Anybody had some boots made? Just wondering about any recommendations? I have heard of Eddie Kimmel in Commanche, Tx.

That's where I got my last pair. But there are a lot. There was a thread on here a few weeks ago about this very thing that maybe someone will dig up for you.

Hass in Lampassas

M.L. Leddy's in Ft. Worth. But you better have this..... $$$$.

[This message has been edited by CoastGuardAg00 (edited 1/26/2009 1:21p).]

I got my husband's made at Cavasos in Mercedes. The did a great job considering they couldn't measure his feet...they measured a pair of boots I stole and shipped to them.

http://cavazosboots.com/


And here is the article for the Top 25 Bootmakers according to Texas Monthly (take it for what it's worth...I mean, it is Texas Monthly)

25 Top Custom Bootmakers

Joe Nick Patoski's 25 top custom bootmakers as featured in the his article "Alive and Kicking."


ABILENE

James Leddy Boots
1602 N. Treadaway Boulevard
915-677-7811

The nephew of boot king M. L. Leddy is now royalty himself, and he runs a real family business: He does the cutting, his wife and daughter do the stitching, his son-in-law does bottoms, and his former daughter-in-law creates the prettiest inlays anywhere. Specializes in: Flowery tops, old-fashioned crimped vamps, zipper tops, sharp pointed toes. Prices start at: $625. Turnaround time: Three to four months. Has made boots for: Country singers Buck Owens, George Jones, and Johnny Bush; U.S. representative Charles Stenholm.

Bell Custom Boots
2118 N. Treadaway Boulevard
915-677-0632

The gregarious Alan Bell understudied with Tex Robin in Coleman (see below) before going solo. Twenty-five years later, his is one of the state's busiest husband-and-wife operations (Pauline Bell does the top stitching). Specializes in: Versatility (his leather ranges from tough and rugged to soft and supple) and signature stitching outside and inside the vamp. Prices start at: $625. Turnaround time: One year. Has made boots for: Race car driver Kyle Petty; cowboys from the 6666, the Pitchfork, and other mega-ranches.


AMARILLO

Western Leather Craft Boot
1950 Civic Circle
806-355-0174

Four generations of the Ross family have been making fine working and dress boots since 1914. Specializes in: Work boots, art boots, wing tips, and flower inlays. Prices start at: $575. Turnaround time: Three months. Has made boots for: Singing cowboy Gene Autry.


AUSTIN

Texas Traditions
2222 College Avenue
512-443-4447

Lee Miller apprenticed under the late, great Charlie Dunn and took over the business when Dunn retired. Specializes in: Flashy designs, such as wild flames decorating the tops and trademark Charlie Dunn pinched rose overlays. Prices start at: $1,000. Turnaround time: Three years for new customers (they're not taking any right now), thirteen months for old ones. Has made boots for: Country singer Lyle Lovett, rock singer Sting, actor Slim Pickens, golfer Arnold Palmer.


COLEMAN

Tex Robin Custom Handmade Boots
115 W. Eighth
915-625-5556

Robin's father, also called Tex, opened his doors in 1944 and passed his talent and commitment to high quality on to his son, who has now run the one-man shop for thirty years. Specializes in: Artistic tops with eclectic stitching (e.g., *****ly pear cactus spines), brilliant coloring, and trademark butterflies and eagles. Prices start at: $695. Turnaround time: One year. Has made boots for: Governor Rick Perry, gambler Benny Binion.


COMANCHE

Kimmel Company
2080 County Road 304
915-356-3197

Since learning the trade from the late Dan Trujillio, another Comanche legend, Eddie Kimmel has built up one of the most productive small shops in Texas. Specializes in: Old-style boots that are a little stouter and have a heavier inner sole, which means they last longer. Prices start at: $550. Turnaround time: Three months. Has made boots for: Actresses Sandra Bullock and Priscilla Presley; movie producer Lynda Obst.


EL PASO

RocketBuster Boots
115 S. Anthony
915-541-1300

Their boot designs are part flash and part kitsch, so it's no surprise that the showroom in which Nevena Christi and Marty Snortum greet their customers—by appointment only—resembles Pee-wee's Playhouse. Specializes in: The wildest tops in the business, from Hot Rod Devil and Custom Car Angel logos to fiery chiles and the Virgin of the Guadalupe. Prices start at: $750 (take $40 off any order if you trade a childhood cowboy photo). Turnaround time: Twelve weeks. Has made boots for: Actors Billy Bob Thornton, Mel Gibson, and Bruce Willis; actress Sharon Stone; director Steven Spielberg; talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

Tres Outlaws
421 S. Cotton
915-544-2727

Co-owners Scott Emmerich and Jerry Black (the third outlaw "we hung," says Emmerich) supply boots to high-end retailers, including Emmerich's Falconhead in the tony Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Specializes in: Elaborate designs, exotic leathers, hand-stitching as wide as 25 rows, braided kangaroo-skin piping, and silver inlays built into the boot. Prices start at: $595. Turnaround time: Four to eight weeks. Has made boots for: Actresses Brooke Shields, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Renée Zellweger; rock singer Sheryl Crow; überagent Mike Ovitz.

The Stallion Boot and Belt Company
100 N. Cotton
915-532-6268

Longtime boot collector Pedro Muñoz, Jr., made a killing off of the Urban Cowboy craze. Twenty years later, he still designs boots for sale via trunk shows and couture retailers such as Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior. Specializes in: Replicas of classic boots emphasizing starbursts and flame stitching, as well as buck stitching and lacing. Claims to be the only bootmaker using fossilized walrus and woolly mammoth ivory. Prices start at: $500. Turnaround time: Six to twelve weeks. Has made boots for: Rock singers Madonna, Robert Plant, and Bob Dylan; actress Ashley Judd; actor Tom Cruise.

Arditti Alligator Accoutrements and Handcrafted Footwear
910 Texas Avenue
915-532-7833

A twelve-year veteran of the leather biz at age 31, Thomas Yves Arditti produces high-end designs for boots made of alligator and other exotic leathers. Specializes in: High-quality leather inside and outside the boot and signature sterling-silver logo built into the heel. Prices start at: $550. Turnaround time: One to two months. Has made boots for: Actor Jack Nicholson, former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev.


FORT WORTH

Carman Allen
8616 Quebec Drive
817-367-7976

Formerly a bull rider, Allen designed chaps before shifting his focus to boots. Specializes in: Detailed tooling and a trademark lightning bolt. Prices start at: $650. Turnaround time: Eight to ten months. Has made boots for: The cutting-horse crowd.


HOUSTON

Wheeler Boot Company
4115 Willowbend
713-665-0224

Dave Wheeler has been working at his father's shop since he was twelve; forty years later he continues the family tradition by working alongside his wife and his mother. Specializes in: Colorful, elaborately designed boots-as-art Prices start at: $825. Turnaround time: Eleven months. Has made boots for: Vice President Dick Cheney, actor Robert Duvall, defense attorney Dick DeGuerin.

Maida's BlackJack Boot company
3948 Westheimer Boulevard
713-961-4538

First-generation Italian bootmaker Sal Maida, Sr., served Houstonians for years; since 1977 that task has fallen to his son, Sal Junior, and bootmaker Richard Salazar. Specializes in: Upscale boots suitable for cowboy balls. Prices start at: $695. Turnaround time: Ten to twelve weeks. Has made boots for: Rockers ZZ Top, actor Ben Johnson.

R.J.'s Boot company
3321 Ella Boulevard
713-682-5520

A bootmaker to the power elite, Rocky Carroll is a worthy successor to his dad, who started the business in 1938. He is backed by independent contractors, including 76-year-old Antonio Sanchez, maybe the state's finest craftsman, who works semi-exclusively for him out of a garage in Mercedes. Specializes in: Conservative, upscale boots with artistic tops, such as corporate logos, and lots of gold and silver. Prices start at: $295. Turnaround time: Two weeks. Has made boots for: Both President Bushes, Governor Rick Perry, country singer Dolly Parton.


LAMPASAS

Jass Boot shop
803 E. Avenue G
512-556-3857

Pablo Jass worked for twelve years alongside the late Ray Jones, also of Lampasas. He still turns out tougher-than-hell real cowboy boots made for working on the range.

Specializes in: Jones's box toe, white piping, and stiff tops, and electric topstitching done by his wife, Juanita. Prices start at: $600. Turnaround time: Six months to one year. Has made boots for: Author and boot aficionado Tyler Beard.


MERCEDES
Cavazos Boot Factory
302 Second
956-565-0753

Vicente Cavazos, an unsung elder of the bootmaking biz, does the whole boot himself, from fit to finish, excelling in artistic stitching, inlays, and overlays.
Specializes in: Imaginative top designs, including roses and a Corpus Christi cityscape, and stylish ostrich wing tips. Prices start at: $225. Turnaround time: Four to five weeks. Has made boots for: Former president Bill Clinton, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, actor Tommy Lee Jones.

Camargo's Handmade Boots

710 U.S. 83
956-565-6457

Henry Camargo considers himself an artist and lets his imagination fly, producing an assortment of unconventional designs on exotic skins with free-form stitching.
Specializes in: Tops with '55 Chevy convertibles, '66 Corvettes, Harleys, Ford pickups, speedboats, Dallas Cowboys helmets, and Lone Star beer logos. Prices start at: $225. Turnaround time: Three to five weeks. Has made boots for: Country singer Willie Nelson, actor Patrick Duffy.


MILLSAP

Stephanie Ferguson Custom Boots
2112 Poe Prairie
817-341-9700

The Ohio native—the only female bootmaker in Texas going it alone—understudied at Jack Reed's place in Burnet, where she developed a flair for flamboyant colors and overlays.
Specializes in: Tops with three-dimensional hummingbirds, coconuts, flamingos, parrots, and morning glories. Prices start at: $850. Turnaround time: Six to eight months. Has made boots for: Country singer David Allan Coe.


RAYMONDVILLE

El Vaquero Boots
722 E. Norman
956—689-3469

Ignacio "Nacho" Martinez, another unsung elder, was part of the team that built boots for President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the dedication ceremony for Falcon Dam, in 1954. After spending most of his career at Raymondville's now-defunct Rios Boots, he currently works out of his garage with his son, Joe. Specializes in: Flaming-red rose inlays, intricate braided-lace piping, and lizard scallops. Prices start at: $300. Turnaround time: Six to eight weeks. Has made boots for: Armstrongs, Klebergs, Yturrias, and other ranching elites.

Armando's Boot Company
169 N. Seventh
956-689-3521

Abraham Rios once had Raymondville's biggest shop, serving area ranches like the King Ranch. Today his nephew Armando Duarte Rios puts his 45 years of experience into each and every boot. Specializes in: Fancy inlays and nimble stitching up to ten rows wide. Prices start at: $420. Turnaround time: Eight to ten weeks. Has made boots for: Former governor Mark White; former Speaker of the House Gib Lewis; actors Sean Penn and Peter Coyote; country singer Willie Nelson.

Torres Brothers Boot Company
246 S. Seventh
956-689-1342

In 1997 Raul and Frank Torres reopened the longtime business run by their father, Leopoldo Torres, who still consults for his sons on a regular basis. Specializes in: Butterfly stitching and white-alligator boots. Prices start at: $200. Turnaround time: Six to seven weeks. Has made boots for: King Ranch cowboys, Texas Rangers, border patrolmen.


SAN ANGELO

J. L. Mercer and Son Custom Boots
224 S. Chadbourne
915-658-7634

J. L. Mercer began working in his daddy's shop at age eleven. Seventy years later, he sells boots out of a rickety storefront and at rodeos, cutting-horse competitions, and the State Fair. Specializes in: Basic work boots, roper boots, and crepe soles. Prices start at: $450. Turnaround time: Three months. Has made boots for: Lyndon B. Johnson; former governor Mark White; actors Barry Corbin and Tom Wopat; country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

Rusty Franklin Handmade Boots
15 E. Avenue D
915-655-7784

Franklin split off from his venerated grandfather, M. L. Leddy, sixteen years ago and recruited master bootmaker Eugene Lopez from the late Charlie Garrison's operation in Llano. Specializes in: Stiff tops, school logos, and Texas icons such as the Capitol, the Alamo, mockingbirds, oil derricks, yellow roses, and bluebonnets. Prices start at: $495. Turnaround time: Five to six months. Has made boots for: Actor Tommy Lee Jones, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

M. L. Leddy Boots
2200 W. Beauregard
915-942-7655

One of the oldest and largest custom-bootmaking operations in the state.
Specializes in: Old-fashioned high-heel range riders, nuevo-retro cockroach stompers, tool tops, and lace-ups. Prices start at: $495. Turnaround time: Three to four months. Has made boots for: Country singer Trisha Yearwood, basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, actor Paul Newman.


SAN ANTONIO

Little's Boots
110 Division Avenue
210-923-2221

What Lucchese Boots once was to San Antonio, Little's Boots—established in 1915—is today. Little's sets the standard for fancy custom boots, which are on display at the state's best showroom. Specializes in: Expensive, unembellished exotic leathers and intricately detailed art boots, including three-dimensional pinched roses and unique wildflower and leaf patterns. Prices start at: $750. Turnaround time: Three and a half months. Has made boots for: Country singer Reba McEntire, actor Tommy Lee Jones, author Alex Haley.


[This message has been edited by Twix (edited 1/26/2009 1:23p).]

I prefer Beck's in Amarillo. If you're in town, stop by and Harry will take a mold of your feet and get your measurements. If you're not in the area, give him a call and he'll ship you a "fit kit" that has a foam board to get a mold and instructions on how to measure.

http://beckboots.com

If you'd like pictures of mine and my husband's boots, let me know.

[This message has been edited by Rocky Top Aggie (edited 1/26/2009 1:46p).]

Jass in Lampasas does a great job. Probably makes the best boots around, but you will be waiting closer to 1.5-2 years to get em. He is pretty expensive, but you will get a good, high quality boot. Jass worked for Ray Jones as well as his brother. If you come to Lampasas, there are two different brothers that make boots and both are called Jass Boot Shop. Be sure to go to Pablo. You will need to call him first b/c he lives off the beaten path.

I had some made in San Angelo by a guy named Romero. I have his contact info if needed. He is very reasonable and fast. Ordered a pair on January 1st and had them back in mid April for less than $500.

If you get handmade boots, you should get the Jones toe flower. I am sure any boot maker will know what this is.

bump03-

is your last name Bumpus? The reason I ask is because that is my maiden name. I'm from TN, but while in grad school at A&M, I had several people ask if I was from Lampasas cause there were Bumpuses there.

The Kimmels are nice but my boots still don't fit right. He did finally stretch them to fit but now after putting a new heel on the arch is too tall. I have not had time to drive out there (2 hours) and get them fixed again. If at all possible I'd try and find a local place to build your boots. Other than the fit issues the boots are extremely durable and very beautiful.





[This message has been edited by Streetfighter 02 (edited 1/26/2009 2:56p).]

My off-the-shelf Luccheses are more comfortable and fit better than my customs. I know others who have felt the same way.

I have a pair from Armando's in Raymondville, and really like them a lot.

Lucchese's did not fit me at all. I have a pair for sale on the classifieds board.

Rocky Top-

Yes it is and from. My family is originally from TN way back when.

Does Holick's make anything besides Aggie boots anymore?

mercer and son in san angelo makes a nice boot.

Don Cuco's

Hollick's no longer makes western style boots or cowboy boots.

James Leddy in Abilene. James died a couple years back, but his outfit is still in business and still makes the best boots in the business.

Tard-

What is the basic price for a Leddy's boots.

Ive got a pair made by Dave Wheeler. Best damn boots I've ever worn. Can't beat the comfort of some custom fit boots. I'll see if I can get some pics up tomorrow. Dave is also one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I was having a hard time getting up to Houston during the week to pick them up, so he came into work on a Saturday so I could get them.

Fido, the only thing I can say about your statement is you should be getting a refund from your boot maker or you went with the bargain basement handmade. Any good handmade WILL beat an off the shelf of ANY brand, handmades are made for your foot and your foot only while shelf boots are made from a size last with no variance for the humps and bumps of your foot.

Can someone explain to me why you would buy a boot with a fancy design that you can only see with the pants tucked in?

Then explain to me who should be beaten down for introducing the idea of tucking in your pants.






Also, what does it cost for a custom pair of boots? Im talking about standard leather, shoulder, etc...nothing 'pretty' like ostrich, etc.



[This message has been edited by jed1154 (edited 2/6/2009 9:46a).]

Do not know who invented or started it, but in brush country it keeps the thorns from catching in your pants especially with *****s and it also keeps the cow poop, blood and stuff off your pants when working...

wow I had no idea the word c h i n k s which are short leggings would be banned...

[This message has been edited by SD_71 (edited 2/6/2009 11:46a).]

If you are going to tuck your pants in your boots, first get short pants not your blue jeans, next get proper boots high legs vs normal cowboy boots, then tuck them in all you want.

I have a pair from Pablo Jass in Lampasas, a pair from James Leddy's in Abilene, and two pairs from Harry Beck in Amarillo. All of them fit well, but the Jass boots are like wearing a pair of house shoes. It took me nearly three years to get them, but they were worth the wait.

If you want a pair of work boots, order some from Harry Beck. He makes the vamp (foot) out of oil tanned water buffalo hide, and they are very tough. Harry will tell you he makes a boot to be worn Monday through Friday, and Leddy's and Jass make a boot to be made on Saturday nights and Sundays. It takes about three or four months to get a pair from Becks.

Those of us that ranch and ride horses a lot tuck our pants legs in our boots because it is a whole lot more comfortable around your calves and ankles to do it that way when riding a horse. Also, the high tops are another layer of leather protection under your leggings or chaps when riding in the brush.

When you have boots with tops that are between 14 and 18 inches tall, it's also a lot easier to put your pant legs in them than trying to get them down over the tops of the boots.

Charlie Dunn.

quote:

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Those of us that ranch and ride horses a lot tuck our pants legs in our boots because it is a whole lot more comfortable around your calves and ankles to do it that way when riding a horse. Also, the high tops are another layer of leather protection under your leggings or chaps when riding in the brush.

---

I have no problem with that. I have just found that working with my pants tucked i aids only in getting **** inside my boots. So, i don't do it. However, i guess i was more referring to those that insist on wearing their boots this way as a style or fashion statement. I see people doing this in bars. Sometimes i want to ask them if they know they look like *****bags.

I had my senior boots made by R.J. out of Houston and they were great. I was always able to keep a good shine on them and they were comfortable.

Ordered some in December from R.J. in Houston. Asked for some that basically were red wings but a little stitching on toe and a little higher (Red Wings don't fit me and can't find any other store-bought size 16s). Said they should be ready in February. Figured the cost would be on the low end and like a dumba$$ I didn't ask before I ordered. After he told me $1300 I almost choked. I really wanted a pair of boots so I paid up. Make sure you ask the price before you spend too much time with any maker. R.J. doesn't have anything close to $295 for custom made.

quote:

---

What is the basic price for a Leddy's boots.

---

The boots I get run about $675. I pay a little extra for 16" tops, I think maybe $50 or so. It has been a while since I purchased the last pair, though.

Brawny,

R.J.s must have gone up in their pricing. My senior boots were around half the price of Hollicks. I think I paid around $350 for my boots.

of course that was in '94

Handmade boot costs are going up b/c the number of tanneries is shrinking and leather costs are increasing. My field foreman has a rig hand from near Mexico City that can get handmande boots for around $200. I'm gonna try that out. Step into a box full of clay and a few weeks later you've got a pair of handmade boots. The foreman is a rodeo guy and says the boots are his best pair. We'll see.

Usoos, I asked about the $295 I heard of and he said that's for a generic boot he makes but it's not made to fit, just standard sizes. I think he said his cheapest custom was around $600 but I don't know how much cheaper you can get than a Red Wing replica. Oh well, live and learn.

Streetfighter, I would love to know more about the rig hand because one pair of boots for me just isn't going to cut it.

[This message has been edited by BrawnyAg (edited 2/7/2009 1:08p).]

This rig hand is in Pampa, TX so it's not exactly very convenient. was going to get everything set up last time I was up there and the hand took the day off. I'll post 'em up when I get 'em. Gonna get full quill ostrich lowers in a dark brown with cream colored uppers. No inlay.