There are many, many steps to completing a custom-made Western boot. Some you can see when you hold a boot in your hand, others are hidden from view once a boot is finished and ready to wear. Below is a summary (see FOOTnote) of steps necessary to make a boot...click on any of the photos to get yourself a close-up view.

1. Measuring

• Take Foot and Calf Measurements

2. Design

• Choose leather
  
• Choose toe and heel style
  
• Design boot tops

  

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3. Boot Tops

• Prepare paper patterns
  
• Cut tops, lining, front and back stays, and pull-straps out of leather
  
• Skive appropriate edges of top pieces
  
• Assemble tops with cement, including beading
  
• Sew tops and pull-straps with inlays, overlays, and stitch patterns

  

4. Vamps

• Cut vamps and lining
  
• Stretch vamps and lining over crimpboards.
  
• Measure, trim and attach vamps and foot linings to tops

  

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5. Counters

• Cut out hard leather counter and counter cover
  
• Slit, fit, and cement counter to boot top
  
• Skive and cement counter
  
• Sew counter and counter cover to top, trim

  

6. Side Seaming and Pull Straps

• Cut, cement, and sew side welt (piping)
  
• Rub seams down flat
  
• Attach pull-straps
  
• Turn tops right-side-out

  

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7. Fitting the Last

• Compare standard last to foot measurements
  
• Build up last (if necessary) with leather
  
• Smooth finish

  

8. Insole

• Nail insole to the last
  
• Trim and shape insole
  
• Cut channel for welt

  

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9. Lasting the boot and Toe Box

• Stretch wet vamp and counter over last
  
• Anchor with tacks
  
• Turn back vamp leather and position toe boxes
  
• Cement, dry and smooth toe boxes
  
• Pull and anchor vamp leather over toe boxes

  

10. Inseaming, placing shanks and shank covers

• Punch holes through insole with awl
  
• Stitch inseaming thread through welt and insole
  
• Trim and flatten seam
  
• Sew in shank, sew or peg around heel
  
• Insert steel shank or flattened 40 penny nail
  
• Fill in shank and bottom of insole with leather pieces
  
• Shape/grind shank, then peg

  

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11. Attaching Soles and Pegging

• Trim welt to desired width
  
• Cement and trim sole to welt
  
• Sew and peg soles
• Ink and finish front of sole

  

12. Stacking Heels

• Stack, cement and trim layers of heel leather
  
• Nail or peg heels, and add rubber heel cap
  
• Sand heels to final matching shape

  

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13. Finishing the Boot

• Ink the heel
  
• Polish
• Pull the last out, sand pegs inside boot
  
• Insert heel pad
• Put 'em on yer feet!

  

(The boots shown on this page we made by me, Jennifer June, at Tex Robin's bootshop in Coleman, Texas -- July 10th to August 3, 2000.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Mr. Tex Robin for his editorial contributions to this feature...and more importantly, I'd like to thank Tex for helping me follow my dream of becoming a bootmaker through his generous offerings of time, expertise and personal support.

REFERENCES

How to Make Western Boots by Dennis Cottle and Dave McKinney. To order contact Mr. McKinney at (817) 688-2289.

The Texas Boot Book by David Reiff. Penguin Books, 1980. (Available from abebooks.com.)

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