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Non Tool Forum => The Break Room => Topic started by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 05:27:50 PM

Title: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 05:27:50 PM
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?  :D

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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: pfrsantos on December 06, 2016, 05:30:25 PM
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.

 :tu:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 06, 2016, 06:05:14 PM
no mint chocolate chip?  :facepalm:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Aloha on December 06, 2016, 06:07:42 PM
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.

 :tu:

^^^ this gets my vote too. 

Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: captain spaulding on December 06, 2016, 06:10:58 PM
I always stop by the Redwing store and get the higher quality leather laces. I would have it no other way. Just a suggestion.  :tu:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Toolslinger on December 06, 2016, 06:42:12 PM
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).
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: dks on December 06, 2016, 06:44:47 PM
whatever colour Megan tells you to get :)
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: dks on December 06, 2016, 06:45:23 PM
no pink?
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 06:58:38 PM
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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 06:59:24 PM
no pink?

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

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: dks on December 06, 2016, 07:09:37 PM
that is the problem with spending too much time at any place ....
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 07:12:19 PM
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.....  :ahhh

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: magentus on December 06, 2016, 07:13:10 PM
That is a serious boot Boss - Nice  :salute:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: dks on December 06, 2016, 07:21:34 PM
it is not pink- it is salmon colour
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 07:54:59 PM
That is a serious boot Boss - Nice  :salute:

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!   :ahhh

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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: MadPlumbarian on December 06, 2016, 08:26:03 PM
Come on, with black you gotta go red!
JR
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: AimlessWanderer on December 06, 2016, 10:50:50 PM
Grey / Black / Navy Blue
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 06, 2016, 11:08:57 PM
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:

(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0121/3322/products/mens-cat-footwear-colorado-black-408034_366_45_grande.jpeg?v=1447724278)

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Alan K. on December 07, 2016, 08:47:06 AM
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.
 :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: WhichDawg on December 07, 2016, 10:16:24 AM
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?! :P :D :tu:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 03:49:21 PM
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.
 :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

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?! :P :D :tu:

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

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?   :ahhh

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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: firiki on December 07, 2016, 04:06:55 PM
Fourth from left side is Forest Green? I'd probably go for that one :tu:

Just so you know, Skinheads wear red boot laces.

Over here Skins wear white laces.
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 07, 2016, 04:07:54 PM
IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 04:21:42 PM
IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.

-40C though?

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 04:26:40 PM
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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 04:28:47 PM
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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 04:31:49 PM
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
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: MadPlumbarian on December 07, 2016, 04:33:27 PM
Looking good! :tu:
JR
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 04:38:05 PM
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.   :facepalm:

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: MadPlumbarian on December 07, 2016, 04:46:00 PM
Snazzy,
JR
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Aloha on December 07, 2016, 04:53:50 PM
Those are some serious boots ( - 40 ).  I guess I missed that part. 

I cant fathom 20F let alone anything in the negatives. 

Boots look great with those laces. 
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 07, 2016, 05:14:08 PM
That's the great thing about -40, it's the same in °C and °F
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 07, 2016, 05:16:19 PM
IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.

-40C though?

Def
no not usually. When I lived in Northern Quebec (Lac St. Jean area) I had a pair of these for -40 outings:

(http://www.camogroup.ca/uploads/2/9/5/2/29523977/s958517696850385993_p259_i3_w500.jpeg)
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 07, 2016, 05:34:28 PM
IIRC London (UK) was pretty damn cold in winter.

-40C though?

Def
no not usually. When I lived in Northern Quebec (Lac St. Jean area) I had a pair of these for -40 outings:

(http://www.camogroup.ca/uploads/2/9/5/2/29523977/s958517696850385993_p259_i3_w500.jpeg)

And attacking Rebel bases on Hoth?

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 07, 2016, 05:49:22 PM
pretty much, also had the military issue aluminum framed snowshoes to go along with them, and a tank crew thermal suit. I do miss shopping in military surplus stores...
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: WhichDawg on December 07, 2016, 05:53:36 PM
I bet these polar bears (Grand & Micah) have great mittens too! :pok: :P

I do like the orange, that was my second choice but it seemed to loud for a polar bear :D
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: AimlessWanderer on December 07, 2016, 08:19:08 PM
At -40 I would want a cast iron woodburning stove strapped to each leg. Can't weight much more than the metalwork Grant's already got fitted  :whistle:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 09, 2016, 01:09:41 AM
It's always an interesting feeling to step out of your housel take a deep breath and feel the moisture in your nose instantly crystallize.

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: AlephZero on December 09, 2016, 02:07:01 PM
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.
 :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

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?! :P :D :tu:

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

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?   :ahhh

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

Finland too, Boss.. We hit -39C couple years back in my area, and -30C is quite normal... Schweet boots  :tu:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 09, 2016, 05:12:24 PM
Doesn't being Finnish qualify you as one of "our resident Vikings?"  :D

We'll probably be somewhere in the -30C range almost completely between January and March before things start to warm up slowly until we hit +40 in the summer.

80 degree variation- that's normal, isn't it?  :ahhh

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: AlephZero on December 10, 2016, 12:15:35 PM
Doesn't being Finnish qualify you as one of "our resident Vikings?"  :D

We'll probably be somewhere in the -30C range almost completely between January and March before things start to warm up slowly until we hit +40 in the summer.

80 degree variation- that's normal, isn't it?  :ahhh

Def

Well not exactly, the vikings were strictly from the Scandinavian peninsula, but it's not to say we didn't have some of their traits. Around 12th century we did, with some help from estonians, latvians and lithuanians, pillage and burn the city of Sigtuna (oldest one in Sweden) to the ground. They didn't really like it, so they invaded us for 500 or so years :)

And about the temperature variation, ours is not quite that extreme, but -30 to +30 is excpected, even more so in the Lapland (current record I think is -54.4C)
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: SteelRaven on December 10, 2016, 07:40:43 PM
FireCracker!!

You'll be so tacticool....:rofl:

Meh...Black true mil spec 7 strand paracord with metal ends if you can get the tabs. I think they make a 7 strand with some metal in it too!!
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: SteelRaven on December 10, 2016, 07:49:57 PM
It's always an interesting feeling to step out of your housel take a deep breath and feel the moisture in your nose instantly crystallize.

Def
That glacier mustache look gets de wemminz quick ill bet...:rofl:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Aloha on December 11, 2016, 12:55:40 AM
Doesn't being Finnish qualify you as one of "our resident Vikings?"  :D

We'll probably be somewhere in the -30C range almost completely between January and March before things start to warm up slowly until we hit +40 in the summer.

80 degree variation- that's normal, isn't it?  :ahhh

Def

I dont even know what this means.  Our winter is dry at about 40F being our low.  There are many micro climates so the mountains will be colder and will see snow but I'm coastal.  Mostly its mid 70s F for most of the year ( today was 70F ).  I think we have about 200 days of 70s F.  Shorts and t shirts year round. 

Sorry my northern friends  :salute:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: dks on December 11, 2016, 07:19:03 AM
When we go to the mountains, and there is snow, it may go down to -5C......
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 11, 2016, 01:54:48 PM
Doesn't being Finnish qualify you as one of "our resident Vikings?"  :D

We'll probably be somewhere in the -30C range almost completely between January and March before things start to warm up slowly until we hit +40 in the summer.

80 degree variation- that's normal, isn't it?  :ahhh

Def

I dont even know what this means.  Our winter is dry at about 40F being our low.  There are many micro climates so the mountains will be colder and will see snow but I'm coastal.  Mostly its mid 70s F for most of the year ( today was 70F ).  I think we have about 200 days of 70s F.  Shorts and t shirts year round. 

Sorry my northern friends  :salute:

70F is 21C, which is a bit chilly for summer here.  We had days at 40C this summer (around 105F) and we turned the car heater on for the odd days that dropped to the 70's!  :P

And here you guys are thinking Canada is cold.... :P

Def
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: SteelRaven on December 11, 2016, 03:19:22 PM
Doesn't being Finnish qualify you as one of "our resident Vikings?"  :D

We'll probably be somewhere in the -30C range almost completely between January and March before things start to warm up slowly until we hit +40 in the summer.

80 degree variation- that's normal, isn't it?  :ahhh

Def

I dont even know what this means.  Our winter is dry at about 40F being our low.  There are many micro climates so the mountains will be colder and will see snow but I'm coastal.  Mostly its mid 70s F for most of the year ( today was 70F ).  I think we have about 200 days of 70s F.  Shorts and t shirts year round. 

Sorry my northern friends  :salute:

70F is 21C, which is a bit chilly for summer here.  We had days at 40C this summer (around 105F) and we turned the car heater on for the odd days that dropped to the 70's!  :P

And here you guys are thinking Canada is cold.... :P

Def
Wait....woah...hold it...EVEREST HITS -40 below at 21, 029 feet!!

Ummm dudes...freakin jets fly that high!!

How in the name of a rubber widgets undies can y'all even consider the outdoors as a viable realm of existence at that temperature??!! :rofl:

Yeah I know...Everest ain't the coldest but DAMN!!
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Whoey on December 11, 2016, 04:42:22 PM
As a teen I used to go skiing in northern Quebec, one time it was -40 plus an extra -10 for windchill, I was one of the few people who had the right gear to still ski, it was great, most of the mountain to myself, no queues...
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: zoidberg on March 19, 2017, 11:46:49 AM
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

(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69681.0;attach=296590)

Nice to see it getting some use.   :like:   :like:
Title: Re: New Boot Laces
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 19, 2017, 10:52:30 PM
It is still my #1 Go To multitool.  I have put a lot of miles on it.   :D

Def