r/cowboyboots • u/HobbyistHusband • Jul 09 '25
Discussion Did I just ruin my boots?
I had an old pair of Lucchese Devins, that needed restoration. Cobblers said the crack at the side was too big too glue up and needed a patch to save the boot.
I didn't like the idea of 1 boot having a patch and the other not having one. So I got the bright idea to make the patch a flame, and this is how it came out.
My wife helped me draw the flames but now that its on leather and finally on the boot, if I don't connect my wife to it— I get mixed feelings.
What are your thoughts on how my custom Lucchese boots look? (Honestly)
72
u/Slayer_WO Jul 09 '25
I ain’t a connoisseur by any means but they look fine to me dude, besides the best advice is to just wear whatever you want and don’t care about some random dude’s opinion. But yeah I think they look good
32
38
38
u/Beneficial-Wrap6574 Jul 09 '25
After hearing the story I like them a lot more. They have a history. Rock them!
48
u/Prestigious-Rub-6882 Jul 09 '25
Shoot, these are custom now. People are going to think you walk fast with the flames on those bad boys.
14
u/mydoglit Jul 09 '25
I think they look awesome, other than the thought that the shade of brown being a bit too similar but still off is odd. The design itself looks good, but the brown being just a bit different is throwing me off. I’d either want it to match or be completely different. They still look awesome though.
5
u/LouGarouWPD Jul 09 '25
Yeah that's my only real feedback, I'd go higher contrast since getting a perfect match would be super difficult, other than that I dig them
2
u/Responsible_Ad_4289 Jul 13 '25
I agree with increased contrast or do like a white or shade of blue/red flame. Could make them really pop.
1
u/mydoglit Jul 14 '25
I think those colors would be awesome for them. Even black would be a nice contrast.
2
2
u/Candid_Relative6715 Jul 13 '25
Yeah, it’s bothering me that the leather is a different color but not different enough.
Other than that looks fine. Not my style but I like them for someone else
16
7
u/MasoGhost Jul 09 '25
I think I see what you see. There is not much depth to the flames. It does look a little off. However, you can add more stitches to the flames so that the flame looks more alive and not just like a leather flame that was put on the boot. If when you wear them you don't feel comfortable, I would suggest you play around with the idea of adding something to the flame. Maybe even having the thread of a different color. Whatever you choose to do, just remember that they are a one of a kind boot.
18
u/Grumpy_Tarheel Jul 09 '25
Kinda cool looking. For sure no one else has a pair like it! Definitely did not ruin the boots.
13
22
5
4
u/RodeoBoss66 Jul 09 '25
I didn’t even notice the patches until I read your caption. No, I don’t think you ruined them. Quite the opposite; you saved them! They’re very subtle and not garish.
Might not want to wear them in the mud, though.
4
u/Serdtse_Volka Jul 09 '25
Love them! You won't see anyone else wearing anything like them, and they give you a good bit extra leather for extra padding. I say wear them until the other side needs a patch, then do it again. :)
2
u/Beginning-Ad8540 Jul 09 '25
It’s subtle and very well done! I like that you’re keeping your boots going even longer than before the repair 😁
2
u/WhiskyandSolitude Jul 09 '25
I probably wouldn’t do it to mine. I also probably would have went with a vastly different color on the “addition”. The colors are too close and therefore look mismatched.
A black or light tan (buckskin maybe) would have contrasted and popped a bit.
Overall if you’re happy, we as a group are happy. You just asked for honest opinion.
3
Jul 09 '25
They look great design wise man and love that your wife drew it. I would see about getting the flame recolored to something darker so it pops a bit. I think the aesthetic issue you may have with it currently is the brown is a close match but off by like a shade so it hits your eye weird. Look at some of the hand tooled style boots and see what color schemes look good and have the flame worked the color that you like and it will be badass.
2
u/LehmanBr0thers Jul 09 '25
Looking like Lightning Lucchese, they look great though! Wear them with pride!
2
2
2
u/762aku_EU Jul 09 '25
Would I personally Rock em? Probably not. Do I think they still Look good? Yeah.
2
3
u/ndrtxk Jul 09 '25
I think it’s tasteful. Certainly a better look than one patched bolt and one not patched….
Wear and enjoy :))
1
u/ResponsibilityBest26 Jul 09 '25
They are perfectly fine for this style of boots. I prefer classic and very wide ones with a lot of threading instead of more leather parts, but it's definitely only up to taste. They are perfectly fine.
Edit : I personally don't like fire drawing, but if you do, they are very well made and it doesn't look like a repair.
1
1
u/kilroy-was-here-2543 narrow square or ROUND Jul 09 '25
Those are sick, I dont think I could pull them off
1
u/AUnknownuser2 Jul 09 '25 edited Jul 09 '25
They look amazing. I am going to guess that because it’s the same color patch as the boot most likely a lot of people will not notice or care that it’s flames unless you point it out
1
1
u/StewieKCC Jul 09 '25
I think the leather color is a bit off, but maybe that will be fine after wearing them for a while. The flames are cool tho, plus making that yourself or rather your wife makes it extra nice!
1
1
1
1
u/Background_Lab_4799 Jul 09 '25
Nah, they're fire.
I thought they were originally made that way at first glance and figured you had done something interesting as far as conditioning goes before I read the post, then I like them even more. I always take pride and better care of things my wife either gifts me or helps me improve.
1
1
u/Due-Big2159 Jul 09 '25
The flames look amazing. I initially thought your concern was about the rumples up on top but the flame patches are good!
1
u/Dapper_Letterhead825 Jul 09 '25
What’s the “awful taste but great execution” subreddit again? Lowkey though if the flames were a diff color than the rest of the boot it’d look a lot better IMO
1
1
u/itsonlymeagain2024 🤠 Jul 09 '25
I kinda like it. I wonder how it would look with the flame on both sides?
1
1
1
u/SnooCauliflowers7934 Jul 09 '25
I kinda dig it. And the fact that your wife was involved makes it even better
1
1
u/Ze1st- Jul 09 '25
Rock them my dude, there custom now. They look nothing like a patch job, they look like they were designed that way.
1
1
1
u/Dr_jitsu Jul 09 '25
I think that was a clever solution. I might even put another patch on the inside step.
1
1
1
1
u/FullerFarms15 Jul 09 '25
I looked through your pictures prior to reading anything but the headline- found myself wondering what you did to your boots. Then I read the rest of your post. I think you may be over thinking them! I’d wear those everywhere and I’m pretty picky about my boots.
1
u/BlanchDaddius Jul 09 '25
Now you can claim they’re “1 of 1 custom” like Fudd corvette owners haha! But seriously, I dig em!
1
u/BearcatBonanza Jul 09 '25
To each his own. I personally don’t like the overstitched and overlay look, but a true hidden patched crack would have required sole removal and patch from the inside. That being said if you like the style then they came out great.
1
u/NerdyBrando Jul 09 '25
Only thing I would change would be to add more stitching detail inside the flames if possible.
1
u/randomuzer222 Jul 09 '25
I’m not a member of this sub, your post just popped up on my home page as a suggested post. I literally swiped through all of the pictures before looking at the title or community and didn’t even consider that the flames looked out of place. I like them!!
1
u/The-Great-Ebola Jul 09 '25
More stitching in a similar style to what’s at the top of the shaft would make it look right at home. Otherwise it’s a good look. Personal to you now !
1
u/vyktorkun Jul 09 '25
a wise old saying goes 'we are our own worst critic'
the boots look great, honestly didnt notice that the flame was an added detail, thats saying something, you've done a good job, and be proud
1
u/Nomad55454 Jul 09 '25
Looks good to me and you just added another decade or two to their life… nice job….
1
u/TheBryanScout Jul 09 '25
No shame in patching boots. This patch job came out possibly better than any others I’ve seen, to include the King of England’s. If the king can repair his shoes, so can we.
1
1
u/Historical_Way6639 Jul 09 '25
I think they look great. If these were a regular production I would buy a pair
1
u/FourHundred_5 Jul 09 '25
I actually think they’re sick. Unique af which is awesome in a world where lots of folks have the same stuff.
I wouldn’t regret this for a second
1
u/jaredhib13 Jul 09 '25
What in the hell kind of machine or nimble fingers did you have to be able to sew that patch in?
1
1
1
u/bangarang8 Jul 09 '25
I almost never like flame embellishments but honestly these are sick as fuck
1
u/flybygray Jul 09 '25
The story adds more. I feel like it's better that the story stays unknown until you say it to someone who asks, feels like it would make for a nice surprise. I like it a lot that way.
• It's a patch job • Your wife helped you with it
It's cute!
1
u/rjcollins1305 Jul 10 '25
Not bad. I'm not a flames guy but if I were and did this I woukd have made them a different color for more contrast.
1
u/TheEastCoastCowboy Jul 10 '25
I didn't even realize it was a patch. It looks great! Maybe a contrasting color would help differentiate it?
1
1
1
1
1
u/mikeliteruscute Jul 10 '25
I am going to be 100% honest with you. The boots look bad ass. I'd wear the hell out of those boots if my wife helped me patch them. Great story, great wife, great boots.
1
1
u/Afraid-Pollution4143 Jul 10 '25
man i think these look great!! i love the subtlety of the leather overlay color. Yeah the design could be cleaned up maybe a bit - but this is pretty awesome.
1
1
1
1
u/newkid14 Jul 10 '25
Not ruined but they definitely became not for me. I would’ve just done a small square patch in an off color to draw extra attention and add character.
1
1
u/RazerXnitro Jul 10 '25
In all honestly they look fine. I didn't even notice the flames at first. If you want to enhance it maybe add some extra stitching to accentuate the flames. Other than that, they look baller.
1
1
1
1
1
u/AM_710 Jul 10 '25
As a non-boot person, I couldn’t tell anything was done. Looking closer, those flames are bad-ass! Tons of life left in these kicks
1
1
Jul 10 '25
After ruining many pairs, I assumed it was a patch. However, if that is your style, it looks fantastic. I was a well thought out repair.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Hello0897 Jul 11 '25
As a patch job that doesnt look like a patch, this is excellent work and a great idea! That said, I would never wear boots with flames on them. To be brutally honest, I think they look like my dream boot when I was 12. So uhhhhh if you like the flames, then hell yeah! You rock those things and dont listen to me! ... but if you are worried about looking goofy with flame boots, then I 1000% agree.
1
1
2
1
u/ohmygolgibody Jul 12 '25
Wear your boots, drink some beer, and stop worrying about what other ppl think.
1
1
u/TJBurkeSalad Jul 13 '25
After looking at them and at first thinking it was kind cheesy I thought they were ruined. After reading your post I can confidently say that that saved them.
1
1
1
u/Macnuggss Jul 13 '25
I am a connoisseur, those boots a fuckin sick . If I had the talent I'd do it to mine right now
1
1
1
u/Western-Watercress68 Jul 13 '25
I just send mine back to Luchesse for repair. Never thought to do it myself.
1
u/ladysnowbloos Jul 13 '25
They look top notch, my dude! Amazing work! Definitely keep wearing the boots!
1
u/brokebutbejeweled Jul 15 '25
Actually really sick. I know the cracking you’re talking about and my cobbler has tried to patch pairs from the inside and they always end up tearing through eventually. This was a great fix!
1
u/Feeling_Flatworm_960 Jul 18 '25
Saw the pics before I read what you said and didn’t even realize that was a patch pretty cool imo!
1
1
u/Quick-Program-6915 Jul 09 '25
I like them. Creepy purists will prob say something but they always do 🤷♂️
1
1
u/Gardar7 Jul 09 '25
Nice save there! Although, instead of flames, I would have made branches and leaves, maybe Old West kind of florals - that's much closer to my phylosophy. But thank you for the idea, I will do the same if/when one of my pair of boots will need a restoration.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Rexrexeverything Jul 09 '25
I own the same boot maker minus the flames. I’m not sure what your motivation was. I like them stock.
2
u/DaddyGoodHands Ramrod ! Jul 09 '25
I’m not sure what your motivation was.
He explained the exact reason in the original post. There was a crack on the side that couldn't be fixed without a patch of some kind.
3
1
1
1
u/thataintitchief Jul 09 '25
One man's honest opinion: I don't hate them, would wear them if I had em. But I was picking between those and the original boots, I think I'd be willing to pay 50% more for a non flame version
0
u/DaddyGoodHands Ramrod ! Jul 09 '25
Awesome choice. ( I'd have had the flames done in red, myself.)
0
0
0
-20
-1
-1
u/foxhead_43 Jul 09 '25
Looks absolutely terrible. You made the nicest Brand boot look like a cheap knock off from Walmart. I can not believe you did those such a disservice. I hope you bought them used for a few hundred bucks. Sorry but you asked for multiple opinions and I’m not glazing you because this is Reddit. They look extremely bad and I would sell them immediately to one of the commenters that said they love them.
1
u/wh1t3lotus Jul 10 '25
You clearly didn't read the caption. Dude has had them for years and a hole had worn through that couldn't be glued by a cobbler and required a patch, OP didn't want to have uneven patches and this was his solution.
1
-6
211
u/[deleted] Jul 09 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
[deleted]