Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

I checked my mail today, and it appears I now have a complimentary subscription to “Horse and Gun” magazine. I’m invited to “Saddle Up, Get Your Gear, and Live The Life.”

I’m a cowboy boot maker. I own lasting pliers, boot lasts, leather, and sewing machines. Unfortunately, I don’t have horses, guns, or saddles.

Here’s a photo of a pair of boots I just completed and shipped. They’re a little plainer than I normally make, but it was a relaxing change of pace.

Whenever I mail a pair of boots to a client, I include a flash drive with images of the boots as they were being made. Here’s an example:

Ahhhhh… big sigh of relief. I leave tomorrow for the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C. Today I completed the final pair of boots that I’ll be taking with me, and although I didn’t get the truck loaded, I have everything ready and sitting by the front door of my shop.

These boots were just completed by my current student.

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

Paige is working in my shop now. She thinks she’s funny.

Here’s a progress photo of how I put in a steel shank. On the far left is a boot with the steel shank glued in. That obviously wouldn’t last long, so the glue is just to hold it in place until I lace it. In the middle, I’ve added a layer of leather over the steel shank. Finally, on the right, I’ve securely laced-in the covered shank.

I’ve been inseaming boots!