The Kuliens (boots) Are Here! Or, Smurfed Again!

[Humptulips]

Longer than a few months. I am not a big fan right now. I ordered another pair last March, paid for them and was told a couple three months. When that rolled around I called and have been getting the runaround ever since. If they don't show up soon I am gonna get my money back and go to something different. I understand if they are having a hard time keeping up, but every time I call they tell me soon, as in the next few weeks...was also told that the guy that builds the bottoms had a stroke...anyhow, 9 months and still waiting...

We're in the same boat then. I also ordered a new pair of caulks in March from Kuliens. Talked to them about it a couple times. It is not that they are too busy. They can't get caulking leather. They keep telling me they are expecting a shipment from I think Germany but it never shows up. I wonder if they'll ever be able to finish them.

 

[slowp]

Ruh roh. Sounds like the end may be near. Sad.

 

[Greystoke]

Yep, it is sad. They never said anything about the leather not being there to me, they just kept saying that the shoemaker was sick, then the last time I called is when they said that he had a stroke. I can wait til spring, I just hope they are being on the level with me...and if it comes to it, I hope I can get my money back.

 

[Joe46]

Interesting side note. When I bought my Buffaloes(many moons ago), they had started using man made material for their soles. Said they had hard time getting getting good sole leather.

 

[slowp]

Maybe that's why mine cracked? I just figured it was because I insisted on screw in spikes and they seemed so close together. I haven't taken them in. My Kuliens are kind of semi-retired.

 

[madhatte]

Interesting side note. When I bought my Buffaloes(many moons ago), they had started using man made material for their soles. Said they had hard time getting getting good sole leather.

Hmm. Just had my Buffalos re-soled a year ago, and the sole leather was still in OK shape. I had the calk sole removed and Vibram put in its place. I figure they're good for at least a couple more seasons now. I got 'em used a long time ago; don't know when they were originally built. They've been good to me.

 

[lfnh]

Interesting side note. When I bought my Buffaloes(many moons ago), they had started using man made material for their soles. Said they had hard time getting getting good sole leather.

Interesting.
Some years ago, bought a couple hundred pounds of some fresh tanned 10-14 oz shoulders from Howes Leather in Penn. Really nice stuff. Nice owner. Got a dime tour of the tannery late on a Friday after closing. Right out of the 1900's. Fasinating. Wished I'd known the end was near, woulda bought a full pallet. Howes made some of the best sole leather and harness leather around. Hermann Oak was another top shelf suppler. Don't think anyone in the US tans that stuff now. Not positive.
end of derail.

 

[Humptulips]

I don't think anyone has been able to get the good caulking leather like used to be made for years now. Even Kuliens had to go to a teflon layer in their soles to keep the drive caulks from going through the soles.
Might be the end of drive caulks but I think Kuliens will probably keep going as long as they wish to work. I don't think much of their business is caulk shoes anymore. They do a lot of custom fits for L&I cases.
I know their shoemaker had a stroke but I would think John (the owner) could finish up the shoes if that was the only issue.

Slowp,
You're not the only one that ever cracked a sole in your Kuliens. I have narrow feet and it happened to me. I think the narrower the shoe the more likely it is to happen.
I bet the would resole them for free if you took them in. Maybe put a vibram sole on them if they can't get caulking leather. Be the perfect huckleberry picking shoes.

 

[wowzers]

Humptulips, what are the advantages to drive caulks? Do they last longer than the screw in ones now days? Can your replace them yourself at home?

 

[Dalmatian90]

Said they had hard time getting getting good sole leather.

No idea if it's the same problem; have read that horse harness makers complain they have a hard time getting good quality leather today.

Feed lot beef just don't live long enough and grow too fast to develop quality hides, and I guess old cows have gone too far in the other direction.

 

[slowp]

I don't think anyone has been able to get the good caulking leather like used to be made for years now. Even Kuliens had to go to a teflon layer in their soles to keep the drive caulks from going through the soles.
Might be the end of drive caulks but I think Kuliens will probably keep going as long as they wish to work. I don't think much of their business is caulk shoes anymore. They do a lot of custom fits for L&I cases.
I know their shoemaker had a stroke but I would think John (the owner) could finish up the shoes if that was the only issue.

Slowp,
You're not the only one that ever cracked a sole in your Kuliens. I have narrow feet and it happened to me. I think the narrower the shoe the more likely it is to happen.
I bet the would resole them for free if you took them in. Maybe put a vibram sole on them if they can't get caulking leather. Be the perfect huckleberry picking shoes.

Funny, that's when I have worn them. It was so wet this year, and I was scouting an area where lots of unburned cull logs were in the patch. I tried wandering in my hikers, slipped and thrashed, and then went back to wearing calks.

My toes last longer in the soft soled hiking boots though.

 

[Humptulips]

Humptulips, what are the advantages to drive caulks? Do they last longer than the screw in ones now days? Can your replace them yourself at home?

Not sure if it is anymore then personal preference. They last longer but it is more of a hassle to replace them. You can do it at home but you need a shoe last, a caulk set and a few hours.
Mainly I like the feel of them plus I'm old fashioned.

 

[Humptulips]

No idea if it's the same problem; have read that horse harness makers complain they have a hard time getting good quality leather today.

Feed lot beef just don't live long enough and grow too fast to develop quality hides, and I guess old cows have gone too far in the other direction.

What I've been told hasn't anything to do with the age of the animals the leather is made from. The process used to make good leather is chrome tan and it makes for a nasty brew of pollutants to get rid of. They changed the formula to meet the enviromental standards. Kuliens told me there sole leather was coming from eastern block countries where the standards weren't so high, at least for dumping pollutants.
Also I imagine the market for sole leather is getting pretty small with all the man made materials. Hardly worth running a factory for.

 

[Greystoke]

Not sure if it is anymore then personal preference. They last longer but it is more of a hassle to replace them. You can do it at home but you need a shoe last, a caulk set and a few hours.
Mainly I like the feel of them plus I'm old fashioned.

I didn't like them. Not only having to wait to have them replaced, the worst thing that I did not like was how they clogged up with mud, or picked up bark. I liked the idea though. Screw ins are so junky anymore, I was looking for something better. That is my biggest complaint about them, is how you have to baby them and they still sometimes strip out. Sucks about the long wait for the Kuliens right now, I am not sure what to do at this point, guess I will hurry up and wait some more...

 

[Jacob J.]

Interesting side note. When I bought my Buffaloes(many moons ago), they had started using man made material for their soles. Said they had hard time getting getting good sole leather.

Yeah I bought a pair of Buffalos in '93 and they have the neoprene soles. Fine boots, but that neoprene hardens over time and dry rots if you leave the boots in storage.

One of the guys from Nick's said they'll rebuild the Buffalos but he didn't say what kind of sole they/re using.

 

[madhatte]

I had mine re-soled by a local outfit called Pope's, in Tillicum.

 

[superfire]

Boots

Been wantin a pair that are new. Got a old pair from my old man,kinda want them to stay on a shelf after he was killed. Getting a few jobs on the side to pay bills since the economy took a swim down the slew. Looked at Hoffmans site,good prices just dont like the build style.

 

[Gologit]

been wantin a pair that are new. Got a old pair from my old man,kinda want them to stay on a shelf after he was killed. Getting a few jobs on the side to pay bills since the economy took a swim down the slew. Looked at hoffmans site,good prices just dont like the build style.

HBRN back?

 

[Metals406]

HBRN back?

Yup. . . It's his first account.

 

[Sport Faller]

Yup. . . It's his first account.

Speaking of calks and other pointy #### you hook to your boots :hmm3grin2orange:

when is the speed climbing demo at Rancho Del Nate-o taking place


I gots to snag my stuff that John dropped off too (and don't try and tell me your half of the bar oil was the bottom half so you had to pour mine out to get to it :biggrin: )