Rhett Bue
GOLF WAS MY FIRST REAL OBSESSION AS A KID, COLLECTING PUTTERS, PLAYING AND LEARNING ABOUT EQUIPMENT TOOK UP MOST OF MY TIME.
NATURALLY MY FIRST PAIR OF CLASSICS WERE A REALLY BIG DEAL, THEY HAD TO HAVE SHOE TREES TO KEEP THEM IN SHAPE. I REMEMBER GETTING MY FIRST PAIR OF SHOE TREES AND THINKING THE USER EXPERIENCE IS NOT GREAT, MAYBE I COULD REDESIGN THESE. 15 YEARS LATER I BUILT MY FIRST PROTOTYPE.
I USE QUALITY COMPONENTS BECAUSE THE OBJECTS THAT MEAN THE MOST TO ME ARE TIMELESS. I WANT MY SHOE TREES TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME JUST THE SAME.
IN 50 YEARS I WANT A KID TO FIND MY PIECES AT A GARAGE SALE AND BE INSPIRED, THE SAME WAY I WAS.
STAINLESS STEEL
RECYCLED STEEL IS CORE TO CIRCULAR DESIGN.
ECO SILVER
POST CONSUMER SILVER HELPS REDUCE SURFACE MINING.
CIRCLED G
HANDSTAMPED ON PROTOTYPES MADE IN THE GARAGE STUDIO.
GLOSSARY
BALL BACK
The Ball Back directs the movement of the entire piece. Its patent pending shape is fully adjustable to dial in the perfect heel to toe fit and makes up the rear half of the insert.
SHOE PAPER
Shoe Paper is hand sculpted to resemble the paper that comes in the toe of most new shoes. Shoe Paper is a call for sustainability aimed at limiting the use of paper stuffing.
ROD
The front of the Rod drops into the Case and locks into place rotationally. The back of the Rod threads into the Cylinder allowing the Ball Back to adjust in length.
GARAGE
The Garage Studio is located in Los Angeles and houses everything from concept to production. Large machines take up significant room so this space will be the beginning and end of an era.
CAP
The cap is on the end of the Ball Back. Typically made of metal or resin its designed to help the ball back drop into your shoe with a nice “pop”, often has a button in the middle.
BUTTON
Located in the center of the Cap or Cases, Buttons are small circles typically stamped with a custom logo. They can be made of .999 silver or 303 Stainless Steel.
CYLINDER
Threaded to allow for precise heel to toe adjustment the Cylinder is the engine of the insert. Its also adds rigidity and a touch of craftsmanship on C-Through Neck options.
PROTOTYPE
Currently all pieces are marked “Prototype” with a stamp or CNC machine. This designation marks products with experimental ideas that may end up of retail or production models in the future.
GARAGE BUTTON
The Circle G is used to mark products that are completely hand made in the Garage Studio. The garage studio utilizes all types of machinery to make the highest quality product.
CASE
The Case connects the Ball Back to the Form with a spring loaded locking mechanism. Its designed to allow the user to switch ball backs between their favorite pieces.
LATHE
One of the pieces of heavy machinery in the Garage Studio the Lathe is a versatile tool used to create many parts by hand. I like to use a Grizzly lathe at this stage in development.
3D PRINTER
We push the boundaries of traditional product design and that means using innovative production methods. All Forms are 3d printed freeing me from the constraints of injection molding.
