High quality boots:
What to look for
Select high quality boots!
A custom made Western boot should have clean lines, quality materials
and exquisite craftsmanship.
The two boots should look like a matched pair; same size, same toe
shape, same height and heel height. The boots should be able to stand up
on their own without any support, such as with boot trees. The overall
shape and lines of the boots should be clean and neat in appearance.
The boots should have stacked leather heels rather than fake leather
laminate ones and the counter (stiff area behind the heel) should be of
hard quality leather to keep them in shape. The leather should be high
quality with no gouges or marks and the coloring of the leather should
be consistent with a nice sheen. The boots should be equipped with a
hidden steel shank inside the arch of the boots along with wooden pegs
to hold it in place.
The craftsmanship should be high quality from the design to the
stitching to the finished product. The stitching on the boots should be
straight and even with the seams lined up as close as possible. There
should be no loose threads. Even the seams and stitching inside the
boots should be smooth so that they are not rough as they rub against
your legs. The edges on the outside of the boot should be smooth and the
edges and inlays should be sewed down well. There should be no traces of
glue on the boots.
The sole should be sewn on with leather which is of high quality for
durability and a groove should be cut into the sole with the stitching
hidden inside the channel. The toe box should be sturdy and contain no
lumps or bulges. A nice finish should adorn the edges of the sole and
heel. This can be done by inking (also known as dressing the heel). Your
boots should have an overall sleek, impressive look.
A pair of boots should not be made perfect, but rather high quality in
fit and design. There are multiple steps in the process of fashioning a
boot from the initial measurements of the person's foot and calf, right
down to the finished product. The customer has a certain type of leather
and design in mind, and it is up to the bootmaker to meet the customer's
expectations (at least as close as he possibly can). However, there has
probably never been a bootmaker who claims that he can make a perfect
boot. But that does not mean he can't make a quality boot! |
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