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Now That's Value!!
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Since the days of Nick Blahcuzyn (Bla-hushun) until today, Nick's Boots has focused on one thing, and one thing alone . . . to hand-build top quality boots using only premium leathers, and time-tested, century-old craftsmanship techniques passed on from generation to generation. As thousands of Nick's customers nationwide, as well as around the world, can attest, once you've tried a pair Nick's handmade, one hundred percent leather boots, you'll never go back to mass-produced footwear again. The Legendary Arch Many customers ask about the design of Nick's Boots, especially the strong arch support and heavy heel. Nick's Custom Boots are designed to closely simulate the natural form of the foot and to distribute body weight evenly among the heel, arch and ball of the foot. In a majority of people this feature helps minimize foot and leg fatigue as well as lower back pain attributable to inadequate foot support. Most mass-produced footwear does not have a true arch, thus, the body weight resides on the heel causing tiredness and pain in the middle to lower back, all the way down the legs including the feet. Your boots must be more than just foot covers. They must be strong enough to support your whole body, especially during strenuous work. When it comes to functionality, comfort and great looks, Nick's Boots has you covered! How Were You Fit While reading this information, think back to the last time you purchased footwear. Did the store clerk merely ask you for your size or did they accurately measure both feet; not just one? A foot professional will recommend a certain style, height or sole based on the needs dictated by your particular lifestyle and environment. Too often a sale is based solely on current fashion trends and the customer simply tries on a number of sizes and styles until a "cozy feel" is achieved, regardless of proper fit. For years, people have suffered needless pain and endless frustration trying to fit mass-produced footwear around their bunions. Custom fitting remedies this condition by building a measured "pocket" for the bunion to reside, effectively eliminating blisters, pain and inflammation. Fitting? Do I Need a Custom Fit? Approximately 90% of Nick's customers are easily fit into a "stock size". Each pair of Nick's Boots is built to specific orthopedic measurements based on the length and width of the foot. The hand-placed orthopedic shaped arch provides enormous benefit to the wearer. Some folks however require a custom fit. This may include simple adjustments to the arch or require different sizes for each foot. In the retail store (and boot factory), Nick's professional fitters will actually make a drawing of each foot and measure both the feet and legs to create a uniquely customized pattern for the boot makers to follow. Most hard to fit foot problems such as heel spurs, bunions, a thick instep or a low or high arch can be remedied with a professional custom fit. Prescriptions provided by a doctor or orthopedist, can usually be built into a pair of Nick's Custom Boots. A consultation is recommended with a Nick's representative. All measurements from stock sizes to custom fitting patterns are kept on file making future orders a breeze for adjustments that may need to be made. History Nick Blahcuzyn lived the American Dream when he established Nick's Custom Boots in Spokane, Washington in 1964. Nick was a Russian who escaped from Stalin's army during World War II. He immigrated to the United States after the war and made his way to Washington State where he mastered his skills as a boot craftsman from a famous North West bootmaker. Lifestyle Designs for Work and Play Nick's offers a variety of work, casual and dress boots to meet most every lifestyle and occupation. Working in adverse conditions from farming to firefighting calls for heavy-duty oil tanned leathers available in various colors. The same comfort and fit made famous in Nick's sturdy work boots is also available in casual and dress styles from the lightweight softy buffalo or a finely trimmed two-tone, to the exotic stingray or shark. Transforming a day of hard work into a night of dining and dancing is as easy as changing your footwear. Because of its comfort and styling, Nick's dress boot is a popular choice in the business community. And, Nick's is proud to supply its' highly popular Wildland Firefighting Boots to those who fight to protect our forests and wildland areas. Nick's Tips for Break-In and Care of Your Boots A boot should fit snugly all the way around the foot like a firm handshake, because after break-in the boot will stretch about a quarter inch from side to side. A boot that starts out "cozy" will end up too sloppy and require extra socks or aftermarket liners to snug up the fit after the break-in period. Break-in takes roughly 80-100 hours of wearing your boots for your feet to adjust to the transition. During this period, keep the exterior of the boot wet by spraying with a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. When the boots get overly tight or stiff wet them down and friction-rub with your hands as if polishing them. The alcohol allows the water to penetrate and soften the leather. Does it work to fill the boot with water to speed up the break-in? Sure, but it's detrimental to the long-term health of the boot. The nails in the bottom of the boot begin to rust and will ultimately weaken the structure of the boot. Keep the boot snugly laced. It's important that the boot be laced tightly over the instep and around the ankle, which allows the leather behind the anklebones to seat properly. Snug is good, snugger is better. To prevent the infamous "bite" on top of your instep, lace your boots in the 2-1-3 method as shown in the photo on the 213 - Lacing Page on our site. Get through the 80-100 hours with the alcohol and water break-in technique and then grease your boots. Avoid greasing the area around the brass hooks and eyes where softening the leather may cause them to pull out. Nick's HD products are recommended because they have no damaging ingredients in them. The pine tars, petroleum, silicones and animal fat in other products clog the pores of the leather which must breathe to allow the acid and salts in sweat to dissipate. Nick's HD Leather Preservative and HD Boot Oil are so pure it keeps your footwear from becoming crusty, mildewed or foul smelling. It contains a mixture of beeswax and propolis, a natural and waterproofing antibacterial tree resin which provides a high level of protection to the leather, keeping it soft and supple, while resisting water as well as chemicals. Sweat will slowly corrode the inner part of the boot. If you have not oiled and greased your boots regularly, it is important to neutralize the acid and salt caused by sweat. This is accomplished by pouring a mixture of one heaping tablespoon of baking soda and twenty ounces of water into each boot. After sloshing it around, wetting the interior, pour it out and let the boot dry. Why Nick's Boots Last A lot of folks complain that their [mass-produced] boots last only six to eighteen months. Because Nick's Boots are handcrafted with only the finest quality leathers and expertly fit by professionals, with proper care you should receive years of service and support from your boots. Most customers are able to have their boots re-soled two to three times before being rebuilt. When it's time to rebuild, Nick's expert boot makers will replace everything but the portion of the boot that has formed to your ankle - the upper; very little of the original boot remains. That's like getting a brand new pair of boots that are already broken in to fit your leg and ankle, and at about 50% of the cost of a new pair of boots. . . Now that's value!By Gary and Trudy Scott, Contributions by Bill Rose and Tom Story |
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