The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[dieworkwear]

Does Shell Cordovan not work well for boots? I feel like I've seen old ads before it was a luxury material where the point of it was to be a rugged material.

My impression is that it was originally a rugged workwear material, but perhaps someone else here can correct me. The exception is shell tassel loafers, which I know were around many decades ago. But I've always thought of things such as shell oxfords to be odd, as I don't think of shell as a dressy material. It doesn't take a high shine very well; it's thick. It has those very odd rolls. I mostly think of it as a boot leather, but will also wear it as a loafer (penny loafers and tassels).

 

[marlinspike]

There are the boots I'm basing off of:

except with a lower heel (it's flat here and I need to squat when I work often), brass hardware, a lug sole, and a cap on the toe to reinforce a bit. Could be nice in color 4 or amaretto?

 

[dieworkwear]

Are those Good Art speed hooks? Fancy.

I'm not crazy about that shape, but I can see it working with some very specific workwear repro outfits, like the stuff you see at Inspiration LA. I would probably do dark brown. Although with blue jeans, maybe amaretto could be nice.

Are you getting those bespoke? Why not buy something OTR? Viberg has some shell cordovan service boots. C&J also makes slightly dressier styles that can be worn with CM-styled outfits.

 

[marlinspike]

Are you getting those bespoke? Why not buy something OTR? Viberg has some shell cordovan service boots. C&J also makes slightly dressier styles that can be worn with CM-styled outfits.

I have a foot condition where I cannot wear off the shelf shoes without severe pain. Heretofore I wear 1000 mile boots for work boots, and I have to use Percocet to be able to work on both a Saturday and a Sunday, and to avoid being drugged all week I then walk with a limp until Wednesday when I return to work from a weekend where I wear OTR both days.
(I should say, no, the Percocet doesn't make you unable to do you work, I just figure given an NSAID allergy I will need it my entire life and shouldn't waste it when I don't absolutely need it....also, an aside, damn whoever decided to blame this wonderful class of medicines for people who make the choice to use drugs recreationally, as now saying I have an NSAID allergy gets me the third degree every time I meet a new doctor).

 

[dieworkwear]

I have a foot condition where I cannot wear off the shelf shoes without severe pain. Heretofore I wear 1000 mile boots for work boots, and I have to use Percocet to be able to work on both a Saturday and a Sunday, and to avoid being drugged all week I then walk with a limp until Wednesday when I return to work from a weekend where I wear OTR both days.

Ah, sorry for presuming on my end.

I think that boot can look nice with the modifications you suggested -- slightly lower heel, brass hardware, and lug sole. If it were me, I would probably do "no toe cap" just because I see that sample in front of me. Sometimes I have a hard time visualizing things, so if I know I like how a boot looks, I base my decision off that. Meaning, I only make modifications on details I feel strongly about. I don't think that boot looks bad with a plain toe, so if it were me, I would probably just stick with a plain toe.

I recently bought a pair of brown boots and the company accidentally shipped the model in tan. I'm normally not crazy about tan shoes but with blue jeans, I was surprised to find how much I like the color. The color is an oiled version of that amaretto color. Kind of looks like this in oiled leather

Between Shell 4 and amaretto, I think I would do amaretto. Although I also like Horween's darker and more neutral browns, as I find they go with a wider range of pants.

I don't think shell cordovan would be wrong for that boot style. I mostly think of shell as a boot leather. If you go to eBay and search for "Wolverine shell ad," you can pull up a bunch of those advertisements I posted. Although, I think more accurately, they may have used horse front leather (not 100% sure). Still, I think the thick leather and heavy rolls go pretty naturally on a boot.

 

[florent]

If you go to eBay and search for "Wolverine shell ad," you can pull up a bunch of those advertisements I posted. Although, I think more accurately, they may have used horse front leather (not 100% sure). Still, I think the thick leather and heavy rolls go pretty naturally on a boot.

Those Wolverines were another beast, the shell was used as a kind of extra reinforcement lining but not visible on the outside.

 

[ntempleman]

Cordovan shells aren’t very big, you can get just about cut a pair of shoes from one shell so you need to buy double the material for boots. They’re also inconsistent, thicknesses and exact colour will vary between shells so matching up adds another step to slow down the process and increase costs in a factory setting. That’s why they make chromexcel leathers really, you get these nice big uniform skins, throw the pattern template over them, click out a few hundred matching pairs and hand them to the closers, no time wasted.

Not such an issue with bespoke, we’re the masters of faffing about over “details”

 

[marlinspike]

While he would happily make them out of cordovan for me with an upcharge, Maftei said for my use case cow leather will hold up better, so I guess that settles that for me.
Those NTempleman boots above are beautiful though, which color of shell is that?

 

[ntempleman]

I think it was Whiskey

 

[dieworkwear]

Anyone know anything about the Clev shoes made from an exclusive leather found on the Suez Canal ship?

 

[bjhofkin]

I prefer shell cordovan for shawl cardigans. Or is it shell cardigan for shawl cordovans?

But seriously it's not my favorite material at all. And unlike Derek, I've never had success getting rain spots out of shell.

Also stiff, doesn't stretch or mold, and runs very hot. And doesn't have a grain (it's not actually hide) if you enjoy grain.

Does Shell Cordovan not work well for boots? I feel like I've seen old ads before it was a luxury material where the point of it was to be a rugged material.

 

[dieworkwear]

Alden's Leather Defender supposedly prevents spots on shell. I bought a bottle of this stuff many years ago with the intention of trying this theory out. But ... never got around to it.

 

[marlinspike]

I quite like the pair of wingtips I had made out of color 8 shell. I prefer the way it non-crease creases, and they take a nice shine with little work. For rain spots I just wipe them with a damp cloth and brush them. But for durability he has recommended a product made by Perlinger, I believe it's this

 

[clee1982]

I just find it too much work once shell gets water spot/blooming, can get it out, but just take too much work for me, maybe next time I'll start with that alden leather defender thing as well

 

[brax]

I just find it too much work once shell gets water spot/blooming, can get it out, but just take too much work for me, maybe next time I'll start with that alden leather defender thing as well

A quick application of Reno has always worked for me.