I wore them for almost every single thing I did save going to the gym.. I even trudged in some streams with them and the cxl hh laughed in the face of everything I threw at it. How versatile such a distinct and some would say archaic boy can be if subjecting, I suppose, but I found myself wearing these everywhere from the park, to bars, to the river, to real estate shooting ( after a quick condition and brush) and got inquiries and compliments in almost setting. Brian’s design really is so eye catching that it intrigued people from all walks of life. There are also always on my feet when I have had the pleasure of being able accompany him in his in his shop and watch him work and learn from him. They have become a representation of my bootmaking journey and the finish line, excellence I will always strive to match as I move forward in learning this timeless rarified craft. With these boots from Brian, I’ve also been honored to be able to purchase his original singer post machine from 1910 and his original sander,(and soon his original landis stitcher,) keeping his original bootmaking machine family together to make a new generation of boots by my hands. I will look to these boots and measure everything I make on these machines to them, striving to live up to their legacy.
This leather is nearly indestructible. Almost nothing scratches it. Most of my boots are horsebutt , and for a while I was distinctly disappointed in the cxl horse hide that Brian loves so much. But the last month as the brown core triumphantly broke through his overdye, I could see its glorious pull up breaking through like the sun shining through black storm clouds as the vamps finally started to crease and roll. This leather was so tough that by month five I was worried no wear would be apparent enough, that six months just wasn’t enough to wear down black chromexcel horse hide. But once the seal was broken the patina came flowing through in droves. I took the boots in some streams a few times and that really seemed to soften the black in a lot of areas, but the CXL just honestly looked better and better. The patina has become wild with these boots and I think they might be the most beautifully patinad black boots I’ve ever seen. The cxl hh is surprisingly light and pliable and has become extremely soft and comfortable with wear. It’s also very breathable and doesn’t get too hot. I really love the how the loose shafts of engineers create different folds that rub against your pants and take off dye with wear over time. This leather fits my foot like a sock now. Care routine consisted of a bick 4 brush down once a month and that’s it. This leather is ridiculously low maintenance and way easier to care for than my usual go to boot leather, horsebutt.
These are my most comfortable boots by far. He sizes with extreme precision, which he mentioned to me that he gets complaints about sometimes, but it’s how he was taught, no extra room. I would just say if you like a little excess toe room, mention this to Brian because he sizes very close in the toe. The boots definitely create a vacuum and satisfying “thunk” when you push through the passthrough . His sizing is dead on, maybe a little too precise for some. But lack of room for a tour collapsed profile when wearing, they fit and feel PERFECT on.
Brian’s last and patterns are unparalleled in my opinion. He is THE master of early 1900s American vintage looking footwear. The boots are surprisingly light, but not overly so. My only small disappointment is that the buckles are a bit thin and bend easily. His clicking is impeccable and the vamps are rolling beautifully. The stitching is perfection and much of the boot has 4 layers of reinforcement of incredibly precise stitching. His skill with a sewing machine is really something to behold.
Leather soles are Brian’s personal preferred look for engineers. fantastic quality, the thickest and most robust leather sole I’ve seen. I feel it really balances the bold shape of his engineers. Many leather soled engineers feel a little top heavy to me because of how thin most leather soles are. The art deco embossed pattern on the bottom was gorgeous while it lasted.
Brian’s boots aren’t cheap, but they can not be beaten. These will be the new watermark I measure every single boot to and will be the paragon I desperately strive to match in my own bootmaking journey that will hopefully last a lifetime.