About

I spent years as a mechanic before moving into cobbler shops to learn how footwear is built from the inside out. The garage taught me to respect my tools and chase precision. Cobbling taught me how to build a boot that can actually be serviced and worn for a decade.

I started Oldspeed MFG to bring that mechanical discipline to bootmaking.

I’m based in Media, Pennsylvania, just down the street from where I grew up. Keeping the workshop local lets me shape, stitch, and check each pair myself and invite customers into the process so they can see what they're getting and how it's made.

My process is slow and deliberate: I use handwork for character and hard-built machines for precision. My work focuses on traditional techniques, historic patterns, and ethically sourced materials from some of the best tanneries and manufacturers in the world. No mystery and no shortcuts. Just honest, fit-first footwear overbuilt to be worn hard, cared for, and resoled when the time comes.

I want to prove it can still be done here.

—Dave