Why is cordovan leather expensive

This leather is hardwearing. So much so that it was used for razor strops in the 19th and 20th Century in barber shops. There are seven grades of shell cordovan leather. This leather is so exquisite, the grades are distinguished by the size of the shell instead of varying levels of quality because the quality is standard for all pieces.

The natural luster has been compared to a plastic like shine with natural water repellant properties. It is easy to care for luxury leather shoes made with shell cordovan - just apply a quick buff with a specialized conditioner before or after wearing them. The shell cordovan tanning process is arduous, to say the least, but adds to its exclusive appeal. It takes at least six months and involves seeping the irregular oval shaped shells in vegetable oils, hot stuffed and the highly skilled craftsmen hand curries and shaves the skins so that the shells are properly exposed.

With no machines or automation, the dyes and glazes are rubbed on by hand, creating a stunning glossy finish. This hands-on technique elevates shell cordovan to the world's finest leathers.

Known for its "color of clothing" shell cordovan comes in most-known for rich burgundies and deep rose colors, but is offered in several other color options. Additionally, the tanning process involved with cordovan shell is more intense than typical leathers, adding another layer of cost.

As mentioned earlier, the cordovan shell comes from the thickest part of the horse and is less prone to stretching. This makes it noticeably harder to break than calfskin and unless you are considering a cordovan shell belt, watch band or leather wallet, you will feel it. Since Shell Cordovan reacts differently to lotions and other forms of leather care, it requires specific Shell Cordovan care products.

In this case, it would be safer to do it yourself. However, that does require purchasing more leather care products separately from what you might already have, including a deer bone seriously. Color 8 is by far the most common Cordovan shell color. Shell Cordovan does not take dyes as easily as other leathers and is limited in its color range. For your first pair, you might want to go for a classic and versatile style.

Shoes can be exciting, but your initial investment focus on investing should pay off the most. No one wants to go the wrong size, especially with Shell Cordovan. Breaking the cordovan shell is a challenge that many find worth suffering in search of a perfectly molded shoe, but making sure you find the right shoe size in the right shape is doubly important.

I had long coveted a pair of Cordovan shell shoes before I could get my hands on a pair for myself. For the first dozen to two dozen clothes, I was hesitant to put them on because I knew my feet would hurt at the end of the day. After that, however, the quality of the leather, in particular, its resistance to stretching, made them molded to my feet without coming off too much.

Other leather shoes I have owned stretched enough to require an insert or thicker socks to prevent slipping. On the patina side, the palette of tones goes from deep burgundy to mahogany which I find really attractive. The color can always be kept more consistent with proper shoe polish, if desired. There have been many examples of how the Color 8 patina over time, including that of Horween himself.

Vintage or used pairs significantly reduce this cost, but you have to keep in mind that the Cordovan shell, when worn, retains its old owner crease or ripple. Due to the length and complexity of the process, only a few tanneries on the planet bother to produce cordovan these days. One of the Horween specialties is hot-stuffing, where a proprietary blend of greases, waxes, and oils are pounded into the leather in giant, steam-heated wooden drums.

Hot-stuffing is the part of the retanning process responsible for the tactile qualities we love the look, smell, and feel and has the added bonus of keeping the leather from drying out for a long, long time, even if completely neglected. Those shell cordovan Viberg Service boots I mentioned earlier? Even for the world of mens boots, shelling out for shell cordovan can feel like a crazy stretch. Images via JD Sassone on Instagram.

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