Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[msulinski]

What would you guys say the average shoe life of an allen edmonds calf skin shoe is? One black one brown worn 5 days a week. How many years can you get out of this rotation with good shoe care?

Ideally you would throw a 3rd pair into the mix, but still better than wearing them every day. A determining factor is whether or not you use shoe trees. Another is whether you walk much or drive and then walk on carpet all day. You should be able to get 5 years or more if you don't walk much. Then you can get them recrafted. I don't know if there is a limit to how many times you can recraft them.

 

[acousticfoodie]



Ideally you would throw a 3rd pair into the mix, but still better than wearing them every day. A determining factor is whether or not you use shoe trees. Another is whether you walk much or drive and then walk on carpet all day. You should be able to get 5 years or more if you don't walk much. Then you can get them recrafted. I don't know if there is a limit to how many times you can recraft them.

I think most AE's can be redrafted 3 times before the leather is stretched too much. As far as the walking goes, do most of you just drive and wear your dress AEs pretty much in the office only? Do any of you walk 3 miles to and from work?

 

[plei89]



I think most AE's can be redrafted 3 times before the leather is stretched too much. As far as the walking goes, do most of you just drive and wear your dress AEs pretty much in the office only? Do any of you walk 3 miles to and from work?

Never liked the "wear your sneakers to work and then change into your dress shoes at work" look. Looks sloppy when you're going to work.

Aside from my commute on train, I walk roughly 2 miles total (to and from the train) a day. I wear my AEs all the time. I just rotate between several shoes...

 

[acousticfoodie]



Never liked the "wear your sneakers to work and then change into your dress shoes at work" look. Looks sloppy when you're going to work.
Aside from my commute on train, I walk roughly 2 miles total (to and from the train) a day. I wear my AEs all the time. I just rotate between several shoes...

Ah, how often do you need heel replacements?

 

[plei89]



Ah, how often do you need heel replacements?

I haven't needed to yet... I also wear dress shoes 4x a week only and have about 7 pairs of shoes in my rotation. Key is to get more shoes and they'll last you much longer.

 

[SuitedDx]



I think most AE's can be redrafted 3 times before the leather is stretched too much. As far as the walking goes, do most of you just drive and wear your dress AEs pretty much in the office only? Do any of you walk 3 miles to and from work?

I probably walk a total of 4 to 5 miles on NYC sidewalks (depending on my schedule) per day. I wear dress shoes primarily and only wear trainers when I run. I probably have the heels done once before I need the whole sole recrafted. However, I have a relatively decent rotation so I'm not resoling shoes all the time.

 

[SuitedDx]



Ideally you would throw a 3rd pair into the mix, but still better than wearing them every day. A determining factor is whether or not you use shoe trees. Another is whether you walk much or drive and then walk on carpet all day. You should be able to get 5 years or more if you don't walk much. Then you can get them recrafted. I don't know if there is a limit to how many times you can recraft them.

Another BIG factor is the quality of the sole. If/when you do recraft, request J. Redenbach soles. They are excellent.

 

[BackInTheJox]

I have a question regarding polishing. I will be getting married in a year and will be wearing a tuxedo. I do not want to go the Mens Wearhouse route, so I will most likely look to buy an inexpensive one that I can get well tailored. As such, I will need to provide my own footwear. Tradition seems to be patent leather, and I know AE makes a patent leather shoe I could get, but that seems crazy to drop that much money on a pair of shoes I might never wear again (or at least won't for many years). So, I was also considering getting a nice pair of calf shoes and polishing them up real nice.

My question is: can/should black calf be polished to a high shine? Right now the black shoes I own include J&M Meltons, AE Delrays, and AE Bradleys. The Meltons seem to be a corrected grain leather, which as you all know is fairly shiny to begin with and seems to hold a very nice nice (I use black Kiwi wax on them). I've never done anything beyond conditioner cleaner and AE black premium polish on my Delrays and Bradleys . . . and the AE premium polish does not result in a shiny looking leather like the Kiwi does on the J&Ms.

I was thinking I would buy a pair of AE Park Avenues to replace the Meltons (which I got used anyway) when it gets closer to my wedding, but I would want them to be shined up real nice (to more or less achieve what patent leather would otherwise achieve). I'm not sure I've seen anyone actually do that with their black AEs, though. What would you guys recommend? I like my Delrays and Bradleys when I polish them with the premium polish, and I like that they don't have a tremendous shine or anything. But I would want my Park Aves to be much "shiner." I've read on here that putting something like Kiwi on good calf is a bad idea. What are my options?

 

[SuitedDx]



I have a question regarding polishing.  I will be getting married in a year and will be wearing a tuxedo.  I do not want to go the Mens Wearhouse route, so I will most likely look to buy an inexpensive one that I can get well tailored.  As such, I will need to provide my own footwear.  Tradition seems to be patent leather, and I know AE makes a patent leather shoe I could get, but that seems crazy to drop that much money on a pair of shoes I might never wear again (or at least won't for many years).  So, I was also considering getting a nice pair of calf shoes and polishing them up real nice.

My question is: can/should black calf be polished to a high shine?  Right now the black shoes I own include J&M Meltons, AE Delrays, and AE Bradleys.  The Meltons seem to be a corrected grain leather, which as you all know is fairly shiny to begin with and seems to hold a very nice nice (I use black Kiwi wax on them).  I've never done anything beyond conditioner cleaner and AE black premium polish on my Delrays and Bradleys . . . and the AE premium polish does not result in a shiny looking leather like the Kiwi does on the J&Ms.  

I was thinking I would buy a pair of AE Park Avenues to replace the Meltons (which I got used anyway) when it gets closer to my wedding, but I would want them to be shined up real nice (to more or less achieve what patent leather would otherwise achieve).  I'm not sure I've seen anyone actually do that with their black AEs, though.  What would you guys recommend?  I like my Delrays and Bradleys when I polish them with the premium polish, and I like that they don't have a tremendous shine or anything.  But I would want my Park Aves to be much "shiner."  I've read on here that putting something like Kiwi on good calf is a bad idea.  What are my options?

Bulling shoes are fine. It takes practice though so I recommend trying it out on your new shoes way before the wedding. After the ceremony, and when you want your shoes less shiny, just use some leather cleaner (I use RenoMat and it is AWESOME... better than Lexol for sure) and it will take out the wax build-up. Personally, I have a pair of Canali that is corrected that I use with my tux (no shame in owning corrected grain).

Also, can you clarify what you mean by "putting something like Kiwi on good calf is a bad idea" since manufacturers such as EG use Kiwi brand polish. Been using them for years (and also Saphir) and nothing bad has happened.

 

[SJTM]

A wax polish will make them shinier than the original finish, but nowhere near a patent finish. That said, spend the money on the PA;s - you must wear a balmoral, not a blucher style shoe with formal wear, despite AE's last offering ( The Kendall) being a blucher. Black bal plain captoes like the PA's are widely accepted as an alternative to patent.

 

[BackInTheJox]

Also, can you clarify what you mean by "putting something like Kiwi on good calf is a bad idea" since manufacturers such as EG use Kiwi brand polish. Been using them for years (and also Saphir) and nothing bad has happened.

Oh, I was probably just talking about of my backside. Someone somewhere had said using a "wax" polish like Kiwi was a bad idea, but I honestly don't know a lot about the intricacies of shoe care. Whoever it was, it was enough to convince me to get some AE brand premium polish for my black shoes. Maybe I'm the sucker.

 

[SJTM]

I have had no success bulling my PA's. I am told they are not the right leather to accept such a procedure to produce the full bulling effect.

 

[BackInTheJox]

A wax polish will make them shinier than the original finish, but nowhere near a patent finish. That said, spend the money on the PA;s - you must wear a balmoral, not a blucher style shoe with formal wear, despite AE's last offering ( The Kendall) being a blucher. Black bal plain captoes like the PA's are widely accepted as an alternative to patent.

Perfect. Yeah, I didn't expect them to shin to the extent of patent leather (nor would I want them, really), I'm just picturing my buffed up J&Ms and I like the way they hold a shine when I go at them with a couple rounds of Kiwi. I've never used wax polish on AEs, so I was afraid to try.

And you're right, I forgot that AE's latest patent line was a blucher . . . that would've been enough to deter me from entertaining that thought had I remembered.

 

[plei89]



I have had no success bulling my PA's. I am told they are not the right leather to accept such a procedure to produce the full bulling effect.

I've bulled mine perfectly... takes hours though.

 

[nater]



Not that I know of, but the last salesman I talked to said they do have a decent sale more towards the end of summer... fingers crossed for the Olive Neumoks... it was a toss up between those and the blue, and the blue won



On a side note, anyone have a clue how/where/if possible it would be to pick up a pair of Evanstons.  They have been discontinued for a couple years, now, but I fell in love with them the second I saw a picture of them, and ended up "settling" for the walnut Strands instead ha

What size? I have a pair of Evanston 10.5C or 10.5 D (need to verify) in Walnut that I could be enticed to part with...