***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[AML225]



Yesterday I finished up an Alden project. I hardly ever wear my #8 LWB. I like them but they are not as casual as my other Aldens. I decided that what they needed was a Edge Trim change. I've never done anything like this before but i'm really happy with the results. Here are some before and after pics.

Before

After

Wow that looks awesome. Did you treat the exposed wood or anything? I may have to do this.

 

[Pastor]



May I ask how this is accomplished as an DIY project?
I have a pair of black LWB that I hardly wear, and I would like to do the same thing to make it more 'casual' looking.

I first sanded off the black with a 140 grade sandpaper. This took about an hour to do and caused at least one blister on my thumb. After this was finished I re-sanded again with a fine grain 220 sandpaper and this made the leather really smooth. I then took some Meletonian medium brown shoe cream and rubbed it into the exposed leather. I did this twice and then buffed with a brush. After this I took some darker brown cream and did the same thing (just the medium brown gave the edge a orange color but adding the darker brown gave it almost an antique look). I made sure the cream had dried and then I applied two coats of a satin finish polyurethane that I got from Lowes. It took about 2 hours total time.

looking good Pastor - a lot of nitpickers will probably say the balance is off because the welt is still dark, but I think the natural finish gives it a nice contrast now. And if they were just sitting around not getting worn, sometimes a good facelift will help you rediscover the shoe and put it back in your rotation. Well done!

I've wanted to do this for a while and knowing the welt would be dark kept me from starting. I finally decided that I could live with the darker welt since the leather uppers (#8) were so dark already. I'm guess that there will be very few people that will even notice (unless I go to a SF convention).

Wow that looks awesome. Did you treat the exposed wood or anything? I may have to do this.

See above.

 

[bellyhungry]



I first sanded off the black with a 140 grade sandpaper. This took about an hour to do and caused at least one blister on my thumb. After this was finished I re-sanded again with a fine grain 220 sandpaper and this made the leather really smooth. I then took some Meletonian medium brown shoe cream and rubbed it into the exposed leather. I did this twice and then buffed with a brush. After this I took some darker brown cream and did the same thing (just the medium brown gave the edge a orange color but adding the darker brown gave it almost an antique look). I made sure the cream had dried and then I applied two coats of a satin finish polyurethane that I got from Lowes. It took about 2 hours total time.

Terrific...Thanks. Much appreciated.

 

[Chubbs]



this is as close as you'll get, I think, or the Roy boot:

but both are a bit different from the Indy boot. Different soles, the one from Context has a 360 degree welt, and waxed laces (a plus). I believe both have full leather linings, while the standard Indy boot doesn't, though. 

Thanks for the suggestions. I have seen these. Not a fan of the color on the J.Crews. Love the Roy boot but Context is out in my size and besides I don't really like the crepe soles either.

Does anyone know where I can find the Pitt boots online? Leather Soul is sold out and I'm guessing these are made exclusively for them. Other suggestions on a plain toe or cap toe boot are welcome. I'm new to Alden and am eager to buy my first pair.

 

[zippyh]

Yesterday I finished up an Alden project. I hardly ever wear my #8 LWB. I like them but they are not as casual as my other Aldens. I decided that what they needed was a Edge Trim change. I've never done anything like this before but i'm really happy with the results. Here are some before and after pics.

May I ask how this is accomplished as an DIY project?

I have a pair of black LWB that I hardly wear, and I would like to do the same thing to make it more 'casual' looking.

Looks good Pastor.

NAMOR put up a DIY a while ago too http://lastedleather.com/Edgetrim/Changingedgetrim.html

 

[lagsun]



Thanks for the suggestions. I have seen these. Not a fan of the color on the J.Crews. Love the Roy boot but Context is out in my size and besides I don't really like the crepe soles either.
Does anyone know where I can find the Pitt boots online? Leather Soul is sold out and I'm guessing these are made exclusively for them. Other suggestions on a plain toe or cap toe boot are welcome. I'm new to Alden and am eager to buy my first pair.

AoC has a couple of sizes of their #8 plain toe boot with commando sole on the trubalance last:

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/Shoes-Shell_Cordovan_High_Lace_Boot_160.htm

 

[misterjuiceman]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have seen these. Not a fan of the color on the J.Crews. Love the Roy boot but Context is out in my size and besides I don't really like the crepe soles either.
Does anyone know where I can find the Pitt boots online? Leather Soul is sold out and I'm guessing these are made exclusively for them. Other suggestions on a plain toe or cap toe boot are welcome. I'm new to Alden and am eager to buy my first pair.

The color on the J.Crew boot gets better with age. I actually owned it for a few days, but ended up returning it. Just wasn't for me. I don't think the Trubalance last is a great last for a plain-toed boot. I bought it along with the cap-toed boot that they also sell (the color #8 one), and I thought that was much sleeker. When a boot on the Barrie last is considered sleeker than something, that something is not so sleek! I think the last works very well for the Indy boot, but for plain toe I'd rather have a different one.

I'm with you on the crepe sole for the Roy boot. If it had anything else, it'd be a much more attractive option for me.

As a suggestion for cap-toed boots:

I love mine; it's a great looking boot that only gets better with age. Works great with dark wash or raw jeans, too.

 

[HorseHide]



Did you treat the exposed wood or anything?

Exposed wood - must be Dutch Aldens from Frans Boone.

 

[sazon]



Sazon, the breakfast of champions!
PTB showcase shell so well.

Thank you.
Amen to that!

 

[Morgan]

[COLOR=FF00AA][/COLOR]

Exposed wood - must be Dutch Aldens from Frans Boone.

To be fair, Alden marketing language frequently refers to "oak bark soles" without explaining that it's a leather tanning process. I can understand why some might think the soles are actually oak wood or bark material.

 

[El Argentino]

Props to Pastor for having the balls to take sandpaper to his gunboats. That change looks revitalizing - enjoy them!

 

[sstomcat]



I think there are a number of factors such as quality and quantity of runs. I assume Alden has larger orders and need much of shell in the quality they expect. However, other orders such as the Alfred Sargent MTO bal boot (cognac/cigar/dark brown) or the double monk (whiskey) only had runs 6 or 7 per run. Alden may need 10 times and it may not be cost effective to do fractions of the total run hence the delay. Just a hypothesis and really don't know...

I'm not trying to proove anything but this is what I got from Horween directly, nothing to do with better shell quality for light colors etc -


We produce the colors based on production amounts from the larger shoe customers. The special colors are run periodically when they place orders for these colors which for some is only a couple times a year. Thus the limited availability on certain colors.

 

[misterjuiceman]

Does anyone know where I can find the Pitt boots online? Leather Soul is sold out and I'm guessing these are made exclusively for them. Other suggestions on a plain toe or cap toe boot are welcome. I'm new to Alden and am eager to buy my first pair.

You might also want to check out these:

 

[closerlook]

Did you treat the exposed wood or anything?

Exposed wood - must be Dutch Aldens from Frans Boone.

hahaha

 

[Chubbs]

Juiceman, that is exactly what I want minus the perforation. Maybe I'm just being too picky. But I'd rather wait and get exactly what I want. This will be my first time purchasing a boot at this quality/price point.