This week, we ventured into the depths of rural Kent to visit Tom, the owner and head candle-maker at Roughneck Candles – a business focused on producing traditionally hand-dipped bees and paraffin wax candles.
Now you may be wondering what the relationship between us is, but when you step foot inside in the beautifully understated, yet chilly studio, you’ll understand why wearing decent footwear is an important aspect of Tom’s daily attire.
He discovered Golden Boot when searching for formal wear for a friends wedding last summer, and has since invested in a pair of Panama Jack boots.
‘Even when all the equipment is bubbling away, it still gets so cold in here, especially in winter. These boots keep my feet warm throughout night-long making sessions. I’m on my feet the whole time, and it didn’t take long for these to fit like a glove’.
The upper, lining and footbed are all leather, and the padded ankle cuff adds extra warmth and comfort. The sole is robust, without making the whole boot overly heavy, and the water-resistant, waxed leather upper makes Panama Jack 03 boots the perfect craftsman’s companion.
We speak and the space fills with subtle scents of bees wax and honey, as huge blocks of the raw material slowly turn molten. The hand-dipping process is repetitive, but therapeutic to witness. Its slow-paced and meticulous nature is indicative of the traditional manufacturing methods used to create the very boots that keep Tom on his feet – a remote relationship between craftsman and their craft.
Tom wears Panama Jack 03 – available here
See more of Tom’s work here and find him on Facebook and Instagram.
