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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Making Boots

    Footwear
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    • MoonshineM
      Moonshine
      Joined:

      @Chris:

      I think you should wait for the commando sole and use the pebble grain for the contest.  Though they all look fantastic. 🙂

      Thanks for letting us follow the progress on them.

      +1 on this but build yourself a pair with a cap toe!

      www.moonshineleatherworks.tumblr.com
      instagram.com/moonshineleatherworks

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • FridayF
        Friday
        Joined:

        Looks great.. Congrats

        Tough, heavy and ready! = IRON HEART

        ~Shinici Haraki~

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • HemiH
          Hemi
          Joined:

          @simonc:

          Dark Brown seems to have the best shape.  I was reading if you don't use a second layer on the top cap it will flatten down and look like a slipper.

          They're built on the same last so the shape is the same.  The toe is lasted by hand so there are those beautiful slight variations (that signal handmade) and I think each leather seems to react and look different as well… much like denim.

          I use a medium celastic material to hold the shape of the toe box which sits between the lining and upper.

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          • SpaceGnomeS
            SpaceGnome
            Joined:

            nice work.  i would wear the shit out of those

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • toddjcoleyT
              toddjcoley
              Joined:

              just wanting to know how much of the boot you make hemi? or are you just a designer? Either way looking great and will be coming to NZ for a pair!

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • HemiH
                Hemi
                Joined:

                I:

                • Design the boots
                • Handpick the leather from the best NZ Tannery
                • Select imported leather sole bends
                • Design the rubber sole/heel then have them made in NZ
                • Have the boots put together by a fantastic NZ craftsman

                Its quite a process, I work with a minimum of four other parties to bring these boots to life.  Next week I travel to Melbourne to visit the master last maker to work on a new model.  He's the only guy left in NZ/Australia still doing this on a commercial scale.

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                • riffblaster generalR
                  riffblaster general
                  Raw and Unwashed
                  Joined:

                  Stoked on these!

                  PUT DOWN THAT STARBUCKS, PICK UP THAT GNARBUCKS!!

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • ArabitA
                    Arabit
                    Joined:

                    The Oiled Pebbled Brown is awesome!
                    Forum Discount  😉 😉 j/k
                    Keep it up Hemi

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                    • HemiH
                      Hemi
                      Joined:

                      ^ Maybe I can find a special leather for the IH crew?

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                      • LuciferL
                        Lucifer
                        Joined:

                        Great work so far! Really great! Like the low profile toe.

                        Seize the day and don't you cry.

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                        • natehateN
                          natehate
                          啓蒙家
                          Joined:

                          @Hemi:

                          ^ Maybe I can find a special leather for the IH crew?

                          Horse 😉

                          don't you know there ain't no devil? only god when he's drunk!

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                          • simoncS
                            simonc
                            Banned
                            Joined:

                            Sorta making boots http://www.shop.outlier.cc/shop/retail/upgrade.html now all i need is a box cutter and some hide.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • HemiH
                              Hemi
                              Joined:

                              Tasman Tannery makes the world class leather I use on my handmade boots so I thought it would be a good idea to spend a day going through the plant and learning about the process.

                              The Tannery has been operating since 1953 and is situated next to the Whanganui River where it meets the Tasman Sea (there just happens to be a surf break down the road so I made sure I got their early to check it out). It’s the only bovine tannery in Australasia still making finished leather from raw hides so the operation is relatively big with approximately 250 employees processing around 14,000 hides a week. I can tell you, these guys work hard and long hours with certain sections of the plant running day and night.  Even with state of the art machinery every single hide is checked by hand at each stage to make sure it makes the grade.

                              All of the raw hides are by-products of the meat industry and come from local farms between the central North Island and the top of the South Island. The quality of the original raw hide is still key. Each hide is unique, and reveals its history in its texture, grain, and its scars, nicks and rubs.  Lucky for us New Zealand has the perfect climate and landscape for farming strong and healthy cattle with high quality hides.

                              Here are some photos I took of the operation.  I was going to write about each process but its so involved and technical that my head started to hurt!  Let’s just say it’s an incredible combination of old and new technology, science and experience.

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                              • HemiH
                                Hemi
                                Joined:

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • GilesG
                                  Giles
                                  IHUK Crew
                                  Joined:

                                  Brilliant….

                                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                                  • S
                                    Snowy
                                    Joined:

                                    @Hemi:

                                    What a beautiful looking machine.

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • simoncS
                                      simonc
                                      Banned
                                      Joined:

                                      Is it all steer Hemi or do they process any other kind of skin?

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • HemiH
                                        Hemi
                                        Joined:

                                        ^^ This is a machine press that embosses the leather. The plates they use to do this cost USD $16,000 each (image above the Mostardini).

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                                        • S
                                          Snowy
                                          Joined:

                                          Thanks for the description, really appreciate seeing inside the factory.

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • HemiH
                                            Hemi
                                            Joined:

                                            Simonc, just steer and cow from local farms.

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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