Shoes that look better with age...

[Mich]

The Aberdeen last seems more dressy and a bit rounder than the Plaza.

Aberdeen

Plaza

Has anyone considered this last, i like it tbh

Copley

It's somewhere in between the Plaza and the Barrie last which is to wide at the front in my opinion.

[robin]

Top view diagram I just put together with images from the shoe mart's website.

[?uestionmark]

im liking the Leydon. Barrie on the bottom of my list.

[mlproject]

this thread always hits the high points of leather, but let's not overlook other classics.

via reference library blog...

[JonB27]

That top view on the Leydon does look good... I am also completely against a 360 welt for these boots.

[Turntabloid]

like the leydon too.

what will be the waiting period for those?

[superchunk]

Leydon is a good choice. I think the Grant is too pointy.

[?uestionmark]

get ready for buzzkill.

[fre-co]

Leydon is a good compromise as most seem to like that. It's more versatile than the plaza and can fit with different aesthetics IMO.

Amlai, I thought there were some old 1930s adverts or catalogues describing horse butt work boots posted here? Maybe I dreamed it.

[amlai]

Amlai, I thought there were some old 1930s adverts or catalogues describing horse butt work boots posted here? Maybe I dreamed it.

They were shell, but not shell cordovan. Shell refers to a region, the horse's butt. Horse butt was the toughest leather and was difficult to work with. The boots were made out of that leather, not the subcutaneous membrane that is shell cordovan.

[fre-co]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the info.

[amlai]

like the leydon too.

what will be the waiting period for those?

OK, so it sounds like the general consensus is that the boot should be a plain toe.on leydon last, leather soled, close heel welt, with natural edge dressing. I don't think anyone has strongly disputed having blind eyelets with speed hooks.

As far as the waiting period, as outlined in the original post, there is no guaranteed completion date. This will be for those who are extremely patient and willing to wait for quality goods. What I can say is that with the StyleForum boot in #8 shell, it took around 9 months for completion. However, this is cigar shell, so I would expect completion time to be significantly higher. Of course, Tom would know better, but some of us were thinking it could be as much as 3 years before the orders came in, and I'm not entirely sure we're joking or overestimating that number. There's a reason why none of us have attempted a group consensus special makeup boot in cigar shell yet.

[YoungPunch]

I would be in on the boot amlai described. Although, I would like metal eyelets, not blind (not a big deal though if everyone else wants blind eyelets).

And if it really does take three years to make because of cigar shell, I don't mind. All I have to do is put away $20 a month into an alden-boot-fund, and I'll have the boots all paid off by the time they're ready to ship!

[Johnny Amiga]

First post on sufu. Have to participate, as these Sufu/Alden boot sounds tremendous. I've been thinking about getting myself a pair of Alden boots for ages and now I'm glad I've waited as the specs for these are excellent. Definitely in.

The LSxSF boots looked good, but these should be much closer to the aesthetic that I'm into.

[concealed]

9 months would be a perfect amount of waiting time for me, but I can deal with 3 years... I have never ordered a pair of Aldens before... I wear a 10D in Red Wings 875s without any insoles, 10.5 in sneakers, so would 10D probably work for me again? about $500?

[?uestionmark]

Looks like were in good shape fellas. Now lets hear from Tom himself.

[amlai]

If I had to guess price point, current pricing looks like around $650 for a cigar boot. However, one will have to take into account what pricing would look like in the coming years, whenever the boot actually was produced... so >$700... I'm going to guess that pricing is going to continue to go up.

[?uestionmark]

meanwhile..

a pair of cordovan #8 aldens from ebay ($115) that i have been leaving out in the sun.

can anyone figure which model this is? at least the last?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[robin]

Are there still letters and numbers that are written on the inside of the shoes?

[?uestionmark]

^ yezzur

8 1/2_____4D11X022____7

E/EEE_____9346

[robin]

^ yezzur

8 1/2_____4D11X022____7

E/EEE_____9346

The model number is 9346, a long discontinued one I think. If you send a polite email to [email protected] with that number, they should be able to tell you the last it was made on.

[Bill2]

I guess I better weigh in on this discussion:

My vote is for Trubalance... I think the AF53 is a great looking boot, the shape is just right for a crossover denim/dress casual boot. Leydon looks good from above, but has a flatter/chisley looking vibe from the side, as does Plaza. Barrie is a little shapless to me.

I like double leather soles, close regular heel welt.... Natural/antique edge trim just like the Plaza Cigar boot

I'd go for metal eyelets.... I just don't see blind eyelets on a double leather sole working together, its a mixed message to me.

Tmadd: I'm with you on the captoe idea... would love them as well, but alas, we seem to be in the minority, so caps will have to wait for another time!

[Akira]

Blackbird just came out with their collab with George Esquivel in a boot and shoe

http://helloblackbird.blogspot.com/2008/10/blackbird-natural-leather-footwear-by.html

[amlai]

I'd go for metal eyelets.... I just don't see blind eyelets on a double leather sole working together, its a mixed message to me.

I would dispute that:

However, the point is more or less moot. I got an email from Tom earlier tonight stating that Alden would not do blind eyelets with hooks, only metal eyelets w/hooks or blind all the way up. This seems to be a new policy as clearly we've gotten boots made with that mixture before anyways. I think most of us would like the speed hooks and therefore, metal eyelets are required.

Just to clarify, this is what Tom was just told (I believe today)

[robin]

I got an email from Tom earlier tonight stating that Alden would not do blind eyelets with hooks, only metal eyelets w/hooks or blind all the way up. This seems to be a new policy as clearly we've gotten boots made with that mixture before anyways.

[hollowsleather]

These are going to be fun to watch. If anyone grabs a pair, be sure to post lots of evolution photos.

[fattybfat]

i really like the natural heel on it but there is something better going on in the last page. I have a feeling that the boot just not durable, maybe the color??...i dont know why.:confused:

[rodeo bill]

I guess I better weigh in on this discussion:

My vote is for Trubalance... I think the AF53 is a great looking boot, the shape is just right for a crossover denim/dress casual boot. Leydon looks good from above, but has a flatter/chisley looking vibe from the side, as does Plaza. Barrie is a little shapless to me.

I like double leather soles, close regular heel welt.... Natural/antique edge trim just like the Plaza Cigar boot

I'd go for metal eyelets.... I just don't see blind eyelets on a double leather sole working together, its a mixed message to me.

Tmadd: I'm with you on the captoe idea... would love them as well, but alas, we seem to be in the minority, so caps will have to wait for another time!

I've posted these both before, but here again is a Truebalance Boot:

and here;s a Leydon:

THey're pretty similar, but the Leydon is definitely narrower, with a pointier toe. I sized up a width size on Leydon 91/2D Truebalance 91/2E Leydon. I agree that Barrie is a bit too clumpy

[Mich]

I'm not really into the Trubalance last for these, it does not look refined enough for the direction we are heading on this boot, plus i already own the 405's with the same last and i'd like to try something different.

The Leydon looks much better (still i prefer Plaza )

Has anyone had experience with the Copley last?

Imo it would also be a good option.

About the possible 3-year waiting time, like YoungPunch said before, i'm just gonna start myself an Alden savings fund.

... will also save me some trouble with the lady she'll never notice how much they really cost me.

[rodeo bill]

as an interested outsider, i'd go for Plaza, or maybe Leydon. I agree with you Mich that Truebalance (though it's lovely) isn;t really what you guys are after