My Ren Boots...

[Beaudan Tocks]

I posted this on another forum a while back and thought I'd share here also...

I saw  a pair of these Moccasins/Boots at last years Renaissance Festival here in Minnesota. I tried on a pair and the leather was so thick and soft and the price was so...  Ummm...  Anyway...  I started looking online for other makers of the same type of footwear and found a few, but all of them were still pretty pricey for my wallet. As I kept coming back to the sites I started to understand how they were put together and decided to start saving my pennies to buy some buffalo and elk leather so I could try to make them myself. The next few pictures are the results of my journey.
The main body of the Moc is Buffalo leather. The rust colored trim is elk and the dark chocolate is deer leather. I did use a machine to sew them together but the leather was too thick for the motor so I turned the wheel by hand during the construction... The only reason I plugged it in was for the light. I used upholstery thread. To keep things in place, before and during sewing, I used a glue I found called Tear Mender. It's pretty cheap, Non-Toxic, waterproof, permanent and sticks like grim death. There were a few times when I thought about not even sewing things together. And there were a couple of times when I wished I hadn't used it at all. The leather actually seperated instead of the glue joint. I used side cut deer antler for most of the buttons, the top two are crowns... I made the buttons myself also.

Not too bad for my first attempt at this type of Moc...   I am contemplating having my cobbler neighbor put a sole on the next pair I make.

I made this pair for the Renaissance Festival. I should have enough leather left-over to make a pair of shorter ones, for bowhunting, with maybe only 5 buttons each.






   I've done a bit more work to them since I posted these pics. I've added some dark brown piping to the unfinished looking top edge.
Photo Update:

[Auryn]

those are freaking awesome 
you are my hero.
I have been wanting to make my own boots for 2 years now.

Any insights on the development of the pattern you might share??

[MacKee]

Wow, really nice 

I recently bought my wife a pair of Sodhoppers for her b'day...I understand your desire to make them yourself $$$

Great job 

[Lady von Groper]

I like!  Very rustic!

You did a great job - I only hope my upcoming leather pouch I plan on making looks as good!

[Beaudan Tocks]

Thank You, to one and all, for the kind words...  It's so nice to get praise from total strangers on something you work really hard at 

Thanks again

[renren]

Fantastic work! They turned out great!

[Lady Kett]

Outstanding! I wish I had the skill and patience to try that!

[Rani Zemirah]

Oh, now that is some crazy cool work!!!    I've made a few pouches and such that I'm fairly pleased with, but I'd love to have a pattern for boots like these!  Very inspiring...

[Thumper]

Wow, those look great!!

[Rowan MacD]

  Those are fantastic!
  Did you use a pattern, or just free hand it?
   I have a pattern from Smoke and Fire, that looks a little like this.
   
   

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Whoa!  my friend, you might've stumbled across a new line of work...   

[Aaroncois]

Very impressive! I had my eye on making something like that, but it wouldn't have come out half as nice.

[Beaudan Tocks]

Aaroncois:  Don't sell yourself short...  This is the first pair I've made and they turned out pretty well.

Thanks to all for the kind words and praise.

[Lady_Lily]

wow!! Those are very impressive!! Did you line them with sheep skin or anything to make them more comfortable?

Can I say, WOW! Again! That is awesome! You should definitely add a sole to them and wear them around with pride at fest this year! Huzzah!

[mariab4]

I am very impressed!!  I make my own boots, too, because of the price.  My first ones were not as nice as these!  I invested in a sewing machine that does leather and it was well worth it. 

[Beaudan Tocks]

Lady_Lily: Thanks for the Kudos    I did not line them with anything other than a Gel insert in the bottom. The Buffalo leather is very soft and thick and Comfortable all on its own. I might have my next pair soled by my neighbor and just wear these as is and see how they hold up.

mariab4: Thank You for the kind words... I think I'm going to hand stitch the next pair with all of the right hand tools... I can't afford one of those machines as much as I'd like one.

See you all at the faire...  two weeks from today... HUZZAH!!!  WoW... I've still got a leather bodice to make for my wife... better get crackin' 

[DragonWing]

WOW!! I am very impressed. I to would like to know, did you use a pattern of free hand it. I want a pair that form to my feet. the pair I have now pinch my little toes and cause blisters. And I agree with an earlier post. You may have just found a new line of work. Nice job. On all your stuff.

[jcbanner]

I'm very impressed! those are some great looking mocs you have made. I'd definitely see about putting a sole on the next pair though, because if your faire site is anything like mine, gravel roads, and lots of rocks, then you'll definitely want something hard on the bottom of them, both to keep your feet from hurting, and to protect the bottom of the boots.

I have a pair of ghillie's that I made a few years ago. They are very comfortable, (like wearing a leather sock) I can wear them when I'm on smooth ground like grassy fields with no problem, but they aren't very good on the gravel at the faire site.