The Official Alden Thread for 2017 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[coolarrow]

King Brooks unlined pennys 2day:

Included a bonus Horween stamp b/c it's Friday:

 

[chipshot]

Enjoy your weekend gentlemen...

 

[thams]

Leffot #8 Naval Boots today while breaking in my new N&F Kaiju Monster jeans. A little warm for 16.5 oz denim today...

 

[FatTuesday]

I need some help from the shell cordovan experts. I have a pair of LHS shell no. 8 loafers (about 3 years old) that I wore in heavy rain and got really wet. I dried them with paper inside for a couple of days then put shoe trees in and dried for a week. I noticed spots after a couple of days that seemed to be the difference between wet and dry areas (dark and light areas). It's now been a couple of weeks and the spots are still there. Anyone ever experience this? Any idea what is happening. The light spots are similar on each shoe - left of heel / right of heel / left of toes / right of toes / front of vamp. My shoes have a skin pigment disorder.

 

[FatTuesday]

More photos of the spots:

 

[thams]

I need some help from the shell cordovan experts. I have a pair of LHS shell no. 8 loafers (about 3 years old) that I wore in heavy rain and got really wet. I dried them with paper inside for a couple of days then put shoe trees in and dried for a week. I noticed spots after a couple of days that seemed to be the difference between wet and dry areas (dark and light areas). It's now been a couple of weeks and the spots are still there. Anyone ever experience this? Any idea what is happening. The light spots are similar on each shoe - left of heel / right of heel / left of toes / right of toes / front of vamp. My shoes have a skin pigment disorder. View attachment 791564 View attachment 791565 View attachment 791566

I've had a similar experience with my AF53s that got soaked all the way through to the lining. My spots are more "typical" water spots than yours. When the shoes were soaked there was a marked difference where it seemed like the shell absorbed more water. Where the leather was soaked through the shell was much darker and it stayed that way as it dried (toe area and places on the vamp). It almost looks like the lighter spots are where the shoes managed to stay more dry - total speculation on my part. Leather (and shell) is weird and reacts in all kinds of different ways to the elements. I have some shell that reacts to water with spotting and welting and other pairs that don't show any sign of touching water after being soaked.

For me, the water marks became less noticeable over time. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow when the sun is out.

 

[FatTuesday]

I've had a similar experience with my AF53s that got soaked all the way through to the lining. My spots are more "typical" water spots than yours. When the shoes were soaked there was a marked difference where it seemed like the shell absorbed more water. Where the leather was soaked through the shell was much darker and it stayed that way as it dried (toe area and places on the vamp). It almost looks like the lighter spots are where the shoes managed to stay more dry - total speculation on my part. Leather (and shell) is weird and reacts in all kinds of different ways to the elements. I have some shell that reacts to water with spotting and welting and other pairs that don't show any sign of touching water after being soaked.

For me, the water marks became less noticeable over time. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow when the sun is out.

Thanks for the reply! That is sort of what I suspected was happening. I feel like the light spots are the correct color and the dark spots are still wet (which they are not). I'm tempted to re-wet them to see if I can get an even finish.

 

[Profligate47]

KING LHS

 

[thams]

Thanks for the reply! That is sort of what I suspected was happening. I feel like the light spots are the correct color and the dark spots are still wet (which they are not). I'm tempted to re-wet them to see if I can get an even finish.

Yes, that's exactly the way mine looked too. It does even out a little with time, but mine haven't completely returned to normal. It's only noticeable in strong sunlight, though. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but my vote is to wear the hell out of them and just call it character. Maybe some colored paste would mitigate the effect a little?

 

[FatTuesday]

My OTHER suspicion was that there were imperfections in the shoes that were covered by cordovan cream and the rain washed the cream away. But, in reality, the light areas started small and grew for a while. I want them to keep growing!

 

[ace13x]

My OTHER suspicion was that there were imperfections in the shoes that were covered by cordovan cream and the rain washed the cream away. But, in reality, the light areas started small and grew for a while. I want them to keep growing!

Did you try brushing? I don't think it will make the darker areas lighter, but I think it will even out the color. I'm not an expert, but I think the oils in the shell got suppressed deeper into the shell in the light spots from uneven drying times.

 

[FatTuesday]

Did you try brushing? I don't think it will make the darker areas lighter, but I think it will even out the color. I'm not an expert, but I think the oils in the shell got suppressed deeper into the shell in the light spots from uneven drying times.

I've been brushing every night for the last several days. I need to learn to brush left-handed - I look like a fiddler crab.

 

[stevefok]

Water marks is the main reason I don't like wearing shell in rain, same issue happened with my Whiskey LHSes and I don't think the water marks will go away unless have it re-dyed. As other mentioned, I found this problem happens very randomly on shell, I have a pair of Cigar PTBs that were completely soaked in rain but no water marks issue.

 

[stevefok]

I've been brushing every night for the last several days. I need to learn to brush left-handed - I look like a fiddler crab.

Yea, I don't think brushing is gonna help.

 

[CTYGGG]

More photos of the spots:
View attachment 791574 View attachment 791575 View attachment 791576 View attachment 791577

Try Alden leather defender. Will help with future rains events as well.