I've had a pair of old shell Florsheim's for many years and I'm a small time shoe collector (can't afford any new shell) but I never thought about the connection between my old shell strop and my shoes until I did a little research. Apparently, the use of shell to make shoes came after strops became passe'.
Shell Strops and Shell Shoes... I never thought about their connection.
- Thread starter Saxon
- Start date
Strops are passé? I must have missed the memo.
If my shell strop is anything to go by, the shoes must be amazing.
If my shell strop is anything to go by, the shoes must be amazing.
Not so!
I don't agree in the least with the assertions promulgated in this video!
Shell cordovan leather was not exclusively used for strops a century ago. Nor did the demise of the strop market spur development of cordovan as a shoe leather.
Cordovan leather has a very long history of use as a material for shoe, boot, saddle, strop, belt, wallet, and other items, going back literally hundred of years!
It was being used for these items at the same time it was used for strops, in the 1800's, and of course, much earlier as well.
After the demise of the strop market in the 1900's, it continued to be used for these other purposes to this day.
By the way, the strop market was never dominated by cordovan. It was always dominated by bovine leather.
Whilst it is considerably more expensive than bovine leather, and true cordovan shoes have become a luxury niche market, it has never ceased to be an option for those who can afford it.
Allen Edmunds and Alden are two major manufacturers who still make true cordovan leather shoes and boots to-day, as well as many smaller quality shoemakers round the globe.
To suggest that shell cordovan was soley or primarily used for strops a century ago is pure rubbish, perhaps in Cordoba Spain only.
And to imply that the demise of that market lead to cordovan being converted to use for shoes is laughably naïve!
Anyone with a web-cam and time on their hands can say anything they want. It doesn't make it so.
I don't agree in the least with the assertions promulgated in this video!
Shell cordovan leather was not exclusively used for strops a century ago. Nor did the demise of the strop market spur development of cordovan as a shoe leather.
Cordovan leather has a very long history of use as a material for shoe, boot, saddle, strop, belt, wallet, and other items, going back literally hundred of years!
It was being used for these items at the same time it was used for strops, in the 1800's, and of course, much earlier as well.
After the demise of the strop market in the 1900's, it continued to be used for these other purposes to this day.
By the way, the strop market was never dominated by cordovan. It was always dominated by bovine leather.
Whilst it is considerably more expensive than bovine leather, and true cordovan shoes have become a luxury niche market, it has never ceased to be an option for those who can afford it.
Allen Edmunds and Alden are two major manufacturers who still make true cordovan leather shoes and boots to-day, as well as many smaller quality shoemakers round the globe.
To suggest that shell cordovan was soley or primarily used for strops a century ago is pure rubbish, perhaps in Cordoba Spain only.
And to imply that the demise of that market lead to cordovan being converted to use for shoes is laughably naïve!
Anyone with a web-cam and time on their hands can say anything they want. It doesn't make it so.
Read an article on shell cordovan awhile back. In the days where the main use was strops, it was kept much thicker (hence the 4-6mm thick vintage shell strops). Once straights fell out of fashion, shoes became the main product so they started making it much thinner (1-3mm).
Shell Cordovan Leather Explained - https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/cordovan-leather-from-horween/
references the shift, as do many other articles.
shoegazing.com
like this one.
And vintage strops, at least surviving ones are HEAVILY weighted horsehide over bovine. So I doubt the market was largely cow leather, unless they just don't survive for some reason. I've owned 50+ vintage strops. 2 were boar, maybe 5 cow, the rest were all horsehide... maybe half of those labeled shell.
Shell Cordovan Leather Explained - https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/cordovan-leather-from-horween/
references the shift, as do many other articles.
History - Shell Cordovan - Shoegazing.com
Cordovan is an immensely popular material for shoes and leather accessories, with its special character and features. However, it was not until about 100
shoegazing.com
like this one.
And vintage strops, at least surviving ones are HEAVILY weighted horsehide over bovine. So I doubt the market was largely cow leather, unless they just don't survive for some reason. I've owned 50+ vintage strops. 2 were boar, maybe 5 cow, the rest were all horsehide... maybe half of those labeled shell.
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Well, don't I look a fool.
Seems I have to retract much of what I wrote about cordovan leather.
Whilst it was never used exclusively for strops, it appears that such was the primary market for it in the United States during the Gilded Age. It was also alumed and converted into "white leather" for workmen's aprons, the thongs of common whips, and other utilitarian purposes.
It's true that better quality horse hides had been tanned for the uppers of shoes and boots going back much further, but not the shell cordovan derivative specifically. It's also true that the application of shell cordovan to shoes and boots was largely an American phenomenon, rising in popularity with the corresponding demise of the strop market in the U.S. It also used to be commonly referred to as "enamelled leather" in the late 1800's to early 1900's, at a time when it was primarily used for strops.
I've read that good quality shell cordovan can only be obtained from healthy, young stock, and it was simply not economic to slaughter young domesticated horses for that purpose. So, even in the late 1800's, American tanneries were sourcing their horse hide from the wild pampas of south America. Apparently, hide from a knackers-yard was totally unsuitable.
The rendering of hide into shell cordovan was a complex, labour-intensive, and time-consuming process such that cow-hide was always an economic alternative...and the only material available in many other countries back then. Still, in the U.S. (and other advanced nations), shell cordovan may well have dominated the strop market.
Interestingly, shell cordovan was originally popular as a material for farmers' and workmen's boots because of the hides' toughness and water repellency. Its reputation as a quality leather for fine shoes would come much later. Even to-day it is not considered best for many fine shoes, especially by those looking for a softer, glove-like leather or better "break-in" qualities.
So, I now confess I must agree with Saxon.
Please accept my humble apologies.
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