Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Shell Cordovan Care and Maintenance

If properly taken care of, shell cordovan can last for over 30 years.  Many find that it looks better with age, as it develops a nice patina.  The most widely accepted approach for maintaining shell cordovan is known as "The Mac Method", named for its originator, online shoe forum personality "Uncle Mac", who has by far the most extensive collection of shell cordovan Alden shoes on the Web.  (His collection is conservatively estimated at 50+ pairs.)


The "Mac Method"

1. Wipe down with a damp cloth to remove surface dirt
2. Brush rigorously with a horse hair brush (about 5 min per shoe)
3. Buff to a shine with a flannel cloth
4. Apply paste wax only as needed, 15 wearings minimum between applications
5. Wear in good health




Some items for maintaining shell cordovan



Horse Hair Brush
(Many enthusiasts insist on
one for every color to prevent cross
contamination of pigment)

Venetian Shoe Cream
Cleans and Moisturizes
Use sparingly, it contains turpentine
which can remove some of the finish

Paste Wax
Shines and protects
Always use the appropriate color
Never use cream polish on
shell cordovan!

Saphir Cordovan Creme
Moisturizes and adds color
neatsfoot oil based
contains no turpentine
alternative or compliment to wax


Edge Dressing
Used to Touch-up nicks
on the dyed edge of the sole





One of the most heavily cited benefits of shell cordovan is its durability.  Below are before and after shots of a scuff that was brushed out using a little Venetian shoe cream, a horse hair brush and a lot of elbow grease. 


 Before
 Before


 After
After

Rancourt Blake Boot in Espresso Shell Cordovan

While many regard Alden as the masters of shell cordovan, there are other shoemakers that use the leather too.  Rancourt & Company, of Lewiston, ME is one example.  Like Alden and Horween, Rancourt is also a multi-generational family owned business.  They receive un-dyed (natural) shells from Horween and dye them in house.  While they do not have the same waxy gloss finish typical of Alden shoes, they still do a nice job and are more readily available.  In fact, Rancourt makes every pair to order, and allows a high level of customization.  This pair was specifically ordered in Espresso shell with white stitching, shiny nickel eyelets, orange lining, black tongue gusset, natural midsole, brown edge stain and a tempest sole.






As a side note, Rancourt also makes great boat shoes and penny loafers.

Other Alden Shell Cordovan Shades

Alden also offers two more "exotic" colors of shell cordovan, in addition to Cigar, #8 and Black that were shown previously. The first is a medium redish brown called Ravello

Alden Ravello Long Wing Blucher

The second, and most "exotic" color is a shade of tan called Whiskey.  Being the lightest color, Whiskey requires the most perfect shells, as not even slight imperfections can be covered up through the dying process.
Alden Whiskey Plain Toe Blucher


Very, very rarely does Alden produce a cinnamon red color known as #4.  This color is extremely hard to get, and is only awarded to Alden's most valuable retailers.  It only comes about once every few years.

Alden Color 4 Cap-toe Boots

Alden Shell Cordovan Belts

Everyone knows that the belt is supposed to match the shoes.  In the past, Alden has produced shell cordovan belts to help achieve this.  They came in two widths, 35mm or 30mm, and with either a gold or nickel buckle.  Currently Alden is not producing any cordovan belts, perhaps because they are using all of their allocation of scarce shell to make shoes.



Alden Shell Cordovan Belts
35mm Nickel Buckel
Cigar Top, #8 Bottom

Note that the belts are made of 3 separate strips of leather sewn together.  This is because the part of the horse used to make shell cordovan is not wide to make a belt out of a single piece of leather.  Many argue that "shell cordovan" belts that are not made this way are not actually shell cordovan, rather they are another part of the horse that has undergone the same tanning process.  The reason why shell cordovan can only be produced from the rump of a horse is because the skin fibers are tightest in this section, producing a very dense leather.

A Word About Color 8

Color 8 is a shade of burgundy that can be considered the flagship color for shell cordovan.  Often people refer to the color itself as "cordovan", even when not in reference to shell cordovan.  Not only does Color 8, or #8, as many also call it, exemplify the beauty of shell cordovan leather arguably better than any other shade, it is also said to be the most versatile.  #8 can just as easily be worn with either a charcoal or navy suit.





Note the unmistakeable shine of
shell cordovan exemplified by
this particular shade


Alden Perforated Cap Toe Balmoral in Shell Cordovan

The Alden Perforated Cap Toe Balmoral is formed on the Hampton Last.  It is considered a formal shoe, and is not really appropriate for casual attire.  The term Balmoral specifies that the shoe has a very narrow throat, where the laces are looped through a piece of leather that also forms the side of the shoe. The alternative design is called a "Blucher", where the laces are looped through separate leather flaps that are sewn on each side of the throat.

The Cap Toe Balmore is a conservative shoe with a little bit of flare, as compared to a strait-tip balmoral.

Model 9016
Alden Perforated Cap Toe Balmoral
Black Shell Cordovan




Model 9015
Alden Perforated Cap Toe Balmoral
Color 8(Burgundy) Shell Cordovan


Blucher left, Balmoral Right

Alden Tassel Moccasin in Shell Cordovan

Alden is often credited with inventing the Tassel Moccasin as it exists today.  The story is that following World War II, veterans returned from Europe seeking shoes that had tassels on the end of the laces, as they had seen while overseas.  However, no such thing existed in the United States. Two different retailers approached Alden and asked if they could produce such a design.  What they came up with is the Tassel Moccasin as we know it.  The design has been imitated by many other shoemakers.

Many consider the Tassel moccasin to be formal enough to wear with a suit, however it is generally worn casually.  Note that the welt disappears at the front of the heel.  This is known as a 270 [degree] welt, or a closed heel, and produces a sleeker, more formal profile.  The tassel moccasin is formed over the narrow Aberdeen last.



Model 563
Alden Tassel Moccasin
Color 8 (Burgundy)Shell Cordovan




Model 36630
Alden Tassel Moccasin
Cigar Shell Cordovan

Cigar is considered to be an "exotic color" and has limited availability.  Note that the retailers name is embossed on the insole (Alden of San Francisco).  This is typical of many "non-catalog" makeups.  "Catalog" makeups are available only in black and #8, and can be ordered through any Alden retailer.  Non-catalog models are often produced to the retailers specification, and no other retailer may order the same design.

Alden Leisure Hand-Sewn Loafer in Shell Cordovan

One of Alden's more casual cordovan offerings is the Leisure Hand-Sewn Loafer.  This model is formed over the 'Van' last and the toe stitching is done by skilled artisan sewers.  This particular model is generally not considered formal enough to wear with business attire.






Models:6717, 686 and 987

Cigar, Color 8 (Burgundy) and Black
Shell Cordovan

The Alden Shoe Company



The Alden Shoe Company, located in Middleborough, MA is a family-owned business that began in 1884.  Alden specializes in hand-made shoes, and while they use a few different types of leather, they are best known for their shell cordovan makeups.

Arthur Tarlow JR. (left) President
Inspecting his company's product


Alden has stuck with tradition in resisting the adoption of techniques used in mass production and cost cutting.  As a consequence they manufacture a high-quality shoe that can last 20-30 years or more if properly cared for.

Alden shoes use  Goodyear welt construction, in which a strip of leather is stitched to the shoe upper, and then the sole is stitched to the the same strip (the welt).  On many inferior quality shoes, the sole is simply affixed to the upper with an adhesive.  The Goodyear welt allows for a shoe to be resoled numerous times, thus increasing the life of the shoe.

Alden Shoe getting it's Goodyear welt

Other quality features include a quarter-inch layer of cork beneath the insole.  This not only aids in shock absorption, but also creates a custom fit, as the foot sinks in the cork and leaves it's own distinctive impression.

A tripple-ribbed tempered steel shank is also imbedded in the sole of the shoe to provide superior support and rigidity.

Shoes during production with cork and shank visible


Due to their high-quality and comfort, Alden is commissioned with producing all of the boots for the Massachusetts State Troopers.  Alden also offers an orthopedic line of shoes to accommodate those with irregular shaped feet.

Perhaps Alden's biggest claim to fame is the appearance of their model 403 in the Indiana Jones movies.  It is rumored that Harrison Ford, who was a carpenter before he became an actor, insisted on wearing the orthopedic work boots during the filming of the movies, as he swore by their all-day comfort.  This model soon became informally known as the "Indy Boot"


(Note the irregular contoured shape of the "Foot Balance" heel)

Model 403 "Indy Boot"

Alden also offers restoration services for their shoes and boots, during which, the original last (mold) is inserted in to the shoe before the sole and cork layer are removed and replaced.  The upper is refinished, laces replaced, and any loose stitching is fixed.  After this is done, the shoes look almost new.

Alden is the brand of choice for many shell cordovan enthusiasts.  This is not only because of their quality construction, but also their long experience in working with the material.  Many say that Alden has a proprietary finishing method for shell cordovan, that gives the leather an extra shine and waxy gloss that other cordovan shoes lack.

One of the difficulties in collecting Alden shoes, other than their scarce availability, is sizing.  Alden uses about a dozen different lasts, which are molds over which the shoe is formed.  Each last has a different shape, and since everybody's feet have different proportions, the only way to determine one's size in a particular last is to try on multiple sizes.  Since Alden retailers are far and few between, and their inventory is limited, it can take years for someone to zero in on their size for all of the different lasts.  Below is a chart that includes profiles of most of Alden's lasts, and some general sizing guidelines, however, they are by no means considered infallible.


(Note: The labels indicate last, not model name)

Shell Cordovan Basics

Shell cordovan is a type of leather made from the under-layer of skin from a horses rump.
 ^ "shells" ^


It is a tough and durable leather that is known for its unmistakable dull shine.  Unlike calfskin and other leathers, shell cordovan does not readily absorb water.  Due to its tanning process, the leather retains much of its natural waxes and oils, which allows unfortunate scuffs to simply be buffed out.  The waxy nature of the leather also means that shell cordovan can be buffed to a shine with little or no paste wax or polish.


There are currently two tanneries in the world that produce shell cordovan.  Comipel, which sources their hides from Japan and dyes them in Italy, and Horween.  Horween is a 4th generation family-owned American tannery located in Chicago.  Horween has been producing shell cordovan using their proprietary technique for over 100 years.  They also produce other types of specialty leathers, such as the leather that official NFL footballs are made from, as well as leather for baseball gloves.  Many shell cordovan enthusiasts consider only Horween shell to be authentic shell cordovan, as they are the only tannery to have continuously produced the leather for over a century, and slightly discernible differences can be noticed between the appearance, feel and smell of Horween and Comipel cordovan.  However, Comipel does produce a wider spectrum of colors than Horween, including some very bright shades.



Comipel Shells


The tanning process for shell cordovan takes no less than six months.  Unlike other leathers, shell cordovan is tanned using vegetable liquors instead of distillates.  This is why shell cordovan is able to retain much if its natural waxes and oils.  The length of time that it takes to tan shell cordovan is just one of the factors contributing to its scarcity.  The other is the availability of horse hides.  Horses are not slaughtered for their leather, rather they are raised for their meat.  In France, Canada and other countries horse meat is considered a delicacy.  The hides are simply a byproduct of this trade.  Not every hide is suitable for producing shell cordovan, as they must largely be free of blemishes and other imperfections.  Darker colored shell cordovan has a higher tolerance for imperfections as they can be hidden with dye, however, lighter colors require the most carefully selected shells, and are therefore more rare.

After the hides are steeped for a period of weeks, they are hand stretched on to a frame and allowed to dry.  They are then shaved to a uniform thickness, hand dyed and glazed.  All of these steps require the refined skill of an expert craftsman, and much of the process is done by hand.




Photos Taken on site by Grant Legan
Published on Horween's Blog


Another distinguishing characteristic of shell cordovan is that it does not crease like other leather, rather, it 'rolls'.