Made a pair of Eastern Woodland Mocs

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

Hello,
I followed the video tutorial by The Wandering Bull for their Eastern Woodland moccasins. Although mine don’t look exactly like the ones in the video (probably because I used too thick a hide!), they’ll serve me great out in the woods.

The hide I used is 4-6oz Buffalo splits. What other styles of moccasins do y’all think would work with material this thickness?

 

[andy52]

Did you put in an insole? If yes, then that weight leather will be fine for a while. If not, then you might want to up to 9-10 buff for your next pair.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

Did you put in an insole? If yes, then that weight leather will be fine for a while. If not, then you might want to up to 9-10 buff for your next pair.

Yes, I stitched a simple foot shaped insert of veg tan after I took the photo.

 

[Yewbender]

I never made any with buffalo yet so can’t answer to why the pointy toe. These i did with elk as i followed the same video.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

I never made any with buffalo yet so can’t answer to why the pointy toe. These i did with elk as i followed the same video.View attachment 239642

Real nice! What thickness was the elk hide?

 

[andy52]

Yes, I stitched a simple foot shaped insert of veg tan after I took the photo.

That will make them last a little longer. You can skip the stitching if you want to a with Barge, or other type contact cement when you're doing the layout on the leather.
It will hold long past the usefulness of the leather.

 

[Yewbender]

Real nice! What thickness was the elk hide?

I don’t know as i got it off ebay for a really good deal. Now doing a google search it looks like elk is 3-4oz so i’ll go with that.

 

[Yewbender]

Oh, another thing and not PC/HC is to glue 1/8” crepe rubber to the bottoms so they last longer and will not be slippery. If you decide to glue the crepe rubber make sure to breakin the mocs first. That way you get the right size and fit.

 

[Brokennock]

It looks to me like you didn't change the spacing and tension of your stitches, and thus didn't get the pucker toe as effectively.
But they are a good 1st attempt. I hope you kept your pattern.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

It looks to me like you didn't change the spacing and tension of your stitches, and thus didn't get the pucker toe as effectively.
But they are a good 1st attempt. I hope you kept your pattern.

Could you please elaborate on that?

 

[Brokennock]

Could you please elaborate on that?

I'll try. Tough for me to explain in writing. First I'll suggest the Steve Davis video on pucker-toe moccasin making. I combined his method with Wandering Bull. The only reason I did was because there is one small part of Steve's video I didn't quite understand,,,, and I hadn't seen Noel Greyson's video yet.
https://www.youtube.com/live/kA8rakZrw7M?feature=share
Essentially the closer your stitches are the less pucker you get. So for the 1st 5 or so stitches working out from the center of the toe, the spacing is a little wider than where the seam will come up the arch of the foot. And,,, need to be pulled tight. Pulling the stitch tight, and having a wider spacing should act like a shower curtain on a rod, the material gets bunched up as far down the thread as it caarchives. This will give that puckered area at the toe and pull that pointy part up on top of the toes.

(not the best example of the transition from pucker to flat seam, just to show where that point ends up instead of being in front of or under the toes)

Then, nice neat close together stitches are made up the arch.
If the leather is too thick you could try skiving the edges.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I made a pair from a WB kit and instructions that turned out well. I am using home made Durafelt insoles which help a lot with comfort. I also sprayed the bottoms with sealer but am not sure it did much good. I have some heavier leather I want to make a pair or two from and also ordered some thicker Durafelt for insole use. I suppose heavy-duty and moccasins don’t really go together but a little more durable would be nice for the effort.

 

[Cvkotvkse]

Good looking first attempt, especially with cowhide suede! The late Seminole elder Billy Bowlegs lll, whose making of moccasins was studied and described by ethnographers, advised using only deer ( and I would think possibly elk) hides for the pucker toe style of mocs. He stated that these, whether braintanned or commercialy tanned, were the only kind that were "appropriate...:" and that cowhide, no matter how supple, wouldn't do. After making and using mocs made of each, I agree. Deerhide is supple enough to get the right "pucker" effect, while being more durable for its thickness than cowhide.
I have started to think of the puckered toe as being specifically a more Southeastern style, as the Eastern Woodland mocs from further north don't look like they have it; some of the more Northern ones I've seen were done with a straight stitch, and then turned so that the stitching was inside the moc.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

Good looking first attempt, especially with cowhide suede! The late Seminole elder Billy Bowlegs lll, whose making of moccasins was studied and described by ethnographers, advised using only deer ( and I would think possibly elk) hides for the pucker toe style of mocs. He stated that these, whether braintanned or commercialy tanned, were the only kind that were "appropriate...: and that cowhide, no matter how supple, wouldn't do. After making and using mocs made of each, I agree. Deerhide is supple enough to get the right "pucker" effect, while being more durable for its thickness than cowhide.
I have started to think of the puckered toe as being specifically a more Southeastern style, as the Eastern Woodland mocs from further north don't look like they have it; some of the more Northern ones I've seen were done with a straight stitch, and then turned so that the stitching was inside the moc.

Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. I’m currently working on another pair with some of the advice provided on this page.

I’ll wear through the pairs I made from bison first, then I’ll invest in some good quality elk. Any recommendations on where to get good elk or deer hide?

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

I'll try. Tough for me to explain in writing. First I'll suggest the Steve Davis video on pucker-toe moccasin making. I combined his method with Wandering Bull. The only reason I did was because there is one small part of Steve's video I didn't quite understand,,,, and I hadn't seen Noel Greyson's video yet.
https://www.youtube.com/live/kA8rakZrw7M?feature=share
Essentially the closer your stitches are the less pucker you get. So for the 1st 5 or so stitches working out from the center of the toe, the spacing is a little wider than where the seam will come up the arch of the foot. And,,, need to be pulled tight. Pulling the stitch tight, and having a wider spacing should act like a shower curtain on a rod, the material gets bunched up as far down the thread as it caarchives. This will give that puckered area at the toe and pull that pointy part up on top of the toes.

View attachment 239704View attachment 239705
(not the best example of the transition from pucker to flat seam, just to show where that point ends up instead of being in front of or under the toes)

Then, nice neat close together stitches are made up the arch.
If the leather is too thick you could try skiving the edges.

Thanks for the explanation, it really helped when constructing my second pair. They’re looking a lot better IMO.

 

[Brokennock]

Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. I’m currently working on another pair with some of the advice provided on this page.

I’ll wear through the pairs I made from bison first, then I’ll invest in some good quality elk. Any recommendations on where to get good elk or deer hide?

I think the company is called Moscow Hide and Fur that was highly recommended to me to get good quality brain tan, they had many different animal hides and split hides, deer, elk, moose, bison, etc. I never would up ordering, couldn't stretch the budget that far.

 

[Seamus]

Here is a link to an article that you may find useful.

http://www.nativetech.org/seminole/moccasins/construction.php
Brain tan is expensive and, if you've ever done it you'll know why. I've not tried it, but the German tan from Crazy Crow may be a good substitute.

 

[Cvkotvkse]

Here is a link to an article that you may find useful.

http://www.nativetech.org/seminole/moccasins/construction.php
Brain tan is expensive and, if you've ever done it you'll know why. I've not tried it, but the German tan from Crazy Crow may be a good substitute.

Definitely one of the better "how-to's," although I would reccommend reading it through CAREFULLY and thoughtfully re: the early stage of the stitching, and how the "pucker" (a "gather" in tailor terms) is created by making the lace stay straight and the hide fold along it, ONE STITCH AT A TIME.
There is a good reason for every single detail Chief Bowlegs shared with the author...