Welt Methods

The welt is the strip of leather that joins the upper to the sole. How a boot is welted is one of the best indicators of its quality and of whether it can be resoled. When judging cowboy boots, especially vintage or high-end pairs, the welt method tells you a lot about the maker's standards.

Goodyear welt and hand welt

In a welted boot, a strip of leather (the welt) is sewn to both the upper and a rib or channel on the insole. The outsole is then stitched to the welt in a separate step. The space between the insole and outsole is filled, often with cork, which helps the boot mold to the foot. Because the outsole stitching never goes through the insole, a welted boot can be resoled several times without disturbing the upper.

A Goodyear welt is the machine-sewn version. Handmade boots are often hand-welted, with the welt sewn to the insole by hand; it works the same way and is considered the higher craft. Lucchese, Rios of Mercedes and Black Jack use welted construction on their premium lines. You can recognize it by the row of stitching around the edge of the sole, where the welt meets the outsole, and by the distinct leather strip that sits slightly outside the upper.

Did you know? A welted boot is sometimes confused with stitchdown construction, where the upper itself is turned outward and stitched straight to the sole. Stitchdown is rare in Western boots but shows up in some moccasin-influenced designs. Look for the separate welt strip to confirm a welted boot.

Blake stitch

In Blake construction, one row of stitching passes through the outsole, insole and upper in a single pass. The boot is thinner and more flexible, with a sleek profile. It is harder to resole, because the stitching runs through the insole, and it lets in more water, since the stitch holes go all the way through.

Blake stitching is uncommon in traditional Western boots and appears mostly on fashion styles and lower-priced lines. Check inside the boot: if you can see or feel a row of stitching on the insole, it is probably Blake-stitched.

Pegged construction

Wooden pegs are one of the oldest ways to fasten a sole, and they predate sole-stitching machines. Small hardwood pegs are driven through the outsole into the insole. In cowboy boots, pegs are most often used through the waist, the narrow area under the arch, where they hold the shank in place and stiffen the arch. Pegs swell slightly when wet and grip tighter.

A pegged waist is a traditional mark of careful work and is still used on many handmade and premium boots alongside a welted forefoot. Some vintage boots, particularly older handmade pairs, are pegged more extensively. To identify pegging, look at the bottom of the boot near the waist and heel for rows of small round peg heads instead of stitching. A good cobbler can resole a pegged boot, but it takes more skill than an ordinary welted resole.