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Post by lew on Mar 15, 2016 16:28:49 GMT -5
Anyone know the as-issued color of the leather for the Mle. 50 jump boots? Those listed in Paras Français and The Foregin Legion in Indochina are suspect since the oil/grease is likely heavily oxidized. I need to know if I need to dye my WPG repros or not.
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Post by craigtx on Mar 20, 2016 22:58:14 GMT -5
Good question! It would be good to know...
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Post by hoover on Mar 24, 2016 6:18:22 GMT -5
I would bet brown, but have no proofs.
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Post by lew on Mar 24, 2016 13:07:50 GMT -5
Ours are light brown. The ones in the Paras Français books are dark, but one can be certain that the grease on those has oxidized significantly over the last fifty years. For comparison, the Mle. 43 boots in those books is dark brown, but the originals were not dyed and were light brown. Either way, it's easy to get the grease off and dye them.
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Post by craigtx on Mar 24, 2016 14:17:50 GMT -5
I'll just bide my time for now. I'm thinkin' that it's just oxidized grease. You see the same on Mle 17 brodequins, and roughout US Service Shoes, and the M43s.
I would think it odd that a roughout boot would be dyed.
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Post by lew on Mar 24, 2016 17:53:37 GMT -5
Well, the Mle. 52's were dyed, so there's that.
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Post by craigtx on Mar 24, 2016 21:12:04 GMT -5
Huh... I guess they are, aren't they...
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Post by craigtx on Mar 30, 2016 9:22:16 GMT -5
I put the question to a coupla groups on facebook. Mark Allen says his research comes up with dubbed, with what the French call 'graisse'.
Jerry Lee says that some photos he's seen look like the leather was smoothed and polished.
<shrug>
I think I'll still stick with my plan of just dubbing...
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Post by toussant on Mar 30, 2016 9:57:49 GMT -5
Did you get originals, or the Dehner copies Jerry Lee was trying to work up? I'd like a pair myself for doing some standard skydiving- I think they'd probably protect my ankles a little better than my Palladiums...
Regards!
---Toussant
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Post by lew on Mar 30, 2016 12:43:53 GMT -5
Dehner copy. If you're relying on boots to compensate for poor foot positioning, you're dreaming. I hear the argument all the time with hikers and backpackers. The Mle. 50's (and M1943's, 1942's, Mle. 1952's, hiking boots, and on and on) are still flexible enough to allow plenty of ankle movement. What the Mle. 50 does offer over the Palladiums is greater sole thickness, and thus padding and protection for your feet. Boots are harder to remove if/when you injure your ankle (hence side-zips). If a boot is rigid enough to prevent ankle injury, it's rigid enough to transfer the force further up the leg where it can do just as much or more damage. That being said, the Mle. 50's are really comfortable, look awesome, and would be great for an authentic jump.  |
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Post by craigtx on Mar 30, 2016 22:19:17 GMT -5
Toussant,
Speaking as a former skydiver, I'd go with the Palladiums for skydiving. Easier to point your toes for tracking. I jumped in boots at first and found that high tops worked a lot better.
Craig
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Post by slehman on Apr 1, 2016 4:48:18 GMT -5
Interesting thoughts, being only a static line guy the leather boots make more sense.The DZ might make be a consideration: we did a bare arse jump wearing the Mk-I desert boot in Somalia and the DZ was talcum powder soft. Palladiums for skydiving, I think you guys have it.
Steven
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Post by craigtx on Apr 2, 2016 9:09:28 GMT -5
Skydiving sees a whole plethora of footwear. From barefeet, to Tevas, to tennis shoes, and boots. It really depends on personal preference
But what Steve says is true, there's no substitute for proper body mechanics.
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Post by lew on Apr 2, 2016 10:16:59 GMT -5
But what Steve says is true... What else is new... |
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Post by craigtx on Apr 3, 2016 13:57:48 GMT -5
Your modesty is quite astounding...  |
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Post by toussant on Apr 3, 2016 19:18:53 GMT -5
Bullwinkle was called Mr. Knowitall as I recall...
Hmmmmm...
Cheers!
---Toussant
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Post by craigtx on Apr 3, 2016 20:09:30 GMT -5
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Post by toussant on Apr 4, 2016 11:51:51 GMT -5
AWESOME! heh, heh, heh!
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Post by lew on Apr 4, 2016 12:59:43 GMT -5
I loved that show as a kid. |
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Post by craigtx on Apr 4, 2016 21:21:07 GMT -5
I knew ya had good taste...
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Post by lew on Apr 4, 2016 21:31:50 GMT -5
Don't you dare rate me too highly. I have a gutter trash reputation to uphold.
I've decided to leave the boots as-is. Originals look only slightly darker, so I don't think most were dyed much, if at all.
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Post by craigtx on Apr 4, 2016 22:57:16 GMT -5
A wise choice weedhopper...
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Post by lew on Apr 5, 2016 18:42:03 GMT -5
420 man. Livin' the high life.  |
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Post by toussant on Apr 5, 2016 19:48:49 GMT -5
If this is you, do you really need the boots? I think some prime Birkenstocks will be the better choice, or even barefoot---man...
"dude, where're my boots, man?"
---Toussant
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Post by craigtx on Apr 5, 2016 21:12:40 GMT -5
Naw that dude's way too good lookin' to be Steve...
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Post by lew on Apr 6, 2016 18:16:18 GMT -5
He needs a few hundred more rough miles to match my chiseled features.
Hey, some of the Viets jumped barefoot. Of course, I'm a far cry from a 110 lbs. soaking wet Asian dude, so that option is not advisable for me.
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Post by craigtx on Apr 10, 2016 14:56:01 GMT -5
I wouldn't recommend it for jumpin' a round. I just feel better with a little leather, or rubber between my feet and the ground...
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timp
Nouvelle arrivée
Posts: 15
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Post by timp on Jul 30, 2016 8:47:37 GMT -5
Is Jerry planning a run of the model 50 boots?
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Post by craigtx on Jul 31, 2016 21:11:24 GMT -5
As far as I know he is. He's tweaked the pattern a little. I'd check his WPG eBay site.
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Post by Étienne on Aug 21, 2016 20:59:56 GMT -5
The history of jump boots in the US Army was that the tall leather Corcoran boots did solve ankle injury problems. That being said, I've seen Thai paras jump in flip flops (dunno how they kept them on in the blast!) and jumped many a time (via static-line) in US jungle boots and never had any ankle problems. With many post-WWII French boots, the leather seems to be "packed," much like modern produced Red Wing Blacksmith boots. I guess it's some sort of formula of beeswax and grease/oil that is repeatedly "packed" into the exterior/suede side of the boot until it's almost smooth; my French Mle. 1952's look like that. And yes, leather does darken with oil/grease/dubbing/etc. treatments, and also darkens with time. That's my two cents  |
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