Safety Boot Laces

[Onoff]

Serious post this!

My lad, 25 (26?) just came in off night shift (server farm). I heard him come in so went to greet him / open the door to save him fumbling for his keys. He walks in and drops his Stanley Fat Max boots next to the washing machine. I asked what boots they were and he said "Fat Max but the laces keep coming undone!" That wasn't his complete reply but we'll come to my failings as a parent in a moment. So boot laces, I was having this discussion at work with a couple of other contractors. I've been wearing safety & army style boots for the last 50 years. In the last few years I've noticed laces do indeed keep coming undone. The material is clearly man made, thin and "slippery". Also they seem to pretty quickly degrade & snap. Doesn't seem to matter on the boot brand either. Years ago I'm pretty sure the boots and laces would last for years. I'd hate to think our armed forces ability is being compromised by these issues!

Thus can anyone point me a good brand of traditional boot lace?

Back to the other point. My lad's full response was "Fat Max but the laces keep coming undone! I brought them home as they've never been washed".

Seriously? My first though was where have I gone wrong. I've been coming home for the last 40 years in work boots and dumping my overalls next to the washing machine for Mum, latterly SWMBO to wash. Boots are taking off at the door in the boiler room, conservatory etc. My lad was surprised boots don't get washed. Thinking about it he's only been wearing lace up safety boots for a year. At home his safety boots for helping me are slip on riggers. I had to gently explain about boots just get occasionally polished and maybe a foot spray inside if needed. A lot of this stems I'm sure from him being a pampered mummy's boy and me not spending enough time with him as a kid!

 

[Agroshield]

I tend to melt all my bootlaces with angle grinder sparks. I replace them with paracord (lilac for left; rose pink for right, so I know which foot to put in the boot).

The up-market version would be to use crimped on bootlace ferrules on the end, but a BIC lighter does for me.

Download him a copy of 'the Ashley book of knots' and show him a double bow.

 

[Onoff]

Download him a copy of 'the Ashley book of knots' and show him a double bow.

This is the thing, never used to need a double bow. Was it that laces were cotton based or something and less slippery?

 

[Agrismith]

Buy longer laces and tie a double bow.

 

[Onoff]

Buy longer laces and tie a double bow.

Again, missing the point. Where to buy, traditional boot laces.

 

[Melvyn Best]

There was me, thinking I had lost the ability to tie laces so they don’t come undone without tieing them so Houdini would struggle to undo them. Never gave a thought to the material the laces were made from.

 

[8ob]

dumping my overalls next to the washing machine for Mum, latterly SWMBO to wash

Have you married your mum

The forces did use leather boot laces, not sure they still do.

leather boot laces - Google Search

Bob

 

[Brad93]

IRON LACES

buy from amazon.

Stay done up for a whole 12 hour shift.

Buy then long, there's no stretch as it's a kevlar type material

 

[pedrobedro]

Get him some flat laces, round ones always come undone. I tie one of the loose ends round one of the loops to stop my laces coming undone and they still come undone when you want them to by pulling on the other loose end.

 

[Migmac]

Google leather laces, loads will come up. Boot polish on laces stops them coming undone as does tying the bow back to front.

 

[zzr1200]

5 metres of 2 stroke pull cord (2.8mm) cut to length burn/melt the ends, sorted, it'll outlast the boots......guaranteed.....

There must be an agricultural dealers/suppliers near Sevenoaks,

or

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Craig-SM]

As already mentioned boot polish on the laces stops them slipping and coming undone.

 

[Onoff]

Sevenoaks

Oh yes, £££££!

 

[Onoff]

I use Gold Label dubbin on my boots tbh.

 

[Onoff]

Have you married your mum

No but she's rapidly turning into hers! Gives a running commentary when watching telly, disagreeing / agreeing etc. That and transferring her affections from me / the kids to the cats.

 

[Onoff]

Just looked at the lad's Fat Max boots. Less that a year old. Nicks and splits all over them. Plastic lace eyelets with tiny holes in. Not even like they see hard use.

 

[Kram]

This is the thing, never used to need a double bow. Was it that laces were cotton based or something and less slippery?

I'm unsure what people mean by "double bow" in this context. When I was a child, that meant to tie an overhand with the bow, which is can be hard to undo and a pain.

Instead, when looping around the first bight, do two or three wraps before pulling the second loop through. It will be a much more stable knot and come undone as normal by pulling the ends.

5 metres of 2 stroke pull cord (2.8mm) cut to length burn/melt the ends, sorted, it'll outlast the boots......guaranteed.....

There must be an agricultural dealers/suppliers near Sevenoaks,

or

Pardon our interruption...

I agree with this though I have used 2 and 3mm climbing accessory cord which is near enough the same stuff, also used that as pull start cord when my 020T wore it out.

I found this is very cheap source of 3mm in 100m spools.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RZH07PY

 

[Screwdriver]

I always string the eyelets to the top then back down one. Like this:

Means you can get a really firm hold without strangling your foot.

 

[gaz1]

the ladies corset laces are very similiar to the old style lace

though i do mean the proper steel boned corset lace

note it has to be pulled through the metal eyelets
its also waist cinching for hrs
its also strong as well

 

[wyn]

Years ago laces were probably made properly with a bit of asbestos woven in for grip and to prevent melting.