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About us

Welcome to the new Shopify site! Come in a look around. 

bohemond2Thank you once again for taking an interest in my craft.  Although making shoes and boots for folks in the SCA for over 20 years, I am also providing boots for Walt Disney MGM studios, Stan Winston Studios, several Shakespearean festivals, and opera companies. I very much enjoy my job.  I take great pride in, and extract much joy from, making boots for people.

 I am Michael J. Fine and I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the SCA, I am Sir Bohemond le Sinistre, Order of the Laurel, Knight of the Company of St. Martin and Baron of the court.  I live in the Barony of al-Barran (Albuquerque, New Mexico), which is a territory of the Kingdom of the Outlands

 

Though I attend some Renaissance fairs, I mostly attend big SCA events like Pennsic, Gulf Wars and Estrella. Here are my arms so that you may easier find me at events you are attending. I don't always run a merchant booth, so the best way to find me is to look for my coat of arms. At most SCA events I attend, I participate on the field and fight. If I am not running a merchant booth at an event, and you would like to talk about boots, please feel free to come up and introduce yourself.  I will be more than happy to help.

I have been recognized for my artistic skill in the SCA by being created a Companion of the Order of the Laurel, the highest arts award in the SCA.  Word-of-mouth business started me off on this endeavor and now the internet and advertising have helped sustain the business.

I learned the boot trade from Sir Richard of Wolfswood.  I very much appreciate the opportunity he gave me when he shared his knowledge.

In 2002, I purchased shoe shop equipment.  Up to this point I did most or all of the sewing by hand (no machines!)   In many cases machine sewing is equivalent quality to hand sewn, however, in other cases machine sewing is much superior.  I continue to hand sew where it is the superior technique or necessary.  I also now contract out some of my items to a factory.  Anything I sell, I stand behind.  The quality of contracted items is good.

 horn-suttonhoo-1My fun side job with Raymond is making Anglo Saxon Drinking Horns from Sutton Hoo and Taplow as well as experimenting with Viking Drinking Horns. Sir Raymond has taught me a lot about crafting since we started hanging out and making things together.  The drinking horn and armor projects are a team effort with Sir Raymond the Quiet.  At Estrella War 2002 Sir Raymond, Pope, and I won the Arts and Sciences category war point with a reproduction Sutton Hoo drinking horn.

Travel Schedule

Merchant events includes Estrella, Gulf Wars, Lillies, 50 year, Pennsic and Great Western War each year.  We also attend many other events, but not always with the merchant booth. I will post the events I am attending and email or call with what you would like and I will bring your items to the event.

Custom Footwear

I take custom orders, but only when I can personally measure your feet.  Please see me at events for custom boots or shoes.

 Historical and SCA Helms

 bohemonds_sutton_hoo_helm-sideAlthough in the past Raymond and I have made several styles of helms and taking custom helm orders, I have decided not to pursue armor with any vigor.  No more custom orders, sorry.   We will be posting helms often to our in-stock helm page on Raymond's web site.  Occasionally we will be making one of our elaborate Sutton Hoo, Coppergate, Vendel, Uppland, and Norman helms to the site or take them with us to events.    Raymond or I may make a helm here and there, when we do it will show up at some event and on the in stock helm page.

 

"Find Your Fun, Bohemond!"

So I have been playing for some years and started to burn out... It happens to just about everyone at some time.  My friends started telling me "find your fun."  After some deep introspection, I decided my fun was making fighting armor or "rigs."  I had been so busy making things for others, I never made stuff for me.  So here are some photos of some of my latest personal projects: