of them stand up in my shop compared to the Wilkuro.

Quote:

I am curious why you only have a European agency and OHSA approval. It seems that Wilkuro has both of these as well as ANSI and ASTM international. Why do you not have these certifications as well? Could it be because your company is only about a year old and you could easily dissolve it without notice?

I have informed Wilkuro of this thread. I hope they will take the time to come forward and make an official statement. I imagine most people will see through your advertorial as Mark so aptly named it, and research the facts for them selves.

One of the benifits to a small overshoe is that it is not overburndeningly heavy. Extra thickness produces extra weight. I would rather not have heavier shoes when the lighter ones do just fine. Executives touring my shop grumble enough about putting anything over their shiney dress shoes, but safety is safety. No-one comes in without toe protection. A heavier shoe would just make them complain more.

I have no idea what this means to me. Do the shoes wear out? Well yeah everything does. Do they last a long time? You bet. I'm curious why you are measuring your test result to a minimum requirement spec.

Ok. Same deal here - minimum spec to test measurement. Can you imagine a boot 2.5X the size of one that fits? Besides, if the boot can stretch that much doesn't it make a hazard when it recoils? I can see a shoe sized rubber band snapping and the steel toe smacking someone in the face. That doesn't sound safe to me.

Measured versus minimum spec. Tell me. Do you even have minimum spec for quality control?

Seriously. If you have an executive touring your shop and he walks into a big pool of fuel then you are going to have a lot bigger problems than replacing your steel toes. Like how about replacing your employment? My shop does not practice leaving fuel or oil spills out on the floor especially when we have a tour coming through. Besides of all the chemicals the PVC is tested to show better results than rubber.

I think I addressed the rest already.