Stitchdown Shoecast

Fifth-Generation Tanner Ed Gallun on Milwaukee’s Leathermaking History, What Separates Great Leather from the Rest, and More

Ed Gallun was born into tanning—and even though the American tanning industry isn't what it once was for much of the life of the tannery his great-great-great g... Read More...

Rose Anvil—Weston Kay-Shoecast Interview

Rose Anvil’s FINAL Take on Alden Indys, Plus Behind The Scenes of the RA Operation

We're back with Weston Kay, the one and only Rose Anvil from the new streaming video platform "YouTube", to discuss the shame he feels for the criminal act of c... Read More...

Dennis Kieback — Kustom Kraft Boots — German Bootmaker in Workshop

Kustom Kraft’s Dennis Kieback on Starting a Handmade Bootmaking Business, Funky German Leathers, and Getting in the “Flow State”

When Dennis Kieback made his first pair of Kustom Kraft boots, he’d barely even seen a pair of Red Wings before. But the bookmaking bug had bitten him hard—and the Kiel, Germany craftsman was infected. Now 25+ pairs into his bootmaking career, Den... Read More...

The Shoe Service Institute of America’s Justin Bennett on the Shoe Supply Game, Cobbling’s Future, and More

Since 1904, the Shoe Service Institute of America has operated as an essential champion for the shoe repair industry. This week, Ben sat down with SSIA board me... Read More...

Next Big Makers? Impending Quality Footwear Bubble?? Is the Thunderdome Too Commercial??? And More!

Ben and Ticho are back to tear open the Shoebag once more to answer probing listener questions such as: how should handsewns fit when they're NEW? What's the be... Read More...

Springline’s Michael James Breaks Down The Mystical Art of Lastmaking

Michael James is known as “Northampton’s Last Man”—and after nearly 40 years in the game, the director of Springline lastmakers most certainly lives up to the cheeky moniker. In a rangy chat with Michael, we cover how Springline creates some of th... Read More...

Graham Ebner—Bespoke Cowboy Boot Maker—Really Nice, Really Expensive

Graham Ebner is the Next Big Thing in Bespoke Cowboy Boots

When Graham Ebner says he makes “really nice, really expensive” cowboy boots, it’s somehow barely a brag. In just five short years the Houston native (“to be... Read More...

DEEP Inside Russell Moccasin—How The 125-Year-Old Brand Builds Some of the World’s Most Unique Boots

Just about one year ago, Luke Kolbie and his business partner Joe Julian took over ownership of 125-year-old Russell Moccasin: the Berlin, Wisconsin bookmaker t... Read More...

Cowboy Bootmaking Legend Lisa Sorrell on Myths, Lore, and Why Craft Has Never Been More Important

Guthrie, Oklahoma-based Lisa Sorrell can trace her own bootmaking ancestry back to one of the first cowboy bootmakers ever: Gus Blucher (a man quite aptly named for a shoe). Gus presumably would've been quite proud, as for the last three decades Lisa... Read More...

Shoebag! Horsebutt: Over- or Underrated? Crucial Overdye Explorations. And What’s the Deal With Gaston’s Boots??

That's right it's time for another SHOEBAG episode, in which Ben and Ticho dig precariously deep into such pivotal topics as: what is an overdyed leather and ho... Read More...