# Alden Recrafting: always a let-down



## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Here are my experiences with Alden recrafting, I wonder if anybody has experienced similar:

Ordered a pair of Longwings (in size 14D they have to be ordered, they aren't stocked by Alden stores). They came with a bad finish. Sent back to Alden to be fixed. they fixed the finish but when stitching the left set of eyelets back on the left shoe they didn't put them in them in the same place, so there are 4 stitch holes visible from the original stiching.

Sent two pairs of cape cod horse bit loafers in for recrafting. Gave special instructions to extend the welt so that the tip of the sole reaches the end of the toebox (rather than the toebox overhanging). I had cleared this with them via e-mail before sending them in. The shoes came back recrafted, with my special instructions noted in the receipt, but my special instructions were not actually followed.

Sent them one pair of those aforementioned horse bits for recrafting again (had once again worn through the sole). Again with the special instructions. This time the special instructions were followed. Unfortunately, in recrafting the left shoe (horse bit on it was broken), somebody used the flex welt horse bit. This means 1 - the left shoe doesn't match the right shoe, 2 - it doesn't look as good, 3 - the bit is too long, so the center of the bit droops all the way down to the bottom of the tang.

What the hell is going on there?


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

That doesn't seem normal, I've gotten better results from the Dry Cleaner!!


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

In all my years I think this is the first mention of poor service from Alden Recrafting. Sorry about your misfortunes and hopefully they can get things fixed for you. Please keep us posted. Good luck!


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

+1. I've always heard great things about Alden restoration, and some of the photos posted in past threads have been amazing. My sense is that, while they are good at re-crafting shoes, they aren't good at following specific instructions. For example, I recall seeing it mentioned in past threads that instructions not to "re-dye" shoes (destroying the shoes' patina that had developed) routinely are ignored, even where someone at the company has been contacted.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

They're sending me a recraft bag and saying to put a note with it so they can bump it to the front. Still, it's a bit of a nuisance, especially in light of my recrafting history. I can understand how someone would mistakenly put on the wrong bit at some point during the recrafting process, but I don't understand how it can leave the factory doors like that.


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## Mazama (May 21, 2009)

*FWIW*

While my one experience with Alden recrafting turned out fine, my experience with shoe maintenance at other "top" companies has been short of expectations.

Recently I received a pair of recrafted Graysons back from Allen Edmonds. The resoling is fine. But the uppers do not appear to have even received a polishing much less a refinishing; discolorations from built up polish and other indignities meted out by me over the years appear to me to be exactly as they were when I sent them in. I hesitate to return them due to the hassle factor as well as my concern that something else may go amiss along the lines of the OP's experience at Alden.

Attempts to have Russell Moccasin boots recrafted at their factory also lead to a less than craftsman like result for both resoling and upper repairs. The finished work was distinctly amateurish. Along the same line, custom orders from Russell were sent out without the features ordered and paid even though they were, after checking, confirmed to have been "entered into the system". Requests to have the fit widened on another order resulted in receiving narrower boots.

Maintenance and custom work in shoes, car repair and detailing, home repairs, etc., are, more often than not, a crapshoot.

Why? First, it may be that some of the people doing the work simply don't bother - or, especially with immigrants, may be incapable of - reading the instructions for the work they're doing. Second, most organizations - even, in my experience, companies that are "known for quality" - in fact have no quality control process other than relying on the person who did the work to check it themselves. Even so most of the time things turn out fine because only a standard job is needed and most of the employees are competent if not excellent. But a certain percentage of the time the results are like the OP experienced.


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## The Continental Fop (Jan 12, 2007)

My experiences with Alden's recrafting service have been hit or miss. I've had shoes come back looking brand new, and I've had shoes come back looking pretty rough. One common denominator though is they seem to have either disdain or a blind eye to requests that they don't re-dye the shoes. They just plain don't comply with such requests -- I've had 2 pair of Color 8 shells come back in that damn dark purple eggplant color, when both had such a nice chocolatey patina when they left. Lesson learned. Next time my Aldens need new soles, I'll have them done locally.

I'm a big Alden fan but they really are obtuse when it comes to the recrafting service.


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Mazama said:


> Recently I received a pair of recrafted Graysons back from Allen Edmonds. The resoling is fine. But the uppers do not appear to have even received a polishing much less a refinishing; discolorations from built up polish and other indignities meted out by me over the years appear to me to be exactly as they were when I sent them in. I hesitate to return them due to the hassle factor as well as my concern that something else may go amiss along the lines of the OP's experience at Alden.


Don't bother sending them back, when I sent some in to have the uppers refinished, they sprayed (yes, you read that right) the finish on and ruined the shoe. Overspray got inside and on the eyelets, I sent them back, talked to a specialist who basically said "they look fine to me". Never again.

Brian


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## gtsecc (Mar 25, 2008)

My cobbler says Alden does not do their own recrafting, but that they send it to a cobble just like him. Of course, that may not be true. However, based upon what I have heard about people getting hit or miss service, it makes sense.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

I have always had a great experience with AE recrafting. That said, if I had a pair of Alden's to recraft I would not send them back to Alden. I would send them to B. Nelson. https://www.bnelsonshoes.com/ Nick V, President, is a forumite here and he runs a great shop.

Please read my thread on his recraft of my Ferragamo loafers. They came back in substantially better shape than when they left. Nick is a craftsmen.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=97056

I cannot say enough good things about what he has done for me and his prices are extremely reasonable. Ship your shoes to Nick and they will come back better than new.


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

I concur with GMan. Over several years I've had two pair of my Allen Edmonds re-crafted (with AE) and the shoes came back nearly new looking. (Truly professional)


Your experience with Alden may be the first time I've been made aware of anyone having an issue with Alden's re-crafting service.

Live and learn. Thanks for the write up on your experiences.


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## closerlook (Sep 3, 2008)

Please describe the "bad finish"
I have had similar experiences of late. the shiny outer coding has come off every pair in certain areas, and the shell has actually cracked in small areas between the stitches of foxing around the toe box on my LHS (essentially where the foot bends).


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Mazama said:


> Second, most organizations - even, in my experience, companies that are "known for quality" - in fact have no quality control process other than relying on the person who did the work to check it themselves. Even so most of the time things turn out fine because only a standard job is needed and most of the employees are competent if not excellent. But a certain percentage of the time the results are like the OP experienced.


Important points. Manufacturing shoes is a manual-labour, low-paying gig for most workers and I doubt that most actually share their marketing department's insistence that "we care about every pair of shoes that leaves our doors". No one turns down a high-paying professional office job so they can work in a shoe factory. . . or do they?


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Normally I send my stuff to Cobblestone Shoe Repair, but for things involving modifications to the shoe (like extending the sole to go beyond the toebox) he has recommended that I send them to Alden.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

Hmmm, so if they're redying the shoes they must be stripping the finish off, I wonder what they use for that?


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## LeatherSOUL (May 8, 2005)

gtsecc said:


> My cobbler says Alden does not do their own recrafting, but that they send it to a cobble just like him. Of course, that may not be true. However, based upon what I have heard about people getting hit or miss service, it makes sense.


Not true.

As far as the quality of work, sorry to hear about all of these bad experiences. My customers and myself have had only good experiences with Alden recrafting. I wish I could somehow help to make everyone happy. If anyone has a problem in the future please let me know and I will take the steps to get answers and resolutions for you.


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

LeatherSOUL said:


> Not true.
> 
> As far as the quality of work, sorry to hear about all of these bad experiences. My customers and myself have had only good experiences with Alden recrafting. I wish I could somehow help to make everyone happy. If anyone has a problem in the future please let me know and I will take the steps to get answers and resolutions for you.


That's a stand up offer eh fellas?:icon_smile_wink:


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## Distinctive (Apr 26, 2007)

May I ask why you sent the cape cod loafers back in? Seems like you could buy them new for just a little bit more.


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## LeatherSOUL (May 8, 2005)

Ok, read the original post again. I missed the fact that the shoes were Cape Cod shoes. These shoes are not made at the Alden factory. I have no experience restoring Cape Cod shoes. Honestly, I would not restore them. 

I still would like to offer any help I can getting a suitable answer for any complaints.


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## ds23pallas (Aug 22, 2006)

LeatherSOUL said:


> I have no experience restoring Cape Cod shoes. Honestly, I would not restore them.


I just dropped off my Cape Cod drop tassels yesterday for new soles at a local cobbler that re-soled my LHS recently. The Cape Cods' soles were separating from the front of each shoe and a hole was appearing on one soles. The uppers and the interior of the shoes are virtually as new (and I never wear socks in the summer with them). Like Tom, I wouldn't send them to Alden for restoration, but I didn't even consider tossing them. They are by far the most comfortable moccassin loafer I have ever had.


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## LeatherSOUL (May 8, 2005)

ds23pallas said:


> I just dropped off my Cape Cod drop tassels yesterday for new soles at a local cobbler that re-soled my LHS recently. The Cape Cods' soles were separating from the front of each shoe and a hole was appearing on one soles. The uppers and the interior of the shoes are virtually as new (and I never wear socks in the summer with them). Like Tom, I wouldn't send them to Alden for restoration, but I didn't even consider tossing them. They are by far the most comfortable moccassin loafer I have ever had.


For Cape Cods, I'd do half soles locally once the sole wears down a little, not all the way through obviously.

Or, although I don't like to do this, I'd probably just topy them and retopy them accordingly.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Distinctive said:


> May I ask why you sent the cape cod loafers back in? Seems like you could buy them new for just a little bit more.


While they don't tell you this up front, Alden only charges $110 to recraft cape cod shoes. That's $135 cheaper than a new pair of cape cod loafers. Seems like a considerable savings to me. Why throw away a shoe with perfectly good uppers? They do come back looking like new (which admittedly doesn't require much because simply polishing them makes the uppers look like new), except for the errors made. If somebody can get JR soles and heels done for cheaper, let me know.

Also, I don't want the cape cod, I want the cape cod with a slight modification to the sole, which can only be done as part of recrafting. You may ask, why buy cape cod in the first place? The answer is that I have oddly shaped feet and so far the only shoes that don't cause me immense pain as soon as I stand are the Barrie last and the cape cod loafers (Magnanni also works, in part because the construction is weak enough that I can simply crush them to fit, though they do cause me some pain by the end of the day). Maybe there would be more shoes that fit my feet if I weren't a size 14...


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

LeatherSOUL said:


> For Cape Cods, I'd do half soles locally once the sole wears down a little, not all the way through obviously.
> 
> Or, although I don't like to do this, I'd probably just topy them and retopy them accordingly.


What's the problem with resoling them? The brown ones will be going in for their second recrafting (and hopefully these, like the black ones, will get the modification I want made to them this time) just as soon as I get the black ones back with the correct horse bit.


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## LeatherSOUL (May 8, 2005)

marlinspike said:


> What's the problem with resoling them? The brown ones will be going in for their second recrafting (and hopefully these, like the black ones, will get the modification I want made to them this time) just as soon as I get the black ones back with the correct horse bit.


No problem, just saying what I would do.

Also, I think we all need to remember, Alden's recrafting service is just that, not a modifying service. I'm just saying. If shoes are sent to a local cobbler, that one person will see it through. When shoes are sent for restoration at a shoe factory, there will be I don't know, 10+ people touching the shoes before they get back to you. Glad they were able to extend the soles for you the second time around. As far as the bits, they probably should have asked you if it was ok to replace BOTH sides if they didn't have the original bits in stock.

Not making excuses, putting a different perspective on it.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

LeatherSOUL said:


> No problem, just saying what I would do.
> 
> Also, I think we all need to remember, Alden's recrafting service is just that, not a modifying service. I'm just saying. If shoes are sent to a local cobbler, that one person will see it through. When shoes are sent for restoration at a shoe factory, there will be I don't know, 10+ people touching the shoes before they get back to you. Glad they were able to extend the soles for you the second time around. As far as the bits, they probably should have asked you if it was ok to replace BOTH sides if they didn't have the original bits in stock.
> 
> Not making excuses, putting a different perspective on it.


It wouldn't have been ok to replace both sides either - the flex welt bit is far too long for the cape cod loafer - the one they put on droops to the bottom of the tongue in the middle.


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## Nick V (May 8, 2007)

marlinspike said:


> It wouldn't have been ok to replace both sides either - the flex welt bit is far too long for the cape cod loafer - the one they put on droops to the bottom of the tongue in the middle.


I agree with LeatherSOUL. That's what factories do. Whether making new or re-crafting, They mass produce.

A smaller, reputable firm would have used the policy of contacting the customer, explain what happened, matched the ornament as close as possible and, changed the pair at their cost.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Nick V said:


> I agree with LeatherSOUL. That's what factories do. Whether making new or re-crafting, They mass produce.
> 
> A smaller, reputable firm would have used the policy of contacting the customer, explain what happened, matched the ornament as close as possible and, changed the pair at their cost.


Maybe I'm not being clear. Alden still has the proper horse bit. They just put the wrong one on (one that not only doesn't match the other shoe but doesn't even work on these shoes unless you like horsebits swinging 2 inches up and down with each step) and shipped it out.

I do like to go to a cobbler rather than the recrafting, but my understanding is that if I want a modification made (such as making the new soles extend beyond the toebox rather than the toebox extending beyond the sole) this is best done by the company with access to the lasts. Is this not the case?


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## The Continental Fop (Jan 12, 2007)

I don't know what process Alden and/or its subcontractor uses to update the finish on Color 8 shells sent in for restoration, but my favorite Alden LHS's left here with a beautiful brown patina and came back with a thickly-applied eggplant color that had a dull, matte finish. It appeared to my eyes to be a combination of a heavy-handed dye job and a pretty lousy polishing. I worked them over with a horsehair brush for a long time but it only slightly improved things.

Because the shoes also came back with some sloppy workmanship (extra leather pads clumsily sewn into the back of the heels for no apparent reason -- they actually looked like temporary protective swatches someone forgot to remove after the resoling), I contacted Alden and they took the shoes back and cleaned them up. 3 weeks later they came back with a color that was still much darker than the brown I'd grown to love, but at least the surface of the shell had that new Alden shine to it.

I'd like to know what Alden does to refinish the shoes. I asked but was told it's proprietary info. I love my many Aldens but I will not send any of them back to be recrafted anymore unless its the only option for a specific shoe (e.g. that odd sole on my Camp Moccs). I love Alden but I don't like what happens to Color 8 shells that go through the recrafting process.



Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> Hmmm, so if they're redying the shoes they must be stripping the finish off, I wonder what they use for that?


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## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

LeatherSOUL said:


> Or, although I don't like to do this, I'd probably just topy them and retopy them accordingly.


I can't repeat how much I support this enough. I know many here have various reasons for disliking topies, but I have had only tremendous luck with them. I have a pair of Gucci loafers (similar construction to Cape Cods) that have seen HARD wear for 5 years and look almost new b/c I just topy and re-topy them. These shoes would have been toast long ago if not for toppies.


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## SartoNYC (Feb 22, 2005)

*Make it easy.*

Don't leave it at communicating with someone who is not the person who will work on your shoes.

I have not had a problem with Alden. Whenever I send in shoes for work I always attach a manila card with string to each shoe through an eyelet. I write my name and phone number on one side and any specific instructions on the other side. I have also placed masking tape right near the problem area, written a note on this with arrows pointing to the specific problem. You could also reference the name of the person you spoke with, such as: "Please contact X at extension 123 for specific instructions with this shoe".

My two cents is to look at it from the perspective of the guy doing the work. He will have a bin full of shoes to get through that day. Make it easy on him.

Also, be a good customer, get what you want but don't be a *****. After a significant problem with Brooks Brothers, I sent a short series of polite and persistent letters to the president of the holding company that owns Brooks Brothers. The situation was resolved. Looking at it from that guy's perspective, "I've got more impt things to do, take care of it".


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## Nick V (May 8, 2007)

marlinspike said:


> Maybe I'm not being clear. Alden still has the proper horse bit. They just put the wrong one on (one that not only doesn't match the other shoe but doesn't even work on these shoes unless you like horsebits swinging 2 inches up and down with each step) and shipped it out.
> 
> I do like to go to a cobbler rather than the recrafting, but my understanding is that if I want a modification made (such as making the new soles extend beyond the toebox rather than the toebox extending beyond the sole) this is best done by the company with access to the lasts. Is this not the case?


I can only speak for myself in answering your question. In this case we would have inserted a last and extended the tip. This would prevent your toe from rolling over the sole which causes unnecessary wear to the upper.


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