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well-kept

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Originally Posted by kolecho
Shell does not have grain, unlike calf.

Yes it does. Turn a piece of shell in the light and you will see the apparent shift in tone. This is caused by the inherent texture of the material. It is different than the grain of calf of course, but it is there.
 

well-kept

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Originally Posted by JohnnyCrockett
THIS and Alden also dyes its Color 8 to that ugly eggplant color. WHY?

To disguise uneveness in the coloration, at point of sale.

I leave my Alden #8s in direct sunlight until the overdye burns off. There are splotches and streaks underneath, but I prefer the so-called flaws to the eggplant dye. Cigar, ravello and whiskey shells are freer of the discoloration. After years of wear they all end up looking quite similar to each other.
 

patrickBOOTH

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Originally Posted by luk-cha
RussianCalfPO.jpg

Luk, where and how did you cop this? Looks great.
 

patrickBOOTH

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Originally Posted by well-kept
To disguise uneveness in the coloration, at point of sale.

I leave my Alden #8s in direct sunlight until the overdye burns off. There are splotches and streaks underneath, but I prefer the so-called flaws to the eggplant dye. Cigar, ravello and whiskey shells are freer of the discoloration. After years of wear they all end up looking quite similar to each other.


I don't know if this is true. I said that Alden finishing is ****, but that was a blatant overstatement. I was really referring to the dyes the put on their color 8, but I don't think they do it to cover up anything as I think the dye gives it even more blotchiness and inconsistency than from Horween. I think they do it to sort of make the color their own in a way since color 8 itself is used all over the place. I do like the darer color, I just think it looks dull and sloppy a lot of times.
 

kolecho

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Originally Posted by well-kept
Yes it does. Turn a piece of shell in the light and you will see the apparent shift in tone. This is caused by the inherent texture of the material. It is different than the grain of calf of course, but it is there.
That's not grain. It's just the way the shell is dyed. Do think that Alden can't figure out how to handle shell grain, if it has any, after all these years? The difference between Vass shell and Alden shell is the way the completed shoe is polished.
 

luk-cha

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Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH
Luk, where and how did you cop this? Looks great.

PM me if you wanna find out more
 

well-kept

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Originally Posted by kolecho
That's not grain. It's just the way the shell is dyed. Do think that Alden can't figure out how to handle shell grain, if it has any, after all these years? The difference between Vass shell and Alden shell is the way the completed shoe is polished.

It's not that Alden can't figure it out, it's that they run a factory operation, and Vass runs a workshop. The way the shell is cut, pieced and stitched can thus be taken into consideration. Undyed shell shows dichromatic properties, which no amount of polishing will alter.
 

kolecho

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Originally Posted by well-kept
It's not that Alden can't figure it out, it's that they run a factory operation, and Vass runs a workshop. The way the shell is cut, pieced and stitched can thus be taken into consideration. Undyed shell shows dichromatic properties, which no amount of polishing will alter.
Vass told me shell can be cut in any direction, unlike calf. I have some natural shells that are just like dyed ones in terms of surface texture.
 

DWFII

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Originally Posted by kolecho
Vass told me shell can be cut in any direction, unlike calf. I have some natural shells that are just like dyed ones in terms of surface texture.
I am not sure whether the surface of shell can technically be called a "grain" but Nick Horween will tell you (as he did me) that if shell is not cut properly...so that all pieces are cut/aligned in the same direction...the various components of a shoe--vamps, quarters, etc.--will seem to be different colours.
 

kolecho

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Originally Posted by DWFII
I am not sure whether the surface of shell can technically be called a "grain" but Nick Horween will tell you (as he did me) that if shell is not cut properly...so that all pieces are cut/aligned in the same direction...the various components of a shoe--vamps, quarters, etc.--will seem to be different colours.

Agreed. Shell shoes quite often exhibit colour variation in finished shoes.
 

well-kept

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Originally Posted by DWFII
I am not sure whether the surface of shell can technically be called a "grain" but Nick Horween will tell you (as he did me) that if shell is not cut properly...so that all pieces are cut/aligned in the same direction...the various components of a shoe--vamps, quarters, etc.--will seem to be different colours.

Glad to have some expert back-up on this point. Thanks, DWF
 

kolecho

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Originally Posted by well-kept
Glad to have some expert back-up on this point. Thanks, DWF

So, you still think there is "grain" in shell?
 

DWFII

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Originally Posted by kolecho
Agreed. Shell shoes quite often exhibit colour variation in finished shoes.
Well...not to put to fine a point on it...it doesn't have to. I suspect what Vass was referring to was more on the order of stretch--calf can be cut in any direction but if you want a well made shoe, it oughtn't be. Shell has no direction of stretch or tight to speak of but unless you deliberately want to make a shoe look a little harlequin-esque, pieces need to be cut carefully...and all in one direction.
 

well-kept

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Originally Posted by kolecho
So, you still think there is "grain" in shell?

I always carry a 20-power jeweler's loupe. I'd recommend taking a magnified look at shell cordovan sometime. Then we'll talk.

It's the grain that results in dichromatism.
 

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