Well I decided it was time to learn to make cowboy boots.
Lasts from Lisa Sorrell, GC975
Shrunken bison from Acadia leather.
Permanganate kidskin from Shrut and asch.
Most other parts and leathers from panhandle leather.
Thread is optipop poly 46 from wawak sewing.
Instructions from D.W. Frommers “Western boots an American Tradition”.
All lower pieces cut, insoles already forming and drying on the lasts at this point. Top linings assembled with stays and ready for outside panels when the leather arrives from seller.
Uppers assembled counters and counter covers attached.
Vamps attached, side seams sewn, trimmed, flattened and turned.
Lasted, toe boxes lasted shaped and 3 coats of press cement.
In-seamed.
2 rows of 6-11 pegs. 5 to the inch.
While uncovering my finisher to shape the shank covers I uncovered a new wasp nest and got stung in the second joint of the right index finger shortly before starting to peg this sole. Argh!!!
I did cheat and use walking heel blocks from panhandle leather. I need to get some 12/8 iron shoe nails but want to see if the improvements on the next pair still make this necessary for walking heels. I trimmed my outside too far back on the first boot and left it that way with the heel about 1/4” shorter at the breast than it truly should be rather than r&r a new sole. It should come further in front of the side seam.
Overall I am happy with them.
I learned a few things that will make it easier to get things better next time.
I will trim the counters closer to the final width before attaching to tops so the skiving is closer to dead on what it needs to be when they are assembled to begin with.
I bought a singer 31-15 because top stitching with a walking foot is like sewing with one hand behind your back and a patch over your dominant eye.
Rubber cement then baby powder the stitch pattern on! My stitch pattern disappeared at the bottom left of the right boot.
Rough cut soles will be larger than they were to begin with. I ended up with one half round Rand and a heel about 1/16” Narrower on one boot than the other.
Sew the soles prior to pegging. (The book says to do this anyways.) I believe this will let me sew my soles on the cowboy 4500.