The Official Alden Thread for 2024 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[Calvin as in CALVIN]

Brogue Ruby Hill

 

[LJ1891]

I like loafing but today I’m just winging it.

 

[ppk]

I just received a pair of 903s, Wing Tips in Black Calfskin, that I bought on eBay. They are absolutely stunning, in beautiful shape and fit perfectly. I'm very excited to wear them with a DB suit. I'll post pictures tomorrow when I can take shots in daylight.

This is my second Alden purchase in a month. 👀

 

[AldenSadri]

AFTER BUYING

How should I break in my shoes?
Use “Mac’s Break-in Procedure”:
Shoes should be worn only on carpeting on three different days for a minimum of one hour in order to ascertain that the fit is proper. Some also believe that it helps to break in the stiff soles and reduce toe wear.

What is the “pen trick”?
You put a pen where your foot joints are and then crease the shoe. This way the crease is set exactly where your joint bends and the crease is nice and even. People report varying levels of success with this, and it is generally thought to be more important for the PTB.

Will my cordovan shoes stretch?
The consensus is that cordovan stretches very little, if at all.

Care and Cleaning

How should I clean my cordovan shoes or boots?

Use the "Mike Method":
Small derivative of the “Mac Method” with additional specificity. Detailed process can be found here.
http://aldenofsandiego.com/caring-for-your-shell-cordovan/

Use the original “Mac Method”:
1) Clean shoes with damp cloth
2) Brush vigorously with a horsehair brush
3) Buff with smooth cloth
4) Use wax after a minimum of fifteen wearings

http://theagatineeyelet.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/the-mac-method/

Some other cleaning advice from Alden of Carmel:
1. Do not use ‘neutral’ polish
2. Do not clean cordovan shoes using saddle soap
3. Do not attempt to clean cordovan shoes using petroleum distillates or cleaning fluids
4. Do not use any spray shines or aerosol type waterproofs
5. Do not attempt to dry wet shell cordovan shoes with heat or a heater. Wipe them dry, and allow them to dry naturally
6. Do not attempt to polish shell cordovan shoes while wet
http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/care_of_shell_cordovan.htm

My shoes are dry and/or discolored in the creases. How can I fix this?
Alden SF recommends using a small amount of cream in the creases. This can moisturize the area and also bring up some of the natural color in the leather. Most people use either Saphir Renovateur or Venetian Shoe Cream or Alden Boot Cream.
http://www.hangerproject.com/saphir-renovateur.html
http://oakstreetbootmakers.com/accessories/venetian-shoe-cream

My cordovan shoes got wet and there are tiny round marks or bubbles. What should I do?
1) Next time try the Alden Leather Defender
2) Brush them for awhile
3) Try some Renovateur
4) Try the deer bone treatment
5) Just wait, it will go away evenutally

My cordovan shoes has some white stuff on the leather. What do I do?
This is called “bloom”. One method is to use a hair dryer, hold it 6″ away from the shoe, and then after it cools down use a chamois cloth and buff it for awhile. It should go away.

How do I care for the edges on my shoes?
This depends for the color of the dressing. For Black, I recommend the Allen Edmonds Black Heel & Sole Edge Dressing. You may also want to consider the Saphir edge dressing projects available from the hangerproject.com as well.

For antique edge dressing, I recommend Patrick’s method, which is as follows.
“I scuffed up the edge trim on one of my cigar PTB’s this week. I’ve no idea how it occurred. I didn’t want to use a dark brown edge trim as I wanted to keep the visible layers of the stacked leather sole. I only have brown & black edge trim, both AE branded.
To add color to the scuff, I touched it up with AE’s Walnut cream polish (“Premium Shoe Polish” in the tube). For reference, AE’s walnut shoes are a light to medium brown. I then applied a thin layer/small amount of AE’s brown carnauba wax polish to the entire edge trim. IMO it came out well.
Before & After pics below. In the before images, I bumped up the exposure & sharpening to make the damage more easily visible.”

Before:

After:


I want new shoelaces for my Indy Boots. What are my options?
1) Alden will mail you a pair if you ask. http://www.aldenshoe.com/
2) The Alden Madison store will sell you waxed laces for ~$6. http://aldenmadisonny.com/
3) Red Wing model 9011 will work, request them here http://www.redwingheritage.com/laces/

Matching Belts

Now that you have the finest pair of shoes, what do you wear with them? Well, most likely the only other piece of leather that you are going to have on you is your belt. So, where do you get the best possible match in terms of a belt? Sadly, Alden is not producing belts any more at this point in time. Here are some other alternatives that are available at the time of this posting:

• Alden Madison (Black, Color #8, and Whiskey)
• Ealdwine Shell Cordovan Belts (Black, Color #8, and Whiskey plus others)
• Allen Edmonds Shell Cordovan Belts (Black, Burgundy, and Brown)
• Brooks Brothers Shell Cordovan Belts (Black and Color 8)
• Rancourt Shell Cordovan Belts (Black, Burgundy, Espresso, Caramel)
• Carmina Shell Cordovan Belts (Black and Color 8)
• Guarded Goods Shell Cordovan Belts (Various Colors)

Restoration and Cobblers

Alden offers a restoration service. More information can be obtained from Alden directly.
http://www.aldenshoe.com/DrawOnePage.aspx?PageID=12

Will Alden put a different sole on my shoes?
No, Alden Restoration will now only recraft your shoes using original materials.
If you want to put on a different sole, your best bet may be B. Nelson, Ah One Shoes, or Randy the Cobbler.
http://www.bnelsonshoes.com/
http://www.ahoneshoes.com/

Can I have speed hooks converted to eyelets?
There are a number of fantastic cobblers who can provide this service. Aram at Ah One Shoes, B. Nelson, LaRossa Shoes are just some. With boots that had speed hooks, the top four eyelets would be off-centered with the bottom five, which is often done to compensate for the oblong size of the speed hooks.
Here’s an example: http://www.styleforum.net/t/85589/the-official-alden-thread/18000#post_4958968

Regarding restoration/cobblers: I have had terrible luck over the years using Alden’s in-house restoration service. Each time I’ve sent shoes to be serviced they’ve taken14-20 weeks. On one occasion I sent them a pair of shell cordovan boots that had rubbed through the heel lining. After four months of waiting the returned the boots to me with an adhesive patch over the rubbed-through area which became dislodged and got stuck to my sock on first wearing…I subsequently sent them to B Nelson who stitched a liner into the heel and returned them to me in two weeks. I’ve used them to resolve all of my Aldens over the years and they’re always prompt, fairly priced, and do excellent work.

 

[LJ1891]

I just received a pair of 903s, Wing Tips in Black Calfskin, that I bought on eBay. They are absolutely stunning, in beautiful shape and fit perfectly. I'm very excited to wear them with a DB suit. I'll post pictures tomorrow when I can take shots in daylight.

This is my second Alden purchase in a month. 👀

It’s only downhill from there 😂

 

[mdubs]

Regarding restoration/cobblers: I have had terrible luck over the years using Alden’s in-house restoration service. Each time I’ve sent shoes to be serviced they’ve taken14-20 weeks. On one occasion I sent them a pair of shell cordovan boots that had rubbed through the heel lining. After four months of waiting the returned the boots to me with an adhesive patch over the rubbed-through area which became dislodged and got stuck to my sock on first wearing…I subsequently sent them to B Nelson who stitched a liner into the heel and returned them to me in two weeks. I’ve used them to resolve all of my Aldens over the years and they’re always prompt, fairly priced, and do excellent work.

Wow, sorry to hear that! I have only had one pair resoled so far by Alden. But I have heard that for more complex operations that there are better places to go! They did a great job re-soling my Snuff LHSes though! Does take some time as they have to stop production to do it.

-Mike

 

[AEShoeMan]

Color 8 for wingtip Wednesday

 

[smfdoc]

Happy WTW forum pals. The temperature is dropping and the first major snow of the season is on the way. A great boot day.

 

[WoolyLamb]

Happy WTW forum pals. The temperature is dropping and the first major snow of the season is on the way. A great boot day.

View attachment 2103025

These are wonderful. What are they?

 

[smfdoc]

These are wonderful. What are they?

Thanks. Tobacco reverse chamois short wing from Brick + Mortar. Style number D5829HC on Barrie. They are not currently on her website so I don't know if they will run again.

 

[Don L]

 

[wireact]

Pulled the trigger on a pair of hard to find cordovan Indys, incoming next week.
Happy New Year to all the Alden aficionados, you convinced me to join the club.

View attachment 2101411

Can you tell me more about these being hard to find? Looks like the pair I just picked up on Thursday at AoDC, my first in shell/first Indy after having the suede loafers. From what I can gather they’re a European model made in late 2022 M5913?

 

[CLH03]

Can you tell me more about these being hard to find? Looks like the pair I just picked up on Thursday at AoDC, my first in shell/first Indy after having the suede loafers. From what I can gather they’re a European model made in late 2022 M5913?

Hand sewn Indy boots are just getting harder to find in general. Especially with a dark mahogany welt.

 

[audog]

Ealdwine Natty for trip to appliance store for new dishwasher

 

[ppk]

The new (to me) Alden 903s from eBay.