A crimp break belonging to Tex Robin (Abilene, TX.)

Custom bootmakers will “crimp” the vamp (the leather across the top of the foot and toe of a boot) before attaching it to a cowboy boot’s sole. A crimp break takes away much the stretch from the leather using the pressure from the crank handle…and gives the vamp its curve. The vamp is then removed from the break and placed on a crimping board for even more shaping and drying.