Two Flints Chiricahua Apache Mocassins

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

This is a pair I just finished for Two Flints, they are the typical Chiricahua Mocassin that you see in many photographs of the era and also a couple of photos with white scouts wearing them. These are hand sewn brained tanned uppers, with shaped rawhide soles. If the tie strings look darker, thats because they were still wet from stretching when this photo was taken, about ten minutes ago. I'll be mailing these to Two Flints monday morning. This is the biggest mocassin I have made thus far, Two Flints wears a size 12E.

Bill

[Two Flints]

Gee Bill,

Did you have to tell the whole world how big my feet are?  I happen to be a very stable fellow 

Anonymous

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Stable?

Quit horesin' around! 

Good lookin' mocs, Bill.

[O.T. Buchannan]

EXCELLENT work Ottawa!  I know that Two Flints will be very proud of them!

[St. George]

Not only do they serve as tough, durable, comfortable footwear - the leggings had a dual purpose, as they weren't always worn 'high', as one might think.

The uppers - made of brain-tanned hide - are flexible and soft, and were often rolled partway down the calf, and the top reversed back up - creating a pocket that found various uses.

Practical - those 'Cherry-Cows'...

Beautiful work, just beautiful.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Two Flints,
Didn't mean to embarrass you, my son Will's foot size is a 12EE....now thats a big foot!! 

St. George and all, thanks for the compliment, I had a good teacher!! I'm getting ready to make French Jack another pair based on a Mescalero mocassin..........just as soon as I get my saddle finished.

Bill

[Grizzle Bear]

OCB;

Care to venture a pair in 12EEEE?

I don't have feet, I have paws!

Grizzle Bear

[Dai.S.Loe]

OCB,

Those are a wonderful piece of work.

This is something that we never see here in NZ so it is a real bonus when someone such as yourself posts some pictures.

looking forward to the other type you mentioned.


Just for my own interest, how well do they wear?

Dai.

[Pony Edwards]

Bill:  Do you have a pattern for  those, or a source for such a pattern??


Pony Edwards

[Bristow Kid]

Nice work Bill they are really cool

[44caliberkid]

? to OCB, I was watching "The Missing" again last night and noticed that the moccasins Tommy Lee offered his grandaughter had that same tab on the front of the toe.  Did this serve a purpose or was it just a decorative feature of the culture?

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Dai S. Loe,
They will last a lifetime, the rawhide soles at the thickest is almost a quarter inch thick. They are skived to half thickness along the outer edge to make the sewing easier. I also glue in a thick latigo leather instep so you actually have a sole over 3/8ths inch thick, real comfortable on rocks and gravel.

Pony,
I don't know where you can get a pattern. Because of the way these are made, I don'k think a pattern is feasable, I don't use them when I make mocassins, I just lay them out from the measurments given to me, thats the way most mocassins made by native americans were made. I don't make petterns to sell.

As far as the toe tab is concerned, they were mostly decoration, but the size of the toe did have a meaning to the Chiricahua.....which wore this style of mocassin exclusively. Does any body know what that is? If you know I'll buy you a drink of your choice the next time I see you?

Bill

[Trap]

 OCB, Dosen't it have to do with keeping cactus thorns out of the toe?

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Trap,
No....but good point. Heres a hint....It had to do with what you were doing at the time......Oh, nothing with sexual overtones

Bill

[St. George]

Being worn as a part of their 'war' outfit - that rawhide disc was effectively an 'extension' of the moccasin's sole and could be used to 'push' a low-crawling Apache - getting him close enough for surprise.
(Anything with sexual overtones would have to do with 'tepee-creeping'...;-D)

That technique was later taught to a generation of young Infantrymen in places like 'Tigerland' - and the toes of their boots were perpetually scuffed from mastering that warrior technique...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Two Flints]

Hello NCOWS,

I found this interesting web site:  http://www.nativetech.org/clothing/moccasin/moctext.html  and pulled the following paragraph from the text regarding the stout extended sole on Apache Mocassins:

"Native American moccasins were designed for their specific environment. Hard-sole moccasins, usually made from two or more pieces of hide, are often associated with the western plains and deserts areas. The hard sole of shaped rawhide and fitted leather upper required more tailoring than other moccasin varieties. Hard-soled moccasins were important to protect feet from harsh cactus or prairie-grass covered ground, and sharp rocks not worn down by water. The turned up toe of many two-piece moccasins (like that of the Apache) prevented sharp objects from running into the seams and injuring the foot."

BIG FEET   
aka Two Flints

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

St. George,
I owe you a drink!! One other point, the large toe that I put on Two Flints mocassins shows that these were used in  times of war, ie; a "Warriors Mocassins". I thought this style of toe fitting for his mocassins since he served in Vietnam as many of us did.

Bill

[Two Flints]

Hello NCOWS,

I found this interesting web site:  http://www.nativetech.org/clothing/moccasin/moctext.html  and pulled the following paragraph from the text regarding the stout extended sole on Apache Mocassins:

"Native American moccasins were designed for their specific environment. Hard-sole moccasins, usually made from two or more pieces of hide, are often associated with the western plains and deserts areas. The hard sole of shaped rawhide and fitted leather upper required more tailoring than other moccasin varieties. Hard-soled moccasins were important to protect feet from harsh cactus or prairie-grass covered ground, and sharp rocks not worn down by water. The turned up toe of many two-piece moccasins (like that of the Apache) prevented sharp objects from running into the seams and injuring the foot."

St. George just beat me by seconds...I deserve a drink too for my contribution, besides, I added a web site!

BIG FEET   
aka Two Flints

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Two Flints,
The answer I was looking for was the one that St. George provided. Anytime you can make it to an NCOWS shoot down this way (we're having the national in Kentucky next year) I'll be glad to buy you a drink. By the way the Aaniishina'be word for Big Feet is: Nin Mamaangisiide, which literally translates to "I have big feet"

Bill

[Gripmaker]

Bill,  I have a question for you that will earn a drink of your choice at the 2006 Muster. Do you know where the Apache and Navajo originally came from and their ethnic background? If you can tell me what the significance of each Apache group is, I will double the ante. Did you know that they actually arrived in North America by boat rather than a "land bridge"?