My OneBoot, by DWFII (Updated w/ Visit to DW and a second pair)

[DWFII]

OK... As mentioned I took photos during the making of Emptym's shoes. I'm trying to teach myself to take photos in "manual" mode and adjust aperture and so forth. Some photos just came out fuzzy especially on close-ups. Those got discarded. Because these shoes were shell, I needed a way to close up the backseam of the quarters without adding any bulk. I decided on a "jump stitch." On the Crispin Colloquy we just happened to be discussing this technique at the time and I wanted to document it. So...maybe the following pics will be of some interest. Here, in the same technique I used on these shoes, I have put two pieces of shell face to face and scribed a line a couple of mm from the combined edge. The needle of the machine enters the leather pieces on that line, the stitch is completed, and then the needle "jumps" over the edge. After that stitch is completed, the needle jumps back onto the leather and another stitch is taken. Und so weiter.

Here the entire edge/backseam has been "jump stitched." (I used red thread simply to document the technique clearly.)

In this pic the backseam has been opened up. and a preliminary flattening applied. As you can see the jump stitch makes a "cross-stitch" (in the form of an "x") on the "under" side.

And on the "grain side"....

And here's the actual shoe quarters closed along the backseam. I applied a skant skive to the top edge of the quarters and applied a bead along that edge.

Of course then I covered that seam with a "stay." In this photo you see the spread quarters looking down from above with the top of the stay neatly folded over the top line of the shoe.

Having made boots for forty years, I have a tendency to see things through a particular lens. When ever I can, I will "crimp" or "block" (pre-shape) flat leather pieces. In this photo you see the vamp and tongue as well as the lining blcocked and cut and ready for joining.

The next photo shows the quarters and quarter linings . Again I have blocked the linings....thus eliminating any backseam inside the shoe which might become misaligned inside a tall top shoe or cause chaffing as the foots comes and goes.

At which point we begin to assemble, in preparation for lasting.

I have a few more...which I will post later today or tomorrow.

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Chips

Those are amazing M! Wear them in good health! Did you intentionally opt out of the channeled sole?
Wait for it!

 

[ThinkDerm]

very nice back detail

 

[asdf]

Very handsome boots.

to both of you.

 

[Redwoood]

amazing thread!

 

[mic]

Wow. Absolutely stunning.

 

[Fishball]

DW,

Is cordovan blocked the same way as calf?

 

[ajv]

As I've said in another thread, I really like those boots.
The thread including DWFII's pictures is taking it to another level.

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Patek]

Nice!

Not to be rude, but because others may be interested, what price range would a pair of these run? Very interested in these in a reddish.

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Fishball

DW, Is cordovan blocked the same way as calf?
I did. That said, it is dense and short fibered...as you would expect a "membrane"/ligament/muscle sheath to be...and it will not take as much stretching as calf--it will rip. 30 some years ago, I tried to block some shell for a pair of western boots. They ripped at the base of the tongue before I could come close to removing all the pipes and "surplus army goods." Perhaps I could do it today...(I know and admire a bootmaker who regularly blocks crocodile for full front boots. The croc shares some of that same denseness and short fibers but there are techniques to ameliorate that)...but since I don't overtly offer shell boots, I don't get orders for them. Blocking for a whole cut shoe or a chukka is far less problematic than blocking for a pair of western boots.

 

[NOBD]

Great to see this.

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Patek

Nice! Not to be rude, but because others may be interested, what price range would a pair of these run? Very interested in these in a reddish.
I am not an advertiser here on SF. I don't quote prices or overtly promote my business. If you wish further information. PM me.

 

[DWFII]

BTW...just for those who would find this useful (this question comes up every now and again here on SF)...

M is correct...Nick Horween hisownself told me that he recommended Venetian shoe Creme for shell and used it on his own shoes.

 

[forex]

Terrific pair of boots,great work DWFII.

 

[Fishball]

Originally Posted by DWFII

BTW...just for those who would find this useful (this question comes up every now and again here on SF)...

M is correct...Nick Horween hisownself told me that he recommended Venetian shoe Creme for shell and used it on his own shoes.

A side question. Nick on his blog said he recommend neatfoot oil to conditioning the chromexcel, do you know will it darken the color of the natural or light brown chromexcel? And also, what brand selling real neatfoot oil without silicon?