My favorite tannery. I have a leather jacket in natural horse hide leather and it's been a monster to break in, but it's looking awesome! I bought a shell cordovan leather from Ashland Leather for my son and it's an amazing piece. One day I'll get a pair of boots in shell cordovan
I have a few items made with Horween shell and leather. They are all outstanding! My absolute favorite is my pastor of Alden tassel loafers in Horween shell #8. BEAUTIFUL!
This video was awesome, really opened my eyes as to why leather is so expensive and how much care goes into the process. You convinced me, will be looking to get my first pair of shell cordovan boots later this year.
Fabulous! 😁 I thought your Crown Northampton video was good, but this one is definitely the best factory visit video so far. Really enjoyed watching that, thanks. 👍
Now youknow why Cordovan leather is so expensive. It takes a lot of steps to make this leather. I have 3 pairs of boots and shoes that Horween Chromexcel leather and it wears and looks great...Thanks for the video Nick. It's nice to see how leather is made..
It's also the scarcity. Shell cordovan is made from the connective tissue under the hide in the rump of a horse. As you might imagine, there isn't much total leather.
I like how you want more word pictures to illustrate the place. The air is fairly dry and the smell varies from room to room, but overall the smells were a lot more pleasant than people had led me to believe tanneries were like. I've been to tanneries in like Morocco that smelt awful but Horween was good!
I have two pairs of shell Cordovan shoes. One in oxblood made by Alden and the other in black made by Allen Edmonds. I can say without a shadow of doubt that horween shell Cordovan is the best in the world. The patina that occurs after wearing and caring for the leather is absolutely phenomenal.
What do they do with all the waste? For example, the shavings and trimmings. Is horsebutt leatherboard more desirable/expensive than standard steerhide leatherboard?
@@Stridewise oh interesting, that makes sense. I just wonder if there's a different use/more value in the horse leather scraps than the cow stuff. What about the hair? Is that where the hair for, say, horsehair brushes comes from?
I’ve tried all the shell available, Horween, Rocado, Maryam, Meermin, Rocinante, Novapel, Cloe, Shinki, Ogawa and Clayton. Horween takes the cake. I would say Novapel and Maryam are second.
Depends on the room, the bottom floors with the pickling and stuff didn't smell so good but overall it was pleasant, woodsy, leathery, like a cologne heh
Fun fact: Its called "shell" Cordovan because of its unique feature where you can hear the ocean-waves-crashing-on-the-beach noise when you hold a piece of the leather up to your ear, just like with a sea-shell.
What really annoy me is when looking intentionally on my Shell cordovan shoes when they're catching the light. there're so many thin small scratching lines from horsehair brush. Im quiet sure my brush is soft enough which I also use it with other calf leather shoes. Do you think that is normal? shoes are meant to be wearing, brushing and taking care. but with the price I paid for them I cant get my mind off that I also have ruined them. So sad.
The intro say this is the best Shell Cordovan tannery in the US. At 6 odd minutes, showing a shaving machine, the operator is sharpening the blade while shaving. Any decent veg tanner will know this is an absolute no-no as it WILL result in iron stains on the leather due to the iron grindings.
Hey wait you forgot to add that if a person can’t afford shell then they shouldn’t even comment about it (check his comments about people who can’t afford Alden’s and this will make sense). 😂
Its leather, the cow makes the quality. 'It sits for a while.' that does fuck all lol. It is fascinating how some business' become the best in the world for absaloutely no reason at all, just because one idiot once said 'dis be the best leather in da woyald.' He even said it himself 'we've always done it this way, we don't want to change it.' they have no idea what makes it supposedly so good. Its like Wagyu beef, its disgusting meat, its like 70% fat but its considered the best because people heard they massage the cows, absurd.
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These factory tours are awesome.
well they get way fewer views than other videos so comments like this make me inordinately happy, thanks Tim!
@@Stridewise These are my favourite too, really makes you connect with the people behind the products
Skip is a wealth of knowledge!
As someone who loves the aroma of shell, I can imagine how amazing it smells in there with the finished product
Mmmmm….pickled horse butt with beef grease!
Some of the smells in a tannery are unpleasant...
You know some rooms didn't smell so great but overall it was a good smelling place, better than some other tanneries I've visited!
That place smells horrid
Wow, there is so much that goes into making Horween Shell Cordovan! Great video Nick!
Six months to make it!
My favorite tannery. I have a leather jacket in natural horse hide leather and it's been a monster to break in, but it's looking awesome!
I bought a shell cordovan leather from Ashland Leather for my son and it's an amazing piece. One day I'll get a pair of boots in shell cordovan
Shell cordovan wallet from Ashland leather
I have a few items made with Horween shell and leather. They are all outstanding! My absolute favorite is my pastor of Alden tassel loafers in Horween shell #8. BEAUTIFUL!
This video was awesome, really opened my eyes as to why leather is so expensive and how much care goes into the process. You convinced me, will be looking to get my first pair of shell cordovan boots later this year.
I sent your comment to Horween to convince them that it was worth it showing me around all day :D thanks Patrick!
Fabulous! 😁 I thought your Crown Northampton video was good, but this one is definitely the best factory visit video so far. Really enjoyed watching that, thanks. 👍
I need dedicated fans of my factory tours like you Darren, they never get many views but I'll never stop making them! Never!!!!
I recently purchased a pair of Viberg in shell, and the fragrance is so, so nice.
I have a pair of dress shoes made with Horween number 8 shell. They are about 8 years old and still look almost new. Great shoes. Great leather.
I've learned so much from your videos, thanks!
I'm really grateful I can educate guys who care about this stuff like you Richard
Fantastic viewing Nick. Appreciate the process. Thank you
Appreciate you dude, glad you luke it
That was fascinating. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Horween family are good folks. Their leather is fantastic!
That glass polisher machine was crazy! I've never seen anything like that.
i was worried it'd take my hand off (bad) and polish it to a high sheen (good)
Now youknow why Cordovan leather is so expensive. It takes a lot of steps to make this leather. I have 3 pairs of boots and shoes that Horween Chromexcel leather and it wears and looks great...Thanks for the video Nick. It's nice to see how leather is made..
It's also the scarcity. Shell cordovan is made from the connective tissue under the hide in the rump of a horse. As you might imagine, there isn't much total leather.
Great video Nick! Would be good if you could describe the factory? Is it noisy? Does it smell? What is the temperature like? Is it hot, cold or humid?
I like how you want more word pictures to illustrate the place. The air is fairly dry and the smell varies from room to room, but overall the smells were a lot more pleasant than people had led me to believe tanneries were like. I've been to tanneries in like Morocco that smelt awful but Horween was good!
Great video Nick, thank you for sharing.
Love the channel. Please, do a video on how to condition crazy horse boots. Thanks!
Where's your crazy horse from?
@@Stridewise Thorogood, Dr Martens. Thanks.
Awesome, informative video Nick! 👍
Look at that sweet, delicious cordovan! Thanks for covering this, super interesting!
This was a real privilege to film
My favorite leather!!!
What boots ya got with it?
Very Impressive and Interesting, thanks for sharing!!!
Glad you enjoyed it, this was a lot of work!
Great stuff, I hope to someday own a pair of horween shell boots, love to see the process and all the history!
Heaps of Aldens and Allen Edmonds on eBay!
Great video Nick
You must have loved seeing the birthplace of your Alden cordovan
Thank you. One of my favorite things in the world. Can't wear shoes made of any other type of leather.
Really? Good for you. You should travel to the third world. Lots kids walking the streets wearing nothing.
@@joshsher6327 what's that got to do with shell?
I have two pairs of shell Cordovan shoes. One in oxblood made by Alden and the other in black made by Allen Edmonds. I can say without a shadow of doubt that horween shell Cordovan is the best in the world. The patina that occurs after wearing and caring for the leather is absolutely phenomenal.
What do they do with all the waste? For example, the shavings and trimmings. Is horsebutt leatherboard more desirable/expensive than standard steerhide leatherboard?
A lot of tanneries give the shavings to cosmetics/supplement companies that make stuff from the collagen, I can't remember if Horween does too
@@Stridewise oh interesting, that makes sense. I just wonder if there's a different use/more value in the horse leather scraps than the cow stuff. What about the hair? Is that where the hair for, say, horsehair brushes comes from?
Nick, this is a super cool video 😎
Worked crazy hard on it, appreciate that dude
Another quality video 👍
worked hard on this one!
I’ve tried all the shell available, Horween, Rocado, Maryam, Meermin, Rocinante, Novapel, Cloe, Shinki, Ogawa and Clayton. Horween takes the cake. I would say Novapel and Maryam are second.
No love for Shinki cordovan!!
Wow! That man is far too humble.
Amazing video!
Glad you think so!
That was fantastic! What does it smell like in the tannery?
Depends on the room, the bottom floors with the pickling and stuff didn't smell so good but overall it was pleasant, woodsy, leathery, like a cologne heh
Calidad y humildad
Fun fact:
Its called "shell" Cordovan because of its unique feature where you can hear the ocean-waves-crashing-on-the-beach noise when you hold a piece of the leather up to your ear, just like with a sea-shell.
Cool story bro. Its actually because it comes from the "shell", or flat, fibrous tissue, from the rear of a horse
Where are they getting hides from? I don't see horse meet around.
Where is the spalding official nba basketball video? You guys had to take it down? It was one of my favorite videos! :(((
I have a question.. is there such thing as a shell cordovan in a suede texture??
What really annoy me is when looking intentionally on my Shell cordovan shoes when they're catching the light. there're so many thin small scratching lines from horsehair brush. Im quiet sure my brush is soft enough which I also use it with other calf leather shoes. Do you think that is normal?
shoes are meant to be wearing, brushing and taking care. but with the price I paid for them I cant get my mind off that I also have ruined them. So sad.
How many horses have to die?
Please tell me where/ how do you get so many horse butts?
I just bring a shotgun down to the track
can they bottle up and sell the smell ? I will buy it
I should have scooped a vial of the hot stuffing liquid for you!
Skip is the best.
Hmm so they may be able to decrease the time it takes to use the shell.
Good viewing 😊. Host’s repeating the steps after each one is a bit 😅😅
I wonder how many arms/hands/fingers have been ripped off by that glass rod machine (bet the workers call it "the Mangler").
Way cool leather for boots, but way out of my price range, too. 😅
The intro say this is the best Shell Cordovan tannery in the US. At 6 odd minutes, showing a shaving machine, the operator is sharpening the blade while shaving. Any decent veg tanner will know this is an absolute no-no as it WILL result in iron stains on the leather due to the iron grindings.
Every machine in that joint would kill you BADLY.
Hey wait you forgot to add that if a person can’t afford shell then they shouldn’t even comment about it (check his comments about people who can’t afford Alden’s and this will make sense). 😂
Its leather, the cow makes the quality. 'It sits for a while.' that does fuck all lol. It is fascinating how some business' become the best in the world for absaloutely no reason at all, just because one idiot once said 'dis be the best leather in da woyald.' He even said it himself 'we've always done it this way, we don't want to change it.' they have no idea what makes it supposedly so good. Its like Wagyu beef, its disgusting meat, its like 70% fat but its considered the best because people heard they massage the cows, absurd.
The world’s best leather… that’s not really leather… lol
mEmBRaNe
I didn’t know Bill Murray knew how to make leather and has a tannery.
Wax on. Wax off. Wax. Wax off. Daniel Son.
hahah! shoulda made that joke
I love that they disagreed so many times