As a viewer from the Philippines 🇵🇭, 🔥🔥🔥. The whole shoemaking industry will be elevated to higher levels that one day we also get the same respect as China, Europe, PNW USA, Japan, and South America. Make boots great, hot commodity, and awesome again. The sneaker culture slowing down, the boot making scene is now rising up from the ashes. Salute 🥂 PS: Marikina was once a thriving shoemaking industry back then, and one guy from another part of the Philippines is here to bring it up
@@Uncle.Max009I was unaware that there were other boot makers over there besides Willie. I was aware of some shoe makers. If you have any other intel I'd love to know more.
@@Vultain aside from Willie's, there was this shoemaker who wanted to make boots for Rodrigo Duterte who was once then running for president and he's made pairs for other government officials, but have not even recognize him yet, until one day he and his family told him to try to make boots for then Mayor and elected president Duterte and soon it reaches to the president himself, the shoemaker have received full support and all the shoemaking industry has flourish ever since. His name was Tatay Oly, from Marikina.
Thank you Dale for the incredible video. Looking forward to all your future boots coming from Willie! Any possibility you might be visiting him in the coming years?
ooof... so so nice Dale.. i need something like that.. need a third engineer boot to have a black, brown, and finally a tan.. these look great.. very nice leather.. i messaged Willie's a couple weeks ago,, never heard back.. they might be really busy or something
It's some sort of sealant from what I can tell. Although it would be nicer if he used Saphir Sole Guard. I think certain products are harder to reach over in that corner of the world. I believe it is applied less for aesthetics and more for practicality but you wouldn't know that until you see the water bead up on it.
@@Vultain usually, or maybe I should say always EXCEPT this pair, I have observed the bottom waist area we are discussing to get the same treatment as the edges. Edges would include heel stack of course. If the edges are beeswaxed, the waist is beeswaxed. If they edges are stained some shade or brown, the waist would be some shade of brown. In this case the edges are completely natural, so that waist should be completely natural. If you are correct in Willie wanting to "protect" that waist, then it should have been just as important to Willie to protect the edges...but it wasn't. The edges will be exposed more than the waist. So regardless, this doesn't make sense to me. Not functionally or asthetically, or traditionally. Personally, I think Willie F'd up the surface of that waist area, and did that dark color to cover up his mistake. Like maybe he roughed up that area on autopilot thinking it would be getting a full sole instead of a half sole.
@@cloveroak5492 The odd thing is I have noticed he seems to do it to the bottom of all soles and it is added at the end. I suppose at the end of the day I could sit there and contact him and ask why. I agree it seems to be an extremely odd choice. I for one prefer natural and like you said there are ways to attain that. I wonder if Saphir Sole Guard is simply to cost prohibitive over beeswax or other things or what pretell is going on? I have yet to see a single boot where he leaves the waist on a half sole natural. At least from observation.
@@Vultain that is very good to know about Willie always coloring the waist. I guess I've just never looked at his waist area on half soles b4. So this kills my theory on a mistake. 🤔 Saphir is certainly an expensive brand, and there are cheaper choices. But if it was just a matter of price then applying nothing (like he did the edges) would have been cheaper than what he applied. Plus whatever he applied certainly would come in different colors and shades?
@@cloveroak5492 You are correct, it's not a normal stain, definitely had water based properties. I have seen everything from extremely dark brown almost pitch black to a reddish tan. I know that there are certain goods they sell over there for leather working we don't have. I've seen a local shop over there before that sold some sort of Beeswax product but it's all colored and it was being sold at a leather repair and leather working shop. They had a multitude of shades. I can't help wondering if that is what he is using? They did not from what I could tell sell the product in a neutral. That makes me wonder if the only reason we see it on the sole is so you can hide it. As you said, Saphir products command a premium and the majority of his customers are still local. He may not use it if the vast majority of his customers don't know and/or don't care. But they get a rainy season over there so maybe it's a better waterproofer? I'll try to inquire though and get a direct answer. I will update here when I find out. It is going to now bug me if I don't try and find out.
It's the coating that wears off in Maryam Horserump. Usually it wears off in 6 months or faster depending on boot trees and how much your burnish (brush your boots vigorously).
I have 19 pairs of Willie's. I admire the passion He puts in each and every pair. Zero shortcuts. Congrats!
Sarap sana magpaayus ng Pecos Red wing boots at Cowboy boots (resole) dyan kuya kim, nagrerepair po sila diba? huhu taga Cebu lang talaga ako.
I love that shirt - "If it flies, it spies!" haha, good stuff, Dale!
Gotta stay aware of what’s really going on out there 😂
@@DalesLeatherworks tinfoil hats work!! Lol.
Great video. I’m a big fan of Willie’s work. Always on point.
As a viewer from the Philippines 🇵🇭, 🔥🔥🔥. The whole shoemaking industry will be elevated to higher levels that one day we also get the same respect as China, Europe, PNW USA, Japan, and South America. Make boots great, hot commodity, and awesome again. The sneaker culture slowing down, the boot making scene is now rising up from the ashes. Salute 🥂
PS: Marikina was once a thriving shoemaking industry back then, and one guy from another part of the Philippines is here to bring it up
YESSSSS let’s bring back Philippino bootmaking!!!! You guys already have my respect seeing Willie’s quality 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Which region of the Philippines is boot making growing? I have family in Cebu and Manilla.
@@EDHBlvdMarikina where the shoemaking industry has originated, And there's another based in Mandaluyong sir.
@@Uncle.Max009I was unaware that there were other boot makers over there besides Willie. I was aware of some shoe makers.
If you have any other intel I'd love to know more.
@@Vultain aside from Willie's, there was this shoemaker who wanted to make boots for Rodrigo Duterte who was once then running for president and he's made pairs for other government officials, but have not even recognize him yet, until one day he and his family told him to try to make boots for then Mayor and elected president Duterte and soon it reaches to the president himself, the shoemaker have received full support and all the shoemaking industry has flourish ever since. His name was Tatay Oly, from Marikina.
Awesome Dale and Awesome Willie's!
Thank you Dale for the incredible video. Looking forward to all your future boots coming from Willie! Any possibility you might be visiting him in the coming years?
Yes I plan to do one big trip eventually to Japan/ Indonesia/ the Philippines but time will tell haha!
ooof... so so nice Dale.. i need something like that.. need a third engineer boot to have a black, brown, and finally a tan.. these look great.. very nice leather.. i messaged Willie's a couple weeks ago,, never heard back.. they might be really busy or something
Great video. I’m actually traveling to Manila in December and will be getting measured right in Willie’s shop.
Willie has made me a pair of boots and is finishing up another pair. Super cool guy to work with and does some great work.
They look amazing!
At this rate Dale we’re going to be switching to rumble to listen to you 😂
I uploaded one video over there and it got 0 views. I can’t compete with reptilians 😂
What boots and leather were those burgundy looking wholecuts in?
Arif & Sons water buffalo I believe !
Very nice bro 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤
Nice lookin' engineers! 😍 Why TF they'd paint the bottom of the midsole though is beyond me. Looks terrible 😔 good thing the bottom rarely get seen.
It's some sort of sealant from what I can tell. Although it would be nicer if he used Saphir Sole Guard. I think certain products are harder to reach over in that corner of the world. I believe it is applied less for aesthetics and more for practicality but you wouldn't know that until you see the water bead up on it.
@@Vultain usually, or maybe I should say always EXCEPT this pair, I have observed the bottom waist area we are discussing to get the same treatment as the edges. Edges would include heel stack of course. If the edges are beeswaxed, the waist is beeswaxed. If they edges are stained some shade or brown, the waist would be some shade of brown. In this case the edges are completely natural, so that waist should be completely natural.
If you are correct in Willie wanting to "protect" that waist, then it should have been just as important to Willie to protect the edges...but it wasn't. The edges will be exposed more than the waist.
So regardless, this doesn't make sense to me. Not functionally or asthetically, or traditionally.
Personally, I think Willie F'd up the surface of that waist area, and did that dark color to cover up his mistake. Like maybe he roughed up that area on autopilot thinking it would be getting a full sole instead of a half sole.
@@cloveroak5492 The odd thing is I have noticed he seems to do it to the bottom of all soles and it is added at the end. I suppose at the end of the day I could sit there and contact him and ask why. I agree it seems to be an extremely odd choice.
I for one prefer natural and like you said there are ways to attain that. I wonder if Saphir Sole Guard is simply to cost prohibitive over beeswax or other things or what pretell is going on?
I have yet to see a single boot where he leaves the waist on a half sole natural. At least from observation.
@@Vultain that is very good to know about Willie always coloring the waist. I guess I've just never looked at his waist area on half soles b4. So this kills my theory on a mistake. 🤔
Saphir is certainly an expensive brand, and there are cheaper choices. But if it was just a matter of price then applying nothing (like he did the edges) would have been cheaper than what he applied. Plus whatever he applied certainly would come in different colors and shades?
@@cloveroak5492 You are correct, it's not a normal stain, definitely had water based properties. I have seen everything from extremely dark brown almost pitch black to a reddish tan. I know that there are certain goods they sell over there for leather working we don't have.
I've seen a local shop over there before that sold some sort of Beeswax product but it's all colored and it was being sold at a leather repair and leather working shop. They had a multitude of shades. I can't help wondering if that is what he is using?
They did not from what I could tell sell the product in a neutral. That makes me wonder if the only reason we see it on the sole is so you can hide it.
As you said, Saphir products command a premium and the majority of his customers are still local. He may not use it if the vast majority of his customers don't know and/or don't care. But they get a rainy season over there so maybe it's a better waterproofer?
I'll try to inquire though and get a direct answer. I will update here when I find out. It is going to now bug me if I don't try and find out.
Please stop blasting HDR…my eyes burn
5:56 thermal plastic, what's that about?
It's the coating that wears off in Maryam Horserump. Usually it wears off in 6 months or faster depending on boot trees and how much your burnish (brush your boots vigorously).