The process of making handmade Oxford shoes. 

No. It's the strongest stitch for this construction. A saddle stitch is not the only way to stitch leather and it's not what you claim. Try to push a pair of needles through with your hand on a pair of shoes and then get back to us.

well, i did it all my life :) i'm not critisizing, i was just curious! did you learn that way? the traditional way i learned is to poke with a curved welting awl from the insole out and then stitch with two bristles or curved needles in the pre poked hole. the thread is prepared with pitch and beeswax so that its water resistant and sticks. every stitch gets a knot inside the hole so you can tighten that welt like hell. and even if the thread someday breaks it wont come loose quickly. off course that stitch here will also do the job and it seems to be a bit faster. its also the same stitch that machines do. but it is quite certainly less durable. thats what most shoemakers agree on. best regards and good luck:)