- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
four.cycle
Well-known member
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I haven't seen that guy before but I have watched a few other cobbler videos. Craftsmen who are good at their craft are interesting, no matter what their product is.
Rose Anvil taught me a lot a few years ago when I was looking for better boots that I could still afford. That's the only cobbler channel that I have followed.
Motown
Well-known member
Something soothing about watching cobbler video's. I watch Trenton & Heath on you tube. Both guy's left the corporate world to run a shoe repair shop.
RStewart
Well-known member
The right tool for the right job. Excellent example.
I have seen him before and there is something comforting and relaxing watching the process.
I have seen him before and there is something comforting and relaxing watching the process.
Wrench-Polisher
Well-known member
I had many boots resoled many times. Cheap boots are expensive.
Byrdnyrd
Well-known member
The Germans have a saying: “I’m much too poor to buy cheap shoes”
kjdhawkhill
Well-known member
There's something to be said for keeping the old tools around. I haven't seen this guy before, but I know my shoe repair guys have saved me way more than I've spent at their facilities.
Watching the process is pretty cathartic, from what I've found on other channels.
-Danner guy.
Watching the process is pretty cathartic, from what I've found on other channels.
-Danner guy.
I have a few really nice boots. Redwing Moc Toes, British made Solovairs (original spec Doc Martens...), some old army boots from various European armies...
However in the last few years I got really deep into Jim Green. I had the chance to buy them when visiting South Africa. Really honest quality for the price.
My first was a pair of Vellie shoes from them, just to check out the sizing. Then a year later I got a pair of African Rangers and Stockmans for myself and Razorbacks for my father, and also a few pairs for my neighbour (AR8, African Rangers and Vellies).
Another year later they really blew up in popularity and made a bunch of cool new styles. Prices went up and I tried to keep back because I already had so many nice boots. But I still got the Numzaan last year, and ladies stockmans for my fiancee.
Well, I'm going down to Cape Town again next week and already pre ordered some boots to the address we're staying at. Black friday deal, veg tan African Rangers for 70€ (my old pair has worn out soles, I'll send them in for a resole too), a pair of tiny Numzaans on a 70% clearance for my fiancee to use on a motorcycle and also a pair of the new moccasin Meander boots for 150€ because they're just so cool.
The new moccasins are very intriguing to me. They are true moccasing boots, hand stitched together like Russel Moccasin company boots. I think there's only a handful of manufacturers in the world doing true moccasin footwear where the bottom leather wraps around your foot like this. A lot are just fake "moc toe" style like the Redwings. Supposedly these should be very soft and comfortable to wear. The reason why moccasins are so rare is because the manufacturing is very labour intensive and expensive.
It's like making a boot backwards. Normally you just stretch the upper over the last and stitch on the bottom. But here you need to make the upper, sew a complex stitch by hand to the correctly sized bottom leather (too complex to automate this stitch), then squeeze in a special expanding metal last shape and basically hammer and force the leather into the correct shape. Jim Green bought and set up the lasting machine just to make this shoe. Really excited to try them out...
However in the last few years I got really deep into Jim Green. I had the chance to buy them when visiting South Africa. Really honest quality for the price.
My first was a pair of Vellie shoes from them, just to check out the sizing. Then a year later I got a pair of African Rangers and Stockmans for myself and Razorbacks for my father, and also a few pairs for my neighbour (AR8, African Rangers and Vellies).
Another year later they really blew up in popularity and made a bunch of cool new styles. Prices went up and I tried to keep back because I already had so many nice boots. But I still got the Numzaan last year, and ladies stockmans for my fiancee.
Well, I'm going down to Cape Town again next week and already pre ordered some boots to the address we're staying at. Black friday deal, veg tan African Rangers for 70€ (my old pair has worn out soles, I'll send them in for a resole too), a pair of tiny Numzaans on a 70% clearance for my fiancee to use on a motorcycle and also a pair of the new moccasin Meander boots for 150€ because they're just so cool.
The new moccasins are very intriguing to me. They are true moccasing boots, hand stitched together like Russel Moccasin company boots. I think there's only a handful of manufacturers in the world doing true moccasin footwear where the bottom leather wraps around your foot like this. A lot are just fake "moc toe" style like the Redwings. Supposedly these should be very soft and comfortable to wear. The reason why moccasins are so rare is because the manufacturing is very labour intensive and expensive.
It's like making a boot backwards. Normally you just stretch the upper over the last and stitch on the bottom. But here you need to make the upper, sew a complex stitch by hand to the correctly sized bottom leather (too complex to automate this stitch), then squeeze in a special expanding metal last shape and basically hammer and force the leather into the correct shape. Jim Green bought and set up the lasting machine just to make this shoe. Really excited to try them out...
Hellpig
Well-known member
Got me all excited, thinking of this:
But watched the vid and very impressed.
Always amazes me the specialized skills, tools, and techniques out there. And many are dying out, sadly.
BUT, I'm still jonesing for some blackberry or peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream
But watched the vid and very impressed.
Always amazes me the specialized skills, tools, and techniques out there. And many are dying out, sadly.
BUT, I'm still jonesing for some blackberry or peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream
Tynee
Well-known member
Those soles are going to need some break-in. Makes me wish I'd spent some money on some of my old redwings to have them resoled. The paper mill I was working in at the time was really hard on the uppers though.
jar944
Well-known member
I recently (in the last week) started shopping for a landis k 12 sole stitcher for when my 877s need new soles.
Seems to make way more sense than just paying someone to do it.
Seems to make way more sense than just paying someone to do it.
OP
I've never had a pair of Jim Greens, but really want to try a pair. I just can't bring myself to buy any until my Iron Rangers wear out... and that could take decades. :/
I've heard the craftsmanship is amazing on em...
Wrench-Polisher
Well-known member
I travel between 4 scrap yards 6 days a week. Diesel, gease, gasoline, oil, EVERYTHING. Oh and that tiny rust dust stuff that gets into everything and cuts it up from the inside after embedding.
My one size too large wolverine 1000 miles lasted 4 years so far.
My one size too large wolverine 1000 miles lasted 4 years so far.
Tynee
Well-known member
I'm jealous of you guys that can buy any boot you want to. Jim Green's and Redwing Heritage boots all stop at a size 14.
Jim_No_Garage
Well-known member
It's not just boots . . .
I bought a pair of Dr Scholl's Oxford for $40.00. The soles wore out really quick but a local cobbler put new Vibram soles on them and they are back in service for a long time as the new sole was much better than the original. I know I paid more to resole them than to purchase new.
My 35+ year old Nocona cowboy boots have been 1/2 soled and heeled a few times. I don't wear them nearly as much since I stopped going into the office.
Cobblers are just another thing on the long list of cool trades I like to watch on YT.
Cheers
Jim
I bought a pair of Dr Scholl's Oxford for $40.00. The soles wore out really quick but a local cobbler put new Vibram soles on them and they are back in service for a long time as the new sole was much better than the original. I know I paid more to resole them than to purchase new.
My 35+ year old Nocona cowboy boots have been 1/2 soled and heeled a few times. I don't wear them nearly as much since I stopped going into the office.
Cobblers are just another thing on the long list of cool trades I like to watch on YT.
Cheers
Jim
I'd say Redwing heritage line craftsmanship is surely a notch above Jim Green. The "puritan stitch" on Redwings is iconic and super consistent.
In comparison, Jim Green is homemade. I don't think they have a double or triple needle machine at all. A worker goes through every stitch line you see on them.
So the stitch holes of course do not line up in the same way like the puritan stitch does.
And you can see some things one could nitpick about here and there on the Jim Greens. Maybe a stitch end thread that is hanging loose, maybe the leather wasn't trimmed that perfectly. To me, it isn't a big deal.
It took me a while to get used to wearing leather boots but for the last few years they are the only footwear I use daily. Over here in central Europe, the big majority of people wears some type of sneakers. Probably similar in the US too, but it seems to me the "heritage" workwear style still has more of an impact in your culture. Anyway, can't go by this thread without some photos of my "collection". Some photos are 3-4 years old. All of these boots are very well worn now.
Forgot to mention I have a pair of custom order Jim Greens too. These are stockman boots made on their narrower/longer last, with the now discontinued walnut veg tan leather, with a full veg tan leather midsole. I wanted something I can slip on quick in the morning to go to office and these are exactly what I wanted. The veg tan leather is seriously stiff and they took a whole year to get seriously comfy.
Also got a pair of them for farm work at home. These get really beaten up. Only had cheap boots for farm work before, so these hold up great. Will need a resole too though.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Red Wing does sell some of their boots in larger sizes, it may be worth calling them up and talking to customer service - the boot you want may be available in sizes not listed on their website. (They're pretty local to me so I've always been partial to the brand. Before I retired, my company provided hard toe safety boots for employees, they would have a truck come up from Red Wing and fit us with boots right there at our office.)
You should have 2 pairs of boots at a minimum so you can rotate them daily if needed and let them dry properly to reduce rot. That gives you a legit reason to try the JGs.
I would say the Jim Greens are solid workmanlike quality. I bought a pair of Razorbacks when JG was first getting started here and they were a real bargain. I liked them enough that I emailed customer service and asked if they made an 8 inch version. They said yes, for the military, but they are steel toe. I said I needed more vertical toe room and they offered to make me a pair without the steel toe cap. So I ended up getting the first pair of 8 inch Jim Greens imported to the US, and semi-custom at that, plus a deal on the shipping costs since they were working on breaking in to the market..
That said, the boots have virtually no support for my fairly high arches, and it took me a while to find an insole that worked for me.
Gareth is the guy I communicated with, and who got a pair of 8 inch boots made for me. Now I'd like a pair of the moc toes.
Meursault74
Well-known member
I certainly can appreciate the craftsmanship in the repair process.
With the amount of work he did to those boots, I wonder what percentage of a new pair of the equivalent boots was the bill all included?
With the amount of work he did to those boots, I wonder what percentage of a new pair of the equivalent boots was the bill all included?
After 40 years of use, the owner may not have been too concerned with saving a buck.
OP
I don’t wear boots in the summer much if at all… and in the fall and winter, I don’t wear them everyday. I wear a lot of Vans and still wear a lot of Jordan 1s.
My boot rotation consists of a pair of 1178s that are at least 25 years old and have been resoled three times:
And a pair of Iron Rangers that are only a couple of years old:
My boot rotation consists of a pair of 1178s that are at least 25 years old and have been resoled three times:
And a pair of Iron Rangers that are only a couple of years old:
Wrench-Polisher
Well-known member
Are those german or swiss mil sur boots in the background?I'd say Redwing heritage line craftsmanship is surely a notch above Jim Green. The "puritan stitch" on Redwings is iconic and super consistent.
In comparison, Jim Green is homemade. I don't think they have a double or triple needle machine at all. A worker goes through every stitch line you see on them.
So the stitch holes of course do not line up in the same way like the puritan stitch does.
And you can see some things one could nitpick about here and there on the Jim Greens. Maybe a stitch end thread that is hanging loose, maybe the leather wasn't trimmed that perfectly. To me, it isn't a big deal.
It took me a while to get used to wearing leather boots but for the last few years they are the only footwear I use daily. Over here in central Europe, the big majority of people wears some type of sneakers. Probably similar in the US too, but it seems to me the "heritage" workwear style still has more of an impact in your culture. Anyway, can't go by this thread without some photos of my "collection". Some photos are 3-4 years old. All of these boots are very well worn now.
Forgot to mention I have a pair of custom order Jim Greens too. These are stockman boots made on their narrower/longer last, with the now discontinued walnut veg tan leather, with a full veg tan leather midsole. I wanted something I can slip on quick in the morning to go to office and these are exactly what I wanted. The veg tan leather is seriously stiff and they took a whole year to get seriously comfy.
Also got a pair of them for farm work at home. These get really beaten up. Only had cheap boots for farm work before, so these hold up great. Will need a resole too though.
Dragfluid
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Did you get your feet measured properly by someone that knows how to use a Brannock Device the right way? Makes a difference to where the arch support is placed.
I had gotten them measured by an old Redwing dealer who said he had been doing it for about 40 years, so hopefully he knew what he was doing, but who knows? However, my toes are pretty short in relation to the rest of my foot, and the insoles I bought apparently only come in two sizes. I haven't had much footwear with adequate arch support since my 20s, so it's hard to say how the placement was. My most comfortable footwear for the last several decades have been Timberland Titan safety toe boots. I have one pair of lace-to-toe and one regular. The regular is a size and a half larger to get the same fit everywhere except toe length, so I take sizing by numbers with a whole shakerful of salt.
rsparks64
Well-known member
My best work boots have been Redwing Elk Trackers. Great boots. I am also a fan of those kinds of craftsmen that can do magic with making, repairing, or reviving well used boots and shoes. I have visited some of the custom boot makers here in Texas, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley, and have gotten tours of their workshops in the back. I have purchased several things from them- boots, belts, wallets. I currently have a pair of Ostrich boots on order from Camargo’s in Mercedes, Texas.
Meursault74
Well-known member
I don’t wear boots in the summer much if at all… and in the fall and winter, I don’t wear them everyday. I wear a lot of Vans and still wear a lot of Jordan 1s.
My boot rotation consists of a pair of 1178s that are at least 25 years old and have been resoled three times:
And a pair of Iron Rangers that are only a couple of years old:
Those are really nice, I still want a pair of Iron Rangers too. For summer wear I must say the Jim Green African Rangers are really good. It's just one layer of leather so they breathe a lot and they are super flexible under foot. I never tried the barefoot version, though I heard good things too it's just very different. Probably the closest that a boot ever came to a high top sneaker like vans or air jordans.
I think it's 5 year old Solovair Docs, 15 years old Docs and ~30 year old Docs on that photo. I have one pair of the Czech military boots that they call the "kanady" (canadians). They are good boots for the motorcycle but I wouldn't wear them normally (a bit too much for me with the top loop style). I also have a pair of Austrian police boots, very good quality too, double layer of leather.
OP
I don’t even wear socks in the summer.
I’m not a wealthy guy by any stretch. In 2020 I took a truly questionable risk and made some equally questionable sacrifices to buy a 900-square-foot cottage on Kauai. The level of stupidity involved cannot be overstated. The only reason it happened at all was that the world briefly caught fire during Covid and the market fell apart just long enough for me to sneak in and steal a deal. Even then, affording it has been a constant grind.
I keep grinding because Kauai is the only place where I feel right. Not happy, not relaxed, right. I need to be there as much as possible to feel whole. Between kids, school, and family gravity, that usually means most of the summer. And when I’m on island, I’m barefoot or in flops, even in the shop, whether that’s smart or not. So far, all toes accounted for.
Back in Texas, once it’s over about 85 degrees I’m in Vans or Jordans. Drop below that and it’s Iron Rangers or 1178s. Different places, different uniforms, same idiot walking around in all of them.
1oldtimer
Well-known member
99% of my non at work life is spent in Rainbows (even while welding) since late 70s. I always had whatever was cheap shoes for work (non work boots). It wasn’t until I started at my current job that steel toe boots were mandatory (and they give some $$ towards them), I tried Red Wings but didn’t like the fit. I’ve been getting Florsheim for a few years (cheap and not rebuildable), but I found Thorogood King toe (that changed to emperor toe) years ago and loved them. Now those have been discontinued for a few years, the last pair of cheap Florsheim are dead And I’m going to try Redwing again. I have Fred Flinstone feet so I need extra wide shoes (a big toe box is a plus). I’ve tried regular Vans, Chucks and Docs growing up and all killed my feet (I even blew out the sides of the Docs). I just bought some Whites boots and like them so far.
My shoes now consists of 90s Airwalks, 90s Van Blunts (look like Frankenstein shoes) and Rainbows for everything.
Boots I only wear with pants, Thorogood 804-4367 and Whites Perry select 6”. Yes I wear steel toe boots as dress boots…..I’m not house broken.
I went down the same rabbit hole a few years ago when looking for good work boots and what it took to rebuild them. I still watch them every so often as I like machinery and craftsmen.
Meursault74
Well-known member
I wear socks all the time.
Around the house my sandals are original Adidas Adilette, and I wear them with socks. Been wearing them like that for probably 40 years now. I was a soccer player, so that's how that started , those were our sandals .I never walk around without some footwear (sandals or shoes)
I remember one heat wave he had. It was so hot I took off my shirt to sleep. There I was with boxer shorts and socks only. It just plain feels weird for me to go without socks, no matter how hot.
Not much of sneaker guy though. I have a pair, but rarely use them.
While I can appreciate that shoe repair, my most expensive pair of shoes/boots are in the $100 range. Can't see that being repairable by a pro from a cost point of view. They are leather and stitched/welted like the one in the video and could be rebuilt technically. Somehow it seems like it would cost more to rebuild them as done in the video than buy new. Plus, I wear them out on the inside lining as well. I didn't see that addressed in the repair.
I don't have any emotional links to my shoes though. Once I wear them out, they're tossed.
etherhuffer
Well-known member
I have narrow feet, and only Allen Edmonds shoes really fit well. Because of that they have been resoled many times. CobblerG is a great guy to watch on YouTube. Good at his job and really helps folks understand what a good repair does.
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
To this day, the dark art of Cobbling has fascinated me since I was a young brat, and would ride downtown and watch the local cobbler ply his trade, sometimes for hours, bringing shoes back to life, reattaching high heels, resoling and rebuilding loggers boots, etc. Something I found out was a gift, as most shoemakers ply their trade away from prying eyes.
I, too, am a lifelong affecionada of those boots from Red Wing, Minnesota (they actually made boots that fit my feet out of the box - wow!), everything from my first motorcycle boots to my steel climbers... just something about them work. Their attention to detail was amazing, their dealer's cobbler (when I started resoling my uppers) not only re-brannocked my feet, but took a foam impression because of my weird arches... and they fit like bedroom bunny slippers when he was done.
Witchcraft, I tell ya... wish I had learned how when I was young, would have sent me in a totally different direction than the one I followed.
I, too, am a lifelong affecionada of those boots from Red Wing, Minnesota (they actually made boots that fit my feet out of the box - wow!), everything from my first motorcycle boots to my steel climbers... just something about them work. Their attention to detail was amazing, their dealer's cobbler (when I started resoling my uppers) not only re-brannocked my feet, but took a foam impression because of my weird arches... and they fit like bedroom bunny slippers when he was done.
Witchcraft, I tell ya... wish I had learned how when I was young, would have sent me in a totally different direction than the one I followed.
I love the smell of a cobbler's shop. I was born in 1949. My grandfather died in 1948. He was born in 1872 and immigrated from Austria-Germany in the late 19th century. He was a cobbler. He supported his wife and 4 children repairing shoes!! That's incredible. I can't imagine doing that these days!
Those are really cool but definitely very steep in price. I got my Jim Green Moccasins in December. The construction is the same, just not quite as detailed (more "sloppy", I guess). You can see the stitch is a bit "wrinkly". I think the lasting process which takes a long time, takes a few minor shortcuts and does not form the boot as perfectly. However they do a proper hand made "overlap" stitch same as Russell moccasin so they should be quite water resistant. And they are fully lined inside with leather too.
These boots are insanely comfy right out of the box. I am very impressed with moccasins. They feel like well broken in old boots. Here's a photo (in darn tough socks - also very happy with them after three years of use). Got them for right around 150$ on the black friday special.
lowbucktruck
Well-known member
Just read this. Interesting.
My boot rotation includes Danner, Dan Post and an old pair of Chippewa boots. Mostly western work boots and lace up work boots.
I usually have my boots repaired if needed (like resole), but I also use shoe care products such as Huberd's Shoe Oil, Huberd's Shoe Grease and saddle soap to maintain the leather and extend the life of the boot.
One pair of Danner logger boots are well over 20 years old and have outlasted new work boots of dubious quality.
My boot rotation includes Danner, Dan Post and an old pair of Chippewa boots. Mostly western work boots and lace up work boots.
I usually have my boots repaired if needed (like resole), but I also use shoe care products such as Huberd's Shoe Oil, Huberd's Shoe Grease and saddle soap to maintain the leather and extend the life of the boot.
One pair of Danner logger boots are well over 20 years old and have outlasted new work boots of dubious quality.
Hi All,
Former farm boy with childhood memories of visiting the local saddlery, cobbler and whip maker. I totally agree that workshops that do things I'm not familiar with are fascinating.
I most vividly remember the smell of the place, and it was still in the same wooden shop that opened in 1889, even back in the 1990s, operating daily as a sixth generation family business, with "gramps" sneaking in for a bit of cheeky leather work whenever his wife went shopping. I used to talk to his great-grandson who was roughly my age, and even he wore a leather apron and was being shown the ropes.
In many ways, the shop's building itself was an anachronistic monument to it's time, because it still had a space to tie horses up at the front... although no one I know ever used that facility for the original purpose in my lifetime.
Inside, the workshop was an interesting place. A 19th century, wood-panelled workshop with rough-hewn logs as supports wherever the roof needed propping up, all sticking out of the original compacted dirt floor. It had seen some "modern ammenities" added over time, and had been renovated with a couple of small windows where the glass was thicker at the bottom than the top, distorting the view of the outside world. There were old saddles being repaired on custom stands that could have been crude headless life-sized rocking horses at some point, if they'd ever rocked. Around the room where the walls nearly met the ceiling, stock whips of all types, hanging in coiled rings on wooden pegs, all with little hand-written price tags dangling on their cotton strings. Of course, there was a cobbler's shoe anvil in the corner, and another mounted to the rear work bench, presumably a few others out of view... I was a kid and not tall enough to see over the timber counter.
The benches were still covered in tools that could have been a century old or more, although a few new handles, or shinier blades were seen here and there. Half-moon blades with well-worn handles, awls, and various stitching tools arranged through regular use more than anything else. That said, they did have a few electric buffing wheels and some sort of industrial revolution-aged and industrial-grade sewing machine that could probably be foot operated once again, should the survivors of any apocalypse require it. Nothing is destroying that cast-iron monstrosity.
They might not have slaughtered the animals or tanned the hides there, but they probably did everything else you can imagine.
But back to shoes/boots:
Here in Australia, we have the brand of boots called "R.M. Williams" who was started when a true Australian stockman learned leather craft and started a business making shoes back in the 1930s. They were really good and extremely well made and until the late 90s, which was when I bought my most recent pair for about $180 Australian (which is about $440 Australian today's money, and about $310USD at current exchange rates). A friend of mine have bought their boots recently, and found that unfortunately, the prices have increased significantly above inflation rates while the quality has dropped. They've basically become "dress boots" not "every day boots", despite the stockman/rural/outback cattle droving heritage.
Anyway, my friend bought a pair of R.M. Williams "Craftsman" boots for over $750 Australian ($530ish USD) back in August 2025, and they're aging like a fine.... milk... The boots may still be "hand made" but the materials are notably cheaper/thinner than my old pair. As a result, they're just not built for daily use. Already, he has had to get some stitching redone, and the leather surface "reconditioned"... that's how we found out that the leather was thinner.... :~/
I'm all for buying local and supporting true craftsmen, but when investment companies take substantial ownership in an iconic company once a founder dies of extremely old age, things rarely improve. So I'll be looking into some of the other boot brands you've all mentioned here once I'm ready to buy a new pair.
Anyway, I hope that is of interest/helps someone out there. If you love your old RM Williams boots as much as I do, I hope you can keep repairing them. However, if you're just joining the RM Williams bandwagon in 2020s and beyond... I'm less enthralled and recommend you do some research before you drop large wads of cash.
Speaking of weird tools for leather working, and that I've rambled on about the "Good ol' days" I came across a book on using both CNCs and 3D printers to do leather crafting!
You can have a look at it here:
I actually thought it was an interesting read. Maybe they're also tools you might consider getting, or using for a traditional craft type like leather working. (Might as well use what you have, right?)
Just to add a little extra interest to the thread! Sorry if I was too verbose.
Harmo.
Former farm boy with childhood memories of visiting the local saddlery, cobbler and whip maker. I totally agree that workshops that do things I'm not familiar with are fascinating.
I most vividly remember the smell of the place, and it was still in the same wooden shop that opened in 1889, even back in the 1990s, operating daily as a sixth generation family business, with "gramps" sneaking in for a bit of cheeky leather work whenever his wife went shopping. I used to talk to his great-grandson who was roughly my age, and even he wore a leather apron and was being shown the ropes.
In many ways, the shop's building itself was an anachronistic monument to it's time, because it still had a space to tie horses up at the front... although no one I know ever used that facility for the original purpose in my lifetime.
Inside, the workshop was an interesting place. A 19th century, wood-panelled workshop with rough-hewn logs as supports wherever the roof needed propping up, all sticking out of the original compacted dirt floor. It had seen some "modern ammenities" added over time, and had been renovated with a couple of small windows where the glass was thicker at the bottom than the top, distorting the view of the outside world. There were old saddles being repaired on custom stands that could have been crude headless life-sized rocking horses at some point, if they'd ever rocked. Around the room where the walls nearly met the ceiling, stock whips of all types, hanging in coiled rings on wooden pegs, all with little hand-written price tags dangling on their cotton strings. Of course, there was a cobbler's shoe anvil in the corner, and another mounted to the rear work bench, presumably a few others out of view... I was a kid and not tall enough to see over the timber counter.
The benches were still covered in tools that could have been a century old or more, although a few new handles, or shinier blades were seen here and there. Half-moon blades with well-worn handles, awls, and various stitching tools arranged through regular use more than anything else. That said, they did have a few electric buffing wheels and some sort of industrial revolution-aged and industrial-grade sewing machine that could probably be foot operated once again, should the survivors of any apocalypse require it. Nothing is destroying that cast-iron monstrosity.
They might not have slaughtered the animals or tanned the hides there, but they probably did everything else you can imagine.
But back to shoes/boots:
Here in Australia, we have the brand of boots called "R.M. Williams" who was started when a true Australian stockman learned leather craft and started a business making shoes back in the 1930s. They were really good and extremely well made and until the late 90s, which was when I bought my most recent pair for about $180 Australian (which is about $440 Australian today's money, and about $310USD at current exchange rates). A friend of mine have bought their boots recently, and found that unfortunately, the prices have increased significantly above inflation rates while the quality has dropped. They've basically become "dress boots" not "every day boots", despite the stockman/rural/outback cattle droving heritage.
Anyway, my friend bought a pair of R.M. Williams "Craftsman" boots for over $750 Australian ($530ish USD) back in August 2025, and they're aging like a fine.... milk... The boots may still be "hand made" but the materials are notably cheaper/thinner than my old pair. As a result, they're just not built for daily use. Already, he has had to get some stitching redone, and the leather surface "reconditioned"... that's how we found out that the leather was thinner.... :~/
I'm all for buying local and supporting true craftsmen, but when investment companies take substantial ownership in an iconic company once a founder dies of extremely old age, things rarely improve. So I'll be looking into some of the other boot brands you've all mentioned here once I'm ready to buy a new pair.
Anyway, I hope that is of interest/helps someone out there. If you love your old RM Williams boots as much as I do, I hope you can keep repairing them. However, if you're just joining the RM Williams bandwagon in 2020s and beyond... I'm less enthralled and recommend you do some research before you drop large wads of cash.
Speaking of weird tools for leather working, and that I've rambled on about the "Good ol' days" I came across a book on using both CNCs and 3D printers to do leather crafting!
You can have a look at it here:
I actually thought it was an interesting read. Maybe they're also tools you might consider getting, or using for a traditional craft type like leather working. (Might as well use what you have, right?)
Just to add a little extra interest to the thread! Sorry if I was too verbose.
Harmo.