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miamidoc

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Marbled shell is different from museum calf and regular shell colors. the specifics of how it is made is around on SF somewhere but I can't search it out right now. the way that horween produces these shells is what causes the well defined lines that you see frequently. I think that is also the case with the speckles, which I am guessing are follicles. I'm not sure. It would be an interesting Reddit AMA for Horween to do, actually.

I stand by the original view that I expressed that this is primarily an issue of customer education and expectations. To a certain extent, that's on Carmina to very publicly set those expectation. In that sense, one could pitch an argument that the customer didn't understand what they were buying. AE, for example, was better about doing this with their marbled shell rollout. Having said that, at least for Carmina, this was a really niche offering with something like 4 pairs produced or something like that. I'm not even sure that they had a good sense of what differences to expect, how to present it to customers, how to accurately set customer expectations, and how to cut and click the shell to meet customer expectations that they might not have really understood going into it.

Anyway, we're getting off on a tangent here. There are very unique aspects to marbled shell. It isn't for everyone.
Exactly agree with this. My “marbled” shell has lines and splotches. And each boot is unique in its own special way. I love it.
87152A22-2B44-4B5F-9425-311217D3BBA4.jpeg
 

stephenaf2003

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007Bond

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Exactly agree with this. My “marbled” shell has lines and splotches. And each boot is unique in its own special way. I love it. View attachment 1563297
This is the side of one of my boots. See all the speckles and some of the striation in the shell? As for the color, it seems reasonable to me...

View attachment 1563310


Somehow on your boots this looks perfectly fine. Maybe looking back at his pic the angle and they position of his pic it just did not look right to me like your guys boots look, but ok I stand corrected.
 

stook1

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Any idea where the lines come from? Is it just a part of the process?

Yep, there is some process... a machine or tool or something that scrapes the top of the shell. That is what is responsible for the lines that you see, I think. It's also why the lighter portions show the speckle things that I am pretty sure are pores or follicles or something. It's because the top of the shell is shaved off to create the color variation.
 

zag73

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Yep, there is some process... a machine or tool or something that scrapes the top of the shell. That is what is responsible for the lines that you see, I think. It's also why the lighter portions show the speckle things that I am pretty sure are pores or follicles or something. It's because the top of the shell is shaved off to create the color variation.
Got you. Based on what you’re saying, the markings make sense ?
 

stook1

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Was planning to tag you on a post earlier. I was wearing those color 4 longwings earlier today with the crazy back story that I am sure you recall. I feel a twinge of guilt every time I wear them even though I knew nothing of the background at the time when I bought them. :) I've since switched to vibergs and neglected to catch a pic beforehand.
 

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