Compared to last year, there have been quite a few cooler days, so I imagine you’ll be wearing your boots quite often.

We are delighted to report that the number of boots brought in to our shop is steadily increasing.

So, in this post, I’d like to show you a little customisation I’ve done to my Red Wing boots.

Without further ado, let’s compare the before and after.

Before

After

Did you understand?

Actually, the top three rows of eyelets are speed hooks.

It’s one of Red Wing’s classic customisations, isn’t it?

A speed hook is,

It appears to have first appeared in the early 1900s with the aim of making it possible to fasten and unfasten boot laces instantly, thereby making it easier to put on and take off boots.

At the time, it was used in military boots and heavy-duty boots designed for firefighters and manual labourers.

Even today, these parts are widely used not only to make them easier to fit and remove, but also to enjoy the change in appearance they bring.

This is a side view.

Before

After

It’s just a small customisation, but it’s these little changes that really tickle a man’s fancy.

Incidentally, at our company, we generally fit the hooks whilst leaving the original eyelets in place.

It is not uncommon for the leather in the area concealed by the original eyelets to be damaged when these are removed.

Furthermore, if you remove the eyelets before fitting the hooks, the marks left by the eyelets may not be completely concealed.

To prevent this from happening, we fit the Speed Hooks whilst retaining the original eyelets.

In this instance, we have fitted genuine Red Wing Speed Hooks, but there are several other types available as well.

If you’re interested, please do feel free to get in touch.

Fit a new shoe hook

Thank you very much.

Shinjuku Branch Kawado