Leather Boots

[MrPoopie]

Has anyone made boots from leather like they are on-screen? I made one pair from leather but wasn't totally happy with how I needed to back the leather internally for rigidity. The outside look is amazing though but I'd like to know what anyone else has figured out. 

[BikerScout007]

36 minutes ago, MrPoopie said:

Has anyone made boots from leather like they are on-screen? I made one pair from leather but wasn't totally happy with how I needed to back the leather internally for rigidity. The outside look is amazing though but I'd like to know what anyone else has figured out. 

Dude watch this

 

[MrPoopie]

8 minutes ago, BikerScout007 said:

Dude watch this

 

So... I need to go to India and find somebody to make boots for us. Even with his skill that didn't look easy. Maybe we should find someone like this to make leather Patrol boots too. 

[Harbinger]

I’d love leather boots but yeah, options are scarce.

[kacrut]

i just thinking out loud here... what about use eva foam 2-3mm?... or something like that. 

[Dart]

4 hours ago, kacrut said:

i just thinking out loud here... what about use eva foam 2-3mm?... or something like that. 

EVA foam would tear. Also, it wouldn't really look right as it doesn't have the shine that vinyl or leather do.

[kacrut]

 I meant for use internally to made the leather more rigid 

[BikerScout007]

I think we should try just gluing the leather to the vinyl.  The vinyl has proven stiff enough to hold the boot's shape. 

[MrPoopie]

6 minutes ago, BikerScout007 said:

I think we should try just gluing the leather to the vinyl.  The vinyl has proven stiff enough to hold the boot's shape. 

That seems to be the best option so far and probably the easiest. I was just hoping that someone who had built leather boots might chime in, but so far nothing.

[Dart]

23 hours ago, kacrut said:

 I meant for use internally to made the leather more rigid 

EVA foam would act as an insulator making the boots really hot. You'd be better off stiffening the boots with something else like a stiffer layer of leather or vinyl.

[Aradun]

A friend of mine is an apprentice leather boot maker for an outfit that staffs renaissance faires.  I can check with him. He works at my local Tandy shop too.  He might have some ideas.  I’ll be sure to post anything once I speak with him.  I’ll try to connect sometime this week.  I was considering trying to make my books out of leather anyway.  

[MrPoopie]

1 minute ago, AradunFF said:

A friend of mine is an apprentice leather boot maker for an outfit that staffs renaissance faires.  I can check with him. He works at my local Tandy shop too.  He might have some ideas.  I’ll be sure to post anything once I speak with him.  I’ll try to connect sometime this week.  I was considering trying to make my books out of leather anyway.  

Appreciated 

[Aradun]

Talked with my buddy today.  If you were to build you own boot from scratch, like in the video Mickey posted above, you'd need at least 8 oz leather to give you the stiffness needed.  You could just make the back of the boot out of 8 oz leather and use a lighter weight leather for the front.  The difference in thickness would be covered by the dog bone.  The problem is that places like Tandy don't stock 8 oz leather in white because to get leather that thick in white requires a special factory process.  That's why its hard to find. 

Tandy does carry a deer leather in white, but he said it is super thin and that you wouldn't want to use it on the boot.  It's very grainy and wouldn't give you the smooth look that vinyl does for the scout boots, plus it would tear super easy.  Even something as simple as someone stepping on your boot could scuff or tear the leather.  They have other options for white, but again nothing thicker than 3 oz. 

A veg tanned leather would be an alternate way to go, but it doesn't come in white and it's pricey.  However, he said you could buy an acrylic paint made for leather and paint it white.  It'd have to be an acrylic to allow it to flex with the boot.  Any other paint from a rattle can etc. would be sure to quickly crack.  The acrylic would hold up better, but you'd need to do your homework to know what type of surface the leather has to determine what type of acrylic is best, as some acrylics bond better to certain surfaces.    

Our conversation concluded with him saying the way scouts construct their boots out of marine vinyl really is the best.

[MrPoopie]

1 hour ago, AradunFF said:

Talked with my buddy today.  If you were to build you own boot from scratch, like in the video Mickey posted above, you'd need at least 8 oz leather to give you the stiffness needed.  You could just make the back of the boot out of 8 oz leather and use a lighter weight leather for the front.  The difference in thickness would be covered by the dog bone.  The problem is that places like Tandy don't stock 8 oz leather in white because to get leather that thick in white requires a special factory process.  That's why its hard to find. 

Tandy does carry a deer leather in white, but he said it is super thin and that you wouldn't want to use it on the boot.  It's very grainy and wouldn't give you the smooth look that vinyl does for the scout boots, plus it would tear super easy.  Even something as simple as someone stepping on your boot could scuff or tear the leather.  They have other options for white, but again nothing thicker than 3 oz. 

A veg tanned leather would be an alternate way to go, but it doesn't come in white and it's pricey.  However, he said you could buy an acrylic paint made for leather and paint it white.  It'd have to be an acrylic to allow it to flex with the boot.  Any other paint from a rattle can etc. would be sure to quickly crack.  The acrylic would hold up better, but you'd need to do your homework to know what type of surface the leather has to determine what type of acrylic is best, as some acrylics bond better to certain surfaces.    

Our conversation concluded with him saying the way scouts construct their boots out of marine vinyl really is the best.

Thanks. All great advice. I made my girlfriend's boots out of the white deer skin from Tandy and it is a bit fragile. It'll work for her since she doesn't troop nearly as much as I do. I did have to back the uppers with a cardboard like leather backing material but it's too rigid. 

Painting might be a better option. I've painted leather shoes before so I'm at least familiar with that process. 

The vinyl is definitely the easiest route and probably best at this point. We were trying to go with leather as it's screen accurate but like many things that are screen accurate, it's also more of a pain in the ass. 

I'll have to weight my options and come up with a plan. 

[Aradun]

Thanks. All great advice. I made my girlfriend's boots out of the white deer skin from Tandy and it is a bit fragile. It'll work for her since she doesn't troop nearly as much as I do. I did have to back the uppers with a cardboard like leather backing material but it's too rigid. 
Painting might be a better option. I've painted leather shoes before so I'm at least familiar with that process. 
The vinyl is definitely the easiest route and probably best at this point. We were trying to go with leather as it's screen accurate but like many things that are screen accurate, it's also more of a pain in the ass. 
I'll have to weight my options and come up with a plan. 

You should check out page four of Sven’s [mention]HSM76 [/mention] build thread. He is using furniture grade white leather he picked up off of eBay. You can see in his photos the quality of the leather is much thicker than Tandy’s deer skin. His work is excellent and the leather boots look incredible. It’s well worth a look if you’re still thinking about constructing your own leather boots.

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/19916-tk-24576-who-also-wants-to-be-tb/page/4/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrPoopie]

6 hours ago, AradunFF said:

You should check out page four of Sven’s [mention]HSM76 [/mention] build thread. He is using furniture grade white leather he picked up off of eBay. You can see in his photos the quality of the leather is much thicker than Tandy’s deer skin. His work is excellent and the leather boots look incredible. It’s well worth a look if you’re still thinking about constructing your own leather boots.

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/19916-tk-24576-who-also-wants-to-be-tb/page/4/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very helpful. I'm actually jumping back into this again since I have to make new boots that will double for the Jedi:Fallen Order Scout and my current Scout. My boots are pretty wrecked after 120+ troops. Kids are constantly asking why my boots don't look like other peoples boots. I have to give some story about how it's rough out on Endor and we don't always get supplies in a timely manner. They love it but I sigh every time it happens.

[Harbinger]

On 4/15/2020 at 11:37 AM, MrPoopie said:

Very helpful. I'm actually jumping back into this again since I have to make new boots that will double for the Jedi:Fallen Order Scout and my current Scout. My boots are pretty wrecked after 120+ troops. Kids are constantly asking why my boots don't look like other peoples boots. I have to give some story about how it's rough out on Endor and we don't always get supplies in a timely manner. They love it but I sigh every time it happens.

Deer leather completely falling apart?

 

How are the cold-cast soles holding up? Hopefully you can at least reuse those.

[MrPoopie]

13 hours ago, Harbinger said:

Deer leather completely falling apart?

 

How are the cold-cast soles holding up? Hopefully you can at least reuse those.

The deer leather and casts are holding up well on @MrsPoopie boots. I still haven't gotten around to finishing my boots but that's the plan for this weekend. I still have to make one more sole and then the leather work. I need to find a new backer for the leather, probably some vinyl.