Footwear

Moccasin:  Derived from the Powhatan word makasin and Algonquin maxkeseni.  The Potawotami people of Wisconsin fashioned soft-sole moccasins from a single piece of deer hide featuring a puckered u-shaped seam or gathered toe to wrap around the protect the foot in a woodland environment.   Other tribes wore similar footwear across North America for thousands of years with some archaeological specimens dating back roughly 3,500 years.  

Growing-up as a child I received an official Boy Scouts of America moccasin kit for Christmas or a birthday.  Consisting of a pair of pre-cut leather blanks with a factory rubber sole attached, instructions were included to attach a top and sew the whole shebang together.  From that day forward I always wore moccasins; and likely made progress towards a leather work merit badge. 

Well into adulthood I would purchase the BSA kit and take pride in largely assembling my casual footwear. With a hard rubber sole, mocs are near-perfect footwear for three-season use.  Indoor winter use too.  All they required was a treatment a couple of times a year with a leather conditioner to keep them supple and weather resistant.  If a stitch broke repair was simple.  After the soles wore-out I would make another pair with the knowledge that within 4 to 6 years (or thereabouts) I would assemble a replacement pair.  

In the last thirty years I switched to purchasing my mocs from LL Bean; fully assembled.  Virtually identical to the BSA mocs of yore this hand-sewn version shares a similar maintenance routine and lifespan.  I'm uncertain as to why I made the switch from the BSA kit all those decades ago; although a web search as to their current availability yielded a clue. 

KIWI Mink Oil is my go-to leather treatment of choice.  Formulated from mink oil, silicone and lanolin it keeps smooth leather soft, supple and water-resistant.  Perfect for boots, belts, saddles and moccasins.  It will darken your leather goods a bit and it's not suitable for delicate leather goods or suede; nevertheless, it keeps your casual footwear and leather goods in working order.

The other day I finally used-up the last of the contents of this tin to perform a biannual treatment of my moccasins. 

They're good to go for the winter season and coincidentally a replacement pair arrived on the porch directly from LL Bean.  When the current pair reaches the end of their useful life sometime next year I have replacements ready to go waiting on the shelf.

Of immediate concern is a decision as to purchasing another tin of Mink Oil.  Retailing for around $8 it isn't the cost as much as it is the longevity.  Inasmuch as I don't run a stable and have a dozen saddles to maintain a tin of this stuff seems to last about thirty years.  Which means the replacement ought to get me to somewhere north of 100 years of age.  Presuming I live that long and still wear moccasins.  Always the optimist I'm springing for another tin.

In case you're wondering, you can still purchase an official BSA moccasin kit online.  Although it appears to be a soft-sole version and better-suited to indoor wear.