This is the Red Wing Blacksmith Boot, it’s a six inch boot with styling closely based on some of the earliest designs from the company when a pair of boots needed to last decades not just a season or two.
The Red Wing Shoe Company was founded by Charles Beckman in February of 1905, the company took its name from the town where it was located – Red Wing, Minnesota. The town is proudly named after Red Wing, an early 19th century Dakota Sioux Chief.
The town of Red Wing and the region that surrounded it was booming as the 20th century dawned, the area produced vast amounts of wheat and other crops as well as lumber from the surrounding forests. The people working there needed boots and Beckman answered the call.
Although they’re brand new the Red Wing Blacksmith Boot looks exactly like the boots worn over 100 years ago by blacksmiths, lumberjacks, farmers, and miners.
Early Red Wing Boots featured leather uppers with rubber soles and pegged-and-nailed construction. Four years later in 1909 the company switched to welt stitched-sole construction, which resulted in a stronger connection between the upper and the sole, it also meant the boots were easily resoleable.
As the year 1915 dawned and Red Wing was celebrating their 10 year anniversary the company passed one of their most important milestones – they were now making over 200,000 pairs of boots per year making them one of the most important boot makers in the country.
Today Red Wing still manufactures many of their classic designs, and they’re all made in the USA using traditional techniques. Their welt sole boots can all be resoled at the factory, and they’re designed to last for decades if well cared for.
The boot’s flat laces are run through a series of dull metal gilt hooks and eyelets, and each pair is 100% made in the United States.
The Red Wing Blacksmith Boot features an oiled and waxed Nubuck leather upper with dull metal gilt hooks and eyelets, as well as a steel shank. The sole is a Vibram® 430 Mini-Lug design and it uses Goodyear Welt construction.
The boot can be ordered in your choice of Copper or Black, and sizing ranges from 7 to 13. Red Wing do note that people often need to size down between 1/2 to 1 full size to get a good fit, and there’s a sizing chart on the website to help ensure you get the right fit first time.
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