GMTO: Oldspeed MFG x Harker Leatherworks
Aaron Harker of Harker Leatherworks and Oldspeed MFG have been growing in tandem, building lifetime-quality leather goods for customers who demand style and function in equal parts. After some years of mutual admiration, we've finally put our heads together to create a paired offering built around our shared values: super high-quality leather and durable overbuilt construction for heirloom-quality pieces. The result? A stunning black Henry Johnson boot paired with a fully custom, handmade Harker Leatherworks belt.
The boot is available on its own. The belt is exclusive to this collaboration and is available only with a boot purchase.
The Boot
Our Henry Johnson boot is based on an early-20th century French Army military boot, a pattern chosen for its balance of work-boot details and sleek proportions. It is built on our 1942 Last, with a soft, unstructured toe and a profile that allows the leather to shape to your foot over time for a truly vintage look and feel.
The leather is Badalassi Carlo Black Pueblo, selected for its temper, interesting textures, and resilience. For this configuration, the vamps and quarters are cut flesh‑side out, allowing the rough‑out Pueblo surface to develop texture, variation, and depth with wear. To reinforce high‑wear areas and provide some nice contrast, the heel cap and tongue are finished grain‑side out, providing a smoother surface where abrasion and repeated flex are concentrated. This approach keeps the design cohesive while balancing character with durability.
Construction is Stitchdown, paired with vegetable‑tanned internals and an intentionally unstructured toe box. The goal is immediate flexibility and long‑term comfort, with a boot that breaks in naturally and only gets better over time.
Underfoot, the boot is finished with a leather sole and Vibram 430 oil-resisting heel, keeping a low profile to the forefoot while adding grip in the heel and reducing weight. Just like the belt, the boot features silver stitching. Hardware is kept subdued and functional: antique brass eyelets and rivets, paired with made‑in‑USA black flat waxed-cotton laces.
Specifications - Boot
- Leather: Badalassi Carlo Black Pueblo (Rough-out vamps and quarters; grain-out heel cap and tongue)
- Pattern: French Army Boot
- Last: 1942 Last
- Construction: Stitchdown with unstructured toe and vegetable-tanned internals; silver double- and triple-row stitching
- Outsole: Leather sole with Vibram 430 oil-resisting heel
- Hardware: Antique brass eyelets and rivet
- Laces: Made-in-USA Black Flat Waxed Cotton
The Belt
The matching belt is produced by Harker Leatherworks and handmade in Cumming, Georgia, specifically for this collaboration. Built from the same leather as the boot, it is finished with a silver double‑row stitch and designed to age alongside the footwear rather than simply coordinate visually.
A brass double‑tongue roller buckle was selected for durability and style, complementing the boot hardware without excess polish. Each belt is cut to a fully custom length based on your measurements, ensuring proper fit rather than relying on standard sizing increments.
Specifications
- Origin: Handmade in Cumming, GA, by Harker Leatherworks
- Leather: Badalassi Carlo Black Pueblo
- Construction: Silver double-row stitching
- Hardware: Brass double-tongue roller buckle
- Sizing: Fully custom length based on your measurements. We will reach out for measurement after order is placed.
How to Get Them
This is a limited Group Made‑to‑Order (GMTO).
- Preorder: The window is open for 2 weeks beginning April 12, 2026.
- Availability: We are capping this run at 8 pairs.
- Delivery: Early August
This collaboration is a great chance to fill two important slots in your wardrobe with lifetime purchases that do more than just complement each other, they each represent the kind of exceptional quality and curated style that only one-person shops can create.
