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

Originally Posted by skyline

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How's Obenauf's Oil/LP for the Indy boot in Chromoexcel? Do the above brands you mentioned not darken the leather at all?

Wait, question. Why would you want to change the color of the Chromexcel? It's perfect.

If you do want to change the colors, then those brands are probably best (Obenauf's will darken it significantly). In my experience, a neutral boot cream or cleaner will clean up Indy Chromexcel very nicely. Saphir Renovateur is a favorite; expensive for sure but it'll do the best job, and it should smooth over scuffs and discolored spots since Chromexcel is so thoroughly tanned and is also a pull-up leather.

Originally Posted by enigma77

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OK I actually do have a question here (Chromexcel-related, actually). I have a pair of 403s -- Chromexcel Indy Boots -- and am having a bizarre problem with the tongue on the left boot.

The problem is this: about 60 seconds after walking around in the boot, the tongue falls to the left down into the small space between the left side of my foot and the side of the boot. I can pull the tongue back up, but it will fall back down after another 1 to 3 minutes of walking. Sometimes if I've been sitting for a while it will slip down on its own.

The right shoe doesn't have this problem at all, and bizarrely enough the tongue on the right shoe looks very, very well worn in unlike the one on the left (these boots are about a month old), which has some but not a lot of signs of wear. I'm hoping that this is something that goes away with age, but the issue here is that this slippage problem is preventing the tongue from breaking in in a way that might prevent this in the future. (Also, thickness of socks does not affect this problem; the burliest of wool socks or the thinnest of dress socks don't affect this one way or another.)

So... any ideas? I had thought about putting a tongue pad on the bottom of the tongue facing my foot, but am looking for something less invasive/less permanent. Is there some kind of Chromexcel-friendly adhesive I could use that would be removable and wouldn't damage the leather? It'd have to stick to some fairly oily leather...

Thanks in advance, everyone!

OK, relacing didn't work, the tongue pad didn't work; the thing falls down after maybe 30 seconds of walking. It's time to take it to a cobbler. Will most cobblers suggest tacking the tongue? Is there a way one can do this without ruining the shoe or permanently altering it? Ideally I'd like to be able to undo whatever work they do by the time the shoe is broken in.

Originally Posted by enigma77

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OK, relacing didn't work, the tongue pad didn't work; the thing falls down after maybe 30 seconds of walking. It's time to take it to a cobbler. Will most cobblers suggest tacking the tongue? Is there a way one can do this without ruining the shoe or permanently altering it? Ideally I'd like to be able to undo whatever work they do by the time the shoe is broken in.

I've done it to a pair of my Indys and it definitely helped the tongue slipping. This was suggested to me by the guys at the Alden store here in San Francisco.

As far as I can tell there would be no way to "undo" it without there being minor stitch holes in the tongue. My cobbler precisely matched the stitching into the previously stitched ankle of the boots, which was cool because you can't tell from the outside at all.
I just left it. I don't think the tongues would stop sliding down now that the boots are broken in anyway.

It takes a minute to get used to putting the boots on your feet because you can only enter from the one side, but I think it's definitely worth it in the long run. I have a couple other pairs of Alden boots that I'd like to do it to as well.

Good luck!

Anyone see the new custom makeup for Winn Perry. Indy style oxford, looks decent.

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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I've done it to a pair of my Indys and it definitely helped the tongue slipping. This was suggested to me by the guys at the Alden store here in San Francisco.

As far as I can tell there would be no way to "undo" it without there being minor stitch holes in the tongue. My cobbler precisely matched the stitching into the previously stitched ankle of the boots, which was cool because you can't tell from the outside at all.
I just left it. I don't think the tongues would stop sliding down now that the boots are broken in anyway.

It takes a minute to get used to putting the boots on your feet because you can only enter from the one side, but I think it's definitely worth it in the long run. I have a couple other pairs of Alden boots that I'd like to do it to as well.

Good luck!

Wow, that's awesome that tacking worked out so well for you. I probably wouldn't mind holes in the tongue as long as there isn't extra stitching visible on the outside.

Two questions: 1. How much should I expect to pay for something like this? I'd hoped sort of $20 or less. And 2. Any chance you could post close-up pics that I could show to a cobbler?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by enigma77

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Any chance you could post close-up pics that I could show to a cobbler?
That's probably a good idea ^

Originally Posted by enigma77

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Wow, that's awesome that tacking worked out so well for you. I probably wouldn't mind holes in the tongue as long as there isn't extra stitching visible on the outside.

Two questions: 1. How much should I expect to pay for something like this? I'd hoped sort of $20 or less. And 2. Any chance you could post close-up pics that I could show to a cobbler?

Thanks!

It was $15 or $20 if I recall.

I don't have the boots anymore. I sold them on Ebay because I was tired of my old 405's and used the money towards a pair of 403's. It was nice to find out you can get $245 for a beat-up old pair of Indys!

I did find a picture that I used to sell them and you can see what I'm talking about.

My latest pair. I saw these in NYC and had to get them! I think I'll get a lot of wear out of these in the warmer months.




Blue suede PTB's, Barrie last, flex welt sole, lined.

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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It was $15 or $20 if I recall.

I don't have the boots anymore. I sold them on Ebay because I was tired of my old 405's and used the money towards a pair of 403's. It was nice to find out you can get $245 for a beat-up old pair of Indys!

I did find a picture that I used to sell them and you can see what I'm talking about.

Wow, that was fast. Thank you so much. I've sent you a PM so I don't continue to clutter up the thread about this one issue.

And, wow, those blue suede guys are sort of amazing, and sort of ridiculous. I mean, I've seen blue suede shoes before... Maybe it's just those particular ones. But those are pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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My latest pair. I saw these in NYC and had to get them! I think I'll get a lot of wear out of these in the warmer months.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...blueSuede1.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...blueSuede2.jpg

Blue suede PTB's, Barrie last, flex welt sole, lined.
These look great. Hopefully something on the plaza last shows up eventually...

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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My latest pair. I saw these in NYC and had to get them! I think I'll get a lot of wear out of these in the warmer months.

Blue suede PTB's, Barrie last, flex welt sole, lined.

Those are nice. How much were they?

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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It was $15 or $20 if I recall.

I don't have the boots anymore. I sold them on Ebay because I was tired of my old 405's and used the money towards a pair of 403's. It was nice to find out you can get $245 for a beat-up old pair of Indys!

I did find a picture that I used to sell them and you can see what I'm talking about.
Thanks for postin those.

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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My latest pair. I saw these in NYC and had to get them! I think I'll get a lot of wear out of these in the warmer months.


Blue suede PTB's, Barrie last, flex welt sole, lined.
Fan-*******-tastic!

Blue suede PTB's, Barrie last, flex welt sole, lined.

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From where?

Originally Posted by RFX45

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Those are nice. How much were they?

Thanks! about $400

Originally Posted by user7

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From where?

Alden store Madison Ave. NYC