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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Role Club By Brian the Bootmaker

    Footwear
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    • ChrisC
      Chris
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      @madmonday:

      yeah curious how long this 1 man thing can go on.

      also curious if this artisanal/quality bubble is going to be to support what he does

      I know bootmakers that have been one man operations for the last 20+ years and have to turn away customers.  If you keep your overhead low, work reasonably efficiently, and don't expect to make enough to buy your own jet, it's possible to have a lifelong career.

      I'm hesitant to call it a bubble, too.  I think there will always be people that are willing to pay for shoes and boots that fit well and last.  But I could be wrong; I often am.

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • madmondayM
        madmonday
        Raw and Unwashed
        Joined:

        ^^

        I'm a city dude so I tend to only see small mom and pop shoe stores closing out for Tom McCain, fayva and payless shoe stores

        I'm relatively new to all this quality stuff. when I got one of my first quality pair of boots I'm pretty sure I thought the heels and soles were made out of "wood" and you were kind enough to give me a schooling that it is leather
        (which still blows my mind)

        finally, it's more fun to call everything a bubble and folks talk about if it is or isn't sustainable, hahahahaha

        head high, middle finger higher

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • UnTuckedU
          UnTucked
          Joined:

          I used to think my dress shoe soles were made of wood, also…..  😃

          In search of:
          IHV-04, med.
          IHSH-185, large
          IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • ManticoreM
            Manticore
            Haraki san Expert
            Joined:

            I had a long conversation with Brian about future plans and business strategy/operations (given that is what I do for a living). He definitely is thinking about expansion plans and we iterated on a few ideas that we think he could pursue, both in the near-term and longer term. Part of the challenge is finding the breathing space to fully explore and launch some of these ideas given the constraints on his time. Everyone he's talked to about potentially helping him in the shop seem unwilling to put in the time and effort to learn the craft and meet his expectations. Many also feel like they already know what they are doing and cannot set aside their egos to unlearn/relearn, especially from a younger person, no matter how talented.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • BluegrassB
              Bluegrass
              Joined:

              He can always choose to stay "small" and serve a niche via expanding his (already strong) reputation - and make a nice living that he largely has near-total control over.

              Nice thing for him - he is a talented young man and has multiple options in life.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • BluegrassB
                Bluegrass
                Joined:

                P.S. are we sure those heels and soles aren't wood? Hmmmmmm…..  :-\

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Matty123M
                  Matty123
                  Raw and Unwashed
                  Joined:

                  @UnTucked:

                  @Chris:

                  …..I have to admit, shell is not the most comfortable thing I've ever worn.  My pair of shell boots is beautiful, but it does not give at all and they took forever to break in.  I'm not entirely sure they are broken in, actually.

                  Shell dress shoes and boots are TANKS… I don't know how people wear them in to the point that they get the coveted  ::) ::) ::) "rolling" on the toe box. I assume they just moonwalk everywhere they go to get like that, lmao!

                  I think it depends on the foot of the person and the way they walk. I destroy shoes and had rolling on my shell boots in a few weeks. Used a deer bone them and keep shoe trees in them to minimize it. But yes she’ll is tough stuff

                  Maybe so. Maybe not

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • UnTuckedU
                    UnTucked
                    Joined:

                    @Bluegrass:

                    P.S. are we sure those heels and soles aren't wood? Hmmmmmm…..  :-\

                    Egg-ZACTLY, lol

                    In search of:
                    IHV-04, med.
                    IHSH-185, large
                    IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • UnTuckedU
                      UnTucked
                      Joined:

                      @Matty123:

                      @UnTucked:

                      @Chris:

                      …..I have to admit, shell is not the most comfortable thing I've ever worn.  My pair of shell boots is beautiful, but it does not give at all and they took forever to break in.  I'm not entirely sure they are broken in, actually.

                      Shell dress shoes and boots are TANKS… I don't know how people wear them in to the point that they get the coveted  ::) ::) ::) "rolling" on the toe box. I assume they just moonwalk everywhere they go to get like that, lmao!

                      I think it depends on the foot of the person and the way they walk. I destroy shoes and had rolling on my shell boots in a few weeks. Used a deer bone them and keep shoe trees in them to minimize it. But yes she’ll is tough stuff

                      I'm terribly slow at breaking in anything… 3yrs later, my 555-03's STILL "crunch" when I walk

                      In search of:
                      IHV-04, med.
                      IHSH-185, large
                      IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Matty123M
                        Matty123
                        Raw and Unwashed
                        Joined:

                        I’m basically a human Boulder who rolls over anything he wears.

                        Maybe so. Maybe not

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • AppfaffA
                          Appfaff
                          Raw and Unwashed
                          Joined:

                          @madmonday:

                          yeah curious how long this 1 man thing can go on.

                          also curious if this artisanal/quality bubble is going to be to support what he does

                          My worry as well. I would love to support him, and asked him about making me a pair of custom Boondockers, but he was unable to build what I asked (which I didn’t think was too crazy) and was priced almost double what a similar pair of Vibergs cost.

                          I get it, you pay for quality, but in the end, my
                          $1,000 road champs did not treat my feet much better than my $350 red wings do, so I would never be able to justify it, although I respect his work and would love to be able to give him my business.

                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • UnTuckedU
                            UnTucked
                            Joined:

                            Custom Role Club M-42 Service Shoe, in black Horween shell cordovan

                            In search of:
                            IHV-04, med.
                            IHSH-185, large
                            IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • mikebarhootM
                              mikebarhoot
                              Iron Heart Deity
                              Joined:

                              Just made the correlation from where/what other forum i know you from ravination. 🙂

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • madmondayM
                                madmonday
                                Raw and Unwashed
                                Joined:

                                dope boots, thanks for the image @UnTucked

                                head high, middle finger higher

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • UnTuckedU
                                  UnTucked
                                  Joined:

                                  @madmonday:

                                  dope boots, thanks for the image @UnTucked

                                  I'm just snagging them from his FB page, lol!

                                  He started the thread but doesn't seem to be keeping up with it, so I'll just keep the pics flowing

                                  In search of:
                                  IHV-04, med.
                                  IHSH-185, large
                                  IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • madmondayM
                                    madmonday
                                    Raw and Unwashed
                                    Joined:

                                    hey everyone doesn't follow social media so having it all here on the forum is appreciated, by me at least.

                                    head high, middle finger higher

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • UnTuckedU
                                      UnTucked
                                      Joined:

                                      @mikebarhoot:

                                      Just made the correlation from where/what other forum i know you from ravination. 🙂

                                      Me?

                                      In search of:
                                      IHV-04, med.
                                      IHSH-185, large
                                      IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • mikebarhootM
                                        mikebarhoot
                                        Iron Heart Deity
                                        Joined:

                                        Oops. No.

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • ManticoreM
                                          Manticore
                                          Haraki san Expert
                                          Joined:

                                          @mikebarhoot 😉👍🏽

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • rioR
                                            rio
                                            Joined:

                                            @Manticore:

                                            Ready for pickup - will swing by the shop on Wednesday.

                                            Impressive!!!!!, excellent boot, you must be very happy and I'm very jelous 😃 🙂

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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