DIY Boot Jack

Boot jacks helped the cowboys remove their manly footwear at the end of the cattle drive. The relatively simple device has a Y-shaped end that holds the heel of the boot while the foot is pulled upward and out. Constructing a boot jack requires basic tools and skills and is a simple build.

• 1

  Find a tree branch with a Y-shaped crotch. The crotch of the branch should roughly correspond to the shape of a boot heal. Trim the branch so the two sides of the crotch are about 7 inches long and the other center extension is about 9 inches long.

• 2

  Cut a 2 inch diameter piece of branch about 6 inches long.

• 3

  Fasten the small piece directly below the junction point of the crotch of the branch. Run a 3-inch wood screw through the point of the crotch into the small piece of wood below. This piece then serves as a fulcrum to the lever made by the crotched piece of branch.