DITWOL Milne Boots - Black Patchwork Deerskin - FR Last

Clinch is made by BRASS, one of the first high-end shoe repair shops to open in Japan, owned and operated by Minoru Matsuura. They quickly evolved from shoe repair; to re-lasting to their custom lasts; to building incredible footwear around their custom lasts. For a really deep dive into the brand, check out this detailed article on Stitchdown.

These lasts are where the magic is. Most modern lasts are optimized for mass-production. Wider, straighter, easier to pump through a production line, and easier to fit every single person into. Clinch lasts are highly sculpted, only suitable for hand-lasting, with a tight fit much like the lasts of the early 20th century.

The shape of the last dictates the careful construction of the boot. The insole is soaked, then molded to the bottom of the last. From there, the boot is built around that insole. The process for each step is chosen carefully to optimize the final product. A crimping machine is used to pull the machine sewn upper around the last to get a snug fitment; however, all of the welting process is done by hand before the outsoles are stitched on with a Rapid-E.

Inspired by boots from around the 1930s, the DITWOL Milne Boots are among the most unique and special boots we've ever carried. DITWOL stands for "dissolve the wall of leather" a statement against the uniformity and consistency that is manufactured into leather during the tanning process. Clinch have opted in the extreme other direction, using imperfect Japanese deer hides with damage from hunting and transport, and finishing them with natural tanning and dyeing techniques that leave the leather as unprocessed as possible.

Rather than cut around the blemishes and imperfections in the hides, Clinch have highlighted them, with contrast patchwork repair, "darning" embroidery, and repair details throughout the wholecut uppers on every pair. Because each hide is different, each pair of boots is also one-of-a-kind, with unique repair details and grain textures. As expected, they feature Clinch's usual outstanding quality, with meticulous and repairable construction that can be rebuilt by a trusted cobbler (or Clinch themselves) when the soles wear down.

The rest of the materials are of equally high quality. Brass hardware, welts, and nails all come from Japan; the insole and midsole leathers come from the best tanneries in the world; and the outsoles are custom-made just for Clinch. The combination of carefully selected hides, truly hand-built construction, and unique lasts creates a boot that is as close to vintage as possible but with all the advantages of modern materials.

The FR Last is a fairly slender fit that's best for folks with average or narrow feet (C or D-width), who can take their Brannock size for the best fit.

• FR Last
• Hunted wild Japanese deerskin
• Naturally damaged / imperfect hides with patchwork & darning embroidery repair details
• Hand-repaired
• Wholecut design with logger heel
• Contrast repair stitching
• No two pairs alike
• 5 eyelets + 4 speed hooks
• Flat waxed woven cotton laces
• Tonal hardware
• 270 degree Goodyear flat welt
• ~6" height
• O'Sullivan half-sole and heel with brass tacks
• One piece backstay
• Tea core tongue
• Custom woven label