Just wondering if there are any bootmakers close to Ft. Sill Oklahoma? I will be at the fort April 17th through the 20th. They are having the First Annual National Cavalry Competition there next week. I will be setup there with my boots and shoes and my son and I will also be riding. If any one is close and would like to come down as far as I know it is open to the public. Let me know and I will be looking for you. We are leaving Monday night.
Mick Nesseim
MJN Boot and Leather Shop
Tea, South Dakota

Mick When you get ther put aside time to visit the museum. Make sure you say hello to Gaye Frazer she is the nicest person in the bussiness and will be set up there too. If you pass near laramie stop in Tom Mattimore

Looking for Museums in the United Kingdom.

This is my second post, my first being to register. I have been reading for some time and have enjoyed this list.

I will be traveling in England/Scotland/Wales in August and was interested in good museums to visit with shoe or leather exhibits. I am interested in all forms of hand made shoes.

I have visited the United Kingdom twice before and visited a few museums.

4 years ago - Museum of London, Northampton central museum, V&A museum, York Yorvic museum
2 years ago - Northampton central museum, Walsall leather museum.

If there are any other museums that have good exhibits, or if anyone knows of new exhibits at the above that I should see, I would appreciate the information.

Penny and I will be hitting the Netherlands in a few weeks. Any points of interest? shoemakers? leather craftsmen? just plain interesting people?
Thanks,

Bruce

Bruce,

Hopefully Othervolken or M. might give the correct spellings, but there is a great shoe museum in Waalwijk [sp?]. Check the HCC roster. The curator/director Wim Blok is an HCCer. Olaf Goubitz' shoes and stuff might on display somewhere in the Netherlands too, eh M.? Have a blast and stay out of the "coffee houses", else you'll never get any work done

All,

If everything goes according to my schedule, I will be in Stockholm to bring in the new year with Janne. I plan to be there with him for about 4 days. I will be giving a workshop seminar in his shop for a group of Swedish shoemakers . Since they are probably all accomplished shoemakers, we will only be demonstrating the sewing together and closing of a pair of cowboy Boots. The seminar will only be 2 days but I will be exploring Stockholm and meeting a few cousins also. Anyone interested contact Janne Melkersson in Stockholm at
melkerssons.skomakare@telia.com

the museum in waalwijk is the nederlands leder en schoenen museum . They own a pair of my cowboy boots. http://www.shoeinfonet.com/muse/waalwijk/mu_nl.htm this link will give you more information on the museum. Good luck on your trip Tex.

Terry,
Hey Terry, how is it going. Good show at WF. Hope to see you there next year.
I looked but couldn't find your boots. Post some on the Gallery....TR

Terry

check www.ehcg.org/contacts/index.html

and say Chris pointed you in this direction.
There are a number shoe-makers involved and I think the one connected with the museum is named Adam. Jonathan can point you in the direction you are looking for. If Adam is the one i met some months back he is full of laughs.

CW

All,

After my stay with Janne in Stockholm and getting used to the cold temperatures which could be near "O" Fahrenheit, I will get back on a plane and go another 400 or so miles to the freezer which will be -10 to -15 F with snow everywhere and not very much sunlight. There I will meet my relatives near Lappland only 40 miles from the artic circle. DW, where do I get one of those caps with butt flaps and a pom pom on top? ....TR

Tex,

I'm not sure if you can get them in Texas. Just like you can't get Moon Pies or RC Cola in Oregon. Tell me your hat size and colour preference and I'll see if I can locate one for you. That is, if you're serious....

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

You can to get RC Cola in Oregon you just have to live somewhere other than Plumb and Nearly.

Bill Crary

DW,
I was partly joking and partly serious. But hold off for now.. Thanks for the offer. If they wear them in Sweden I want one . If not I don't. I want to at least try to blend in over there. Of course when I get to the North I won't care if I have a pink hat as long as it has flaps that come all the way to the ground!

I remember when I was a kid in the early 50s liking the RC because it was the biggest drink in the bottle you could get.( no drinks in the can then) And moon pies were the biggest snack you could get for your nickel. But I don't care for either now. I think it was the adventure of sneaking off the school grounds in Ft Worth without permission that was the fun. ...TR

RC COLA and M&M'S seem to mix well together in the bottle. A real treat.

OH, DW, Rolla, Missouri ha!!
JP

Joe,

Now that's a new one. I thought it was RC and peanuts...in the bottle.

But, I don't understand your comment about Rolla...???

Bill,

Well, I live in Redmond (not nearly as far out as Nearly) but I've never seen it. Could be I just wasn't looking. I gave up soft drinks for whiskey some time ago. Kills the germs you get from kissing, you know.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Hi,

are there any bootmakers in rapid city, SD?

Anon,
JJ's Custom Boots is on Hwy 79 south on the edge of Rapid City.
My shop- Stockman Boot and Saddlery- is in Hot Springs 48 miles south on Hwy 79.
Jim

thanks for the answer. the reason for my question is, that i´m planning a visit to the states in summer and i will be in rapid city for 3 days. As I´m an orthopaedic shoemaker here in austria, i would be interested in maybe visiting a bootmaker during my stay, and watch a little bit on making "real western boots"

horst

Horst,
Please come down to Hot Springs when you visit.
I will be happy to show you around my shop. You can email a week or so beforehand and I can have some work in progress. I will look forward to hearing from you.
jim@stockmans.com
Jim

Hello All,

This seems like the right place to put this message.

I'm about to receive a visit from Frank Jones. And I am really looking forward to it. (Frank, forgive me for taking this public) He and his wife will be driving through Arizona and including a visit to Prescott on their way to the Petrified Forest.

I've mentioned before I come from a shoe repair back ground and really don't think I know what I'm doing half of the time, but this seems like a big deal to me, to be welcoming Frank and his wife to my shop and visiting with someone of his calibur. Where do I start?
This forum has connected me with a world wide community, which has been so eloquently discribed by DW and Al, just recently. I feel like a complete beginner, to have a real shoe maker visiting my shop. I don't even have a boot or shoe makers bench yet! Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed of myself or where I've come from. I certainly don't mind learning the hard way and I hope my intentions are always clear that I love what we do and only want to get better.

I won't be too embarrassed when Frank visits and I certainly want to get the most out of it. But how can I be a better host? Are there Crispin Cakes I can make or something? Is there a tradition between Cordwainers I should know about? I haven't even been to an HCC Gathering, yet.

Frank will have been in LA running a three-day
Introduction to Shoemaking Course, for non-shoemakers in the footwear buisness. I understand he's done several over the past four years and provides insights that the job or schools don't include. I'm sure I'd benefit from the content as well, if I were to attend. I sure am looking forward to his visit.
That's all, I guess. Just had a rush of nerves and thought I'd connect.
PK

Paul
I had the chance to talk to Frank in the airport here in Copenhagen a while back. From my impression of him, I’de say this: forget busting your balls and just be a good and friendly host. A cup of coffee and an hour away from work made us both happy. I would guess that some home cooked food and your company would be great. Take it from there.

Give him my regards and have a good time
CW

Paul,

I must echo Chris' comments here. Frank is a down to earth guy, a "shoe-dog" of the old school with plenty of bench-time under his belt. He's stayed with us here several times, and has enjoyed everything from grits and Smithfield ham, to collard greens. I think he liked my coffee better than my attempts at brewing English tea however. Just kick back and relax, and get him out in your shop talking shoemaking. The waitress at our local diner thought he sounded like James Bond--James City County is still pretty provincial--so we just nick-named him "Frank Bond", James' unknown brother. He might get a laugh out of that.

Well, of course, we had a wonderful visit with Frank and his lovely wife Barbra. What a great couple!
We visited for a while in the shop, Frank and I discussing machines and Franks observations of factory processes. I've never visited a shoe factory and was very interested to listen to him. We hit it off well, I felt. Meanwhile our wives had a good conversation as well.
We took them to The Palace for dinner, that's where much of the movie Junior Bonner was filmed many years back. We received great service there amidst the owners collection of western memoribelia.
I was able to get one of Franks pattern making books and my wife is deciding which style she wants me to make for her.
There was certainly never any reason to be nervous. Frank was very affirming. I'm grateful for the visit.
PK

Well, boys and girls,

By tomorrow night this is what will be just outside my door:



Akumal, the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico--the Mayan Riviera

I'll be thinking of you all and wondering why in the world we don't have the AGM in paradise. You all take care now hear and...be nice.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Hey DW,
Very nice, I recently looked at Redmond and other parts of the North west on some webcams, yup, I can see why your're heading south. hope you can get your boots back on after all that barefoot walking in the sand

Have a wonderful holiday.
More power to y'awl.
T.