Im pulling my hair out trying to find a authentic pair of native american moccasin boots plains style can anyone help me find a pair they are for wearing while hunting and general use
Moccasins
- Thread starter woodstock
- Start date
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Have a look at
http://www.greencraft.me.uk/Products/leathercraft.html?
Individually made to measure
cheers,
Toddy
http://www.greencraft.me.uk/Products/leathercraft.html?
Individually made to measure
cheers,
Toddy
I don't know where you can buy a pair but if you get this book you could try making your own!
http://www.braintan.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=hitops
http://www.braintan.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=hitops
Most of the ones that I make are woodland moccs, but I have a pattern for a plains style boot. The pattern I have came from braintan. The woodland moccs are good for stalking and I use them whilst tracking.
I haven't tried the plains style moccasin yet. Most moccasins suffer with the rigours of concrete and asphalt unless they are fitted with modern soling, but the plains should be less susceptible to wear and tear as they have a more rigid sole (authentically they are made from rawhide, but you can make the sole from veg tanned soling leather).
The only time I don't wear moccasins is when I am walking down town or when in town. At home and when in the woods I tend to use moccs or Bison boots (mainly moccs).
One thing about mocs that most people never think about is that they were "disposable" footwear. They wear out on the bottoms - fast! Walking a couple hours on any hard, rocky surface will wear holes in the soles. Even walking a couple days on grass/leaves will wear holes in the bottoms. The old journals/diaries have lots of entries talking about making and/or repairing mocs - EVERY EVENING! And those with a hard leather or rawhide sole still wore out, just a little slower. But still faster than any modern shoes. So just plan on any moc wearing out fast.
Those with hard soles are better for people not used to walking around barefoot. But they will be pretty much the same as regular shoes for most people when out hunting.
The soft leather ones give you a better feel for the ground, and are less "slick" when going up/down hill - you can dig in a bit better with your toes. But too many people then constantly worry about what hard/sharp object they might be stepping down on to get much benefit from walking softer through the woods when hunting.
Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
p.s. Crazy Crow Trading Company down in Texas carries patterns, leather, kits, and I think they even have finished mocs. You might check with them. A web search should lead you to their web site. It should give you some ideas to work with.
Those with hard soles are better for people not used to walking around barefoot. But they will be pretty much the same as regular shoes for most people when out hunting.
The soft leather ones give you a better feel for the ground, and are less "slick" when going up/down hill - you can dig in a bit better with your toes. But too many people then constantly worry about what hard/sharp object they might be stepping down on to get much benefit from walking softer through the woods when hunting.
Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
p.s. Crazy Crow Trading Company down in Texas carries patterns, leather, kits, and I think they even have finished mocs. You might check with them. A web search should lead you to their web site. It should give you some ideas to work with.
Hi all,
Since this is about Mocs and seen to have a couple for Tracking / Hunting use I thought I would pass this on to you all for those who are interested.
It is how to make some waterproof, grippy soles for your mocs, this is pretty good and easy to do...
GOOP:
SUPPLIES
There are a few things you'll need:
1) A clean glass jar with straight sides, like a peanut butter jar or a jam jar. The lid should screw on and be airtight. Sizewise, 12-16 oz. is fine for home use.
2) Some finely ground rubber from the tire recapper. Most recappers use a vacuum system to collect the grindings, which are deposited outside in a dumpster and periodically picked up by a recycler. I've found that few will refuse a request for a box or bag of the grindings if asked nicely. And you should ask, rather than just raid their dumpster. Try to get the smallest size grindings you can, powder would be the best. When you get it home, use a fine screen like a tea strainer (you can get large ones) to sift the rubber particles and separate the fine granules and powder (whatever comes through the screen) from the larger particles. Bag up the larger stuff and return it to the dumpster next time you go there. If you sift a cardboard boxfull, you should wind up with a large baggie of the usable rubber. You want a coarse powder.
3) A can of "Barge" brand all-purpose cement. This is a commercial quality shoe repair and manufacturing cement that is not normally sold to consumers except in small tubes, so the easiest way to get some might be to ask a shoe repairman to order a can for you. A quart can, which your friendly local shoe repairperson could order for you, might cost her $7-10 wholesale, so don't pay too much more than that.
4) A pallet knife, such as artists use to mix and apply paints. This can be found at many variety and discount stores as well as at an art supply dealer. The blade should be about 3" long and fairly flexible. I prefer one with an offset handle rather than a straight one. But, any will work.
5) An old table knife for mixing the goop.
6) Paper towels for clean-up.
CAUTION: the all-purpose cement is made with toxic solvents that should never be concentrated and inhaled. It is also highly flammable. The best place to deal with it is outdoors, in a garage with the door open, or other well-ventilated area. Never smoke while using it. Keep children away from it. Label it: POISON. Store it safely, out of reach of small hands. And when you have finished repairing your mocs, put them outside, or in a well-ventilated place where no one will be breathing the fumes, to dry. Never use it or the goop in a closed or poorly ventilated space, and if you ever feel any dizziness or disorientation, close the jar and find a better place to use it.
MIXING THE GOOP
Fill your jar about 3/4 full of the Barge cement, put the top back on the jar, carefully wipe the threads on the lid of the glue can with a paper towel, and replace the lid on the can, making sure it is tight. The cement will keep for a long time, but never open it unless you're going to use it, because it will lose vapors every time and that will dry it out.
Now, add a handful of the rubber powder to the glue in the jar, and stir well with the table knife, going all the way to the bottom of the jar. Do this quickly and with vigor, you don't want to dawdle around and breathe the glue fumes. Look at the consistency of the goop. Is it black? Or is it still somewhat yellowish and runny? You need to keep adding rubber and mixing until the goop is quite black, but not so much that it becomes too thick and dry to spread easily. You can add a little glue if you go too far. The finished goop should be black, easily spreadable, and yet cling to your pallet knife without really dripping off. Practice makes perfect, and you can always temper the goop one way or the other by adding rubber or glue. Close your jar tightly and let the goop sit overnight before using.
PREPARING THE MOCS FOR REPAIR
Of course you will be washing your mocs on a regular basis, and immediately after washing is a great time to repair them... but you really can repair them anytime, just make sure the soles are clean and dry. You can just wash the soles if you want. First scrape any old bubble gum or anything like that off, then use soap and water and let them dry thoroughly before repairing.
If they have been exposed to oil or grease and you are afraid this will interfere with the repair, you can use a rag soaked with gasoline or paint thinner to clean them. This will actually dissolve a thin layer of the soles and get you a fresh surface. Don't do this unless you feel washing won't work well enough. You don't need to wash them afterwards if you have done this, simply let them dry before doing your repair. Dispose of the rag properly.
APPLYING THE FUTURE TREAD
FIXING THE EDGES
Check the edges to see if they are in good condition and stuck to the upper leather all the way around. Often on a new pair, the stretching that occurs as the mocs break in, or oiling of the leather, can cause the Future Tread to pull away from the upper leather in spots. It can also occur on some elkskin mocs when the epidermis separates from the dermis. This isn't a defect or a cause for concern. If this has occurred, trim the loose rubber edges away with a sharp pair of scissors. Be careful not to scratch or poke your mocs, or yourself. Do a neat job. Once you've washed the mocs a few times, this is unlikely to reoccur. Now picking up a small amount of the goop with the tip of the pallet knife, work it carefully into the edge where the rubber is trimmed back. Just do a little at a time until you get the hang of it. It takes most people a few tries to get really good at it. Be patient. You will soon learn to do the whole thing very quickly. It takes me three minutes to do the entire edge and the entire sole of one moccasin.
I like to hold the moc rightside up while I do the edges. That way any goop that drips or runs, does so onto the sole. Also, I can see what I'm doing better and make a straighter edge. Use the pallet knife to scrape off any boo-boos and wipe it on a paper towel. You'll find that as the goop dries, it shrinks, so it's likely that a few coats will be necessary to build the edge back to match the original. When in doubt, use several thinner coats in preference to one thick coat. Let the goop dry between coats at least a few hours. I let it dry overnight, since I'm not in a hurry and want the best results.
If you have extra soles glued onto your mocs, the edges will be all you have to worry about, unless you are replacing the soles. You can just stand the mocs to dry on their bottoms if this is the case. Always put the first one outside or in the garage to dry before starting on the second. Develop the habit of never exposing yourself to the glue fumes any more than necessary.
REPAIRING THE BOTTOMS
I hold the mocs upside down to repair the soles. If I'm doing the edges and the bottoms, I do the edge first, then flip the moc over and do the bottom. It's important to realize that the Future Tread doesn't wear the same everywhere... it will usually wear more on the ball of the foot, the big toe area, and the heel. This means you do NOT want to just smear a coat over the whole bottom, because that will eventually build up the arch area much thicker than the rest and cause the mocs to become less flexible. It's also hard on the seams.
So, start by looking at the bottom to see where it really NEEDS some rubber. I usually do a D-shaped area on the heel, a band angling across the front part of the foot in front of the arch, and the big toe. Feather the edges with the pallet knife so they are thinner at the edges of the repair. You will have your own wear pattern, look at your mocs and you'll be able to see what that is. After you have applied as many coats as you want to to the worn areas to build them back to the same thickness as the unworn areas, you can apply a final thin coat to the entire sole if you feel it's necessary. Let them dry overnight and you're done.
A FEW HINTS:
DON'T build up the soles to a heavier thickness imagining that you have found a way to improve them. You'll just get in trouble because the mocs will become less flexible, and the difference between the thickness of the "wear" areas and the "no-wear" areas will become exaggerated. Please believe me on this! More people have damaged their mocs by OVER-applying the Future Tread than by neglecting it. But, don't neglect it either! Just replace what you wear off. The trick is not to apply TOO much.
CLEAN your tools immediately with a paper towel, it is MUCH easier than scraping the dried goop off later. Also, make very sure the rim of the jar, the lid, and the top and the threads of the glue can are clean before you close them.
OLDER mocs often suffer abrasive wear around the edges as time goes by. Perhaps you scuff your heels as you drive, or scuff your toes as you work. Once you have a place where the leather is scuffed, consider extending the edge of the Future Tread to cover the worn area. This will prevent any further wear of the leather, and you can always repair any wear to the Future Tread. It may not be the most elegant looking surface, but most people would agree it's better than a hole through the leather.
HEELS that are run-down are best repaired by putting a narrow coat around the outer rim of the worn area first. After that has dried, do it again, extending the second layer just a little farther in than the first and feathering the edge. Do this a few more times, each time coating the first area again, and extending the front of the repair a little more than the layer underneath. The end result should be to build up the outermost edge of the heel with several new layers, without adding much to the thickness of other areas. This technique is just a matter of practice.
THE RAVAGES OF TIME
Time wounds all heels, as they say, and even if you have learned how to masterfully repair your mocs and thus pay very little for the pleasure of wearing some of the world's nicest shoes, you'll eventually find that the edges of the Future Tread are getting little cracks in them, the rubber seems less flexible than it once was, and despite your best efforts, it seems like the arch area has more rubber on it than the heels. Is this THE END?
NO! You are simply witnessing a phenomenon called oxidation. Here's the cure:
Remove the laces from your mocs, and take them to a shoe repairman. Ask him to buff, or wire-wheel, the old rubber off of the mocs, and tell him to be careful not to damage the leather bottoms or the uppers. You don't need every bit of the old stuff off, just almost all of it. Most shoe repairmen can easily do this. You can also do it yourself if you have access to, and the skill to use, a wire wheel. Don't forget to use eye protection. If you don't have a wire wheel, or can't find a friendly local shoe repair shop, you can send the shoes back to me for repair.
After the rubber is off the mocs, you'll be amazed! They will be soft and flexible again. All you need to do is apply five or six complete layers of goop, letting them dry overnight each time. Your mocs will be like new!
Hope this is useful...
Karl
Since this is about Mocs and seen to have a couple for Tracking / Hunting use I thought I would pass this on to you all for those who are interested.
It is how to make some waterproof, grippy soles for your mocs, this is pretty good and easy to do...
GOOP:
SUPPLIES
There are a few things you'll need:
1) A clean glass jar with straight sides, like a peanut butter jar or a jam jar. The lid should screw on and be airtight. Sizewise, 12-16 oz. is fine for home use.
2) Some finely ground rubber from the tire recapper. Most recappers use a vacuum system to collect the grindings, which are deposited outside in a dumpster and periodically picked up by a recycler. I've found that few will refuse a request for a box or bag of the grindings if asked nicely. And you should ask, rather than just raid their dumpster. Try to get the smallest size grindings you can, powder would be the best. When you get it home, use a fine screen like a tea strainer (you can get large ones) to sift the rubber particles and separate the fine granules and powder (whatever comes through the screen) from the larger particles. Bag up the larger stuff and return it to the dumpster next time you go there. If you sift a cardboard boxfull, you should wind up with a large baggie of the usable rubber. You want a coarse powder.
3) A can of "Barge" brand all-purpose cement. This is a commercial quality shoe repair and manufacturing cement that is not normally sold to consumers except in small tubes, so the easiest way to get some might be to ask a shoe repairman to order a can for you. A quart can, which your friendly local shoe repairperson could order for you, might cost her $7-10 wholesale, so don't pay too much more than that.
4) A pallet knife, such as artists use to mix and apply paints. This can be found at many variety and discount stores as well as at an art supply dealer. The blade should be about 3" long and fairly flexible. I prefer one with an offset handle rather than a straight one. But, any will work.
5) An old table knife for mixing the goop.
6) Paper towels for clean-up.
CAUTION: the all-purpose cement is made with toxic solvents that should never be concentrated and inhaled. It is also highly flammable. The best place to deal with it is outdoors, in a garage with the door open, or other well-ventilated area. Never smoke while using it. Keep children away from it. Label it: POISON. Store it safely, out of reach of small hands. And when you have finished repairing your mocs, put them outside, or in a well-ventilated place where no one will be breathing the fumes, to dry. Never use it or the goop in a closed or poorly ventilated space, and if you ever feel any dizziness or disorientation, close the jar and find a better place to use it.
MIXING THE GOOP
Fill your jar about 3/4 full of the Barge cement, put the top back on the jar, carefully wipe the threads on the lid of the glue can with a paper towel, and replace the lid on the can, making sure it is tight. The cement will keep for a long time, but never open it unless you're going to use it, because it will lose vapors every time and that will dry it out.
Now, add a handful of the rubber powder to the glue in the jar, and stir well with the table knife, going all the way to the bottom of the jar. Do this quickly and with vigor, you don't want to dawdle around and breathe the glue fumes. Look at the consistency of the goop. Is it black? Or is it still somewhat yellowish and runny? You need to keep adding rubber and mixing until the goop is quite black, but not so much that it becomes too thick and dry to spread easily. You can add a little glue if you go too far. The finished goop should be black, easily spreadable, and yet cling to your pallet knife without really dripping off. Practice makes perfect, and you can always temper the goop one way or the other by adding rubber or glue. Close your jar tightly and let the goop sit overnight before using.
PREPARING THE MOCS FOR REPAIR
Of course you will be washing your mocs on a regular basis, and immediately after washing is a great time to repair them... but you really can repair them anytime, just make sure the soles are clean and dry. You can just wash the soles if you want. First scrape any old bubble gum or anything like that off, then use soap and water and let them dry thoroughly before repairing.
If they have been exposed to oil or grease and you are afraid this will interfere with the repair, you can use a rag soaked with gasoline or paint thinner to clean them. This will actually dissolve a thin layer of the soles and get you a fresh surface. Don't do this unless you feel washing won't work well enough. You don't need to wash them afterwards if you have done this, simply let them dry before doing your repair. Dispose of the rag properly.
APPLYING THE FUTURE TREAD
FIXING THE EDGES
Check the edges to see if they are in good condition and stuck to the upper leather all the way around. Often on a new pair, the stretching that occurs as the mocs break in, or oiling of the leather, can cause the Future Tread to pull away from the upper leather in spots. It can also occur on some elkskin mocs when the epidermis separates from the dermis. This isn't a defect or a cause for concern. If this has occurred, trim the loose rubber edges away with a sharp pair of scissors. Be careful not to scratch or poke your mocs, or yourself. Do a neat job. Once you've washed the mocs a few times, this is unlikely to reoccur. Now picking up a small amount of the goop with the tip of the pallet knife, work it carefully into the edge where the rubber is trimmed back. Just do a little at a time until you get the hang of it. It takes most people a few tries to get really good at it. Be patient. You will soon learn to do the whole thing very quickly. It takes me three minutes to do the entire edge and the entire sole of one moccasin.
I like to hold the moc rightside up while I do the edges. That way any goop that drips or runs, does so onto the sole. Also, I can see what I'm doing better and make a straighter edge. Use the pallet knife to scrape off any boo-boos and wipe it on a paper towel. You'll find that as the goop dries, it shrinks, so it's likely that a few coats will be necessary to build the edge back to match the original. When in doubt, use several thinner coats in preference to one thick coat. Let the goop dry between coats at least a few hours. I let it dry overnight, since I'm not in a hurry and want the best results.
If you have extra soles glued onto your mocs, the edges will be all you have to worry about, unless you are replacing the soles. You can just stand the mocs to dry on their bottoms if this is the case. Always put the first one outside or in the garage to dry before starting on the second. Develop the habit of never exposing yourself to the glue fumes any more than necessary.
REPAIRING THE BOTTOMS
I hold the mocs upside down to repair the soles. If I'm doing the edges and the bottoms, I do the edge first, then flip the moc over and do the bottom. It's important to realize that the Future Tread doesn't wear the same everywhere... it will usually wear more on the ball of the foot, the big toe area, and the heel. This means you do NOT want to just smear a coat over the whole bottom, because that will eventually build up the arch area much thicker than the rest and cause the mocs to become less flexible. It's also hard on the seams.
So, start by looking at the bottom to see where it really NEEDS some rubber. I usually do a D-shaped area on the heel, a band angling across the front part of the foot in front of the arch, and the big toe. Feather the edges with the pallet knife so they are thinner at the edges of the repair. You will have your own wear pattern, look at your mocs and you'll be able to see what that is. After you have applied as many coats as you want to to the worn areas to build them back to the same thickness as the unworn areas, you can apply a final thin coat to the entire sole if you feel it's necessary. Let them dry overnight and you're done.
A FEW HINTS:
DON'T build up the soles to a heavier thickness imagining that you have found a way to improve them. You'll just get in trouble because the mocs will become less flexible, and the difference between the thickness of the "wear" areas and the "no-wear" areas will become exaggerated. Please believe me on this! More people have damaged their mocs by OVER-applying the Future Tread than by neglecting it. But, don't neglect it either! Just replace what you wear off. The trick is not to apply TOO much.
CLEAN your tools immediately with a paper towel, it is MUCH easier than scraping the dried goop off later. Also, make very sure the rim of the jar, the lid, and the top and the threads of the glue can are clean before you close them.
OLDER mocs often suffer abrasive wear around the edges as time goes by. Perhaps you scuff your heels as you drive, or scuff your toes as you work. Once you have a place where the leather is scuffed, consider extending the edge of the Future Tread to cover the worn area. This will prevent any further wear of the leather, and you can always repair any wear to the Future Tread. It may not be the most elegant looking surface, but most people would agree it's better than a hole through the leather.
HEELS that are run-down are best repaired by putting a narrow coat around the outer rim of the worn area first. After that has dried, do it again, extending the second layer just a little farther in than the first and feathering the edge. Do this a few more times, each time coating the first area again, and extending the front of the repair a little more than the layer underneath. The end result should be to build up the outermost edge of the heel with several new layers, without adding much to the thickness of other areas. This technique is just a matter of practice.
THE RAVAGES OF TIME
Time wounds all heels, as they say, and even if you have learned how to masterfully repair your mocs and thus pay very little for the pleasure of wearing some of the world's nicest shoes, you'll eventually find that the edges of the Future Tread are getting little cracks in them, the rubber seems less flexible than it once was, and despite your best efforts, it seems like the arch area has more rubber on it than the heels. Is this THE END?
NO! You are simply witnessing a phenomenon called oxidation. Here's the cure:
Remove the laces from your mocs, and take them to a shoe repairman. Ask him to buff, or wire-wheel, the old rubber off of the mocs, and tell him to be careful not to damage the leather bottoms or the uppers. You don't need every bit of the old stuff off, just almost all of it. Most shoe repairmen can easily do this. You can also do it yourself if you have access to, and the skill to use, a wire wheel. Don't forget to use eye protection. If you don't have a wire wheel, or can't find a friendly local shoe repair shop, you can send the shoes back to me for repair.
After the rubber is off the mocs, you'll be amazed! They will be soft and flexible again. All you need to do is apply five or six complete layers of goop, letting them dry overnight each time. Your mocs will be like new!
Hope this is useful...
Karl
P
PIDDOCK
Guest
Just spit balling here but you cant get more authentic than making your own instead of continuing the old consumerist tradition.
Never ceases to amaze me how many people want authentic or traditional gear but buy it, did the Lakota nip out to the local Walmart ??
I appreciate there is a lack of time or skill issues but then maybe thats also a reflection on our must have it now society too, Again a weird twist on our hobby after all be it knives, shoes or leather pouches we must have them now, cant wait wont wait, yet in nature we have learn the patience to wait for a tree to bear fruit. Why cant we show the same wisdom in our imagined equpt needs?
Never ceases to amaze me how many people want authentic or traditional gear but buy it, did the Lakota nip out to the local Walmart ??
I appreciate there is a lack of time or skill issues but then maybe thats also a reflection on our must have it now society too, Again a weird twist on our hobby after all be it knives, shoes or leather pouches we must have them now, cant wait wont wait, yet in nature we have learn the patience to wait for a tree to bear fruit. Why cant we show the same wisdom in our imagined equpt needs?
I agree to an extent, although I feel the reasons for many bushcrafter to want to buy their moccasins, are more for the lack of material and space to tan your own hides. Several members live in apartments or have small backyards. Urban Abos do often tan hides in such situations, but it's much more of an incovenience to go through the hassle of scraping, tanning and smoking, with neighbours calling the emergency numbers, or calling in complaints about the smoke, smell, and their dogs howling for scraps! Add the fact that deer brains are hard to come by for many people, and you can see the dilemna!
I will say one thing though.. nothing beats a pair of smoked Scout style moccasins on your feet, with snowshoes under them, in the dead of winter... yet you are warm and toasty...
P
PIDDOCK
Guest
I agree, were lucky we get the weather for it though eh!
As for the mocassins, maybe a middle option would be to buy the hide? I make my own and buy the moose hide and canvas for the gaiters for the same reasons mentioned, plus moose are sadly deficient here, although anyone who makes leather should tan at least one hide just as a learning exercise.
Very very true! Finding the middle ground on the need for material, I like it. Most of the buckskins I wear are comercially tanned. But this winter I'll be tanning my own coyote furs and a wolf pelt a woman is sending to me from up north. New fur caps for February I hope
.I love the feeling of buckskin. It can be heavy, and it's not as insulative as wool, but it's durable, and comfortable. And My god can you make beautiful work with it... I need more photos of my shirt, trousers and jacket
Hi Stephen, I made a link to Yatahai a while back in another thread, I also mentioned centralia fur and hide in that thread, later In another thread I mentioned that Sparrowhawk is the lady behind Yatahai and that the service from both was pretty good.
Someone mentioned that the instructions to make moccasins in the Yatahai patterns are obviously designed for people that had made moccasins before, I didn't find that, but if you find the instructions provided by Sparrowhawk for making the keltoi type moccasins difficult to follow then you will have real difficulty in following the ones for the missouri river high top plains moccasin.
I have the pattern and it is by no means totally clear.
That was a good explanation there templar for reinforcing the soles.
Mike Ameling, we have very similar tastes in website, I like Crazy Crow, they have some cracking stuff available.
Cheers for that link I think I found what i have been looking for and I think I will also try making a pair myself with some bought treated hide.
Has anyone made any winter moccs?
By that I mean UK winter - not dry cold!
I mean insulated from the wet aswell as the cold
I was thinking of lining a pair with neopreen - not traditional but would probably work - at least it does in wellies.
Cheers
Mark
By that I mean UK winter - not dry cold!
I mean insulated from the wet aswell as the cold
I was thinking of lining a pair with neopreen - not traditional but would probably work - at least it does in wellies.
Cheers
Mark
The canoeing/kayaking bods have Chota Mukluks..
http://chotooutdoorgear.net/shop/index.php?cPath=34_37
http://www.knoydart.co.uk/display.php?category=5&sub=footwear&id=935
If you want to brain-tan a hide, you don't have to use the brains from that specific animal. Many people just go down to the local grocery store or butcher shop and get a tub/package from them. Look or ask for Sheep or Pig brains. It's great if you have access to the brains of the original animal, but don't let that stop you. Sheep's brains would be the closest to deer.
Waterproofing your mocs is a personal choice. For us, we want to remain traditional to what was used back in the 1700's. So no waterproofing, and mostly no greasing.
A few people have used one modern item, though. They use Gortex socks! This keeps all the cold wet stuff outside of your feet. A simple/cheap alternative is to slip your foot/sock into a plastic bag before putting it into your mocs. Or put that plastic bag between two layers of socks. It DOES stop your foot from getting wet from the outside. But it also stops sweat/moisture from getting out away from your feet. Some people who have done this had wetter feet that the guys who didn't do anything extra. The Gortex type socks at least let your feet breathe.
Just some of the ... quirks ... of wearing traditional leather mocs.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
Waterproofing your mocs is a personal choice. For us, we want to remain traditional to what was used back in the 1700's. So no waterproofing, and mostly no greasing.
A few people have used one modern item, though. They use Gortex socks! This keeps all the cold wet stuff outside of your feet. A simple/cheap alternative is to slip your foot/sock into a plastic bag before putting it into your mocs. Or put that plastic bag between two layers of socks. It DOES stop your foot from getting wet from the outside. But it also stops sweat/moisture from getting out away from your feet. Some people who have done this had wetter feet that the guys who didn't do anything extra. The Gortex type socks at least let your feet breathe.
Just some of the ... quirks ... of wearing traditional leather mocs.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
The socks are almost exactly what I was thinking about but fixed to the inside of the mocc
Thanks for those
Templar, that explanation is very good, thanks
The only problem I can see is it wont give grip on mud - something many shoes suffer from as well!
I shall try it on a pair of mine.
Mark
HI Mark,
Your welcome... as for grip, you can add some grippy ridges to the rubberized sole as you spread it on or try adding some "Choc-chips" on there made out of silicone adheasive, this works on your regular footwear too sort of like runners spikes but softer and if one comes off you can replace it easy... I do this with GP boots in winter for extra grip in mud and sleet... seems to work well...
Cheers,
Karl
Your welcome... as for grip, you can add some grippy ridges to the rubberized sole as you spread it on or try adding some "Choc-chips" on there made out of silicone adheasive, this works on your regular footwear too sort of like runners spikes but softer and if one comes off you can replace it easy... I do this with GP boots in winter for extra grip in mud and sleet... seems to work well...
Cheers,
Karl
Ah OK
I wonder if some pieces of wood wrapped in clingfilm say 1cm square (or smaller) could be used to mould the goop upto. Then when it dries take them away and you'd be left with tractor tyre style tread??????
Or maybe you would feel it too much through the soles?
I like the silicon spikes idea
interesting....
Thanks again
Mark
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