***The official Alden thread *** - Page 2480

..so i went at my indy 403 with a combination of kiwi brown and cordovan to stay consistent with the red tones. 

 

..unfortunately the chromexcel just doesn't seem to take the polish - guess this is what folks were saying about the packed oils - it felt like i was applying the polish and just brushing it off completely

 

..it might have helped a tiny bit .. but moving forward i think i'll just go as others have said and just brush and avoid polishing all together. 

 

I am curious as to what Alden does to chromexcel when you send in for an overhaul - anyone have picture of before and after for a pair of chromexcel aldens?

Try a quality shoe cream instead.

i use montana pitch blend on chromexcel for treating/waterproofing and then just brush after each wear. i've had excellent results.

Those do look amazing, Frank!

This (bold) would seem to suggest 12D is the answer. Am I missing something?

I use and like Montana pitch blend on CXL too. I don't think the leather is really going to take a shine, but something like pitch blend can give a nice deep gloss. I wipe the shoes clean, apply pitch blend with my fingers, let it sit a little and then wipe everything down with a paper towel.


Thanks, gentlemen. I think the shine is in part just how the light and the dubious iPhone camera captured them. Haven't done all that much to them other than an occasional brushing and one or two applications of Venetian shoe cream.

I just wish they were an E width (or, more practically, that I'd gone a size up). They are definitely a special makeup, but not quite my most comfortable pair of Aldens to wear. The bar lacing is actually one way I found that gives me a little more room in them. And I like how it looks too. Anyway, can't quite see getting rid of them.

This.

 

Also, these shoes are almost expected to be a little uncomfortable when brand new.  There is a bit of a break-in period.

 

However, if they are more than a little uncomfortable, indeed you do probably have the wrong size.

I believe this is more discomfort than the normal "break-in" that would be expected.  My concern with the 12D is that there would be too much heel slippage.  With my 12D shortwings on the Tremont last, I believe the they're probably a little big, but they work since they're lace-ups.  I guess I just need some input on similarities between the Tremont and Grant lasts.  If the consensus is that Tremont and Grant are the same, 11.5D will probably be the winner.  However, if there's anyone that thinks the Tremont runs large compared to the Grant, I may decide to try the 12D. Thanks for everyone's input.

For all my loafers (all Van last) I went down 1 width (b/d to a/c) to make sure I had no heel slippage - they are snug in width, but comfortably snug. Going down one width also means you go down 1 in heel width.

If the 12C has no heel slippage, I would be inclined to stay with them.

I do not own a LHS, but have tried on a few sizes, and think I fall into the same camp as SFTG (11 D Barrie, 11 C Van).

Same here -- 8.5D Barrie, 8.5C Van, with the Van being a little on the tight side

I like color 8 with the purple / red / general "non-brown" tones because my view is that Alden already has a great brown cordovan color: cigar... The purple/red tones will fade over time but their presence is what makes color 8 so unique, particularly in sunlight. Leffot just put an awesome photo of color 8 shoes in sunlight on their twitter feed

I fully agree with this. Alden's #8 is boss!