The Crispin Colloquy

2nd pair of pull-on style western boots. No idea what the leather is; it came in a big bundle of scrap I got a couple of years ago. The green was pretty stiff and seemed okay for boot tops, but the pink may have been upholstery tannage & was unpredictable as to stretch--hence, for all my carefulness, my toe ornaments did not end up located at the same place on both boots. On the other hand, for the first time since my course with DW, my pegs actually came through the insole as required! (makes it surprisingly difficult to get the last out of the boot, too!) New skills, new errors - and some I've made before but haven't learned how to avoid yet!

Blue and green burnishable buffalo (Garlin-Newman). Suitable for dancing (preferably Argentine tango) or maybe being Italian.


I am very pleased with how the antiquing turned out. I used black Fiebings "Professional Oil Dye", full strength in an air brush, to color the components before sewing them together. I think this created great boundary contrast.

I'm not worried about rain and other weather related abuse, as these are really in-door dance shoes. But the black wax on the sole edges will mar the sides of the shoe. If the upper has a wax or acrylic finish, these black mars may be rubbed off. But the unfinished burnished buffalo will be difficult to clean without substantially altering the look.

My original plan was to seal the burnished buffalo with blue or neutral shoe polish. But it looks so good without doing that, I am loathe to proceed with this approach.

I'm thinking of 2 different possibilities...

1) Seal with an acrylic finish, like Tan-Kote or Prime Leather system. Both of these will add significant shine that I'm not sure would be an improvement.

2) Don't use a black wax finish on the sole edge. Either black it with acrylic paint or leave it natural.

I'd love to hear any feedback on this problem. I can try out on sample leather before committing.

hello all,
I wanted to show my latest work, never live up to your.
as an autodidact'm happy!

simple derby for try a new last, they are made with only one seam that take upper and midsole together.
these two pairs of sandals instead have a double seam, the first between sole and upper, the second between upper and midsole.
is it the norwegian welt?
thanks!

I have been rather busy of late. I was a groomsman in a wedding that required me to wear cowboy boots. I of course thought this would be a good time to make my first pair

This picture is of the fitter pair. These were a little more elaborate than a normal fitter pair since I wanted a little practice in the construction as well. So they were lined and had what I thought would be a quick toe stiffener.

So the story

I thought I would use celastic for a stiffener. I had only used this once before, but I thought it would speed up the fitter and I would use leather for the final pair. So first I need to say that I used urethane wax for covering the buildups on the last; this has always treated me well in the past. After I completed the boots, try as I might I could not get the last out. With some pulling, tugging, hammering on the last (hence some marks in the leather), and I must confess a little swearing, I gave up and started to unlast the shoe. It turns out the acetone/thinner combination I used on the celastic seems to have caused the urethane to adhere the last to the lining. Argh..... Needless this was not a faster way but a very good lesson.

So after fixing this I re-lasted and completed my fitter pair.

I must also say that both the fitter pair and the final pair have had considerable ware. The fitter pair I used as a joke to suggest that these were the pair I was going to wear in the wedding (It was my sisters wedding). In addition I wore them for some considerable time to see if I liked the fit. I was so short for time I really did not have time to take pictures before going out of town for the wedding.

The leather was stuff I had laying around. The green I actually had ordered a long time ago as "forest" green and they suggested I just keep it and sent me the real "forest" green.


Terry

Now for the real pair.

The stitching is a single row in a Celtic knotwork pattern with variegated color string.

The sole and heels I had to take some major shortcuts on. From the time I started pegging the sole (full pegged) until performing finishing I spent about 6 hours. I hope to get better at soles/heels such that 6 hours does not feel like a marathon with so-so results, but that will take some practice.

There were some things that came up, including the last pulling problems on the fitter and some 18 hour days at my normal job, which almost made me have to shortcut the sole even more and do a cement construction. So overall I am not that pleased, but know I can do better so I am not looking much at those for my next 3 problems to focus on.

I hope to be able to make an upper stretcher this weekend so I can stretch them as well.

Once again, sorry about not taking pictures before the wear, including much partying and dancing.

Leather is GH antiqued baby calf vamp and baby calf upper.


I did mention full pegged, and I have been reading the latest talk on pegging. I used the "rubber bumper" method and had the pegs controlled in depth and only had a few exceed my expectations (luckily in the heel). I did learn to not punch holes ahead though. I have a very tight hole and if I punched ahead the first peg would partially close the next peg...wish I had Al's advice on the other post before I encountered this.


Terry

A recent rush order from the syfy motion pictures for a field boot,The leather is 6-7oz chrome,maybe re-tanned, The upper was mostly hand sewn,butt sewing the vamp front seam,the apron is hand sewn and also the back seam is whip stitched,side to side and than a leather strap is machine sewn on the sides of it,the tongue is folded allowing room for the passage of the long heel,The only thing is I didn't charge enough.
Nasser Vies
HCC-Member

(Message edited by gaid on October 22, 2012)

Here is a one piece elestic side, 10 spi, stacked heel and phyton imitation leather

In the absence of AGM photos I thought I would post a few pics of some boots i just finished. Nothing real startling but maybe interesting for all of that.

Root Beer Edleman veg calf w/brun nuit elephant toe caps and heel scabs. Milano tops.




Nicotine full quill ostrich, burnishable buffalo tops.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Some alligator and cordovan Oxfords for your morning pleasure....

Ð’Ñ

Here is a photo of a boot I made this week. It is a copy of a boot I found in E. Jäfverts book on history footwear. Well, it is my interpretation of it and it is the tops that have the old "looks". This one is made of heavy nubuk and the tops are not lined. The patterns come from an Englsih pattern maker Jimmy Kowalzchyk and I have only changed the tongue and style of top. If the tops would be lined then the hole lining will be sewed in only with the top seam as a separate boot which makes it possible for heel stiffeners longer then the side seam.

And here is the pattern

A pair of lace balmoral in calf leather, made on the heavy side,thick soles and side linings for a person who is on her feet.


Nasser Vies
HCC-Member

In the continuing absence of photos from the now near mythical (urban legend? alligators in the sewers?) East Coast AGM, I present these rather ordinary boots for your viewing pleasure...



...I've always said that there wasn't anything east of the Mississippi, except ocean and Scotland

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

[center]Little Jack Dandiprat in a white petticoat,
The longer he lives, the shorter he grows.[/center]

Hello all! I am new to the world of bootmaking. This is my second pair of boots I have ever made. These were completed in September of this year through DW Frommer's bootmaking seminar on Packers. Thank you for the great education DW!

Veg calf tops
Milled veg linings
5oz Hermann Oak vamps/counter covers
Fully pegged soles

Cheers,
-Nat

size 15


Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

I guess while the Gallery is still leading with CB boots, I'll slip these in before you shoe guys take over again, (just kidding, of course. Love you guys).

I've been very gratified (and surprised too I guess) by the response to these on the social media sites. Must be the color combination.

The calf didn't come with a name. I used British Tan dye for the tooling on the collars and pulls.

I've been calling these Black and Brick for illiteration sake. Works for me. The black is roo.

Hope ya like 'em!

Just finished these...the usual suspects as far as errors and miscalculations! So...only 71 more pairs to go, before I start to understand the process, is that right?

I do see some problems with these...but they look okay on my feet, and they fit right. I must be doing *something* right!

GN buffalo calf in 2 shades of blue.

Here are some women's fashion boots. Basically a cowboy boot but with lighter duty glue construction.
GH French calf.

Ok, who has Cordovan slippers? Me, I do!

Great thing to do with that left over quality leather.

Sadly I had to let a pair into the wild today without a photo. A pair that I was really pleased with. So instead I'm posting a photo of another recent pair.