How did I go from Lucchese ropers to custom boots by some of the finest bootmakers? I guess it started with Tyler Beard and the Internet.

My first pair of Lucchese ropers cracked after the first month. Boot Town/Western Wearhouse refused do do anything, but I went to Cavender's Boot City in Plano, mentioned it to one of the salesman, he told me to bring them in and he'd get store credit for me on another pair of Luccheses. I did that, and became a customer for life at Cavender's. But I also decided to learn more about boots. After all, I had a pair of Lucchese ropers, supposedly one of the best boots that a person could buy. So how could I take care of boots so that I'd get my money's worth?

I decided to do a little research in boot care, I looked at anything available at western stores, and then look for books. I came across at a book store, "The Cowboy Boot Book" by Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt. There was a small section on boot care, but there was a lot more on vintage boots, factory boots, and custom made boots, with a lot of history mixed in it. Now I like history, so the stories of the Justins vs Enid Justin, the Leddy's, etc. I thought the boots pictures in the book were gorgeous, but some that I'd never wear. I also searched and found another book on cowboy boots, "The Texas Boots" book published in 1980. I remember seeing a great pair of gray, full quill ostrich boots, burgundy tops and variegated flame stitching, made by James Leddy. I thought that those were good looking boots.

The I decided to look up boots on the Internet, there was Jennifer June's great web-site, Tucson Boots, and a board that I can't remember the name of, but it is now long-gone. Tucson Boots was a site that discussed boots, but also sold boots. There was a pair of James Leddy boots for sale, I can't remember the price, but they looked to be my size. So, I took a chance and bought them. They were a light brown smooth quill ostrich with a 2 inch heel, and narrow round toe. When I received the boots they were a little tight for me, but I could see that the materials and the overall craftsmanship was better than Lucchese Boots.

So, I had a second hand boot from James Leddy that was a little tight on me, and I saw a picture of James Leddy boots that I liked. So, put one and one together, see if the folks at James Leddy's could stretch the boots so that I could wear them, and get measured for a pair of James Leddy Boots.