Horace Batten, opinions?

Renton, I'll tell you when my boots come in - ETA half March. I'll post some pictures.

So far communication has been friendly but old skool - I'll keep you posted on the end result.

Any update on the boots Maessive? - I am looking at them for a pair of field boots for general riding.

Sorry for the delay - I have been waiting for a response from Tim Batten to give a full update. The Jodhpurs are under way, ETA mid next week.
Apparently they had some problems due to my size - I have a size 13 UK.

This caused a delay stretching the usual 2 months to over 5 months. Seems rather rich but there it is.

Tim Batten: "when we put the shape into the vamp part of the foot on an old machine, we had problems that the machine was designed to go up to a size 12, not 13".

There might be a world of operational pain behind these words; adjusting machines, messed up uppers, stressing out while keeping a stiff upper lip. Given the track record of the firm, I believe in such a scenario. It would be nice to have my expectations managed though. I might add that I requested a chiselled EG 888-like toe. We'll see how it turns out.

Lets hope they fit Will do a separate posting with detailed pictures.

Maessive

Thanks. Looking forward to it. What was the damage out of interest in pounds?

I'd be interested to know what the leather quality is like.

Total on invoice 517.40 uk
one pair made to measure brown strap jodhpur boots 475.00 uk pounds
packaging and carriage 32.40.
insurance 10.00


Rather affordable for bespoke but mind you, I've had no fitting so that still has to be confirmed. And this is no luxury boot, I expect a more functional finishing.

Leather quality: I picked the one that looked most durable. Not every leather is suitable for making these jodhpurs, the 'blocking' process (shaping the vamp and toe) apparently requires a certain leather structure.

Tim Batten sent me 4 swatches of leather to choose from, two brown (of which one was scotch pebble) two tan. I picked the thickest, stiffest tan piece of the lot; I want this boot to last and don't mind breaking them in a bit. I expect the colour to end up something like this

Next week also a pair of MTO Vass high Balmoral boots (Bordeaux shell) are being delivered, production time 13 days (!). Thinking about a head to head comparison. Any creative ideas?
Edited by Maessive - 7/7/12 at 4:46am

...wha?

I smell a rat. A big rat.

I smell a rat. A big rat.

Sorry, I don't follow. Could one be more specific?

Something cannot be hand welted and machine welted (i.e. "Goodyear construction") at the same time.

Well, that's it then. Seven glorious generations of bespoke boot making comes to an end right here. Sharp observation, they had us fooled!

(or...perhaps we should make sure that machine stitched and channelled soles are conflicting with a hand lasted, hand welted Goodyear construction).

The web site specifically says they hand sew the leather welt to the upper and then hand sew the welt to the sole.

This would be a typical handmade welting process on which the goodyear machine method was based. Many makers, even hand makers, now use the term 'goodyear' to describe the basic welting arrangement.

Based on that email. I'm wondering if perhaps they have not resorted to using a machine stitch for the second process - sewing the welt to the sole. If that is indeed the case this would not be nearly as upsetting as if they have gone all the way to a goodyear machine process in which the welt to upper is machine stitched. As is it the welt to upper stitch that makes the shoe.

Update: I have received the boots last week but was not happy with them. I had to send them back.

Clearly Batten & Co were not able to produce their usual shape and fit in size 13UK. As a matter of fact, Tim Batten wrote that they had to use the only size 13 last they had available. Not the last of choice I'm afraid. The result was... well, not what I expected. I know this is not a fashion item but it resulted in a rather plump work boot.

I'll wait with a full report after they had a chance to think about a solution. A full refund has been offered but I feel bad about all the effort and waiting.