shoes

[Rob Wright]

DWFII, post away, I know I am not the only one who enjoys seeing a masters work.

Rob

[wyldathart]

When I was younger and still cowboying on the family ranch, our Grandfather took us on a trip to Colorado for a two week horse pack trip into the San Juans. On the way we stoped by a custom boot shop. I was amazed at the skill and time that went into a built from scratch pair of boots. Well I still have those boots I had made. They don't fit me but I still keep them around to remind me of that trip. It is an art form and my bonnets off to you

[fortcollinsjerry]

When I was a little kid, the town I grew up in still had leather workers, including a shoe maker; the ranchers etc usually had their saddles and boots made locally. Reading this thread brings back the memory of the smell of the leather shop.

I'm almost sure that is all gone. They do still have cowboy artests though.

FWIW, Ted, I have a friend here in Fort Collins that still makes saddles and various styles of harness by hand. Well .... he uses a sewing machine on some stuff like flat harness pieces. But, I've watched him work by hand all day.

[DWFII]

DWFII, post away, I know I am not the only one who enjoys seeing a masters work.

Rob

Well, that's two...give me an even half dozen (four more) and I'll make a run at it (with the permission of the mods?).

[English Bloke]

Me, me, count me in please!

[Rex_Tremende]

I'll fourth the proposal.

Regards,
Rex.

[Bugbear]

Though the pictures wouldn't do me any good, it would be interesting. I vote for it.

[DWFII]

When I was a little kid, the town I grew up in still had leather workers, including a shoe maker; the ranchers etc usually had their saddles and boots made locally. Reading this thread brings back the memory of the smell of the leather shop.

I'm almost sure that is all gone. They do still have cowboy artests though.

Not true...there are many small saddle shops around the country and especially in ranch country.

Boot and shoemakers however, are rarer than hen's teeth. A bootmaker has just as much committed, in terms of time and materials (dollar-wise), and it's all on the line when you get them done. A misfit means a remake...usually from scratch. Saddles aren't so "exacting," in that sense, and ultimately they last a lot longer...are more nearly "durable goods"...than boots or shoes.

But I know of many saddlemakers around the west. I also trained as a saddlemaker (in another, earlier, life) and had I been a more natural horseman I might have stayed with it.

I might add that to the surprise, I'm sure, of many east of the Missisipp and across the pond, that there still exist a true, bona fide "cowboy culture" especially in the Great Basin states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Utah. They work cattle, ride horses and use horse gear, and live essentially the same way that cowboys did a hundred plus years ago.

[bchunter]

This is all very interesting and fascinating. . . please continue!

[Bugbear]

Yep, still have cowboys even down here.

I was talking about northern New Mexico, where I grew up, and it was a mix of farmers and cattlemen. I have no idea if they still have a boot maker in my home town, but I doubt it. It's mostly motels and gas stations now...