Photo essay on Britain's last oak bark tannery

[DWFII]



Hi WQ,

Royal Mail say 5 working days as a maximum, but it can take a little longer in my experience. If you assume a week you won't be far wrong.

Hope this helps,

Charlie

I've had stuff sent to Oregon via Royal Mail and three weeks is not unusual.

 

[Fishball]



I've had stuff sent to Oregon via Royal Mail and three weeks is not unusual.

It normally just take 4days to a week via Royal Airmail from England to Hong Kong.
Normally airmail from US to Hong Kong is around a week, just little bit more time than England to HK.
However, I tried once a parcel use almost a month to arrived, USPS sent it to Aussie then back to HK, but I will said that is unusual.

 

[Equus Leather]



I've had stuff sent to Oregon via Royal Mail and three weeks is not unusual.

I have to say that whilst very occasionally I have known this happens its the exception rather than the rule. Generally we find UK to US via Royal Mail is 1 - 2 weeks on average sometimes > 1 week and very rarely < 2 weeks, and we ship this way a lot.

Next 8 belts en route, all to the US I think so we'll have to see when they appear!

Charlie

 

[E TF]

I came back from holiday a couple of days ago to find my belt waiting for me - it's a thing of beauty. Wish I'd done like MoL and got one of each...

 

[Holdfast]

I came back from holiday a couple of days ago to find my belt waiting for me - it's a thing of beauty. Wish I'd done like MoL and got one of each...

I just got back from holiday today myself to find that little red note from Royal Mail telling me a parcel is waiting for me at their local depot. Looking forward to picking it up tomorrow.

 

[Leather man]

Please forgive me if someone else has answered this question but the pages take so long to load I can't spare the time to get through 12 pages! At the beginning someone asked which shoe companies use Baker's leather. Baker's leather is used mainly for sole leather in the shoe industry. Gaziano and Girling use Baker's leather on all their shoes ie both Ready to Wear and Bespoke. Cheaney also use Baker's on their Imperial range and I am pretty certain Church's did on their Royals range and still do on their highest end line which has no name! ( I don't mean Tenby , Tewkesbury etc but the new137 last range).

I find Baker's oak bark tanned sole leather to be superior to JR sole leather which Edward Green use. Its almost indestructible and I wish Edward Green would follow Gaziano and Girling's example!!

 

[ThinkDerm]

congrats on the belts. looking forward to seeing some soon!

PS - leatherman, any photos of the Baker's soles compared to EGs?

 

[JChance]

edit

 

[Equus Leather]

I don't have first hand experience with the Bakers sole leather but have also heard good things about it. The Russet we're using for belts is Bridle Butt as we always use but is quite a different leather to the Aus Nut and London Tan - I suspect it shares part of its production process with the sole leather. Its very, very hard to cut - we cut everything by hand using very sharp knives and a knife that will go through our regular bridle butt in one pass with little effort is stopped dead by the russet. I can only imagine that Bakers sole leather will last a very long time..

 

[Holdfast]

Very pleased indeed with my new belt; thank you to all at Equus for delivering such a great product at such a good price! The colour and feel are both amazing.

 

[ThinkDerm]



Very pleased indeed with my new belt; thank you to all at Equus for delivering such a great product at such a good price! The colour and feel are both amazing.

lovely!

 

[Holdfast]

It really is. The workmanship is great, even to my untrained eye, and the leather is wonderfully soft and supple. My one (unstated) pre-order concern was whether the Baker's would be a bit too thick/stiff compared to other leathers. It's absolutely not; it bends in a soft and gentle manner around the waist and simply oozes quality. And the subtle variegation/depth of colour that becomes visible in bright light is splendid.

 

[Equus Leather]



Very pleased indeed with my new belt; thank you to all at Equus for delivering such a great product at such a good price! The colour and feel are both amazing.
QUOTE] Hi Holdfast, Really pleased you like it - thank you for the thank you, much appreciated! Charlie

 

[mikecch]

Lovely photos Holdfast!

Can't wait for my russet belt

 

[Leather man]

I appreciate the question but one cannot tell much from looking at pictures. What pictures show us is what the shoemaker has done with the sole leather rather than how it looks when arrives at the factory or workshop. So on one level I might suggest you look at any picture of a Gaziano and Girling sole or Cheaney Imperial rang and compare with any picture of an Edward Green sole. However I don't think it will tell you much.

So, my comments are based on ownership. I find that the Bakers sole leather is best by far in terms of wearablity and flexibility. Edward Green soles do wear well however and I do think Edward Green make an exceptional shoe. Purely a subjective observation - but IMO EG use by far the best quality leathers. In 2007 -2009 I think G&G were using leathers rivalling Edward Green but I don't think so anymore. This is really a discussion for somewhere else, but I'll tell on what I am basing ths view. For me, leather quality is about the tightness and density of the grain, absence of growth marks etc, and the way it creases. Other factors would be longevity and how it looks with age - but I'd need to write this in 20 years time!! Since the move to the new factory my experience has been that Ive sent three pairs f G&G back for remaking due to poor leather quality , and my latest pair are made from calf that is flimsy, thin and lacks lustre. Ive had three other pairs of shoes/boots that are "Ok" Another factor is fit. I have many pairs of G&G - the ones made in the period befor the move to the new factory fit brilliantly. The ones made since are too tight by far. To be fair, I've spoken to Dean about this and he had no hesitation in remaking three pairs suggested I make a request re fitting upon ordering.

I don't know what has happened at G&G, but I suspect it is the struggle to keep up with demand - they do designed beautiful shoes!

LM