Making Boots

[mclaincausey]

Love it. Love lugs too. Anything but leather for anything but cowboy boots or dress shoes. Too much snow and ice up here.

[Hemi]

What do you think of the shoe version of our boot?

[Giles]

Like.

I really want to see some close ups of the welt, I can't work out how they are constructed with just a side view

[Hemi]

The upper is turned under and glued and nailed to a heavy duty midsole.  Then its glued and brass wire screwed to the outsole.  Its pretty bloody solid!

I'll get some close ups of the process when I go back to the workshop in a week or so.

[simonc]

you see hemi that is nice, less is always more.

[Finn666]

Hemi, put me on the list for those shoes…god damn

[Lucifer]

That shoe is beautiful!

My wishlist consists of

and

Let me know when you get production up and running

[Hemi]

I've just been on a 2000 kilometre road trip to visit the workshop where we make our boots… I'm knackered and sick of service station pies and coffee! We're working on refining some of the techniques we use and a brand new boot that is gonna knock your socks off! Check out some photos I managed to take in between sleeping with my eyes open.

The valley.

Rooster or Hen?

These wooden lasts form the shape of our boots.

This brass screw wire machine is extremely old and one of a handful still in existence.

Brass screw wire imported from the UK. It has to be coiled with the exact right tension or it won't work.

Screwing the outsole to the insole for maximum strength.

Gimson & Co. was an engineering company founded in 1842 in Leicester, England. They made the very rare brass screw wire machine that we use.

Toe plate protector.

Our soles are made from leather that's densely rolled to compress the fibers so it's hard like wood but still flexible.

Perfecting the waxed white stitching for our new model.

Another old machine made by The Standard Engineering Co. founded in the 1890's in Leicester, England.

Finishing the leather uppers and heels.

[simonc]

Looking good Hemi, very nice indeed.

[Hemi]

Trying to destroy my shoes as part of the sample testing… I've got some ideas on how I can improve them.

[joesaintjohn]

Seriously in love with your product. I love every pair. Looking incredible. Way to entrepreneur.

[simonc]

tie them behind your car

[MP]

Great work Hemi, the boots look sweet and the shoes are amazing, they are definitely on the want list. It's nice to some awesome stuff coming out of this corner of the globe, I'll be eagerly waiting for the release date. Cheers, Matt

[riffblaster general]

hemi i love the oxfords.  throw a danite sole on those and i'm buying.

[Hemi]

Hey Nate,

We're making our own high quality rubber sheets locally that we cut into soles. They don't have a fancy sole pattern but they look good and perform really well.

I'm making a sample shoe now so I'll have something to show you soon.

[emceeQ]

Can't wait to see the sample Hemi!

[riffblaster general]

@Hemi:

Hey Nate,

We're making our own high quality rubber sheets locally that we cut into soles. They don't have a fancy sole pattern but they look good and perform really well.

I'm making a sample shoe now so I'll have something to show you soon.

i'm into that!

[JCMx800]

The Oxfords look really great, want a pair for the next Summer

[Hemi]

The shoes are cool. They're based on a really old doctors shoe last would you believe?

[Hemi]

What do you think of our latest shoe?

Upper: Roughout Crust Oiled Brown Full Grain Leather
Sole: Single Natural Leather Runner with Rubber Sole and Stacked Leather Heel

This is the first time using the rubber sheeting manufactured here in NZ. We cut and grind the rubber into our sole shape.