The Crispin Colloquy

PK,
Those look real fine he's going to wish that he ordered a pair of each.

Ed

Mr. Krause:

I'm proud to know you, you gritty, sandy son of a gun.

Spider

Paul, those boots look really nice!
I like the centurian but I can't see the tiger... I'll have another jack at it. I can see the orange and black and white but not the tiger... gawd there must be something wrong with me.
Anyway I really like the finish on those boots and the clean lines, you done did good.

More power to y'awl.
T.

Thanks to all for the comments on this pair.

Tom,
I'm sorry you can't hear his growl. The graphic provided, was a side profile, of the mouth open in a growl. I chose to do the teeth and tongue in stitches, not really a good choice, but I was stuck how to do it. And I think if the orange had extended a little further over the brow above the eye, it would have been more descernable.
I guess if one has to explain it, it falls short.

Here is the layout I was proposing in the first place for him.


We couldn't get the level of maroon necessary for the trojan, so it didn't come together like this. But I was likeing it.

Spider, You said it not long ago when we were talking about hand stitching outsoles, "if someone else can do it so can I". If I have any sand, it's because of that kind of example and encouragement from you and others. The rest is practice. Thank you.

Ed, your comment made me smile. I'll tell him what you said.

PK

Paul,

I am just getting around to commenting on your latest. Those are really clean. I like the color combination and stitching and the inlays turned out great.

I'm proud of those boots and they aren't even mine

Is that tooling on the pulls?

Mark

Mark,

Yes, it is a tooling leather inlay. And it does have a 3-D stamp of a bison head on it.

That's how the collage idea came about. The bison was especially requested. I didn't like this idea better than the collage, but they're his boots, of course.

He just picked them up this morning and he was very pleased. He said they felt already broke in. I guess you can't ask for more than that.

Thank you.

PK

Hey Paul,
Duh! I can see it now. it was the other stuff around it that threw me.
I take your point about having to explain it, I think it was Plato who said that if you need to analise a joke it's no longer funny, and I'm certainly not suggesting your work's a joke by any means.
They look even better now!

Have a SENSATIONAL Sunday.

More power to y'awl
T.

I've been working on my bottom finish...still not quite the thing but getting there. This is, after all, a channeled outsole, sewn with a Landis "F". I don't guess you can ever get rid of the channel completely but you can sure minimize it. The second photo is of the boot itself. These are just a pair of "everday" boots for myself. But they are made of about 2 ounce veg kangaroo, which is what makes them notable if anything.



Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

Those arew sweet! I'd love to handle them. Veg roo, huh? Did you line it with roo too? I'll bet they're light weight.

I like the collar applique too, and the stitch pattern below it. Very you.

On your sole, you used Hirschclabber in the channel when I was there, is that what you did here?

PK

Paul,

Thank you.

I lined with a veg calf. I've never found a roo lining that I wanted to crimp for a FW. the calf is probably all of two and a half ounces. You all saw me crimping the roo in a previous discussion over in "the Art and the Mysterie." I had a little tear just below the throat line and I ended up with another at the iron on one blocker. But it all trimmed off...luckily. The roo and the collar (a chrome roo) were all pretty much scraps, or at least not something I would offer to customers. So this pair was expendable from the beginning. This is the sixth pair of roo FW's Ive done and I don't recommend it for anyone who wants to sleep good at night. But lightweight is what I was aiming for.

I closed the channel with press cement. The Hirschkleber was too apt to open up but the press cement doesn't take the dye very well--as you can see at the ends of the channel. I go back and forth.

The soles are chestnut and the forepart is undyed--just waxed with a paste wax.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

(Message edited by dw on May 25, 2007)

DW,

Please explain what you mean when you say it's not for someone who wants to sleep good at night? Obviously you're suggesting it was especially difficult. WHat else?

PK

Paul,

Blockers for kangaroo FW's must be cut parallel to the backbone. That means the stretch is across the blocker rather than along the edge as it should be to crimp with any "certainty." Then too, the roo is thin. In the case of these, at least an ounce thinner than I would have preferred. What's more, you have to cut your front blockers from two different skins--sometimes...most times...it is impossible to get two that match for weight and temper. And if all that weren't bad enough, kangaroos fight for pleasure (or so it seems) and most of the skins you get are scarred badly. Placing that scar tissue within the pattern can make a world of difference on the outcome.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Paul,

BTW, I meant to add that the rust coloured collar is a chrome kangaroo that was cut from a pair of failed blockers. (I just couldnb't get the pipes out clean and when I did I had lost the finish).

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

My first pair of welted shoes. Although I have many qualms with them, they came out surprisingly well. BTW, I made the lasts for these too.


(Message edited by romango on May 31, 2007)

Rick,

Very nice!! You don't need any lessons...

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Thanks, but I DO!

Rick,

WOW! Those look really clean!

What kind of leather did you use?
You ought to post a picture with the lasts along side.

Great job!

PK

Thanks. The leather is some stuff called Calf-Cord from Brettuns Village. It is calf that is tanned the same way as more expensive horse cordovan. It's really nice but I don't think they can get it any more. I will post the last pic too.

The lasts used for shoes below:

Rick,
They are very nice all the lines are clean and those last look great.Keep up the good work.

Ed

You did a really nice job on those Rick. They show alot of pride.

Did you say you used Koleff's book?

PK

Yes. I used George Koleff's book to make the lasts.

Rick

great work, you have lots of talent there old son. Love them lasts. thats shiny!
Jesselee

Just finished this pair.


A little different for me, but then nothin' is ever the same ol,same ol for me.

ANyway, these are White Roo with a Black Sweet Kid stripe. Ortho cow liners, rand welt, cement construction with a Vibram Sole Gaurd. And the counter was stitched in.

This is the fourth pair of zip ankle boots I've made, and they came out the best so far, tho there is a small wow in the right stripe. Sequence is the trick, isn't it?

The customer sent me a picture of Emma Piel from the 60's TV series The Avengers wearing ones like this.

Back to the bench,

PK

Paul,

Some years ago there was a video game that I really enjoyed...it had a female lead that wore shoes like that.

Far out, man!

Seriously, it's good to have that kind of range--where you can do more than one style or more than one stitch pattern over and over again. Good on you.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC