The Official Alden Thread for 2016 - Share reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[Alcibiades]

Has any retailer made a plain toe color 8 boot on the barrie last with a double leather sole and a dark edge in recent memory?

 

[metranger8694]

I officially joined the Alden club yesterday:

I've been reading up on the Mac Method and shell cordovan care in general. What are the forums thoughts on deer bones? It seems all of the US sources are out of stock, so where are people getting them?

Why, Michigan of course.

Get it?

"Deerbone", Michigan?

 

[bkotsko]

I officially joined the Alden club yesterday:





I figured after hitting 10 pairs of AEs (all acquired in the last year) it was time to switch things up.

Bear in mind that up until a year ago, I spent decades in black, corrected grain, cemented, Bostonians (cap toe oxfords during the 90's, the dreaded squarish bicycle or apron toed slip-ons more recently) so I'm both making up for lost time and atoning for prior sins.

I've been reading up on the Mac Method and shell cordovan care in general. What are the forums thoughts on deer bones? It seems all of the US sources are out of stock, so where are people getting them?

Deer bones are very useful on medium to dark shell cordovan to:
1. imparting some oils into the leather
2. smoothing out some of the gouges and blemishes in the leather
3. blend out some of the sharper edged creases that happen when the leather rolls, sometimes they are more creases than rolls
They are just as good at these tasks on the lighter leathers, however..... BEWARE the deer bone can burnish the lighter leather (shell) if is used too vigorously.

 

[kelpqq]

Maiden Voyage, Alden X J Crew Snuff Suede PTB.

 

[ReppTiePrepster]

Thinking about you gents from THE Country Club.

OOOOO!! Brookline, that's a sweet place. Hope you are enjoying that fine track!

 

[Chris6]



OOOOO!!  Brookline, that's a sweet place.  Hope you are enjoying that fine track!

No clue why they keep letting me in. Are you in the area?

 

[k-ktok]

Hi,

I'm looking for deer bone for shoecare, however I have no idea where I could bought it.
Would someone please advise me where I could find good deer bone for shoecare on Internet shopping ?

Thanks,

 

[jjschube]

Thanks for all your responses guys...Sadly I am either putting them up for sale here or just returning them to the Shoemart. They just don't fit quite right. I went to my local store today who carries a small supply of Alden's and it looks like all three pairs of my shell Alden's are the wrong size! I thought I was 10.5D Plaza and 10D Barrie but it looks like I am a 10.5E Plaza and a 10.5 D Barrie . I couldn't be sadder. Ed was so nice to include me on the list and now I'll have to wait 1-2 more years ! O well, champagne problems.

Thanks again, please let me know if anyone wants to purchase the Alden LWB 10D Whiskey. I am not a jerk so I'm not looking to make a big profit. I'll either sell them for what I bought them for or slightly above (because by the time I get them again, prices will be higher). I am going to talk to Ed though, I don't know if it is unethical not to return them, since he probably would go to the next in line on his list. They're 100% brand new, only tried them on 5 or so times on my carpet.

I also have a 10.5 D Plaza last PTB Six eyelet cigar, worn maybe..15-20 times and a 10.5D Plaza Color 8 6 eyelet NST worn 10-15 times. All this over my stupid pinky toe! Would be happy to trade as well (not this whiskey unless it's new) l. I want probably what everyone else does...

1. LWB Whiskey, Cigar or Ravello with Antique Edge 10.5 D
2. WT Boot Ravello 10.5D
3. WT Boot Color 4 Hahah!
4.6 Eyelet Plaza NST Color 8 10.5E
5. Cigar PTB Plaza 10.5E
6. Mike's TSM makeup (Black Medallion Plaza Boot) 10.5E < He killed that makeup!

I must sound like an idiot for it to take three pairs to realize I was wearing the wrong size! Lesson learned, Cordovan DOES NOT STRETCH and if they don't fit great out of the box, they never will.



Best,

JJ

 

[RTD1]

Hi,

I'm looking for deer bone for shoecare, however I have no idea where I could bought it.
Would someone please advise me where I could find good deer bone for shoecare on Internet shopping ?

Thanks,

Where are you based? There are several companies in the UK that seem to sell them, but it appears that virtually all of the retailers here in the US are out of them. I've spent the last few days searching for one, and just found what seems to be the only US retailer that has them in stock - A Shine & Co. Ordered one this morning and got the shipping notice a few hours later, so seems they have them.

 

[Alcibiades]



Thanks for all your responses guys...Sadly I am either putting them up for sale here or just returning them to the Shoemart.  They just don't fit quite right.  I went to my local store today who carries a small supply of Alden's and it looks like all three pairs of my shell Alden's are the wrong size!  I thought I was 10.5D Plaza and 10D Barrie but it looks like I am a 10.5E Plaza and a 10.5 D Barrie .  I couldn't be sadder.  Ed was so nice to include me on the list and now I'll have to wait 1-2 more years !  O well, champagne problems. 

Thanks again,  please let me know if anyone wants to purchase the Alden LWB 10D Whiskey.  I am not a jerk so I'm not looking to make a big profit.  I'll either sell them for what I bought them for or slightly above (because by the time I get them again, prices will be higher). I am going to talk to Ed though, I don't know if it is unethical not to return them, since he probably would go to the next in line on his list. They're 100% brand new, only tried them on 5 or so times on my carpet.

I also have a 10.5 D Plaza last PTB Six eyelet cigar, worn maybe..15-20 times and a 10.5D Plaza Color 8 6 eyelet NST worn 10-15 times. All this over my stupid pinky toe!  Would be happy to trade as well (not this whiskey unless it's new) l. I want probably what everyone else does...

1. LWB Whiskey, Cigar or Ravello with Antique Edge 10.5 D
2. WT Boot Ravello 10.5D
3. WT Boot Color 4 Hahah!
4.6 Eyelet Plaza NST Color 8 10.5E
5. Cigar PTB Plaza 10.5E
6. Mike's TSM makeup (Black Medallion Plaza Boot) 10.5E < He killed that makeup!

I must sound like an idiot for it to take three pairs to realize I was wearing the wrong size! Lesson learned, Cordovan DOES NOT STRETCH and if they don't fit great out of the box, they never will.



Best,

JJ

JJ,

I know how it feels. I owned several pairs (including whiskey chukkas, whiskey indys, cigar indys, ravello LWB) before I finally figured out that I needed E or EE widths in most Alden models, not D widths.

The good news is that E widths are pretty readily available nowadays, either through preorders or in many cases normal runs or stock orders.

 

[Handcuffed]

Good luck to y'all chasing those saddles...

 

[jjschube]

Thanks for the sympathy! It's a shame. Those whiskey LWB are absolutely stunning! It was such a great color run this time around.

 

[Alcibiades]

I think a few people have owned Leffot's navy suede LWBs... How are you liking them?

 

[RTD1]

You're not by chance the guy who had new Whiskey LWBs up on eBay yesterday are you? They were up for like an hour with an exorbitant starting price and then we're taken down.

Edit: Nevermind, found the listing, those were 9.5D's.

 

[Bbombers85]



Good luck to y'all chasing those saddles...

Shhhhhhh