Speakin' of moccasins...

[Doc Arroyo]

...does anyone have a pattern or instructions on making an authentic pair of Apache style boots?

[Forty Rod]

Ottowa Creek Bill is as good as it gets and he's good folks, too.  You can hope he checks in soon.

[Mogorilla]

If you are looking to make your own, I would recommend "Craft Manual of North American Indian Footwear " it has loads of instructions for various moccasins.  I think it is ~$9.00 at Crazycrow.com.   Worth way more than that if you plan on making moccasins.    The book does not have the Apache tab toe moccasin but they have the Apache pointed toe moccasin pattern.  I am loading some pictures I have that show both.  In my opinion, they are essentially the same pattern, only difference being the toe.  40 rod is correct Ottawa Creek Bill has made a couple of great pair.  If he doesn't chime in, you can find him in the NCOWS board as well.   
To my knowledge, the Apache and some Comanche are the only ones who wore the Knee or higher moccasins, contrary to old Hollywood movies.  Seemingly the majority of the females in the plains tribes wore the knee highs, men wore the ankle length with leggings.  Personally I have always liked the knee high look and have had several purchased varieties over the years.   A pair of Apache moccasins are on my list of things to make, but always get shelved in lieu of something else. 

His and hers, hers seem to have a more squared larger tab


Group Picture showing both tab toe and pointed toe


Geronimo, I have always seen him in the pointed toe


Two more tab toe (say that 3 times fast!)

[GunClick Rick]

What's the story on the tabs?

[Mogorilla]

Hey GC,  Hopefully more knowledgable will chime in, but I believe they were to turn cactus thorns

[Don Nix]

Thats right

[will ghormley]

Apache boots are on my list of styles to try and make patterns for.  But right now, I'm still having problems gettin' the Ute moc pattern finished up!

Will

[GunClick Rick]

Why did they want to turn the thorns,what type of cactus,why would they walk in cactus.I know they used thorns for needles and thread.

[ChuckBurrows]

Why did they want to turn the thorns,what type of cactus,why would they walk in cactus.I know they used thorns for needles and thread.

1) To keep the spines their feet. Having had to pull more than a few cacti thorns out of my feet over the years I can definitely state it's no fun, plus the spines l break off and cause serious problems if not removed. Worst case I had was in So Montana many moons ago - stepped on a prickly pear and those thorns stabbed easily through the soft sole mocs I wore even though they were double soled.
2) In the main homeland of the Chiricauha Apaches, So Arizona, there are all types of cactus - prickly pear being one of the worst in some ways as it often grows in small clumps close to the ground and there is no way to completely avoid them. The there is the infamous cholla - the so-called jumping cactus - real nasty stuff. And it's not just cactus - lots of other things down there have thorns including mesquite tress and then there are the goatheads - little caltrop type stickers.

While I don't live in so AZ here in SW Colorado we also have a fair amount of cacti including cholla and prickly pear (which grows from So Canada to Mexico and from the western Great Plains to California -  the Hollywood area was once known as La Nopalara due to the huge prickly pear "forest" that once grew there) . Even though we don't have near the amounts as farther south there's enough that you better be careful where you walk and sit...........

[will ghormley]

And the worst is when you stub your foot on a prickly pear and a spine goes through one of your stitchin' holes and right under your toenail.  I don't think I can say much more without cryin' again...

Will

[GunClick Rick]

  Will you have done it all Oh god that's funny,i'm sorry for laughin,if the impossible can happen it happens to me too.

[GunClick Rick]

I saw a video awhile ago while researching the subject,showed a guy with moccs like that stapping the thorns into the toe piece and the kick slinging it away.Little round peyote lookin thing.

[GunClick Rick]

I've done this before,i had a huge cactus garden once,but too many black widows liked it.

[will ghormley]

That's a great video Rick, and a helpful survival tip too!  You break off the tip of a yucca plant, and pull the fibers straight out of the stalk.  Then, you use the point of the yucca for your needle, and the fiber for your thread.  I'm glad you found that and posted it!

Will

[Forty Rod]

And the worst is when you stub your foot on a prickly pear and a spine goes through one of your stitchin' holes and right under your toenail.  I don't think I can say much more without cryin' again...

Will

Will, that makes my pucker factor go into the high 90s just thinking about it.

[will ghormley]

Yeah Forty Rod, tell me about it...sniffle.

Will

[santee]

Maybe the Apache had tough feet, because any of the above mentioned cacti would easily penetrate those moccasins.

Nowadays they wear Adidas, and drive automobiles.

[Mogorilla]

Hey Santee,
I have only seen a few original Apache moccasins, but the (three I think) pairs I saw had buffalo rawhide soles, they were easily 1 15 oz thickness and I am not sure a nail would go through them  .  Now the sides, that was fairly thin brain tan deer, a thorn would go through that.

[santee]

hmmmm...that could work!

[will ghormley]

I've been thinkin' about the Apache Boot pattern I want to make.  To my way of thinkin', the pointed toe would be an earlier style of boot, and the tab toe would be latter, say 1870s - 80s.  Anyone know for sure, or have an educated guess?

Will