MiniW

some updates on the Aldens I wear the most.

L to R

1) Alden 405 Indy - Trubalance Last

2) French Calf - Modified Last boots

3) Kudu Chukkas - Barrie Last

sunday bumppppppp

I like those dull cordovan shoes but many vintage used shell shoes have that dullness which leads me to believe that if you don't overdo it on the polish, you can achieve that non-glossy look with most shell shoes over time.

these are a pair of Buttero boots that I had the single leather sole replaced with Alden's Plantation crepe sole... enjoy

the work was done at Moulded Shoe NYC (http://mouldedshoe.com/), cost $150, turnaround time 3-4 weeks.

ONLY FH Chambray left with price drop. Final price, hope someone wants it for the great price.

I've been to the Alden shop on Madison a few times, and yes they are friendly but everytime they are out of something in the size I asked they hurry to bring me the same thing in a half size down and a width wider (not quite what I asked for). Also I feel that the selection is too dull for those that are looking for models similar to those offered by LS or Blackbird, etc.

I do recommend Citishoes on Park Ave, http://www.citishoes.com/ website sucks but the salesmen there are younger and very friendly in person. They really do know their Aldens there.

now on ebay, plus RRL

http://shop.ebay.com/wlyang210/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

bumpp.........

damn, I was about to pull the trigger on the catepillar engineer boots when I noticed that they have an extra piece of leather on the instep that really ruins the look for me.... oh well

sunday bump

bump..........

here is a little DIY project, I stripped off the super dark brown edge dressing on a pair of Alden dress shoes using cotton balls soaked in rubbing alcohol. then I applied a coat of kiwi wax (forgot if it was brown color or neutral). It gives the shoes a more natural look IMO and easy to do.

here are the results (the other pair is how the wingtips looked before I altered them)

so I had my 005BK jeans tapered a bit a while back, and the tailor did an excellent job of tapering. However when it came down to the hem she used a weird combination of black threading on the inside and golden threading on the outside that clashed greatly with the original chainstitch. The area was only like 3 inches on the outseam, but considering I wear all my jeans cuffed a little bit, it was bothering me greatly. I considered going to BiG to get them re-hemmed but instead I took some time and found some methods to chain stitch by hand, here are the results:

the method I used was a simple chainstitch using a single thread, I could not replicate the machine chainstitch exactly as it consisted of two separate threads and was far more intricate and beyond my skils. However I am pretty happy with the results and if I had before pictures to show you, I think you'd agree that they look much better. I just wanted to show this so that if any of you had simple repairs to be made, you don't have to settle for machine hem.

bump................

monday bump

sunday bump

4 items for sale, paypal welcome. Prices include shipping in the CONUS.

1) WWM red rip-stop field parka. SOLD

2) Patagonia Down Sweater Vest - SOLD

3) Flathead BSP size 29 SOLD

4) SE x FH Chambray size 40 new SOLD

gotten a few lowball offers, but anyone seriously interested?

I just got a pair of PBJ's that I love so I'm putting these FH out to see if anyone is interested in them. Asking $250.00 shipped firm.

details: hotsoaked once, worn about 10-12 times. chainstitched to 33.5" inseam. fading is very, very minimal

measurements:

waist 29", front rise 9.5", inseam chainstitched to 33.5", and the hem is 6.8" across

Please PM me if you are interested in them at my asking price. More pictures are available upon request.

just a quick question for anyone that has the Roy boots, (or any other Alden boot with a crepe sole) - How does the crepe do on icy sidewalks? Has anyone busted their ass while wearing the Roys on ice, or do they hold up better than other sole types? any info appreciated!

^ probably shoemart, they have the best return policy (365 days) and free shipping. I've ordered several pairs from them in the past and the customer service was always excellent.

So I've decided my first quality boot purchase will be the Alden Indy, But can't decide between the 403 and 404. I like the look of the 403 better, and I hear good things about the leather, but how is Chromexcel durability compared to the regular 404 leather?

If you like the look of the 403 better, get the 403. The 404 with the heavy soles really seem to be suitable for winter harsh weather, and may look out of place in spring or summer. The kudu is a heavily waxed leather and does not need much, if any conditioning or treatment to keep it in the same condition as it arrives in. As for durability, both pairs will easily last you 10+ years if you do the proper maintenance (don't let the leather dry out, try not to wear them two days in a row, resole if the soles are very worn down, etc.).

If you want an all purpose shoe, get the 403. If you live in Canada or something and need a rough and tough boot, get the 404. There isn't really an difference in durability between the two. Go by what you think you will wear more often.

you're right braid, but they wouldn't have been black , btw nice fit on your PBJ's

update on my 005BK, I went ahead and brought these to a local place I was familiar with and got them tapered from the outseam and ended up with some beefy selvage. When I examined the jeans up close, the sewing on the inseam seems really intricate, and I didn't want to risk it being messed up. They are about 1" smaller all around at the hem, and the tapering was done from the mid thigh down. These are finally ready for wear now

005BK raw, size 29. I just got these from BiG, these are post 30 min hot soak. I had the inseam hemmed to 34.5" before soak and they are now 32.5" which is what I wanted for these.

Aside from length, in my true opinion I would like them to be tighter, the hem is like 7.8" which is a lot larger than the measurements for the one wash in the same size. Any idea if these will shrink more with future washes. Also I definitely plan to taper them a bit, should I start tapering right at the knees or above it? Any comments on fit appreciated.