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chanakit

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i saw Alden natty boot plain toe CXL in leathersoul it look similar with plain toe in Union made but it's price more expensive than union made 35 US i don't knoe why?
 

mr chorizo

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We do not all know that shell cordovan is shell cordovan. There are lots of variations in shells. As for quality, I am not on board with the "Horween has no leather so the quality of what we get must be ******" argument.
Changing the subject, I have only been buying Alden shoes for 5 years or so. During that time there has always been this alleged shortage of Whiskey, Ravello and Cigar. They are "rare" shells. But I always see them. If I see a pair that is almost exactly what I like but off on one point and buy it because of the shortage 3-4 months later I see the shoe the exact way I want it. I would not panic.
Also I think it is good news that horse-slaughter should soon be legal in the US. That should open up some reliable sources for Horween. What impact it actually has I will have to wait and see.



if horween is still making/shipping whiskey, where the shells have to be all but perfect, i wouldn't sweat the shortage of ravello as indicative of horween's quality (or lack thereof)
 
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Alcibiades

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if horween is still making/shipping whiskey, where the shells have to be all but perfect, i wouldn't sweat the shortage of ravello as indicative of horween's quality (or lack thereof)


Agreed - seems like more of an indicator of the popularity of ravello than anything else
 

mexicutioner

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My friend ordered these a few days ago.  They're supposed to be delivered on Tuesday and I cannot wait to see them in person.


yeah i think you'll be shocked at how nice that boot is. the guy at Unionmade said that they should be getting a shipment of aldens in the next 2-4 months, and that he *thought* that it would include a variation of the Sloat boot, with a commando sole instead of the neoprene sole.
 

closerlook

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We do not all know that shell cordovan is shell cordovan. There are lots of variations in shells. As for quality, I am not on board with the "Horween has no leather so the quality of what we get must be ******" argument.
Changing the subject, I have only been buying Alden shoes for 5 years or so. During that time there has always been this alleged shortage of Whiskey, Ravello and Cigar. They are "rare" shells. But I always see them. If I see a pair that is almost exactly what I like but off on one point and buy it because of the shortage 3-4 months later I see the shoe the exact way I want it. I would not panic.
Also I think it is good news that horse-slaughter should soon be legal in the US. That should open up some reliable sources for Horween. What impact it actually has I will have to wait and see.



just as an (important) aside; i recall reading once that horween's sources of shell are all horses that have died of natural causes. i.e. they don't die for the purchase of the hide.
 

zippyh

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We do not all know that shell cordovan is shell cordovan. There are lots of variations in shells. As for quality, I am not on board with the "Horween has no leather so the quality of what we get must be ******" argument.
Changing the subject, I have only been buying Alden shoes for 5 years or so. During that time there has always been this alleged shortage of Whiskey, Ravello and Cigar. They are "rare" shells. But I always see them. If I see a pair that is almost exactly what I like but off on one point and buy it because of the shortage 3-4 months later I see the shoe the exact way I want it. I would not panic.
Also I think it is good news that horse-slaughter should soon be legal in the US. That should open up some reliable sources for Horween. What impact it actually has I will have to wait and see.



just as an (important) aside; i recall reading once that horween's sources of shell are all horses that have died of natural causes. i.e. they don't die for the purchase of the hide.


I'm pretty sure it's just that the horses aren't slaughtered solely for their hides. I don't think there's any "natural causes" about their demise.
 

closerlook

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I'm pretty sure it's just that the horses aren't slaughtered solely for their hides. I don't think there's any "natural causes" about their demise.



"THEY KILL HORSES DON'T THEY?

No! Only mature animals that have died of natural causes are used by the Horween Leather Company for their shells. While Shell Cordovan was once made by a number of leather tanneries in the USA, for many years, Horween has been the only remaining maker of Shell Cordovan. They have made it in the same way since 1905. No other tannery in the world makes genuine Shell Cordovan. "

http://corvuswatch.blogspot.com/2011/10/introducing-our-new-two-piece-shell.html


however, i agree that "natural" remains open to interpretation here. it could be that a broken leg on the race track results in a whiskey chukka.
 

Edgein

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I've heard about the shortage of cordovan for years and this is the first I've actually seen it. There is more demand from Italy, Japan, and other US makes for shell, so it doesn't surprise me, just that up until now, it hasn't existed in the public domain. As previously stated, if you wait long enough, a shoe that you want will come around, even on sale!
 

zippyh

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I'm pretty sure it's just that the horses aren't slaughtered solely for their hides. I don't think there's any "natural causes" about their demise.



"THEY KILL HORSES DON'T THEY?

No! Only mature animals that have died of natural causes are used by the Horween Leather Company for their shells. While Shell Cordovan was once made by a number of leather tanneries in the USA, for many years, Horween has been the only remaining maker of Shell Cordovan. They have made it in the same way since 1905. No other tannery in the world makes genuine Shell Cordovan. "

http://corvuswatch.blogspot.com/2011/10/introducing-our-new-two-piece-shell.html


however, i agree that "natural" remains open to interpretation here. it could be that a broken leg on the race track results in a whiskey chukka.


See this
http://www.styleforum.net/t/274603/nick-v-interviews-nick-horween-horween-leather
Where do you get your hides from?
Our cowhides come from North America and our horsehide is from France, primarily. We receive some from Quebec as well. Both are byproducts of the food industry.
 

furo

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if horween is still making/shipping whiskey, where the shells have to be all but perfect, i wouldn't sweat the shortage of ravello as indicative of horween's quality (or lack thereof)


I don't see it this way - has anyone confirmed this? From what I understand, the shortage of Ravello would be for the exact same reason as for Whiskey, i.e. lack of quality hides.

The other reason may be a larger backorder of whiskey shell, so they are allocating all the high quality hides to fill those orders prior to moving toward Ravello, but I have yet to see this actually in writing or from a credible source.
 

El Argentino

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Horse is quite tasty.
 

zippyh

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^^ ah interesting.

so, like, dog food? who eats horse?


It's people food!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_meat#France
Chevaline_Pezenas.jpg
 
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