New Boot Laces

[Grant Lamontagne]

It's time to replace the laces on my boots... again.  The last time I did it I bought Kevlar ones that I thought wouldn't break, but time makes fools of us all.  After I bought the Kevlar ones someone suggested I try using paracord, so I decided that this time I'd give it a try.  I'm very disapointed in the Kevlar, because not only did it break but it also did not allow me to kick bullets out of mid air. 

So now the question is, what color laces do I want? 

These are the colors I have in sufficient lengths to fit on my boots, also pictured below.  The boots are actually a bit of a blue-grey rather than the black they appear in the photo.

I may have some other colors available, so if you have any other ideas feel free to post them and I'll see what else I have.

Def

[pfrsantos]

Ok, I'd say gray / black / olive drab in this order.

Or you could just try a couple of colours and see which one you like the best.

 

[Whoey]

no mint chocolate chip? 

[Aloha]

Ok, I'd say gray / black / olive drab in this order.

Or you could just try a couple of colours and see which one you like the best.

 

^^^ this gets my vote too. 

[captain spaulding]

I always stop by the Redwing store and get the higher quality leather laces. I would have it no other way. Just a suggestion. 

[Toolslinger]

If you're going the paracord route, I would recommend waxing the cord before using.

Size the laces to the boot and singe the ends.
Dip/wipe with melted beeswax (or equivalent).
Let the wax set then wipe off the excess.

Helps prevent the knots from slipping (although I still use double knot just in case).

[dks]

whatever colour Megan tells you to get

[dks]

no pink?

[Grant Lamontagne]

If you're going the paracord route, I would recommend waxing the cord before using.

Size the laces to the boot and singe the ends.
Dip/wipe with melted beeswax (or equivalent).
Let the wax set then wipe off the excess.

Helps prevent the knots from slipping (although I still use double knot just in case).

I hadn't thought of waxing, but I was going to singe the ends and use heat shrink tubing to make aglets.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

no pink?

I was wondering how long it was going to take before you came along with that comment.  You are getting predictable!

Def

[dks]

that is the problem with spending too much time at any place ....

[Grant Lamontagne]

that is the problem with spending too much time at any place ....

If it makes you feel any better, after I posted the list above I found hot pink paracord..... 

Def

[magentus]

That is a serious boot Boss - Nice 

[dks]

it is not pink- it is salmon colour

[Grant Lamontagne]

That is a serious boot Boss - Nice 

Thanks- those are my winter work boots.  Ceramic plate and toe, rated to -40C and completely waterproof.  When you work outside for many hours at a time in the cold, you invest in good gear.  They are a lot lighter than they look too, which is one of the reasons I got into them.  And, I have bought cars for less than those suckers cost!   

But, they have been well worth it- they have served me quite well, and despite being a bit dirty and chewing up laces they have a lot of good years ahead of them too.  Worth every penny.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Come on, with black you gotta go red!
JR

[AimlessWanderer]

Grey / Black / Navy Blue

[Grant Lamontagne]

Come on, with black you gotta go red!
JR

The boots are a blue-grey color.  Bad lighting in the photo.

I do have a pair of black boots, but I'll definitely go yellow when/if I need new laces for them.  They are Catepillar boots with some yellow accents on them already.  They are very similar to these:



Def

[Alan K.]

Just so you know, Skinheads wear red boot laces. I believe it is supposed to symbolize the blood they will shed in a racial war.  You wouldn't want to give anybody the wrong impression about you.
 

[WhichDawg]

I like the Forest Green, adds some color but not too much, and Sweeeeeet Boots agreed! when are you gonna give away a pair like those?!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Just so you know, Skinheads wear red boot laces. I believe it is supposed to symbolize the blood they will shed in a racial war.  You wouldn't want to give anybody the wrong impression about you.
 

On the one hand, you are absolutely correct, and I have no desire to have any association with idiots like that.

On the other hand, I am not going to let the habits of criminals and small minded morons dictate what I wear and don't wear.  Besides, these are not Doc Martins, and I have hair and no tattoos, so I doubt anyone is going to mistake me for one of them.

Either way, that's sort of a moot discussion, as I am going to do my boots now, and it appears that  Blaze Orange is the leader with a whopping three votes.  Blaze orange is probably a good thing, given my foot issues.  Maybe it will help me keep a better eye on them!

I'll post some pics when I'm done, just for the fun of it.

I like the Forest Green, adds some color but not too much, and Sweeeeeet Boots agreed! when are you gonna give away a pair like those?!

When we have the budget to give away boots like that! 

Besides, they'd be worthless to a giant portion of the people on this forum!  Can you imagine wearing boots rated to -40C in Australia?  New Zealand?  The Philippines?  Florida?  California?  Brazil?  Argentina?   

I think at best they would only really be useful to Russians, Canadians and a few folks in the northern states.  Maybe a few of our resident Vikings.... but that's probably about it.

I don't think even the UK would get cold enough to need these! 

Def

[firiki]

Fourth from left side is Forest Green? I'd probably go for that one

Just so you know, Skinheads wear red boot laces.

Over here Skins wear white laces.

[Whoey]

IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.

[Grant Lamontagne]

IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.

-40C though?

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Job one was removing the laces, which wasn't a huge deal.  One lace was still in tact, so it came off easily enough, the second lace had the outer wrap all bunched up and had to be cut off.  That job was happily done by the Gerber Center-Drive, which just happened to be right next to me.

Once the nasty lace was cut off I just had to measure the paracord out against the old, intact lace and cut off two identical lengths.  I then singed the ends, making sure to roll them between my fingers so they came to tiny points that would fit through the heat shrink tubing I had.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

The heat shrink tubing is a lot easier to cut with scissors than the knife, so at this point the Multitool.org Million Post BO Surge stepped in and cut four 1" lengths.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I slipped the heat shrink tubing over the ends of the paracord and using the same jet flame lighter I used to singe the ends of the paracord, I shrunk the tubing evenly on the cord to create aglets.  I love heat shrink tubing.  You can see how effective it is by the texture of the paracord showing through the tubing.  That stuff is on there for good.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Looking good!
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

Since I don't have wax to put on them as suggested above, it was now time to put them on the boots, and as you can see, it really brightens them up.  I guess I no longer have an excuse to misplace my feet!

I like this look so much that I was tempted to strip the perfectly good laces off my other boots and replace them with the yellow paracord, but I'm too cheap to throw away perfectly good laces so I won't be doing that.   

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Snazzy,
JR