Cordovan belt

[kolecho]

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?

 

[horton]

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

 

[edmorel]

Unless the horse is like J-Lo.

 

[lee_44106]

Originally Posted by horton

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

 

[kolecho]

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.

 

[horton]

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.

 

[well-kept]

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.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Unless the horse is like J-Lo.

 

[thinman]

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.

 

[kolecho]

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.

 

[JLibourel]

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.

 

[40kaas-nl]

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

 

[well-kept]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

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.

 

[kolecho]

Originally Posted by well-kept

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.

 

[RIDER]

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.



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'.