Question:
Just curious about a small detail in fine leather dress shoes--- do most have or not have the little metal eyelet support rings under the flaps? There may be a technical name for these, but they are tiny rings surrounding the underneath of the shoelace holes, presumably to help protect the laces from tearing the surrounding leather.
I notice that both my older Aldens and Allen-Edmonds have them, whereas my new Sutor Mantellassi (more upscale) don't. I found one style of Magnanni that compromises and has the metal (possibly plastic in this case) eyelet protector only on the top pair of eyelets, presumably because that's nearest to where the laces are actually tied and thus put under more strain.
This is a picky little detail I guess but it shows that I obsess over the details.
Jerry
Answer:
Eyelet grommets are found in two forms: hidden (the kind you're describing) and visible (where the top flange of the grommet comes over the top of the eyelet on the outside). You'd think that you'd see them on only the higher-end shoes, given the extra work required to put them in, but this isn't really the case. My C&J main collection (benchgrade) shoes have them, but a couple of pairs of Handgrades don't. Similarly, my EGs don't have them, nor do some Lobbs from the Prestige line. Pretty well all the A-Es I've owned and seen have had them. I once special-ordered a pair of Martegani shoes with a request for them (along with other features), but they came without. I then had a cobbler install them. He punched them in from the underside of the facings and turned the flanges over the top of the lining, with the upper leather stitched over that, so that they were invisible from the outside. This is my preference. I've seen some Alden shoes made for Brooks Brothers with visible grommets, and I found them to look a little too utilitarian--like work or military shoes--that way.
I think that they're a very desirable feature--to keep the eyelets from stretching out of round and possibly tearing in time--but it is obviously the case that they aren't really needed or the best shoes would presumably have them.
Answer:
The best shoes do have them - sort of. They have reinforcing sandwiched on the inside (between the upper leather and the lining) in the form of a strong tape. At least that is what the Vass Handmade Shoes book says. I have never cut open a pair to check, but my highest quality shoes do not have any visible eyelets. Also, while I have never had a pair of eyelet-less shoes rip at the hole, I have had an eyelet rip out of the shoe from the laces being pulled too tight.
Answer:
Thanks Roger and Dopey for the feedback on the eyelet grommets. As Roger says, maybe they're not really essential, but knowing they are there gives me some peace of mind...
Jerry
