I was lucky enough to pick up a pair of ravello and whiskey LWBs recently. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I should keep either pair.
With the ravellos, the vamp of the right shoe appears to be much lighter than the left shoe. It is also somewhat lighter than the rest of the right shoe. I've seen comments from members of this forum state that the color #8 shoes go through an additional finishing step at Alden. Is this true for the other colors as well, or is variation of this type typically a result of the tanning process? If it is due only to the tanning process, I guess I am just surprised that it would not be caught much sooner in the process. If it is just the finishing step, is there anything that can be done to correct the issue, or I am better off just sending them back to the retailer?
With the whiskeys, there is an area on the upper of the right shoe that has dark brown or black streaks that make the area appear almost "dirty". The same area on the outside of the shoe has a similar, but less pronounced appearance. To me, it almost appears as though the shoes were polished in that area with a dark brown or black polish before leaving the factory. That area of the shoe also has a much duller appearance than the leather near the sole.
Has anyone else seen this type of dark striping effect with other whiskey LWBs, or other whiskey shells? Is it just natural variation in the leather, or something that can be corrected?
