# Allen Edmonds Recrafting Before and After Photos



## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

I haven't actually received the shoes yet but I just got an email from Allen Edmonds with before and after photos. I thought I'd share them with you.

#1
Before








After









#2
Before








After


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

HD,
thank you for posting pictures. restoration looks good. post pictures after you have received the shoes.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

Will do. I have some florsheims out at B. Nelson and some Aldens with Alden. It will be interesting to see how each shoe looks when I get it back.


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## SeptemberSun (Aug 19, 2009)

Thanks a lot for posting these!!


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## JLWhittington (Aug 20, 2008)

*Allen Edmonds farming out recrafting!*

My cobbler told me that Allen Edmonds approached him to do recrafting work. He has all the business he needs and didn't take them up on it. So the impression is that the recraft process in no longer in house.

Not sure that it matters that much, although I had some spotty work done in years past (I had heels that came apart after two wearings). My cobbler's work is as good as any I've had through recrafting (for me, that's about 6 pairs of AEs) at less than half the price.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

JLWhittington said:


> My cobbler told me that Allen Edmonds approached him to do recrafting work. He has all the business he needs and didn't take them up on it. So the impression is that the recraft process in no longer in house.
> 
> Not sure that it matters that much, although I had some spotty work done in years past (I had heels that came apart after two wearings). My cobbler's work is as good as any I've had through recrafting (for me, that's about 6 pairs of AEs) at less than half the price.


My friend that simply is bunk. AE does all there recrafting work in house in WI. I have been there and watched them unload the boxes and wrote an extensiive thread on their manufacturing process. This kind of disinformation is just wrong.

Good cobblers can do wonderful work. I have written a thread highlighting Nick V of B. Nelson shoes, who does excellent work, but the AE recraft process is money.


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## Jack1425 (Sep 19, 2008)

Doc.. thanks for the pics the recraft looks to be very nicely done. 

I have just recently had a pair of Florshiem shell long wings recrafted by B. Nelson, to say I was pleased would be an understatement. I will post "after" pics but alas did not think to take any "before" shots.. They (B. Nelson) were a complete pleasure to deal with.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

Jack1425 said:


> Doc.. thanks for the pics the recraft looks to be very nicely done.
> 
> I have just recently had a pair of Florshiem shell long wings recrafted by B. Nelson, to say I was pleased would be an understatement. I will post "after" pics but alas did not think to take any "before" shots.. They (B. Nelson) were a complete pleasure to deal with.


Nick does a great job!


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

Wow! SOLD! That's impressive. Congratulations on the 're-birth' :icon_smile:


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

We always need to keep posting the link for the newbies.



The AE recrafting video.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
As a long time user of AE's re crafting services, the only time I have been anything other than thrilled with the results are the few occassions they have plunged a symbolic dagger in my heart, telling me..."why these shoes are just not recraftable!" 

Those are some beautiful results, History Doc.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

gman-17 said:


> Nick does a great job!


I guess my Florsheims were really thrashed. Nick called and said he had to completely rebuild the heel, so there was a little more upcharge and the shoes will be delayed a bit. I really appreciated that he called me and talked through what had to be done and why. My only regret thus far: I forgot to tell him that he got my business because of this message board.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

HistoryDoc said:


> I guess my Florsheims were really thrashed. Nick called and said he had to completely rebuild the heel, so there was a little more upcharge and the shoes will be delayed a bit. I really appreciated that he called me and talked through what had to be done and why. My only regret thus far: I forgot to tell him that he got my business because of this message board.


Nick is like that. He will describe in great detail what he needs to do. I am at the point now where I just say, go do what you think you need to. He is very reasonable.


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## JLWhittington (Aug 20, 2008)

How recent was your trip to Port Washington?



gman-17 said:


> My friend that simply is bunk. AE does all there recrafting work in house in WI. I have been there and watched them unload the boxes and wrote an extensiive thread on their manufacturing process. This kind of disinformation is just wrong.
> 
> Good cobblers can do wonderful work. I have written a thread highlighting Nick V of B. Nelson shoes, who does excellent work, but the AE recraft process is money.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

JLWhittington said:


> How recent was your trip to Port Washington?


July. You can read all about it here: https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=95708

BTW I have become friendly with the VP of Operations Jim Kass, who is the star of the recrafting video, Paul Grangaard, CEO and a number of other people who work there. I get a little touchy on the subject because the people who work at AE are great folks just trying to make a living and produce the best product they can. I think people slosh opinions around as facts without realizing that such things actually have an impact on the lives of others. Last night at 5:30 p.m. Central I was on the phone with a customer service rep at the factory. She was there to make sure people's orders were processed before the holiday. Lovely dedication, wouldn't you say? Anyway, not to give away a secret, but I have another trip to the factory coming up and I am trying to organize a small group of visitors to go with me.


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## Colin Hall (Nov 27, 2009)

*Colin Hall -- AE Employee*

Gman-17, thanks for your comments. We actually perform about 50,000 recrafts a year. I believe this makes us the world's largest cobbler.

There are many, many great cobblers. However, we do not employ outside cobblers as our recrafting services are centralized in Port Washington, Wisconsin. A video example of our recrafting services can be seen at www.allenedmonds.com/recrafting At that site you can also view a stop-motion photo video of a Park Avenue going through the process. We did this because many people commented that our "before" and "after" pictures posted on our website simply couldn't be real. Of course, they are real pictures.

About 6 months ago we started to provide "before" and "after" digital pictures of your shoes in a personal email along with your UPS tracking number. The pictures at the beginning of this thread are examples from one of our emails.

Hope this helps. Gman-17, look forward to seeing you in PW!

Best,

Colin

PS: Jim Kass sits next to me and despite his new found success on camera, I can confirm that no Hollywood studio has called (yet) to cast him as a leading man. One man did call and asked to speak to a "Jack Kass" and that made our day.


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

Is there a "library of before and after" pics; maybe a 'best of'? It would be interesting to see the best examples of recrafting magic performed.


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## Colin Hall (Nov 27, 2009)

*Colin Hall -- AE Employee*

A good idea. A recrafting Hall of Fame! Thx.

We are working on a site that will show examples of what can't be recrafted. As eagle2250 said in his post, it's terrible to tell someone that their shoes are beyond repair. Our magic only goes so far.


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## Colin Hall (Nov 27, 2009)

*Colin Hall -- AE Employee*

Perhaps the first Hall of Fame entry... see September 18th blog from CEO Paul Grangaard. https://allenedmondsblog.blogspot.com/


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

Colin Hall said:


> Gman-17, thanks for your comments. We actually perform about 50,000 recrafts a year. I believe this makes us the world's largest cobbler.


But my two pairs were the most important ones, right?


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## Colin Hall (Nov 27, 2009)

*Colin Hall -- AE Employee*

Absolutely!

Doc, come visit us sometime. Love to give you a tour.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

Colin Hall said:


> Gman-17, thanks for your comments. We actually perform about 50,000 recrafts a year. I believe this makes us the world's largest cobbler.
> 
> There are many, many great cobblers. However, we do not employ outside cobblers as our recrafting services are centralized in Port Washington, Wisconsin. A video example of our recrafting services can be seen at www.allenedmonds.com/recrafting At that site you can also view a stop-motion photo video of a Park Avenue going through the process. We did this because many people commented that our "before" and "after" pictures posted on our website simply couldn't be real. Of course, they are real pictures.
> 
> ...


Colin,

I got a belly laugh out of that. I hear that Jack makes appearances in many places. Yes, I look forward to seeing you (and Jim) in PW. I am very excited about this project--I think the end result will be phenomonal.

G


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## Sarge6 (Mar 29, 2009)

gman-17 said:


> I hear that Jack makes appearances in many places.
> G


They say each of us has a doppelganger somewhere in the world. Mine must be this guy Jack Kass, and he happens to be right in the same neck of the woods as me. A lot of people seem to know him, yet they're constantly mistaking me for him.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Colin, it's great to have official AE interaction on the board. Thanks to Paul and you for your willingness to be involved here.

Great shoes, HD. The only suggestion I can give you in order to avoid having so many shoes out for recrafting at the same time is to have more shoes.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

AlanC said:


> Colin, it's great to have official AE interaction on the board. Thanks to Paul and you for your willingness to be involved here.
> 
> Great shoes, HD. The only suggestion I can give you in order to avoid having so many shoes out for recrafting at the same time is to have more shoes.


:icon_smile: I'll work on it. I am wearing my Bradleys almost every day now for work. My old Florsheim bluchers came out of retirement one last time-- they are going to Goodwill. (This time I mean it!) I even rediscovered an old pair of Campers over the break. Maybe I should post on the "What are you wearing" thread: Navy blue pocket T shirt, brown cords, Campers. Not trad, but when Baby HD spits up I can just cycle through the next pair of cords, or T.


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## P Hudson (Jul 19, 2008)

HistoryDoc,

Great looking shoes. Being from Milwaukee, I love to see AE talked up. Great company.

My initial thought, though, is those shoes don't look like they need recrafting! They looked great even before the work, imo.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

The "before" pictures don't really show how bad the shoes were. On one, the soles were really worn through. On the other the leather on the top was pretty cracked. I wasn't wearing either pair any more. So if I was too embarrassed to wear them, they needed work.


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## gman-17 (Jan 29, 2009)

Colin, Jim and Paul:

My simple request is bring back the Sanford. That is a great looking shoe and I believe (well I know you would have one customer) it would be a great hit. Sanford in Merlot!!:aportnoy:


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## PKJR (Nov 7, 2009)

Wow - great job! It makes me appreciate more the first 3 pair of shoes I just bought from AE. Was the color change made on purpose (1st post)?


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

PKJR said:


> Wow - great job! It makes me appreciate more the first 3 pair of shoes I just bought from AE. Was the color change made on purpose (1st post)?


There wasn't a color change, believe it or not. That was just the difference in the lighting.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

Here are some photos of the shoes now that I have them at home.


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

Thank you for updating the pics. Those look fantastic! Congratulations! It must be like the safe return of children. :icon_smile:


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

The really nice thing is that both pairs of shoes were essentially unwearable for one reason or another. Now they are back to their former glory. I also really appreciate how you can tell the difference in color now. They are just a little tighter, but they just need to be broken in again. I also got a note from B. Nelson that my Forsheim Longwings are on their way back home. They needed pretty extensive rebuilding.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

HD,
Thank you for posting pictures. Both pairs look outstanding. Enjoy wearing


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

Mcarthur,
Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.
HD


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