Description: from the bottom up. True moccasin construction starts with selection of the last(a foot shaped form made of wood or hard plastic). The last is the heart of the shoe making process and dictates the volume and shape of the interior of the boot. Corresponding parts and pieces such as the vamp, molded sole, quarter ,gusset, and toe piece are all carefully cut by hand from our curated selection of leathers. After being sewn together by our century-old Puritan Stitching machines, the shoe is soaked to soften the leather before being “pulled over” onto the last. Here it is tacked in place until it dries on the last. Next the boot maker trims the toe piece and vamp to marry the two with Russell’s signature overlap stitch, which was invented and patented at Russell in 1941.Pulling the whole boot together in a water and abrasion resistant seam, the overlap stitch remains a centerpiece Russell’s aesthetic and function. Unencumbered by any guides, the shoe maker carefully and efficiently makes each stitch with awl and waxed thread. Crafted by hand for over 124 years Russell’s storied and far reaching history has always been written from the banks of the Fox River in Berlin, Wisconsin. William Russell, for whom the business is named, was a second generation leather craftsman alongside his brother Frank and father Charles. When the opportunity arose for his own venture, Will purchased the Wright Shoe Company from Stillman Wright and used its equipment to start the W.C. Russell Moccasin Company in 1898. Originally the boots were made for the booming Wisconsin logging industry, but soon outdoorsmen began to recognize the unique benefits of the moccasin construction for hunting, fishing, and hiking. This shift would serve to focus Russell’s efforts towards a clientele that it has dutifully served for well over a century. A notable fact is that Saxton Pope and Arthur Young, the fathers of modern archery, were wearing Russells as early as 1915. In 1928 one of Russell’s traveling salesmen, Bill Gustin, purchased the company following William’s passing. Gustin, a competitive trap and skeet shooter, hunter and fisherman, foresaw the ever increasing demands of sportsmen. In the early 1930's he introduced the now famous Russell Bird Shooter plus a line of oxfords, loafers and casual shoes. It takes many years of training for a Russell boot maker to acquire the skills necessary to construct a pair of true moccasin boots or shoes, and there is a good reason for this. True moccasin construction is a far more intricate process than more common welted or stitch down constructions. This is primary due to the fact that there is no way to make a moccasin without the skillful hand stitching process of the boot maker. The iconic overlap seam on the toe piece is not just the hallmark of our moccasins, it is also the integral stitch that binds the whole boot or shoe together. On other types of footwear, the upper is pulled underneath the last where glue and fillers cover the joints where no one will ever see them. On a moccasin, the boot is lasted from the bottom up with one piece of leather: the Vamp. The vamp forms a footbed that hugs your feet on all sides, and allows your foot to flex and feel the ground. Because a moccasin is made from the bottom up, there is no way to sew a moccasin together, except by hand. At the toe piece, the shoe maker connects the upper and the vamp with the overlap seam. Here in the light of day, everyone can see how the moccasin is put together, and if you were to cutoff the modern sole, your boot would still be wearable. In fact, the modern sole is really the only structural difference between a Russell Moccasin and moccasins made and worn for millennia by Native Americans. The resulting product of true moccasin construction is greater comfort, lighter weight, and unmatched longevity.
Price: 250 USD
Location: Brooklyn, New York
End Time: 2024-12-21T02:31:10.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
UK Shoe Size: 8.5
Department: Men
US Shoe Size: 9
Toe Shape: Square Toe
Insole Material: Leather
Shoe Shaft Style: Ankle
Vintage: No
Upper Material: Leather
Customized: No
AU Shoe Size: 8.5
Shoe Width: D
Outsole Material: Rubber
Brand: Russell Moccasin
Style: Chukka
Color: Brown
Closure: Lace Up
Theme: Hunting, Sports
Type: Boot