Cowboy Boots

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Hey folks,

I wanted to circle back and give y'all an update of my boot journey. To recap: I'm hard to fit size 15, narrow width. Typically there are very few options for me and I tried several off the self options, but could never get the fit and or style in my size right. I then did a lot of research and decided to go the custom route. I wanted to to establish a working relationship with at least one maker so I could have a source of good fitting and nice styled boots.

First up, Legendary Boots El Paso. I went to El Paso and looked at a few makers and decided to commission a pair with Legendary. I had a great experience, was able to select all the details and provide a vision as far as leather and stitching color using a standard stitch pattern and let Bob interpret that into the final product. Bob took a lot of measurements and I settled on medium brown calf vamps and maroon uppers with 14'' tops, 1 1/4 narrow square toe and a 1 1/2 walking heel. I opted for sole savers, as I add those all my leather bottom dress shoes. Turn around, about a year, might have been sooner but I delayed a while on final decisions. Results, I really like them! Fit is perfect, and happy with quality. I would highly recommend working with Legendary and I'm already planning my next project.

View attachment 145019 View attachment 145020

Next up: M. L. Leddy's out of Abelline, with show room in Fort Worth. Leddy's comes through my town once a year with the Rodeo and has a sizable show space. They had a lot of finished boots on display and I liked their stitch pattens and quality so I decided to get measured up. Process was OK, it was at a show there was a feeling of being rushed, but that is understandable. Custom options were limited, but I had the option of leather and color based on sample ring they had as well as stitching color. I settled on, 13'' tops, 1 1/2 walking heel, narrow square toe (~1''), dark brown kangaroo vamps and black cherry brush off goat uppers, with a sole saver. Took about 9 months. Fit seems good, although I have only worn them twice, they still need a full break-in.

View attachment 145021
View attachment 145022

I wish I was able to get a higher shaft on the Leddy's, but I'm happy with both. The limited ability to adjust the shaft will be a barrier for ordering again.

View attachment 145023

I have one more commission in the works, it will be in after the first of the year, I'll update once it comes in.

Thanks for all the advise!

Both very nice. Thanks for sharing.
B

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Hey folks,

I wanted to circle back and give y'all an update of my boot journey. To recap: I'm hard to fit size 15, narrow width. Typically there are very few options for me and I tried several off the self options, but could never get the fit and or style in my size right. I then did a lot of research and decided to go the custom route. I wanted to to establish a working relationship with at least one maker so I could have a source of good fitting and nice styled boots.

First up, Legendary Boots El Paso. I went to El Paso and looked at a few makers and decided to commission a pair with Legendary. I had a great experience, was able to select all the details and provide a vision as far as leather and stitching color using a standard stitch pattern and let Bob interpret that into the final product. Bob took a lot of measurements and I settled on medium brown calf vamps and maroon uppers with 14'' tops, 1 1/4 narrow square toe and a 1 1/2 walking heel. I opted for sole savers, as I add those all my leather bottom dress shoes. Turn around, about a year, might have been sooner but I delayed a while on final decisions. Results, I really like them! Fit is perfect, and happy with quality. I would highly recommend working with Legendary and I'm already planning my next project.

View attachment 145019 View attachment 145020

Next up: M. L. Leddy's out of Abelline, with show room in Fort Worth. Leddy's comes through my town once a year with the Rodeo and has a sizable show space. They had a lot of finished boots on display and I liked their stitch pattens and quality so I decided to get measured up. Process was OK, it was at a show there was a feeling of being rushed, but that is understandable. Custom options were limited, but I had the option of leather and color based on sample ring they had as well as stitching color. I settled on, 13'' tops, 1 1/2 walking heel, narrow square toe (~1''), dark brown kangaroo vamps and black cherry brush off goat uppers, with a sole saver. Took about 9 months. Fit seems good, although I have only worn them twice, they still need a full break-in.

View attachment 145021
View attachment 145022

I wish I was able to get a higher shaft on the Leddy's, but I'm happy with both. The limited ability to adjust the shaft will be a barrier for ordering again.

View attachment 145023

I have one more commission in the works, it will be in after the first of the year, I'll update once it comes in.

Thanks for all the advise!

I like the Legendary Boots the best. Bob worked at Paul Bond as Manager for a long time & had an agreement with Mr. Bond to buy him out when the time came, but something happened along the way. It's easy to see the Bond influence in his boots. Glad to hear that his Legendary Boot Company is healthy & has such a backlog. I hope you enjoy his boots.

 

[Bamaboots]

Hey folks,

I wanted to circle back and give y'all an update of my boot journey. To recap: I'm hard to fit size 15, narrow width. Typically there are very few options for me and I tried several off the self options, but could never get the fit and or style in my size right. I then did a lot of research and decided to go the custom route. I wanted to to establish a working relationship with at least one maker so I could have a source of good fitting and nice styled boots.

First up, Legendary Boots El Paso. I went to El Paso and looked at a few makers and decided to commission a pair with Legendary. I had a great experience, was able to select all the details and provide a vision as far as leather and stitching color using a standard stitch pattern and let Bob interpret that into the final product. Bob took a lot of measurements and I settled on medium brown calf vamps and maroon uppers with 14'' tops, 1 1/4 narrow square toe and a 1 1/2 walking heel. I opted for sole savers, as I add those all my leather bottom dress shoes. Turn around, about a year, might have been sooner but I delayed a while on final decisions. Results, I really like them! Fit is perfect, and happy with quality. I would highly recommend working with Legendary and I'm already planning my next project.

View attachment 145019 View attachment 145020

Next up: M. L. Leddy's out of Abelline, with show room in Fort Worth. Leddy's comes through my town once a year with the Rodeo and has a sizable show space. They had a lot of finished boots on display and I liked their stitch pattens and quality so I decided to get measured up. Process was OK, it was at a show there was a feeling of being rushed, but that is understandable. Custom options were limited, but I had the option of leather and color based on sample ring they had as well as stitching color. I settled on, 13'' tops, 1 1/2 walking heel, narrow square toe (~1''), dark brown kangaroo vamps and black cherry brush off goat uppers, with a sole saver. Took about 9 months. Fit seems good, although I have only worn them twice, they still need a full break-in.

View attachment 145021
View attachment 145022

I wish I was able to get a higher shaft on the Leddy's, but I'm happy with both. The limited ability to adjust the shaft will be a barrier for ordering again.

View attachment 145023

I have one more commission in the works, it will be in after the first of the year, I'll update once it comes in.

Thanks for all the advise!

Good to hear from you, Manly. Glad your boot journey has yielded nice results. I like the legendary the best but they both look good. Keep us posted.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

May have posted these many pages back. 1930's - 1940's unmarked boots with Crockett engraved spurs & engraved Bohlin mounts & heel caps.

 

[Bamaboots]

May have posted these many pages back. 1930's - 1940's unmarked boots with Crockett engraved spurs & engraved Bohlin mounts & heel caps.

View attachment 145078

You have, HJ and it's good to see them anytime. I always enlarge the pic and drool all over the screen.

 

[Bamaboots]

@Hurricane Jack, I meant to add that every time I look at these I pick up a little more. This time, on the heel cover, the way the top edge is beveled or radiused over the top of the heel randand how they fit at the bottom, wrapping around the bottom of the stack and the heel cap applied over this.

 

[dh66]

May have posted these many pages back. 1930's - 1940's unmarked boots with Crockett engraved spurs & engraved Bohlin mounts & heel caps.

View attachment 145078

Dammit man......




Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Young child's unmarked custom boots with unmarked (homemade?) spurs. To put their size in perspective the inlaid & overlaid boots measure 6" tall x 6-1/4" long. The rowels are made from 1912 dimes (newer leather straps). A young boy's dream!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Prices shown are what these boots bought at auction in 2005, not including BP.

Abraham Rios
Saddle boots

Abraham Rios
Sunflower boots, crocodile

Texas Boots
Dave Little Boots?

 

[Bamaboots]

Prices shown are what these boots bought at auction in 2005, not including BP.

Abraham Rios
Saddle boots
View attachment 145329

Abraham Rios
Sunflower boots, crocodile
View attachment 145330

Texas Boots
Dave Little Boots?
View attachment 145331

HJ, those are all something. Not familiar with Abraham Rios. Any connection with Mercedes? They don't look it, just too beautiful. Those last ones could very well be Little's. Lots of walking heels found on their boots. Of course, they've been around so long they made a lot of different heels.

Anybody here ever seen a pair directly attributed to Dave's father Ben?

 

[Bamaboots]

Here's a pair made by Archer LaForce, a distant relative of HJ Justin's wife. "Gus" Blucher and LaForce worked for Justin until 1915 when they both left and worked together in different spots until LaForce settled in Tuscon, AZ and opened the Western Boot Co. that Paul Bond Later bought out. LaForce died in 1978 at 81.

Info from Art of the Boot.

Laforce also mentored Dennis Griffith who mentored Lisa Sorrel who mentored................

These boots were in possession of Tucumcari boot maker Tim Bishop. Don't know where they are now.

 

[Winston Carter]

Sad that the big boot makers really don't do many wing tip and overlays anymore. They are pushing to the young crowd with the square toe that is popular.

 

[Winston Carter]

If you go to the Mexican stores or flea markets here in Dallas they have some beautiful hand made Mexican Boots. The problem is 10 or 11 is as big as they have. They cater to Mexicans with smaller feet.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

HJ, those are all something. Not familiar with Abraham Rios. Any connection with Mercedes? They don't look it, just too beautiful. Those last ones could very well be Little's. Lots of walking heels found on their boots. Of course, they've been around so long they made a lot of different heels.

Anybody here ever seen a pair directly attributed to Dave's father Ben?

Abraham Rios started the Rios Boot Company in Raymondville, TX. His boots are what you want to find. He made boots with long wingtips & tall foxing. Lots of inlays & overlays of sunflowers, cactus, the moon & stars I think. Only later did he get into more exotic skins like the crocodile pictured.

His cousin whose first name I can't recall moved to Mercedes, TX & started Rios of Mercedes Boots. Much more conservative & flat arched boots; the typical Valley boot of today.

 

[Winston Carter]

Abraham Rios started the Rios Boot Company in Raymondville, TX. His boots are what you want to find. He made boots with long wingtips & tall foxing. Lots of inlays & overlays of sunflowers, cactus, the moon & stars I think. Only later did he get into more exotic skins like the crocodile pictured.

His cousin whose first name I can't recall moved to Mercedes, TX & started Rios of Mercedes Boots. Much more conservative & flat arched boots; the typical Valley boot of today.

I have looked at Rios of Mercedes website and their boots don't look any different these days from Justin, Tony Lama, and other big boot makers. Seems like the hard custom work is a thing of the past.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have looked at Rios of Mercedes website and their boots don't look any different these days from Justin, Tony Lama, and other big boot makers. Seems like the hard custom work is a thing of the past.

They never did plus Rios of Mercedes has been bought out 4-5 times. The Rios family was all gone by the 1970's.

 

[Winston Carter]

They never did plus Rios of Mercedes has been bought out 4-5 times. The Rios family was all gone by the 1970's.

When you go to a big boot store these days 90% of the boots are all square toe cookie cutter boots. They are like Country music, it has gone to hell and caters to people that want what their friends have.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

When you go to a big boot store these days 90% of the boots are all square toe cookie cutter boots. They are like Country music, it has gone to hell and caters to people that want what their friends have.

That's why we are talking vintage or custom boots here. The big 3 are all owned by Berkshire-Hathaway (Warren Buffett) & made in China. Buffett didn't even want the boot companies, he wanted Acme Brick (owned by the Justin family) but had to take the boots to get Acme.

 

[Winston Carter]

I don't mind paying $300-$400 for a new pair of boots but i'm old school I like the styles from 70's with nice overlays. I have plenty of plain boots.

 

[Winston Carter]

That's why we are talking vintage or custom boots here. The big 3 are all owned by Berkshire-Hathaway (Warren Buffett) & made in China. Buffett didn't even want the boot companies, he wanted Acme Brick (owned by the Justin family) but had to take the boots to get Acme.

Looks like the Vintage is the way to go.