Hi all,
Sorry to revive the topic for 100th time, but all the threads are old.
I just ordered my first pair of Dehners after years of hearing nothing but good things about them, and that I really wanted a pair of classic pull-on dress boots. Just wanted to know what to expect in terms of wait time, quality, fit. opinions, options requested etc. considering the latest thread on this was 3+ years ago.
I got custom black calfskin dress boots with full lining, Spanish tops, and spur rests. 
If they fit you’ll have them to love forever! Especially since they are fully lined. Kneed them with your hands around the ankle to soften the leather where they should bend. This should ensure that they break in with nice soft wrinles instead of big stiff ones that poke you in the front and back of ankle. As I said, if they fit, you’ll have a lovely pair of boots for a long time.
The only way I broke in my fully lined Dehner boots was the bathtub method.I also used heal lifts until the boots were broken in.
They are exactly like mine except no Spanish tops (I don’t think they existed almost 50 years ago). :). Mine fit beautifully but I failed to take into account my super high instep, dress boots probably weren’t the best choice since we didn’t do zippers in those days. Mine are still beautiful and I dont remember them being unusually difficult to break in.
They will last the rest of your life, and maybe you can will them to someone :). I have Dehner boots that I bought in 1974, and they are still wearable.
I don’t have any experience with full lining. Both pairs of mine are front/back lined.
Love my Dehner’s, although if I ordered them today, I would do a few things differently. 
I would get spanish tops and probably only 3/4 lined. Mine are fully lined and I did the bathtub method to break them in. I might get zippers. I have a very high instep and they are soooo hard to pull on and off. I’m actually contemplating sending them to get zippers put in, something I swore I would never do. Eek!
They WILL last forever…long outlasting any style trends with boots, so classic styling is key. Sounds like you are on that path.
You’ve chosen wisely in picking Dehner (at least in my opinion. :D)
[QUOTE=RugBug;8545928]
I have a very high instep and they are soooo hard to pull on and off. [/QUOTE]
FYI, you high instep people: The solution (done for me) is two extra eyelets on field boots. So the opening you can make with the laced section goes further up your ankle… but you can batten that baby right down when your foot is inside. It was a great pre-zipper solution to the problem.
I still have a pair of Dehners that I love. They are really comfortable. I wish it didn’t look bad to have new tops put on them. I’d have a higher-than-Spanish cut put on the top.
Mine are from 1978, and they are still in good shape although they look out of fashion. Am thinking about another pair either from them or from Kroop Boots, which is on the east coast so closer to me.
My Dehners are front-and-back lined. I would probably get new ones cuff-lined for less stiffness around the ankle and with the Italian tops. I can’t decide on zippers. Probably yes even though they don’t recommend it.
What I really would like and would get if money were no object would be a pair of the three-buckle boots. I have always wanted these. If I had a pair, I would wear them every day:
http://www.dehner.com/pics/largephotos/3buckle_brown_yorkshire_large.jpg
[QUOTE=RugBug;8545928]
I’m actually contemplating sending them to get zippers put in, something I swore I would never do. Eek!(at least in my opinion. :D)[/QUOTE]
How old are your boots? Dehher will not work on them if they are over 20 years old. I wanted gussets put in mine, and Dehner wouldn’t do it. I had to get a boot repair place to do it,
I still own 2 pair of dress boots that I got in 68 and 76. Wore the heck out of them both but both are still in good shape and I could still wear them if my legs were just a little thinner. so comfortable!
Thank you guys for your replies. For the breaking in I just plan on training the ankle a bit and wearing them, not a big fan of the bathtub method. Hopefully, I won’t get too many bruises or cuts in he process.
As for the three buckle boots(don’t know how to do the quote thing yet) they are awesome. My trainer has a brown pair from the 80’s that he pulls out every now and then and they still look great. In the future I’m gonna try and spring for pair for schooling around.
For protecting your ankles while breaking in boots consider wrapping yourself with vetwrap under socks. just enough padding to prevent rubs being too bad.
Dehner won’t work on boots over 20yo?
Vogel has no problem doing that - my dress boots - circa 1989 - went back for a zip replacement about 5yrs ago. They didn’t ask, but I guess my ID# told them how old the boots were.
I have my 3rd pair of Dehner slip-on paddocks, now approaching 15yo & was thinking of getting them resoled, but then, any shoemaker can do that.
Cannot say enough good things about the workmanship on these boots.
Pair 1 lasted over 10yrs, Pair 2 the same < both had zips I got tired of replacing since they had to go to Dehner as sole provider of the right-sized zipper. Zips lasted 5yrs or so before barn grit did them in.
OP:
For your 2nd pair - does Dehner have returned customs that might fit you?
If they have your measurements they might have a pair for cheap that someone else rejected.
[QUOTE=Dewey;8546092]
How old are your boots? Dehher will not work on them if they are over 20 years old. I wanted gussets put in mine, and Dehner wouldn’t do it. I had to get a boot repair place to do it,[/QUOTE]
If you can go to Beval Saddlery in New Canaan, CT, you can get this kind of thing done. Their work is absolutely on par with Dehner’s work. And leather working skill of that caliber is, my friends, is very, very hard to find. Support it. Lament the loss of it in your local town, as I do. Don’t send boots you love to the wrong surgeon. You could get 'em back worse than original.
I am local, and I actually went to their factory to be measured when I had my boots made somewhere around 12 years ago. They were made nearly 2" too big around. While they corrected the problem, the Spanish top (I would have done Olympic, had I been better informed) is slightly off center now and it bothers me. If the same thing happened today, I would have them totally remake the boots.
I have hardly worn mine, but was thinking of bringing them in to see if what could be done to make me like them better.
[QUOTE=Dewey;8546092]
How old are your boots? Dehher will not work on them if they are over 20 years old. I wanted gussets put in mine, and Dehner wouldn’t do it. I had to get a boot repair place to do it,[/QUOTE]
Mine are 15 years old. Guess I have another 5 years to make up my mind.
Truthfully, they are my “fat” boots. I barely fit into off the rack boots when I’m at my thinnes, both in calf width and in height. I was not at my thinnest when I ordered my Dehners…but it has come in handy because I’ve had a pair of boots to wear over the years when I have gained weight. Sadly, the means right now…Sigh.
Most likely what I will do is leave the Dehner’s alone and have zippers put in my Ariat Crowne Pro’s.
Dehner won’t work on anything older than 20 years? Sue them for age discrimination.
I had Euro-American replace the slippery leather soles on mine 20 years ago. They’re 40 something now.
[QUOTE=TrakHack;8546302]
I am local, and I actually went to their factory to be measured when I had my boots made somewhere around 12 years ago. They were made nearly 2" too big around. While they corrected the problem, the Spanish top (I would have done Olympic, had I been better informed) is slightly off center now and it bothers me. If the same thing happened today, I would have them totally remake the boots.
I have hardly worn mine, but was thinking of bringing them in to see if what could be done to make me like them better.[/QUOTE]
I’m kind of in the same boat. I had mine measured at the shop in Omaha. When they shipped to my new place on the east coast, I ended up with boots that really are too wide for my leg, and I was pretty disappointed to see how short they were on me (don’t contact the back of my knee) as well. So I’ve had them over a year now, haven’t ridden in them much, I don’t love how they look (the swagger tabs got left off too, that’s a whole other issue) and they just sit in my closet because I haven’t gotten around to packing them back up and shipping them back to Dehner now that I’ve moved from the area.
I’m not opposed to them taking the boots in and adding a trim type of leather to the top to make them taller, I just can’t decide if I want that or if I just should unload them to get something else. I wanted a more traditional boot that would last forever, unfortunately I’m just not thrilled. My hunting buddies have Dehners that are beautiful and wore like steel, never heard anything but the highest of praise so I guess from time to time stuff happens.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;8547006]
Dehner won’t work on anything older than 20 years? Sue them for age discrimination.
I had Euro-American replace the slippery leather soles on mine 20 years ago. They’re 40 something now.[/QUOTE]
It’s true! Their reasoning is that the leather is just too brittle for major renovations after 20 years… off the animal, with no blood supply, dried out during tanning some, and basically in a Zombie State for two decades. Checking out my skin in my 40s (and still attached to my body), I think Dehners has a practical point.
[QUOTE=GoneAway;8552354]
I’m kind of in the same boat. I had mine measured at the shop in Omaha. When they shipped to my new place on the east coast, I ended up with boots that really are too wide for my leg, and I was pretty disappointed to see how short they were on me (don’t contact the back of my knee) as well. So I’ve had them over a year now, haven’t ridden in them much, I don’t love how they look (the swagger tabs got left off too, that’s a whole other issue) and they just sit in my closet because I haven’t gotten around to packing them back up and shipping them back to Dehner now that I’ve moved from the area.
I’m not opposed to them taking the boots in and adding a trim type of leather to the top to make them taller, I just can’t decide if I want that or if I just should unload them to get something else. I wanted a more traditional boot that would last forever, unfortunately I’m just not thrilled. My hunting buddies have Dehners that are beautiful and wore like steel, never heard anything but the highest of praise so I guess from time to time stuff happens.[/QUOTE]
Mine were too short, too. Unreal that you had essentially the same experience.
So, it seems they’re decent and if you don’t go to Omaha to be measured.
I’ve been measured in Omaha for all my pairs of Dehners starting back in the early eighties to present day. Fit has always been perfect.
To the OP I find that the calf skin (I only have fully lined) readily break-in in a few rides it’s such nice supple leather. Never resorted to any of the other methods spoken of on COTH.
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