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Cordovan belt

Discussion in 'Classic Menswear' started by kolecho, Aug 28, 2006.

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  1. kolecho

    kolecho Senior member

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    Alden makes them, but they are made up of several pieces of leather than are stitched together.

    Are there other makers of cordovan belt, and is it also of similar construction?
     
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    #1


  3. horton

    horton Senior member

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    I'm fairly sure that true cordovan belts have to come in pieces.
     
    horton, Aug 28, 2006
    horton, Aug 28, 2006
    #2


  5. edmorel

    edmorel Quality Seller!! Dubiously Honored

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    Unless the horse is like J-Lo.
     
    edmorel, Aug 28, 2006
    edmorel, Aug 28, 2006
    #3


  7. lee_44106

    lee_44106 Senior member

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    I'm fairly sure that true cordovan belts have to come in pieces.


    I remember seeing Ben Silver selling one-piece cordovan belts on their website. It must have been a big-assed horse [​IMG]
     
    lee_44106, Aug 28, 2006
    lee_44106, Aug 28, 2006
    #4


  9. kolecho

    kolecho Senior member

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    I saw the ones offered by Ben Silver also online. I wonder what the story is. I was told by Alden that cordovan is not large enough to make a one piece belt.
     
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    #5


  11. horton

    horton Senior member

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    right, cordovan is actually some membrane like material that comes from the rump I believe (not the horse hide) and is only so big in diameter (not big enough for a belt).

    I imagine any one piece belt is using "cordovan" to refer to the color, not the material.
     
    horton, Aug 28, 2006
    horton, Aug 28, 2006
    #6


  13. well-kept

    well-kept Senior member

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    I have a one-piece shell cordovan belt made by AE. I wore it almost daily for years until it had torn in too many places to continue. I have also read that one-piece shell cordo belts can't be made but there you have it. Perhaps it's being a 32" size made it possible.
     
    well-kept, Aug 28, 2006
    well-kept, Aug 28, 2006
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  15. globetrotter

    globetrotter Senior member

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    Unless the horse is like J-Lo.
    [​IMG]
     
    globetrotter, Aug 28, 2006
    globetrotter, Aug 28, 2006
    #8


  17. thinman

    thinman Senior member

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    I've heard of such a thing, but I've never seen one. Brooks Brothers had some shell corodvan belts earlier this summer, but they were made with 3 pieces.[​IMG]
     
    thinman, Aug 28, 2006
    thinman, Aug 28, 2006
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  19. kolecho

    kolecho Senior member

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    I spoke to Ben Silver. They confirmed that they do have one piece shell cordovan belts, but they are changing suppliers now so it will take a few months to get stock in. FYI their cordovan is from Japan.
     
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    kolecho, Aug 28, 2006
    #10


  21. JLibourel

    JLibourel Senior member

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    It might be possible, I suppose, to get a sufficient length of shell for a very short belt from the rump of an enormous horse (few of which are around these days). I think some (perhaps most or all) of these one-piece belts are simply "cordovan" colored horsehide. I have a #8 shell cordovan belt made for me by holstermaker Greg Kramer. It is a three-piecer, as I suspect almost any genuine shell cordovan belt will be these days.
     
    JLibourel, Aug 28, 2006
    JLibourel, Aug 28, 2006
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  23. 40kaas-nl

    40kaas-nl Senior member

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    Shell cordovan belt made by Kreis (German). It also has the 3 piece construction.

    [​IMG]
     
    40kaas-nl, Aug 28, 2006
    40kaas-nl, Aug 28, 2006
    #12


  25. well-kept

    well-kept Senior member

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    It might be possible, I suppose, to get a sufficient length of shell for a very short belt from the rump of an enormous horse (few of which are around these days). I think some (perhaps most or all) of these one-piece belts are simply "cordovan" colored horsehide. I have a #8 shell cordovan belt made for me by holstermaker Greg Kramer. It is a three-piecer, as I suspect almost any genuine shell cordovan belt will be these days.

    Don't know if you consider 32" very short but my AE belt is stamped "Shell Cordovan" on the back and so it is, #8 color as well. It's one piece. I've had it seven or eight years.
     
    well-kept, Aug 28, 2006
    well-kept, Aug 28, 2006
    #13


  27. kolecho

    kolecho Senior member

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    Don't know if you consider 32" very short but my AE belt is stamped "Shell Cordovan" on the back and so it is, #8 color as well. It's one piece. I've had it seven or eight years.

    I called AE and they said they have a one piece shell cordovan also for about $250. Not cheap but worth a look. Alas they don't have my size, so impulse buy won't be an issue.

    On a related note, what do you guys think of wearing burgundy shell cordovan shoes paired with burgundy calf leather belt? It is much cheaper and easier to get calf belt.
     
    kolecho, Aug 29, 2006
    kolecho, Aug 29, 2006
    #14


  29. RIDER

    RIDER Senior member

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    The customer service folks might not know more than what the books say, but you cannot make a one piece belt from SC - not big enough...either Horween's or the Japanese tannery's. We buy both and they are the same size - roughly 20 inches.

    [​IMG]

    This is a typical piece.

    You can use 'hips' and get the length, but then this is not 'Shell Cordovan' but, well, hips.

    http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/sides.htm

    This supplier gives the proper credit to both 'Shell Cordovan' and 'hips'.
     
    RIDER, Aug 29, 2006
    RIDER, Aug 29, 2006
    #15


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