ENGINEER BOOTS Keel

If you are worried about the custom size [¥10,000] or the ready-made size, please measure [width, instep, length, heel, calf], proceed to the cart page, and fill in the remarks column.
How to measure is explained in the video at the bottom of the page.

*Current delivery date: about 3 months*

*Regarding Chromexcel leather, production delays continue, and the import has not been decided, so sales will be discontinued.

This product is made to order for each customer according to the options.

CLASSIC TASTE

↑Round toe / Chrome Excelle leather

Completely made-to-order engineer boots Keel made only in our own atelier.
The original wooden pattern and craftsmanship designed to suit the Japanese make it a pair of shoes with design while emphasizing ease of wear and fitting .

Two types with different design

Depending on the style of the wearer, TYPE 1 with rugged and masculine details, and TYPE 2 with a curved dress that splits the center of the shaft.

Hand sewn welted manufacturing method

The manufacturing method is the hand sewn welted manufacturing method, which has been known as the traditional manufacturing method for the finest shoes for hundreds of years.
The manufacturing method, which begins with thread making, involves processing the sewing thread with rosin or wax, and manually making each hole while sewing, which is a time-consuming and laborious process. This manufacturing method, which is particular about natural materials , has excellent moisture absorption and drainage properties, so it does not get stuffy because it allows moisture to escape to the outside.

Although it is structurally robust , it is light and comfortable to wear from the beginning, and it is comfortable to wear even after many years .

Measurement order (if you wish)

Originally, custom-made shoes that could only be done at a store were made possible by having the shoes measured by the customers themselves . Japanese people tend to have wider feet and higher insteps than Europeans and Americans, so ready-made shoes do not fit 30% of the total . Therefore, with the desire to have as many people as possible wear it, we made it possible to measure by watching a video . (How to measure is detailed in the video at the bottom of the page .)

*Even if it's not an order (+¥10,000), if you're worried about the size, please measure it before filling it out.

4 selectable leathers

①Chrome Excel Leather [Black / Burgundy]

Because it contains more than 4 types of oil, it has a deep luster and is soft and comfortable to wear .
Many people say that they wear it every day because it feels like it sticks to their feet .
In black , the brown core makes the aging stand out even more, and in other colors, the oil moves in places where pressure is applied, such as wrinkles, so you can enjoy pull-ups that look pale.

② New York Leather [Black / Dark Brown / Whiskey / Navy / Green]

It is tanned with vegetable tannins and is characterized by its moist texture and suppleness that contains plenty of oil.
Natural leather with a variety of expressions, with some areas of embossing .
As it ages, the luster increases , the color deepens, and the texture becomes tasteful .
As it is hard to be damaged in comparison with chromic Excel leather and is firm ,
Recommended for bikers and campers .

③Italian horse butt leather

The horse's buttocks ( cordovan ) from the front to the waist are made with full vegetable tanning , which is a rare part.
Thicker and more robust texture than the leather of the body, and the tigers and scratches peculiar to horse leather stand out like a man.
The more you wear it, the more lustrous it becomes , and if it gets wrinkled or damaged, you can see the brown core , and you can enjoy the change over time.

④ Kudu Leather (Suede)

The kudu, which live in Africa, is characterized by its suppleness like an antelope, although it belongs to the bovine family. The scars from fighting with sharp, twisted corners appear as a rough leather expression. Overseas, the scars and tigers that remain on such leather are often preferred as proof that they have lived. There are many fans of suede engineers who have the tough and soft comfort that only "KUDU" can offer.

color: camel / black / dark brown / gray

8 selectable soles

3 selectable edge colors

Customization example

↑ [Example]
Leather: [KUDU/camel]
Shaft type: [TYPE1] * Only TYPE1 can be selected for KUDU.
Welt: [single stitch]
Sole: [Dr,Sole/Super Grip Half]
Edge color: [light brown]

*Current delivery date: about 3 months*

Product number: Keel

-Description of item-

Upper: Chromexcel Leather: New York Leather: Horse bat: Kudoo leather (suede)

Sole: Vibram Company: Dr. Sole Company

・As this product is made-to-order, it will be shipped 2 months after purchase.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

-size-

-About ready-made sizes-

・The size is made with a fitting close to the general US size .

・Even if it is not an order (+¥10,000), if you are concerned about the size, please measure it and write it in the remarks column .

-How to measure an order (+¥10,000)-

・Please measure with socks on .

・As much as possible, two people should stand together so that their weight rests on the soles of their feet.

・Please measure the length, width, instep, heel, and calf, and enter them when ordering.

About Returns: Please note that as this is a made-to-order product, we do not accept cancellations after the order has been confirmed, or returns or exchanges other than defective products.
・We take great care when shipping our products, but if the product is damaged or soiled, we will cover the return shipping fee and exchange it within 7 days after the product arrives. So please contact us by email or phone.

In the unlikely event that the size is small, it is possible to widen the width free of charge if it is about 5 mm.
Also, if it is too big, we will make it about 5mm smaller with our original insole.

Discerning HAND MADE BOOTS by expert shoemaker brothers

About Argo

The first leather shoes I bought were Red Wing Boots when I was 18. One day, when I stepped on a puddle, I was impressed that it didn't seep inside. The next time, I was stepped on by a car tire, but it didn't dent at all. Triggered by this, it seems that interest was aroused as "how amazing the boots are" and "what kind of structure". From there, he learned that boots could be made by hand, and began attending a shoe school, where he fell in love with the world of shoes.

Founder Tanaka speaks passionately.
“I went to a shoe school and learned the basics, but from then on I was self-taught. I started by getting orders from people close to me, and then repeated trial and error. There are many issues such as the wrinkles of the clothes, the fit, etc. Sometimes I went to Asakusa to practice and tried various methods to digest the issues.It's still new even after 10 years. We are solving problems every day.”
From the words he speaks, you can get a glimpse of his strong commitment to shoes.

“When I was making shoes, my younger brother, who was a college student, was making small leather goods from leftover leather scraps. However, partly due to my lack of experience, I wanted to learn about shoes from all over the world, so I decided to start with repairs.”
Know the current shoes in order to "launch a shoe brand". The brothers who set out to achieve that goal are the Tanaka brothers, who each went to different shoe repair shops to train.
A year later, it started as "Argo for Shoe Repair".

Argo then repaired shoes for seven years. Despite being a privately owned store, at times there were more than 100 pairs of repaired shoes lined up. Among them, it is said that there were quite a few people who had been rejected at other stores and said that it was the fifth store. Even if they are not expensive, I strongly feel that there are many people who value their shoes because they are easy to wear and because they have been wearing them for a long time.

In addition, there are many opportunities to make custom-made shoes, and we have received many voices of joy. Each person has their own worries, and even if you try to maintain the design of the shoes, there are cases where the appearance is bad, such as those with too high insteps or wide shoes, which is the difficulty of ordering. We will solve it with high technology. He says that his greatest joy is when his customers tell him, "I've been wearing this all the time before I realize it."

It seems that the brothers, who have seen such shoes up close, have taken seven years to launch their original brand, greatly exceeding the initial schedule. Currently, we do not repair other companies' products, but maintain the quality of our own products and do semi-orders at actual stores.
Based on their own experience so far, they aim to make shoes that are "favorites" for each person, based on the knowledge and technical skills to make shoes that are hard to break and easy to wear.

"Argo"'s commitment to shoe making is to "continue to make cool shoes that we think." "To make shoes that can be worn for a long time and have excellent functionality."

Based on the technical skills and knowledge gained through repairs and orders, he passionately talks about creating masculine shoes that match the ever-changing modern fashion while retaining the classic impression of leather shoes and boots.
Dress with brute force. vintage and classic. While keeping up with the times, we will pursue shoe making that incorporates things that do not change.