Tag Archives: repair

Cowboy Boots

Vintage Cowboy Boot “Repair”

I found this boot on eBay.

Look at the back of the boot… notice how the previous owner cut a slit in the top? Brilliant!

Not that I’m a proponent of taking a knife to a vintage boot. But personally, I would rather see boots worn and enjoyed on someone’s FEET …not chopped up and made into cowboy boot purses, and such.

I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
— Jack London

Yeah… that’s right. Got it?

This is a simple alternation which could be done at almost any shoe repair shop. The slit in the back acts as an extra deep top scallop and opens the throat of the boot to accommodate a larger calf.

You need to have a couple of rows of stitches around your cut. Remember, vintage boots are especially prone to tearing… especially if you’re tugging hard on the tops and your 40 year old leather has gotten somewhat fragile with age.

When I’m bidding on eBay, I always e-mail the seller and ask for the calf measurements. With a short top boot, like an Acme, you won’t have a problem… but the for a factory boot made in the 1960-1980’s, it’s smart to double check.

There you go. Ready? Walk like ya mean it!

Photos courtesy of eBay seller buxxomrider.

Cowboy Boots, Featured Bootshops, Vintage Boots

Texas Custom Boots (Austin, TX)

Texas Custom Boots is truly a full-service boot shop.

Noel Escobar will be happy to make you a brand new handmade customfit cowboy boot. He is happy to sell you one of his vintage boots. He will also take your broken-down chewed-up vintage factory boots and restore them to wearable condition.

Noel has more patience and expertise for restoring worn and vintage cowboy boots than anyone I know. Noel will strengthen boot tops with new linings. He’ll relast boots… sometimes adding a wingtip or foxing as an attractive repair. He’ll resole & polish. Click through to the end of the photos to see what can only be called “extreme makeovers.”

Also, Texas Custom Boots adjoins Martinez Brothers Taxidermy, which makes for some great pictures. Come for the boots, stay for the BBQ.

Books

Book Buying


I’m a much happier person now, since I gave up trying to buy books on eBay.

If I do find a book on eBay (BUY NOW at $35.95)… I go straight over to abebooks.com to search for the same title.

This time, I was looking for a copy of “Shoe Repairing” by Henry Karg. At abebooks, I found multiple editions at reasonable prices for both hard and softcover copies.

I own one other shoe repair book. I picked this book because I want to read it’s advice on “The repairman as a businessman.” and…

Chapter 14: Operation and Maintenance of Shoe Machinery. (Including…curved needle stitcher, straight needle stitcher and patching machine) General operation, rules to observe, trouble chart, replenishing thread, causes or broken/stranded thread, and causes of broken needles.

I actually bought two copies… one 1947 edition and another 1975 edition. (I want to see if there are any differences between the two.) I paid less for my two copies, then the one on eBay.

Do you need a copy of that old Texas Boot Book?