RANCOURT & Co. Shoes - Made in Maine

[JackL2]

Got it, thank you. I'm afraid they're closed over there now, and I'll just be in the city for a short time tomorrow... will try to call then!

 

[FrankCowperwood]

Oh, then maybe try Jack Spade. I recall a collaboration and a quick google search confirms at least something: http://m.jackspade.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Jack-Site/default/Stores-Find

Good hunting.

 

[rydenfan]

The Jack Spade in Boston has the collab chukka. I saw it today, it is pretty good looking

 

[rydenfan]



Well not a lot of customed on mine .

1st pair is Caramel Shell Penny beefroll " ships Monday" I prefer leather sole so I keep it with natural edge. I did ask for the vamp to be cut smooth.

2nd Espresso and again went leather sole with matching stitching. I debated because I like the look of contrasting stitching but in the end went matching. Same on the vamp cut smooth.

Well mine were supposed to ship today but I did not receive a tracking number so I am not sure if they went...how about you?

 

[Michael Haines]



Well mine were supposed to ship today but I did not receive a tracking number so I am not sure if they went...how about you?

Nope nothing

 

[rydenfan]



Nope nothing

Lets hope they shipped and forgot to notify us

 

[Michael Haines]



Lets hope they shipped and forgot to notify us

Well for me it was supposed to ship last Friday but where behind due to shortage in caramel shell. I was informed today that they will in fact ship tomorrow. Which is cool not in a huge rush.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

I would love to know if those brogues have a double sole. And, does this mean rancourt's aiming to make dress shoes? Or just "country" shoes like a brogue derby?

One thing the vid did not address was why Blake as opposed to Goodyear. My hunch-based on very little real knowledge--is that the Blake method is a smaller jump from hand-sewn and thus easier to integrate into a hand-sewn shop. I'm just guessing that that's the case.

This business about Blake construction led me to this wonderful thread on AAAC:

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?85307-Shoe-Construction

What I didn't understand before reading through the above is the difference between Blake and Blake Rapid, which is what Rancourt's doing. Blake is great for sleek dress shoes--arguably better than Goodyear-- but ill-suited for precisely the kinds of shoes Rancourt's making (chukkas, boots...and now possibly brogue derbies). Blake Rapid is perfect for that stuff, however. One thing that occurred to me is that once one has the capability to do Blake Rapid (the machines and the skills to use them), one can do Blake as well and make just about any kind of shoe or boot--including sleek dress shoes. I wonder if Rancourt always had this capability or only recently acquired it so as to expand its product range beyond the hand-sewn/moc construction niche. Just watching the vid, it's clear that it takes more than a machine: one needs to know what one's doing, and such skills don't appear overnight unless, I suppose, one simply recruits people who have them.

While there may be some truth to your comment about it being easier to introduce Blake-Rapid construction to a hand-sewn factory rather than jumping to Goodyear-welting, I wouldn't necessarily believe that is why they did it. Many of the true experts out there consider Blake-Rapid to be the next best type of shoe construction after hand-welted shoes, based on the stance that gemming used in Goodyear-welting is inferior and is a weak link which will eventually fail and cause the shoe to fall apart. The fact that Goodyear-welting is the "gold-standard" manufactering method for almost all ready-to-wear high-end shoes doesn't mean that it is truely the most robust construction outside of hand-welting. There are pros and cons to both techniques when in the realm of ready-to-wear factory made shoes, and I imagine it was a calculated choice by Rancourt to use the Blake-Rapid method instead of Goodyear-welting. I would be mostly concerned by what appears to be a leather wrapped fiber or leatherboard insole that they showed in the video. If your shoe rots from the inside out rather than from the outside in, or if it rots rather than falling apart, you are eventually going to be in trouble when the ravages of time take their toll. I just wish they were using robust natural leather insoles, because I think it would really make a difference in their longevity.

 

[rydenfan]

Well for me it was supposed to ship last Friday but where behind due to shortage in caramel shell. I was informed today that they will in fact ship tomorrow. Which is cool not in a huge rush.

Just got my tracking info and they show delivered this morning!! I have to resist the urge to leave work "sick"

 

[Michael Haines]

I hate you.... Haha I guess I will get mine next week . Post pictures and enjoy

 

[Spencer]

Ordered my shoes yesterday, got the tracking number today

 

[rydenfan]

Well, I couldn't take it any longer and came home early... Here are a few pics, ENJOY

 

[grendel]

Well, I couldn't take it any longer and came home early... Here are a few pics, ENJOY

Very nice! What are those second pair? Espresso shell?

 

[rydenfan]

Espresso shell Ranger Moc
Matching brown stitch
Antique brass eyelets
Waxed cotton laces
Leather midsole with natural stain and tan stitching
Montello mini lug sole (near identical to the stitched in commando Alden does)

 

[FrankCowperwood]



Espresso shell Ranger Moc
Matching brown stitch
Antique brass eyelets
Waxed cotton laces
Leather midsole with natural stain and tan stitching
Montello mini lug sole (near identical to the stitched in commando Alden does)

Darn. Both great looking. Love the baseball stitching on the camp mocs and the Espresso shell is beautiful. Also really like that "commando sole." Looks like an excellent choice!