Non-motoring > Soles of steel? Question for Humph Miscellaneous
Thread Author: WillDeBeest Replies: 16

 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - WillDeBeest
I'm just back from a three-day business trip that took me through two southeast European airports that I'd not visited before. At both - both today - walking through the metal detector arch set off the beep, and it turned out that what set it off was my shoes. These are the Loake 1880s that I've had for three years and have certainly travelled in before. To my knowledge they've been through detectors at Heathrow, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Munich and probably some others without causing alarm.

Now I've got better things to do than to dismantle my shoes in search of metal, but aside from this being caused by oversensitive detectors, what might I find if I did so?
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Zero
That will be the tracker in the heel of your shoe.

"Do you expect me to talk Goldfinger"?

"No - I expect you to die Mr Bond"
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - rtj70
I have a pair of shoes that set them off at Manchester airport. Simple M&S shoe it was. I asked before popping the belt, keys, etc in the tray if I should include the shoes (knowing it will probably set it off) and was told no...

... so I went through and the scanner had me go through the body scanner and then had to have the shoes x-rayed via another scanner too. I might just take the shoes off from now on anyway!

There will be a steel bar in my shoes. My wife had similar with walking boots (worn at the time) on a previous holiday.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 5 Sep 12 at 23:43
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - henry k
>>There will be a steel bar in my shoes. My wife had similar with walking boots (worn at the time) on a previous holiday.
>>
Shoes and boots were often made with steel "shanks " in the sole.

from another source
"The Shank is a very important part of making a top quality shoe. Between the floor and the sole of the shoe there is a space under the arch of the foot. The purpose of the shank is to provide support in this area, thus bridging the gap between the heel and the ball of the foot. Cheaney leather soled shoes all have tempered steel shanks which are encased in a plastic polymer. This type of shank provides maximum support and has little risk of moving or squeeking, problems that have plagued makers of welted shoes for decades."

 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - L'escargot
>> These are the Loake 1880s that I've had for three years

Very nice. tinyurl.com/cjcxcyy Which one?
Last edited by: L'escargot on Thu 6 Sep 12 at 06:29
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - L'escargot
My Church's shoes have a metal shank. www.church-footwear.com/en/UK/history "A metal shank is then glued to the base of the insole to give the shoe strength and prevent the heel arch from collapsing."
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - zookeeper
i got pulled at work when i was body scanned by the security guy when leaving at the end of my shift....my boots failed to set off the scanner, not steelies were they, but very comfortable
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - WillDeBeest
Thanks chaps. I sort of knew about the steel shank, but there's no clue from inside or out that it's there - until it goes through a hyper-sensitive metal detector.

Mine are Knightsbridge, l'Es - still in the catalogue, I think. Bought the dark brown ones first, which is what I was wearing yesterday, and liked them enough to go back for a black pair too.

Possibly relevant thought: it was the brown shoes' first trip since they came back from a factory refurb. S'pose it's possible that the original shanks were replaced with something heftier and more metallic, in which case they might have set off the detectors at Heathrow too, if they had been on my feet and not in my bag.
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - L'escargot
>> Mine are Knightsbridge,

I like your style.
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - WillDeBeest
You're too kind, l'Es. Feet the size of mine tend to draw attention, so it makes sense to wrap them in something reasonably appealing.

No Church's in my cupboard - yet. Like the look of Humph's C&Js too, only I think they stop at 12. Just call me Imelda.
}:---)
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Roger.
Comfort & practicality before style - I've just bought a pair of these for the UK winter!

tinyurl.com/8qarmfd
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - R.P.
I have a hideously ugly pair of Brasher made, Rohan badged boots, comfier ones you could never hope to find. Bit like X1s for feet.
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Runfer D'Hills
Sorry just read this but the question has been fully and accurately answered. It will be the steel shank used in that type of construction.

Did you know, that jobs descriptions in traditional shoe factories genuinely do include among many others of course, Shankers, Bonkers, Clickers, Skivers, Buffers and even Bottom Fillers?

Not a lot of people know that. Or care much.
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - R.P.
Sounds like the cast of an improbable Carry On film - Carry on Cobblers ?
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Runfer D'Hills
Another piece of trivia you've just reminded me of. There used to be an annual industry event called the Cobbler's Ball. Bit like the Oil Barons but with Cortinas and Moss Bros rather than Cadillacs and Armani.

:-)
 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Iffy
You pay 200 quid and they give you a shoe called Embankment - that's where the paraffin lamps live.

 Soles of steel? Question for Humph - Crankcase
>> Sounds like the cast of an improbable Carry On film - Carry on Cobblers ?

In Carry on Columbus there's a shoe shop in the background with a sign that reads "Cobblers to the Pope". If that helps.

Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 7 Sep 12 at 10:32
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