***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[CrackedCrab]

Those are sweet, did you go true to size or -.5 like barrie (I heard bb ptb is a different last like m58 or something)

 

[mdubs]



Guys, I know it's a bit blasphemous, but what are you thoughts on getting a brown shell Leeds MTO through AE to replicate the Cigar PTB that's been going around here? Seems like it could be a pretty close substitute, excluding the famous Alden finishing.

I did MTO strands copying the Alden look.

Spoiler

-Dubs

 

[mdubs]



If those are, in fact, from Alden DC, then Alden DC apparently does them both ways.  It just received a run of ravello lwb with antique, not dark, edges.

Indeed, Kathy does two separate designs. One with the Double Waterlock sole which has the lighter edge and one with the Double Leather sole which has the darker edge. I believe that Kathy plans to stick with the Waterlock moving forward. I believe that the Double Leathers were originally a mistake made by the factory, but she kept that design for a while. She decided to go back to Waterlock this year.

-Mike

 

[Kahuna75]

Question about these Alden 954 Monk's I picked up - honestly I got them to practice some shell work and was shocked when they arrived that they were in as good as condition as they were - the photos I bought from were really terrible..almost made the $99 spent seem like a waste but I figured if it saved my other shell's from getting poor treatment from it was worth it-

Anyway after they arrived and I saw they were in decent shape I got to wondering about the soles...it seems like there is a super topy on it and the rubber is almost 1/4 of an inch at its widest and it is stitched- I would imagine that this shoe was redone but I have no idea as I know little about Alden and hoping to tap the knowledge base here.

Any info on if these could have been released by Alden with this sole would be great and if not should I assume that using B Nelson would be the way to go to get them soles redone? Will Alden re-craft if anothers works has been done to them? Color wise I am assuming they were #8 at some point? Not sure if the codes inside tell the original color.

Did a quick wipe down and brush on them.

 

[intensanity]



Indeed, Kathy does two separate designs. One with the Double Waterlock sole which has the lighter edge and one with the Double Leather sole which has the darker edge. I believe that Kathy plans to stick with the Waterlock moving forward. I believe that the Double Leathers were originally a mistake made by the factory, but she kept that design for a while. She decided to go back to Waterlock this year.

-Mike

True encyclopedic knowledge. I feel like you could write a (really interesting) book on all the subtle different makeups. Mike's the man.

 

[thebeebs]

True encyclopedic knowledge. I feel like you could write a (really interesting) book on all the subtle different makeups. Mike's the man.

Like Mike Ross from the show Suits.

 

[ReppTiePrepster]

Question about these Alden 954 Monk's I picked up - honestly I got them to practice some shell work and was shocked when they arrived that they were in as good as condition as they were - the photos I bought from were really terrible..almost made the $99 spent seem like a waste but I figured if it saved my other shell's from getting poor treatment from it was worth it-

Anyway after they arrived and I saw they were in decent shape I got to wondering about the soles...it seems like there is a super topy on it and the rubber is almost 1/4 of an inch at its widest and it is stitched- I would imagine that this shoe was redone but I have no idea as I know little about Alden and hoping to tap the knowledge base here.

Any info on if these could have been released by Alden with this sole would be great and if not should I assume that using B Nelson would be the way to go to get them soles redone? Will Alden re-craft if anothers works has been done to them? Color wise I am assuming they were #8 at some point? Not sure if the codes inside tell the original color.

Did a quick wipe down and brush on them.

Nice pick-up. I've been wanting to do the same. What size is this? It looks super wide for aberdeen.

As to your question, it looks as though someone other than Alden has worked on them; the soles have definitely been altered. You will not be able to have Alden recraft these because of this. B Nelson would certainly be a great option for resole (and re-craft, I believe). They are indeed color 8, as the model number (954 indicates)

 

[Johdus Fanfoozal]

Does natural chromexcel tend to show scuffs more than regular horween calf or darker cxl?

Thinking of picking up these split toes.

 

[Kahuna75]

Nice pick-up. I've been wanting to do the same. What size is this? It looks super wide for aberdeen.

As to your question, it looks as though someone other than Alden has worked on them; the soles have definitely been altered. You will not be able to have Alden recraft these because of this. B Nelson would certainly be a great option for resole (and re-craft, I believe). They are indeed color 8, as the model number (954 indicates)

Thanks so much for the information and they are a 12.5 B/D ...I vary in sizes from 12eee to 13ee depending on shoe maker and last and these just right perhaps a touch to the snug side. I will probably give these a handful of wears before getting redone. Other shoes that I have had resoled tend to get back a bit tighter which might push these to the to tight area. Looking forward to cleaning them up this weekend. Good news is there does not seem to be a ton of old polish on them just mostly in the folds.

Again thanks for the help.

 

[bkotsko]

Thanks so much for the information and they are a 12.5 B/D ...I vary in sizes from 12eee to 13ee depending on shoe maker and last and these just right perhaps a touch to the snug side. I will probably give these a handful of wears before getting redone. Other shoes that I have had resoled tend to get back a bit tighter which might push these to the to tight area. Looking forward to cleaning them up this weekend. Good news is there does not seem to be a ton of old polish on them just mostly in the folds.

Again thanks for the help.

Are you planning on using Renomat to strip them, or just Renovateur?
You may have to use a colored cordovan paste to get the color consistent again.
This is exactly what I did when "practicing".
I did it with a pair of Florsheim shell PTBs, that I got for cheaper still and got excellent results in refinishing.

 

[Kahuna75]

Are you planning on using Renomat to strip them, or just Renovateur?
You may have to use a colored cordovan paste to get the color consistent again.
This is exactly what I did when "practicing".
I did it with a pair of Florsheim shell PTBs, that I got for cheaper still and got excellent results in refinishing.

I was thinking a light pass with the Renomat then moving to the Renovateur, will also give some of the rough spots a pass some bone thing ordered from Hangar project(not the full deer bone). Once they are all stripped down and get a good look at the shell then will decide what direction to take about adding color or leaving the variations. Looking forward to giving these a few wears.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]

If those are, in fact, from Alden DC, then Alden DC apparently does them both ways.  It just received a run of ravello lwb with antique, not dark, edges.

Indeed, Kathy does two separate designs. One with the Double Waterlock sole which has the lighter edge and one with the Double Leather sole which has the darker edge. I believe that Kathy plans to stick with the Waterlock moving forward. I believe that the Double Leathers were originally a mistake made by the factory, but she kept that design for a while. She decided to go back to Waterlock this year.

-Mike

Yep. The ravello batch on double waterloc from a few years back was a surprise. I was literally on on the phone with her as she opened the first box of the shipment.

It was supposed to have been standard double leather. I was glad to hear it was waterloc and ordered my pair on the spot.

 

[bkotsko]

How about some Naval Cap Toes today?
That's right, I am wearing *gasp* Black shell today.
I don't care, I love these in black.

 

[rydenfan]

How about some Naval Cap Toes today?
That's right, I am wearing *gasp* Black shell today.
I don't care, I love these in black.

Looks great! grey wilshires I am assuming?

 

[Kahuna75]

I still do not get the whole anti-black shoe/boot thing, I think it is rather comical actually. Great looking boots!