Men's Clothing Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Cordovan vs Calf

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
#2 ·
My reasons for embracing the supremacy of shell cordovan leather over calf, are three: 1) the natural luster and characteristic patina of shell cord is undeniably seductive; 2) shell cord shoes/boots are much easier to care for, requiring nothing more than a quick buff before and after each wearing and the occassional, yet restrained, polishing; and 3) shell cord shoes are far more durable than calf leather, seeming to never wear out, given minimal care.
 
#4 ·
1. Shell looks different from the outset.

2. Shell ages differently.

3. Shell has greater water repelling properties than untreated calf.

4. Shell is more durable.

5. Shell creases differently (smooth creases that are lighter in color as opposed to wrinkled creases).

Now, that doesn't make it necessarily better (well, 3 and 4 kind of do), but these reasons make it something that is actually quite different from calf. Whether it is worth the premium is, naturally, up to the buyer. For some, it isn't.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#6 ·
marlinspike said:
This one I'm still confused on. I was thinking of having Alden of Carmel do a special run of one of their Barrie lasted boots in 14D, and they said that if the boot is going to be used exclusively for rain/snow duty, I'd be better served by getting calf.
Click to expand...
Not sure why he recommended calf but he should know. I do know that when shell gets wet, the leather has "spots" on it when it first dries out. Maybe he was thinking about a leather that you could apply waterproofing to.
 
#14 ·
StickPig said:
I didn't see a hall of fame thread esposing the virtues of cordovan over calf. Anyone care to enlighten me? Is it the look, feel, comfort, fit, durability, and/or status?

Respectfully,

StickPig
Click to expand...
I believe that Calf Shoes are easier to break in if you have a hard to fit foot. Due to orthotics, etc - I get very pronounced creasing on the vamp of my shoes. I have found that Shell takes longer to work out the glitches than calf during the break in period.
 
#15 ·
Shell is hotter.

Shell is heavier and, in my view, it looks heavier as well. Those smooth creases convey a message that shell is hard rather than buttery as good calf can be (hence wrinkled creases). Because of that, shell is also harder to break in.

I have both and I like both. But the real advantage of shell is that you can be lazy about polishing it. Price your time and you'll work out if it's worth it to you ;)
 
#16 ·
joeyzaza said:
Not sure why he recommended calf but he should know. I do know that when shell gets wet, the leather has "spots" on it when it first dries out. Maybe he was thinking about a leather that you could apply waterproofing to.
Click to expand...
Well, here's what he said (seems like a nice guy, I don't think he'd mind my posting this).

"Both leathers will hold up physically. That is, the leather won't give way or anything like that. But water can affect the finish of shell cordovan shoes, making the finish rough, or causing welts, which can be difficult to entirely remove.

For that reason, the Alden Shoe Company is usually hesitant, and so is our shop, to recommend shell cordovan shoes for use in wet weather, or as rainy day shoes.

For harsh weather conditions, we will normally recommend a shoe other than shell cordovan, since the customer would probably prefer to keep the finish of his shell cordovan shoes nice and smooth and not risk damaging the finish by purposely wearing the shoes as rainy day shoes.

That being said, I'm sure lots of men in New York for example, probably wear their shell cordovan shoes in winter, and don't have many problems. "
 
#17 ·
...it would seem to me that the greatest threat to any leather shoe worn in the winter is salt and not water. Once your shoes have been saturated by salt water on a snowy day, is there any way to get rid of those white, chalky areas?

I am also moved to ask why one leather need be better than another? Is any leather better than all of the rest for shoes? Alligator or its other lizard cousins? Ostrich? Armadillo? Isn't it enough to celebrate their differences?

Buzz
 
#18 ·
M6Classic said:
Once your shoes have been saturated by salt water on a snowy day, is there any way to get rid of those white, chalky areas?
Click to expand...
Allen Edmonds conditioner/cleaner for calfskin footwear includes directions to "deep clean" and "neutralize salt stains". I tried it recently on a pair of shoes that had just a small amount of white on them and it worked well.
 
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
About this Discussion
60 Replies
35 Participants
Last post:
Mattdeckard
Men's Clothing Forums
posts
1.7M
members
84K
Since
2004
A forum community dedicated to men’s fashion and clothing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about collections, materials, models, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Timeless Style Trad Style The Interchange Food, Drink, Travel & The Arts Deals, Steals, & Sales!