Best Stitchdown Podcasts (2024)

1
Flora Knight on Guthrie, Oklahoma's Cowboy Bootmaking Lineage and That Time She Tried to Tan Her Own Leather 1:00:57

6h ago1:00:57

1:00:57

She was born in Canada and grew up in New Zealand, but few people could possibly seem more at home making bespoke cowboy boots in Guthrie, Oklahoma than Flora Knight. Learning the craft from two of the historic western city's best teachers imaginable—bootmaking legends Lisa Sorrell and Ray Dorwart—certainly didn't hurt things. Neither did her other…

1
Tokyo Boot Scene—Japan's Incredible Footwear City 1:27:29

2h ago1:27:29

1:27:29

Phil Kalas of the Full Grain Podcast takes over the Shoecast this week to interview Ben about his recent trip to boots-and-shoes mecca Tokyo—expect a deep-dive into city's astounding footwear scene, why and how it exists, plus a preview of five upcoming feature videos that'll be coming out before too long.…

1
EP48: Leather Tanning 101 1:12:37

1d ago1:12:37

1:12:37

Horween Tanner, Esteban Perez, explains leather tanning and retanning. Leave your tanning and finishing questions in the YouTube comments. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleathe…

1
Behind The Scenes of Footwear Development With White's Boots President Eric Kinney & Jason from Division Road 50:43

4d ago50:43

50:43

In long-overdue returns to the Shoecast, White’s Boots President Eric Kinney and Division Road’s Jason Pecarich sat down to pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to develop new footwear products, getting into every twist and turn on past collaborative makeups as well as some forthcoming never-before-seen construction + style combos. We als…

1
EP47: Dean Delray, Leather Jackets, Stand-Up Comedy 1:26:49

5d ago1:26:49

1:26:49

Dean Delray is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, design lover and jacket collector. https://www.deandelray.com/ https://www.instagram.com/deandelray/?hl=en https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashland Leather has you covered. https:…

1
Custom Shoemaker Amara Hark-Weber on Why She Makes a Different Pair Every Single Time 1:05:47

11d ago1:05:47

1:05:47

Amara Hark-Weber surely must be one of the most delightful people in this world—which anyone could likely tell just from looking at the remarkably unique and creative boots and shoes the Twin Cities, Minnesota-based custom maker creates. This episode, Amara fought through a cold to discuss why she makes EVERY pair different from the previous, the i…

1
EP46: Q&A Chromepak vs. CXL, Horween Pinnacle, Coffee Tanning, Why Pit Tan? 53:41

16d ago53:41

53:41

Nick Horween and Phil Kalas answer your most pressing leather questions. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ The world's finest leather. Check our Horween Leather. http…

1
EP45: Shell Cordovan, Dublin, Essex, Pit Tanning, Tree Barks 1:06:40

22d ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Nick and Phil explore the similarities and differences of Shell Cordovan and Horween’s Essex leather. Both leathers are tanned using the same blend of tree barks. Horween’s Essex leather can also be finished into other products including Horween’s Dublin and Derby. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrain…

1
EP44: NBA Basketball Leather - Leather vs. Plastic 46:04

1M ago46:04

46:04

Nick explains why leather is the choice material for professional NBA basketball and NFL football players. Phil and Nick discuss material options and compare leather and plastic choices. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashlan…

1
EP43: 1940s Timber Tanned Calf Leather 58:36

2M ago58:36

58:36

First tanned in 1940, Timber Tanned Calf is a legacy leather that is as storied as it is beautiful. The formula was lost. Despite the tannery’s best attempts they have not been able to reproduce it. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Watch it on YouTube https://youtu.be/OM7_YR03sCo Get a wall…

1
EP42: Horween Cypress, Latigo vs. CXL, Grey Colors, Small vs. Established Brands 1:13:26

2M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

Starting with the cowboy origins of Latigo leathers, Nick delves into the details of Cypress, one of Horween’s latest leather offerings. We explore the complexities involved in achieving specific colors like grey and white. Finally, we engage in a conversation about the unique competitive edges that both small and large brands possess. 0:00 Topics …

1
Chisos Founder Will Roman on How Cowboy Boots Will Save Us All 43:31

2M ago43:31

43:31

For the closeout episode of Shoecast season 11, Ben sits down with Will Roman, founder of Chisos Boots, a young and growing brand out of Austin, Texas that offers one of the best values in a legitimately well made, well designed cowboy boot. They cover how Chisos in some ways started with a lemonade stand, how Will ended up in León Mexico and fell …

1
EP41: ⚡Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome⚡, Boot Camp, Leather Perspective 1:21:31

3M ago1:21:31

1:21:31

Ben Robinson from Stitchdown joins Nick Horween and Phil Kalas to chat Thunderdome, Boot Camp, and Leather. Congratulations to all of the winners of the Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome. Boot Camp is October 12-13 in NYC. 0:00 What’s a podcast? 0:49 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome 45:25 Boot Camp 57:35 Leather Perspective https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.…

1
Exploring What "Handmade" Truly Means With Leatherworker and Bootmaker Bob Henderson 1:07:25

3M ago1:07:25

1:07:25

For the penultimate episode of the 11th season of the Stitchdown Shoecast, I’m quite excited indeed to be chatting with the just ridiculously talented man they call Bob Henderson. Bob is the operations manager at Popov Leather, the bustling leathergoods workshop over yonder in British Columbia, Canada—and over the last few years has been sucked up …

1
EP40: CXL is Overrated?💰 Is Alden Overpriced? WWII Boots, Dale’s Leatherworks 1:09:31

3M ago1:09:31

1:09:31

Asking the hard questions up top: Is Horween Chromexcel (CXL) leather overrated? Is Alden overpriced? Dale from Dale’s Leatherworks shares his opinions with Nick Horween and Phil Kalas. 0:00 American Original 1:08 Is CXL Overrated? 19:12 Is Alden Overpriced? 30:03 WWII Boots 38:47 Stuck in a boot world from 10+ years ago 52:38 Nick Q&A Lightning Ro…

1
Fritz Sr. and Jr. of Seidel Tanning on the Art, Science, and Challenges of Making Leather 1:01:51

4M ago1:01:51

1:01:51

This time Ben sits down with two, count ‘em TWO Fritz Seidels: Fritz Jr. and Fritz Sr., who every day are continuing on the tradition of the four-generation, 79-year-old Siedel Tanning Corp in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to getting the lowdown on some longtime Seidel favorite leathers and overlooked gems, we get into Seidel’s history and flui…

1
EP39: Sam Parker, Context Clothing, Alden, Roy Boot, Wisconsin Footwear, Supper Clubs 1:23:18

3M ago1:23:18

1:23:18

Sam Parker is the co-founder of Context Clothing. He is one of the individuals behind the creation of the famous Roy Boot by Alden x Context. Context had a 15 year run and closed its doors in 2020. Sam now runs restaurants and bars in Madison Wisconsin: Turn Key Supper Club, Settle Down Tavern, and Ounce By Ounce. https://www.turnkeymadison.com/ ht…

1
Shoe Care Essentials, How Many Boots is Too Many, Brands We Want Back...It's The Shoebag!! 1:22:43

4M ago1:22:43

1:22:43

Before he bolts for a very important trip to the bread store, Ticho is back in the leather-smelly homestead for perhaps our most comprehensive Shoebag episode ever, in which we discuss what shoe care products are essential and which you don't really need, brands we'd love to see restored to their former glory, what to wear with Red Wings (vague hin…

1
Ep38: Q&A Brain Tanning(!) Leather, Horween Predator, Horsebutt, Rancourt 1:16:24

4M ago1:16:24

1:16:24

Nick and Phil take on your hardest hitting leather questions including leather terms, brain tanning, leather delays, Horween’s Predator leather, horsebutt, sneakers and more. Need a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life? Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ Want the world's finest leather? Check our Horwe…

1
EP37: Stridewise, Best Shell Cordovan, Veg vs. Chrome tan, Boot Collecting 1:58:16

4M ago1:58:16

1:58:16

Nick English is the owner of www.stridewise.com, a blog and YouTube channel focusing on boots and casual durable stuff. A wide range of leather and boot topics are covered including who makes the best shell cordovan, Horween Chromexcel leather, current trends, European style, loafers, veg tanning vs. chrome tanning, and many more. 0:00 Best Shell C…

1
EP: 36 WTF is Aniline? Aniline Leather & Leather Finishing🖌️ 1:26:18

4M ago1:26:18

1:26:18

Are you considering aniline leather? Or perhaps a completely painted leather? Join Nick and Phil as they delve into various leather finishes, highlighting aniline leather. Leather can range from unfinished to fully finished, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. 0:00 What is Aniline Leather 8:29 Aniline etymology and marketing 14:0…

1
Bespoke Shoemaker Sebastian Tarek on West-End Outwork and Judging the World's Greatest Shoemaking Competition 54:57

5M ago54:57

54:57

When London (by way of Australia) bespoke shoemaker Sebastian Tarek began making shoes in high school, his grandmother let him in on a little secret: he had been preceded in his journey by 18 generations of family cordwainers. After years of schooling—including at the famed Cordwainers College in Hackney, London—he eventually ended up settling into…

1
EP35: Suede, Nubuck, Rough Out Waxed Flesh and Genuine Leather: Everything You Want to Know 1:21:56

4M ago1:21:56

1:21:56

Nick and Phil discuss the differences and similarities in “genuine leathers” including suede, split suede, nubuck, rough out, and waxed flesh. How should you care for your suede? Is nubuck more durable than suede? Is a split suede of poor quality? All of the answers are here. 0:00 Genuine Leathers 0:21 What is suede? 9:10 What is rough out and waxe…

1
Actor Adam Goldberg on His Lifelong Quest to Remake James Dean's Boots 1:11:01

5M ago1:11:01

1:11:01

Adam Goldberg has quite legitimately always been one of my favorite actors—and from Dazed & Confused, to the Fargo TV show, to A Beautiful Mind, he has always been EXCELLENTLY attired, right down to his boots. But he doesn't just play a person who cares about boots on TV and in movies! Adam is a very real-deal obsessive who's neck deep in Clinch, Z…

1
Tony & Tobias of Wyatt & Dad Cobblers on Building a Shoe Repair Mini-Empire 1:01:31

5M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Back in 1989, Tony Wyatt and his brother Lance launched Wyatt & Dad Cobbler Company (and even trained their retired-preacher dad to do shoe repair work, so no it's not just a clever name). Thirty five years later, the operation has seen endless swings in the cobbling industry, weathering them as well as any operation out there. The goal was always …

1
Goods & Services' Rory Fortune on Handwelting Sneakers, and the Shell Cordovan BIRKENCHONKS 52:14

5M ago52:14

52:14

The sneaker and welted footwear worlds are (very slowly) colliding, and Rory Fortune is smack in the middle of the two In 2019, Rory and his wife Lauren set up shop in LA's design district to open Goods & Services, a half cobbler shop / half sneaker customization pacesetter. Custom resoles—often accomplished via the tricky process of converting cem…

1
The (Mostly) Complete History of Boots with Bata Shoe Museum Director Elizabeth Semmelhack 1:23:14

6M ago1:23:14

1:23:14

In one of our favorite—and certainly the most sprawling—Shoecast episodes to date, Ben chats with Elizabeth Semmelhack, director and curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada. Which I believe is safe to say—thanks to more than 15,000 shoes, boots, and related artifacts covering 4,500 years of human history—is the world’s preeminent dedicat…

1
EP34: LIVE Q&A Shinki Shell Cordovan, Seidel Double Shot, Calf, Predator, Horsebutt 1:05:26

6M ago1:05:26

1:05:26

Nick and Phil answer your most pressing leather questions. 0:00 Favorite Episodes 4:03 Arabica Lux Leather 6:00 Saphir Mirror Gloss 9:11 Tanner’s Blend on Shell Cordovan 10:27 Favorite and Least Favorite Leathers 14:28 Horween’s Crunch Leather 16:33 VIberg Double Butt Shell Cordovan Boot 22:47 Does Horween Tan Calf? 27:11 What Scent Does the Tanner…

1
Sagara's Bagus Satrio on the Indonesian Bootmaking Explosion 44:50

6M ago44:50

44:50

Sagara head man Bagus Satrio is one of my favorite people in the whole bootmaking game. I absolutely love the work he and his team do—his Cordmasters need to be at or near the top of ANYONE’S best monkey boots ranking—and he’s just a hugely interesting and wonderful man. Sagara’s almost 15 years deep doing exceptional work, and about a half decade …

1
EP33: Ultimate Leather Care Guide. Horween Shell Cordovan Polishing Secrets 1:42:28

6M ago1:42:28

1:42:28

Going deep on leather care. 0:00 1990’s Miami Painting 1:55 The Ultimate Leather Care Guide 4:40 Nick Horween’s Leather Care Routine 7:58 Leather is Designed to Last 12:31 Shoe Trees 13:44 Phil Kalas’ Leather Care Routine 15:48 Air Dry After Washing Leather 17:50 Leather Conditioner and Saddle Soap 20:59 Use Less Polish 23:35 Hard Wax vs. Soft Wax …

1
Ken Diamond on the Rare Satisfaction of Making Boots by Hand 48:31

7M ago48:31

48:31

Back in the 2010s, Ken Diamond had a booming moccasin business in Vancouver—celebrities wore his shoes, which also secured a hallowed spot on the shelves of Istetan, the Tokyo department store that's home to likely the world's great shoe selection. But at the brand's peak, a bit burned out and seeking something fresh, Ken bailed on it all. Today, 1…

1
Curtis From Alden Madison on How to Size Into Any Last, and That One Time He Saw Harrison Ford 1:14:11

8M ago1:14:11

1:14:11

Alden Madison is one of the essential New York City shoe stores, stocking and selling more Alden shoes and boots than likely anywhere else in the world. This week, Ben and Ticho sit down with shop co-owner Curtis Bosch to talk about how he got sucked in by the good-shoe tractor beam in the first place, how their makeup program has taken off in wild…

1
Shoebag!! Craziest Break-In Stories, Plus Ticho & Ben's Only Five Forever Pairs: Revisited! 58:08

8M ago58:08

58:08

Long, long ago, Ben & Ticho did a Shoecast episode in which they had to (just for pretend, don't worry) get rid of all their shoes and boots—FOREVER—and only keep five pairs that just made sense for their lives. A lot has changed since then! So we went back to revisit our picks, and the results are...interesting! Also on this Shoebag episode: why t…

1
Cutting it Up With Cobbling Legend Steve Doudaklian of Bedo's Leatherworks 1:15:35

8M ago1:15:35

1:15:35

Ten years ago, Steve Doudaklian looked at a camera, said “good morning shoe repair family”, fixed up some shoes, and put a grainy video on YouTube as a service to cobblers around the world. A decade later, Steve’s videos still don’t look all that different from his first—but now they’re often watched by millions, and stand as perhaps the measuring …

1
EP32: Alden Indy Boot, What is Quality, Meat Industry, Rose Anvil Weston Kay Pt.2 1:03:07

8M ago1:03:07

1:03:07

Part two of two with Weston Kay from Rose Anvil. Check out the Rose Anvil YouTube channel to see boots cut in half. 0:00 Alden Indy Boot 11:30 Making Mistakes 16:15 Responsibility of Being Critical of Brands 19:37 Quality Testing Methods 22:03 Does Leather Thickness Matter? 31:17 Hunting 32:55 What happens to leather if people stop eating meat 39:4…

1
Sarah Guerin aka Saboteuse Knows More About Massachusetts Shoemaking History Than Anyone Alive 1:17:22

9M ago1:17:22

1:17:22

To call Sarah Madeline Tierney Guerin an incredibly skilled cowboy boot maker would be accurate—and also highly incomplete. Sarah is also an artist, a historian, an educator, a storyteller, a preservationist, someone who just thinks about things differently than most of the rest of us, and quite possibly the person who knows the most of anyone in t…

1
EP31: Rose Anvil Cut in Half. Form vs. Function. Shell Cordovan Engineer Boots. Alden Controversy. Part 1 of 2. 46:48

8M ago46:48

46:48

Part one of two. Cutting apart Weston Kay from Rose Anvil. Weston’s YouTube channel has cut countless boots in half for our sadistic pleasure. He has accumulated a vast amount of footwear and construction knowledge and has become influential with a one million follower base on YouTube. Recently, Rose Anvil has sparked some controversy with a harsh …

1
Boot Camp!!! Ben & Ticho Recap Our Inaugural Fine Leather Footwear Gathering 51:09

9M ago51:09

51:09

So, Ticho forced Ben to talk about Boot Camp, the fine leather footwear gathering / world's fair of boots and shoes and leather / celebration of shoemaking / big ol' party that Stitchdown just put on a few weeks back in Industry City, Brooklyn. The two get into plenty of aggressive reminiscing—about the community connections forged and strengthened…

1
Grenson's Tim Little on UK vs Outsourced Manufacturing, Triple Welts & "Throwing Away the Pompous Bit" 51:05

9M ago51:05

51:05

“Let’s just change it up a bit” is how Tim Little describes his approach to shoe design for Grenson. It might as well be Tim's ongoing mantra. After years in advertising—including handling the Adidas footwear account—Tim decided it was time to change it up a bit and make some welted footwear. Tim Little Shoes was born, with Tim working with various…

1
EP30 New Leathers at Horween, Stitchdown Boot Camp 59:42

9M ago59:42

59:42

Sad to have missed the first ever Boot Camp. Let us know how it was? Today we are making up for it by asking Nick to review some of the newly developed leathers at Horween. Need a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life? Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ Want the world's finest leather? Check our Horween…

1
Fifth-Generation Tanner Ed Gallun on Milwaukee's Leathermaking History, What Separates Great Leather from the Rest, and More 48:34

10M ago48:34

48:34

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 grandfather started in 1858 in Milwaukee, he simply can't get away from it. That's a very good thing. Ed relaunched Gallun Leathers in 2022, focusing on tanning incredibly interesting, dare w…

1
EP29: Thunderdome, Bo Jackson, What Makes Leather Smell?, Hot Stuffing Explained 50:19

10M ago50:19

50:19

Answering the important questions. Nick Horween explains why hot stuffing imparts a great leather scent. Need a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life? Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ Want the world's finest leather? Check our Horween Leather. https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcas…

1
EP28: Rare Shell Cordovan 55:20

10M ago55:20

55:20

Nick Horween explains the rarity of shell cordovan, rare shell colors, and supply challenges. Need a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life? Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ Want the world's finest leather? Check our Horween Leather. https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Watch on …

1
Rose Anvil's FINAL Take on Alden Indys, Plus Behind The Scenes of the RA Operation 1:10:46

10M ago1:10:46

1:10:46

We're back with Weston Kay, the one and only Rose Anvil from the new streaming video platform called "YouTube", to discuss the shame he feels for the criminal act of cutting a pair of 100+ year old WWI boots in half, how he outfitted his Rose Anvil Builds workshop with some incredible old cobbling equipment, why it's much harder than it should be f…

1
Crown Northampton's Chris Woodford on The Rise and Fall (& Hopeful Rise Again) of Northamptonshire Shoemaking 1:13:59

11M ago1:13:59

1:13:59

Chris Woodford is a bit of a madman. And he’s pretty much thrilled about that. The fifth-generation shoemaker founded Crown Northampton—maker of some of the world’s best-made sneakers—as a reaction to watching his father’s business unravel, along with so much else of the iconic Northampton, England shoemaking trade. After watching factory after fac…

1
Kustom Kraft's Dennis Kieback on Starting a Handmade Bootmaking Business, Funky German Leathers, and Getting in the "Flow State" 34:07

11M ago34:07

34:07

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, Dennis sits down with Ben to chat how tricky it is to get a business started (“who wants boots from someon…

1
The Shoe Service Institute of America's Justin Bennett on the Shoe Supply Game, Cobbling's Future, and More 41:33

12M ago41:33

41:33

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 member Justin Bennett (day job: Chicago-based shoe store/repair shop supplier Justin Blair & Co) to catch up on what happened at the recent 116th annual SSIA Convention, including the organiza…

1
Shoebag!! Next Big Makers? How Should Handsewns Fit?? Is the Thunderdome Too Commercial??? And More! 1:01:13

12M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

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 best approach to trying out new makers on the scene—and who should you keep eyes open for short-term? What are you doing wrong with (get this)... shoe bags?? Are we nearing a great-boots bubbl…

1
Springline's Michael James Breaks Down The Mystical Art of Lastmaking 37:44

12M ago37:44

37:44

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 the world’s finest production and bespoke lasts (plus shoe trees), the inherent talents required to be a …

1
Graham Ebner is the Next Big Thing in Bespoke Cowboy Boots 1:05:02

1y ago1:05:02

1:05:02

When Graham Ebner says he makes “really nice, really expensive” cowboy boots, it’s somehow barely a brag. In just five short years the Austin, Texas native (“to be clear, I grew up FIRMLY in the suburbs”) has established an impressive foothold for himself in the pantheon of rising bespoke cowboy makers. After training under the legendary Lee Miller…

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