C&j hangrade v. benchgrade

[johnnynorman3]

I'm just trying to determine how much better the handgrades are -- is it the construction of the shoe? Or is the quality/finishing of the leather that much better? I really like the dark browns that C & J does, and I'm curious whether the dark brown burnished calf is really all that inferior to the dark brown antiqued.

 

[A Harris]

Handgrade - more sophisticated last design, higher quality leather, antiquing, higher quality sole leather, channeled sole. It's all around a better shoe. The difference is, IMO, fairly dramatic.

 

[johnnynorman3]

That's good to know. Thanks, Andrew. I contacted English Shoes, and he can give fairly incredible prices on the Crockett and Jones's. The price difference between handgrade and benchgrade with him is actually only about $165 US. So, I suppose it is worth it, though it will require me to wait a little bit before placing an order.

In that vein, are there any cheaper ways to find C and J handgrades? Does NM carry them (Last Call sale discount perhaps?). I rarely see them on Ebay.

 

[Thracozaag]

Barney's carries them. They get steeply discounted in their warehouse sales (if you get lucky).

koji

 

[johnnynorman3]

When are their warehouse sales? Do these sales only occur at their NY store (at the Barney's warehouse on, what, 19th st.?)? How deeply discounted do they get? Should I just go with English Shoes who can get me them for $450 or so, or wait until I strike a greater deal (I don't need them immediately, mind you).

 

[Thracozaag]

You'll have to wait until February. I picked up a pair of handgrades for just over 100$ last time though...

koji

 

[TomW]

That kind of pricing makes a trip to NY next February entirely reasonable.

 

[johnnynorman3]

I think I'll just wait then. I'll be in NYC by then anyways.

 

[Thracozaag]

Word of caution, though...luck is a factor, and the deep discounts don't happen until the final days of the sale.

koji

 

[Lomezz]

Actually, there's a Barney's warehouse sale twice a year, August and February, so one should be coming up soon. Don't know exact date yet, but can find out.

I'm afraid there won't be any handgrades in the sale this summer, though. In my experience, they offer most "good" sale shoes in the store right up to the sale, and then move them to the warehouse, together with tons of Barney's label shoes.

From what I've seen in the store recently, most C&J's were gone. No handgrades for sale, and only three or four styles of benchgrade (canterbury wingtip, cukka black suede boot and sedbergh rubber sole) in odd sizes (odd for me, anyway).

Having said that, I will check the warehouse sale, since you never know what surprises might be there.

 

[Thracozaag]

Thanks for the update, Lomezz.

koji