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post #39361 of 51577
12/16/12 at 10:40am
Guys,

I purchased these tassels about a week ago. I got a very good deal on them and now I understand why. One of the shoes must have been in a store window and it has faded from the sunlight--see picture below. I was thinking that I could deal with this in one of two ways. First, send the shoes back to Alden and pay for them to recraft the color on the lightened shoe - no biggy. Second idea I had was to put the unfaded shoe in the sun for a while and bleach it out like the other one. My understanding from Nick Horween's blog posts and others is that this could be done in a short period of time. On the one hand, the lightened tassels would be cool and unique - I already have a pair of color 8 tassels. On the other, I haven't done anything like this before and it may be more difficult to match than it sounds. Curious as to your thoughts?

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post #39362 of 51577
12/16/12 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burton View Post

Guys,
I purchased these tassels about a week ago. I got a very good deal on them and now I understand why. One of the shoes must have been in a store window and it has faded from the sunlight--see picture below. I was thinking that I could deal with this in one of two ways. First, send the shoes back to Alden and pay for them to recraft the color on the lightened shoe - no biggy. Second idea I had was to put the unfaded shoe in the sun for a while and bleach it out like the other one. My understanding from Nick Horween's blog posts and others is that this could be done in a short period of time. On the one hand, the lightened tassels would be cool and unique - I already have a pair of color 8 tassels. On the other, I haven't done anything like this before and it may be more difficult to match than it sounds. Curious as to your thoughts?

My only though would be that it's not an exact science. You'll have to rotate the shoes over the set period of time so that all sides of the shoe fade equally. But I'm sure t would be better than have one shoe look like #8 and the other like ravello,
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post #39363 of 51577
12/16/12 at 11:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blue collar View Post

My only though would be that it's not an exact science. You'll have to rotate the shoes over the set period of time so that all sides of the shoe fade equally. But I'm sure t would be better than have one shoe look like #8 and the other like ravello,


It is not as bad as Ravello and color 8 but it is noticeable to someone who looks at shoes. I am leaning towards the recraft but would really love to do the sun lightening.
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post #39364 of 51577
12/16/12 at 11:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burton View Post

Guys,
I purchased these tassels about a week ago. I got a very good deal on them and now I understand why. One of the shoes must have been in a store window and it has faded from the sunlight--see picture below. I was thinking that I could deal with this in one of two ways. First, send the shoes back to Alden and pay for them to recraft the color on the lightened shoe - no biggy. Second idea I had was to put the unfaded shoe in the sun for a while and bleach it out like the other one. My understanding from Nick Horween's blog posts and others is that this could be done in a short period of time. On the one hand, the lightened tassels would be cool and unique - I already have a pair of color 8 tassels. On the other, I haven't done anything like this before and it may be more difficult to match than it sounds. Curious as to your thoughts?

I had the same exact thing happen to me once, and while I am no expert, I simply used a darker shoe polish to balance them out. 

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post #39365 of 51577
12/16/12 at 11:56am
^ were they shell?
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post #39366 of 51577
12/16/12 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NAMOR View Post

^ were they shell?

Good question, Namor. Eleganza, these are shell and would be curious if just polishing them with color 8 polish would work as well. I have sent a note to Alden to see what they think about recrafting the color. I know Alden treat their Shell at the factory and would think that likely the most secure route--but the sun bleaching is enticing.
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post #39367 of 51577
12/16/12 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burton View Post

Guys,
I purchased these tassels about a week ago. I got a very good deal on them and now I understand why. One of the shoes must have been in a store window and it has faded from the sunlight--see picture below. I was thinking that I could deal with this in one of two ways. First, send the shoes back to Alden and pay for them to recraft the color on the lightened shoe - no biggy. Second idea I had was to put the unfaded shoe in the sun for a while and bleach it out like the other one. My understanding from Nick Horween's blog posts and others is that this could be done in a short period of time. On the one hand, the lightened tassels would be cool and unique - I already have a pair of color 8 tassels. On the other, I haven't done anything like this before and it may be more difficult to match than it sounds. Curious as to your thoughts?

Would Neat's Foot Oil darken the lighter one?
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post #39368 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burton View Post

Guys,
I purchased these tassels about a week ago. I got a very good deal on them and now I understand why. One of the shoes must have been in a store window and it has faded from the sunlight--see picture below. I was thinking that I could deal with this in one of two ways. First, send the shoes back to Alden and pay for them to recraft the color on the lightened shoe - no biggy. Second idea I had was to put the unfaded shoe in the sun for a while and bleach it out like the other one. My understanding from Nick Horween's blog posts and others is that this could be done in a short period of time. On the one hand, the lightened tassels would be cool and unique - I already have a pair of color 8 tassels. On the other, I haven't done anything like this before and it may be more difficult to match than it sounds. Curious as to your thoughts?

Leave the darker shoe near a window that has a decent amount of sunlight & that shoe will fade over time. You can always have an Alden restoration done to them if you don't like the results.
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post #39369 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:25pm




LS #8 NST Saddle on the Leydon, my favorite Alden last.
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post #39370 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:25pm

Are you sure the faded one is from the sun? (not sure what else it could be, though)  I would think there would be some kind of tan line under the tassel or lace.

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post #39371 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakes11771 View Post

Are you sure the faded one is from the sun? (not sure what else it could be, though)  I would think there would be some kind of tan line under the tassel or lace.

It seems to me this could quite easily be the result of two shoes taking to dye quite differently.

No matter what it is, if an Alden restoration will remedy it, I personally would go that route and be done with it.
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post #39372 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CTYGGG View Post




LS #8 NST Saddle on the Leydon, my favorite Alden last.

I have little love for the Leydon last, but that is a nice shoe. nod[1].gif
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post #39373 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:43pm
^ I regret not buying that pair. Hopefully LS will run it again.
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post #39374 of 51577
12/16/12 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakes11771 View Post

Are you sure the faded one is from the sun? (not sure what else it could be, though)  I would think there would be some kind of tan line under the tassel or lace.

Yes. I am completely sure it is from the sun. There are "tan lines" under where the tassels have rested on the shoes. I don't know if you can see them in this picture they haven't photographed well.

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post #39375 of 51577
12/16/12 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sevenfoldtieguy View Post

It seems to me this could quite easily be the result of two shoes taking to dye quite differently.
No matter what it is, if an Alden restoration will remedy it, I personally would go that route and be done with it.

I could see that too, however, the arch (which didn't see sun) and the spots under the tassel as well speak to the shoe being exposed to the sun. Years ago, I almost purchased a pair of heavily discounted NSTs and then, as the mate was being pulled from the store window, I noticed they were no longer the same color. In that case, the shoe had been on display for years and the one left in the sun was now brown.

I tend to agreei with your conclusion about restoration from Alden. The discoloration is minimal and I believe it can be remedied by a recraft.

Here is a great piece on how the sun affects SC.

http://leffot.com/2011/08/31/the-brownout-by-nick-horween/
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