B.Nelson is 2 for 2 -- PERFECT resole of Alden LHS (pics)

[JohnnyCrockett]

After doing a fantastic job on my Peal C&Js a few weeks ago (http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=128948), Nick and his team at B.Nelson have done it again. I posted this series of questions on whether I should send my 2- to 3-yr-old pair of Color 8 Alden LHSs to Alden for a recraft (they had a hole in the sole through to the cork) or whether I should have them resoled with Rendenbach soles -- http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=131205. The cost was lower with Nick, as was the turnaround (4 days rather than 5 weeks!!!). My only thinking was that I should send my shoes back to Alden rather than take them to Nick because Alden could use the original lasts. Well, that was clearly not necessary -- the welts did not need to be replaced, and Nick uses wooden lasts which he customizes to fit in particular pairs of shoes, so his lasts are pretty close to what I would get from Alden. There was also the potential downside of sending the shoes to Alden in that they've refinished the uppers on many SF and AAAC members' shoes even though those members have explicitly requested that the uppers not be touched. Here are the results from Nick: The shoes from the "nose" view:

Let's zoom in a bit, shall we?

How about a round of applause for the deepness of these channels and the high number of stitches per inch?

And here is that famous logo:

The finished product:

 

[greekgeek]

Looks nice, how many dolla? Also, is the inner heal corner bevelled?

 

[Shikar]

Fantastic job!!!

Regards.

 

[Chips]

Very nice job.

 

[JohnnyCrockett]

Thank you.

 

[ginlimetonic]

any way to replace soles on blake stiched?

 

[lee_44106]

Damn fine job. Damn fine.

B. Nelson is the place for me whenever my shoes need resoled.

 

[LynahFaithful]

Very nice indeed. My Frye boots will be going there soon.

 

[glowell222]

Originally Posted by ginlimetonic

any way to replace soles on blake stiched?

B.Nelson tells me they do it all the time, and that it's really not a big deal.

 

[Wes Bourne]

Did they ever manage to source flush mounted (recessed) metal toe taps? Iirc, Nick V. was on the lookout due to a certain demand for them.

 

[Leffot]

Excellent job Nick. I think it's worth mentioning that the difference between cobblers and "master cobblers" is the craft and artistry the later bring to their profession, AND the materials they use.

In a day and age when people want everything done fast and cheap it's important to understand quality can not be rushed and comes at a price. It costs money because it saves money.

Steven

 

[ThinkDerm]

Wanted to echo, great job!

 

[JohnnyCrockett]

Originally Posted by greekgeek

Looks nice, how many dolla? Also, is the inner heal corner bevelled?

Anything can be bevelled if one requests it -- Nick bevelled the soles on the C&Js he resoled for me because the originals were slightly bevelled. Aldens are never bevelled (at least not by Alden), and I asked Nick to replace the soles exactly as Alden would -- thus no bevelling.

 

[JohnnyCrockett]

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

Did they ever manage to source flush mounted (recessed) metal toe taps? Iirc, Nick V. was on the lookout due to a certain demand for them.
Apparently they're very hard to find in the US. FWIW, I had JMWeston NYC install them (by some mystery cobbler -- they wouldn't share his info) when I bought a pair of 180 loafers from them. The work is a bit shoddy, but it does the trick. Cost: $40 and they won't do it on non-JMW shoes. When I was in Paris recently, I went to the famed Atelier Cattelan to have the plates ("fers encastres") installed, and the work was impeccable -- and cost EUR 12. Here is a great (albeit in French) article about Atelier Cattelan: http://www.net.esa-paris.fr/~alexis_...encastres.html The work Cattelan did for me looks identical to the photo on the right at the top of the page. Brass screws and all.

 

[JohnnyCrockett]

By the way, Nick also has a shoe-shine operation in his store on 55th and Lexington. The shine is incredible (ask for cream) -- easily on par with A. Shine & Co in San Francisco.