How to Sew America's Toughest Work Boot.

Sewing America’s toughest work boots isn’t easy. In this blog we’ll walk through how Nicks Boots are sewn.

Before we begin to talk about the process, let’s talk about the tools. Here at Nicks, we can’t use a regular old sewing machine. Sewing boots takes a specialized machine that allows our craftsmen to rotate and move the boot in ways that are impossible with a regular sewing machine. Our sewing machines have a raised sewing post, called a post-bed, that allows the boot to be manipulated and sewn in a three dimensional way.

Each pair of Nicks starts as 18 pieces of leather, precisely cut and selected for production. The fist step in the sewing process is the quarters. The quarters are the sections of leather around your leg. These pieces are sewn along the back seam, then hammered flat. Once the quarters are sewn together we add the top facing, or the collar of the boot. After this leather is sewn on the excess is trimmed away.

When sewing the leather, we use multiple rows of stitching to secure the pieces together. If one  row would get cut on the job, you have a few more until the boots get repaired. Multiple rows of stitching also adds security to the boot and helps seal against moisture. 

The next step in sewing the boots is the pull loop and backstay. The pull loop is attached at the top of the quarters, rolled over, then and covered by the backstay. The backstay protects the back seam and adds more support to the quarters of the boot.

The quarters are then stamped with our logo and move on to have the tongue sewn on. The boot tongue is sewn all the way to the collar of the boot to prevent water and debris from entering. 

The vamp is then sewn to the tongue in a horseshoe shape. The quarters are sewn to the vamp, closing the boot upper. Then comes the final step, counter pocket sewing. The counter pocket is sewn on with a triple stitch, completing the sewing process.

At this point, the sewn boot upper has hardware stamped into it, normally hooks and eyes. The boot is the ready for the next step, lasting!