Cowboy Boots

The boots are part of Clinch's broader commitment to recreating 1940s-era American boot styles through meticulous craftsmanship and premium materials. As with all Clinch models, production is limited to between 800 and 1,000 pairs annually across all styles, making them highly sought after by heritage footwear enthusiasts and collectors.

The Cowboy Boots are built on Clinch's HR Last, which was introduced specifically for cowboy boot construction. The last features a beautifully sculpted shape designed to create a snug fit that contours to the foot, with the intention that the leather will mold to the wearer's foot shape over time.

The boots feature hand-sewn welted construction using a 270-degree flat welt, with every step of the welting process completed by hand except for the final outsole attachment. This construction method ensures the boots are resoleable and rebuildable, contributing to their longevity and value retention.

A distinctive design element is the slanted style heel, which uses a reproduction O'Sullivan's Heel Block. O'Sullivan's was an American heel manufacturer that patented this particular heel style in 1899, making the reproduction authentic to vintage American boot construction methods. The heel features a slanted inner face and steep rear angle characteristic of the original design.

The vamp front incorporates a distinctive crease line through the center, similar to vintage engineer boot styles and representing a signature Clinch design element. The boots also feature contrasting stitching and leather pull-ups, adding to their visual appeal and functional utility.

The Cowboy Boots are constructed primarily from horsebutt leather, sourced from premium European tanneries. Clinch maintains extremely selective standards for leather quality, with less than 50 percent of available horsebutt stock meeting their specifications for use in their boots.

Much of the horsebutt leather used by Clinch comes from Maryam Tannery in Tuscany, Italy, which is regarded as one of the leading sources for this material. The Maryam horsebutt leather is vegetable tanned and features full grain construction with notable density and richness. Natural horsebutt leather is undyed and remains in a raw state, displaying natural characteristics including spider web veining, dark spots, scars, and cuts that add to each boot's distinctive appearance.

The horsebutt leather receives a TPR (resin) finish that provides a shell cordovan-like appearance while maintaining the leather's natural grain patterns. This finishing process creates a honeycomb pattern of wrinkles and allows the leather to develop a rich patina over time.

Hardware components are sourced specifically from Japan, including brass hardware, welts, and nails. The insole and midsole leathers come from what Clinch describes as leading tanneries worldwide, while the outsoles are custom-made specifically for Clinch boots.

Clinch Cowboy Boots are manufactured in Tokyo by Clinch founder Minoru Matsuura and his team of 10 to 11 craftspeople. The boots are classified as 90 percent handmade according to established Japanese definitions, with hand-lasting and mostly hand-welted construction methods.

The manufacturing process begins with the insole being soaked and then molded to the bottom of the HR Last. The boot is then built around this molded insole using traditional construction techniques. Production is deliberately limited, with Clinch manufacturing between 800 and 1,000 pairs of boots annually across all their models.

The company operates from multiple locations in Tokyo, with the main site handling bottom making and finishing processes. Upper assembly takes place on upper floors, while nearby spaces are utilized for cutting and preparation work. This distributed approach allows the small team to maintain their quality standards while managing the complex production process.

As part of Clinch's commitment to traditional bootmaking techniques, the construction aims to recreate the build and style of 1940s boots while incorporating the advantages of modern materials and quality control.

The Cowboy Boots are available in brown horsebutt leather through select retailers specializing in heritage footwear. Retail pricing is approximately £1,795.00 or equivalent in other currencies. The boots are offered in US sizes ranging from 7 to 12.5 in half-size increments.

Due to Clinch's limited annual production and the time-intensive handmade construction process, availability is typically constrained. The company's focus on quality over quantity means that waiting periods are common for new orders.

Approximately 70 percent of Clinch boots are sold internationally, with the United States accounting for half of all export sales. This distribution pattern reflects the strong demand for premium heritage footwear in markets where consumers value traditional construction methods and premium materials.