Special considerations for buying shell cordovan used?
I've been looking for shell shoes recently as I like they way they age. I'm wondering if there are any red or green flags I should look out for.
On that note, what would you pay for the pair below? The outer seems to be in good nick but the interior has holes from wear. Are these a deal breaker?
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Internal damage to shell shoes should mostly be a red flag because it’s a sign that it could be deteriorating more severely in other more hidden places — not all of which can be repaired without significant cost. I’ve purchased two different pairs of shell full straps that had about this level of damage on the interior only to have to retire them within two years.
You are much better off finding ones that don’t look great on the exterior, but don’t have this level of wear internally.
All that said, whoever this seller is does look like they’ve put a good amount of care into the upkeep of these — and a lot of buying online is essentially good faith in the merchant.
On the outside, I always look for cracking or really dry shell. You can’t come back from dry/cracking shell.
It’s easy to polish a turd, but the insides are a good indication of wear. With Alden, the wear on the heel pad logo is the first thing I look at. Plus that heel liner has already been replaced.
I personally wouldn’t buy these unless they were 100 and I couldn’t afford a nicer pair. I paid 275 for mine and they were in great condition
Thank you both! That's really good to know
Fwiw this is the pair I got for 275.
Nice, those are gorgeous
Lots of god advice. I'll just emphasize that any cracking or tears or other significant damage to the uppers makes them entirely DOA and not worth salvaging generally.
Internal damage/wear can be repaired but it's pricey and complex work.
I've gotten FAR better condition for ~$100 for shell cordovan alden
The one you linked looks pretty decent externally but internally that's kind of a red flag for me. I'd be patient and find better stuff.
I’m torn on these because those rolls look pretty ashy/grainy. Not something that I’d worry about immediately, but they probably weren’t well maintained. My vintage florsheims that are 40+ years old are in better shape.
I have some with rolls that look kind of ashy, I need to figure out the right kit to get em looking good again.
There’s always the intense conditioning guide that v-cleat wrote
Link please!
For some reason I thought he did it to a shell pair but I remembered wrong. Still a great article tho I'd be concerned about this process pulling too much dye from shells
https://vcleat.com/glycerin-leather-conditioning/
Here is a full restore of a shell pair though and I quite like his process here
https://vcleat.com/nettleton-traditionals-0208-restore/
Thanks. I'll see if I can find one for shell
Oh neato, thanks. I don't think mine need a full resto but ...
My concern with vintage/old shell is that the previous owner just never took care of them so I'm inclined to use a lot of conditioner and let them sit for quite a while so the uppers can get lubed up really nicely before being worn again. So I like that he uses a variety of conditioners, isn't afraid to use a good amount of it (he applied lexol with a sponge in the shell restore), and lets the shoes sit in it for a while.
Thanks. I really don't know what I'm doing here so I am hoping to find a "foolproof" guide. Not that such a thing truly exists because it seems like everyone disagrees with everyone ...
I like my cars, they got shop manuals, "do step 1, do step 2, bleed a little, swear a lot, do step 3." :P
I've found the amount of conflicting advice about shell shoes astounding. For instance, how do you square this advice with the "Mac Method." I get that they achieve different looks (and start off similarly.) But they seem to be antithetical in approach... and it's not like either one of them is wrong.
What's the mac method?
It's pretty lo-fi. Here's an old link for it. I'll see if I can find a better one later. https://theagatineeyelet.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/the-mac-method/
TheAgatineEyelet
The Agatine Eyelet: Obsessed with Alden
The Mac Method
Those of us who frequent online footwear forums such as Ask Andy About Clothes and the Style Forum Alden thread are well aware of the enigmatic man known as Mcarthur (or Michaelw on Style Forum). M…
It's basically just using water, and brushing everyday with the ocasional cream. I've used it on and off, but find that you can dry out the hell out of shell easily. Probably not so good for restoring shoes either.
Interesting. Thanks
The mac method is exclusively for brand new Alden shell. It’s like all he owned
Not for shell which has been collecting dust in a damp basement for 40 years
Sorry that sounds really harsh but I don’t mean it that way. Mac method is just different and can be fine for Alden shell but I find all other shell dries out way more
Didn’t take it that way. It’s not an exact science. And I’d agree, older shell generally calls for something different (generally.)
Here’s a guide I wrote for intermediate restoration. I wouldn’t mess with a pair that needs more work than this and you’re never going to get rid of the grainy feel (but you can cover it up a bit temporarily).
https://reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/s/41RP7CwOad
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I’ve seen folks use glycerin but no way in hell am I going through that much effort. I brush after wear and then condition with renovateur every 3-6 months and hit them with a coat of Saphir’s neutral cream polish (not the paste!). I only use pigmented cream polish if I need to bring back lost color or even out splotches
I’ve also had luck with lexol for really old shell but some people swear by bic4.