Photo Essay

Posted on April 12, 2016 by customboots

Here’s a photo essay to prove that I have been working.

About customboots

I'm a custom cowboy boot maker. I own a business, Sorrell Custom Boots, and I create bespoke cowboy boots using vintage machinery and hand tools. I also own www.sorrellnotionsandfindings.com, a company that specializes in tools, supplies, and leather for the boot and shoe making trade.

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4 Responses to Photo Essay

glattheranch says:

April 12, 2016 at 9:58 am

I’m waiting to see the episode of “How it’s Made” featuring Lisa….

Reply
- customboots says:
  
  April 12, 2016 at 10:30 am
  
  I’m waiting for that too. Write in and suggest it. 🙂
  
  Reply
naanpocen says:

April 12, 2016 at 11:08 am

I found your blog a couple days ago while researching on handmade shoes for an article I am working on. You have loads of interesting useful info that you make me want to take a course in shoemaking. BEAUTIFUL BOOTS by the way. The one thing that confuses me is (and it comes to mind now that I look at these images) how is a shoe removed from a last after it has been nailed to it and then sewn, doesn’t it come apart or get torn by the nails?…..or did I get the whole process wrong here?

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- customboots says:
  
  April 12, 2016 at 1:32 pm
  
  That’s a very good question. The last is designed to be removed after the boot or shoe is finished; it either has a hinge so it can change shape or it’s made up of two parts that come out separately. There aren’t any nails that are driven into the last and left in place. I do use nails to hold the wet leather as I’m shaping it around the last, but I pull those nails out and glue/peg/stitch everything in place.
  
  Here’s a YouTube video of me demonstrating pulling a last. I believe this one was stuck and hard to remove (that happens sometimes).
  
  Reply