marbled shell cordovan

Did you know that Marbled Shell Cordovan is a happy accident born out of production defects?

Here's the inside scoop: the layer of Shell Cordovan is incredibly thin, making it quite challenging to fully and flawlessly reveal its beauty. Sometimes, imperfections emerge after dyeing, leaving certain areas of the leather slightly rough. To rectify this, a delicate touch is required, involving some precision shaving which removes excess color from the surface.

However, due to the density of the shell, achieving a consistent dye application after the second shave becomes nearly impossible, resulting in the so called Marbled Shell Cordovan effect.

But how do we create our marbled shell cordovan?

It all starts just like our other products: initial tanning, rough shaving, re-tanning, greasing, and final shaving.

Want to learn more about the materials we use? Then read this entry in our journal.

And here's where it gets really interesting...

We dye the leather by hand using special aniline dyes specifically chosen to create a marbled effect. What does this mean? The dyes don't penetrate deeply into the leather surface, which is exactly what we need.

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precision reaches the scale of tenths of a millimeter

Here's the fascinating part: we intentionally create this exquisite marvel. It begins with meticulously shaving the leather, followed by dyeing it, and then shaving it once more, all without compromising the precious shell layer. It's no exaggeration to say that this process is akin to jewelry craftsmanship, where precision reaches the scale of tenths of a millimeter. Only a handful of individuals worldwide possess the skill to execute it.

After the final (and very precise) shaving, the real magic begins.

For our readers, it shouldn't be a secret that the shaving machine not only leaves grooves and irregularities on the surface but also doesn't allow us to fully expose the shell layer without any surrounding material. To remove any irregularities, cover imperfections, and make the surface perfectly smooth, many (almost all) shell cordovan manufacturers use various types of finishing coatings: resins, rubbers, cellulose, films, and others.

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It doesn't matter what coating is used, only one thing is important: it's just a matter of time before such a coating cracks or completely peels off, revealing an unsightly underlayer.

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This happens only if the leather itself doesn't contain materials that make it smooth and self-polishing.

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it's just a matter of time before such a coating cracks or completely peels off

Take a look at the photos below: you'll see leather with a natural shine, free of any finishing coatings. Next, you'll see perfectly smooth, shiny leather whose finish has, shall we say, come off. This is, of course, an exaggeration—usually the coating doesn't peel off to this extent—but these photos give you an idea of what you're dealing with when you buy 'perfectly shiny and smooth shell cordovan.'"

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This happens only if the leather itself doesn't contain materials that make it smooth and self-polishing

So, what do we do differently?

Why does our leather have a natural shine and resistance to scratches, or rather, a natural ability to self-polish?

The secret is very simple. First and foremost, to remove skiving irregularities and smooth the leather surface, we use a technique called wet polishing. The effect is similar to how many of our readers shape wet leather, which retains its form after drying.

This shine may not last long, but to lock the leather in a smooth state, we use special oils and waxes.

After several weeks of prolonged 'drying,' these change the structure of the upper layers of the leather, making it smooth, shiny, and water-resistant. Thus, our leather doesn't have any coatings. Everything it needs for shine and self-polishing is contained within.

Such leather may not be very shiny at first, but it will smooth and polish itself with use, becoming stronger and more resilient over time. This not only creates a beautiful patina but also results in the most durable product among all alternatives.

Would you prefer to have the perfect "plastic" shine but a short-lived product, or would you rather deal with living leather that ages beautifully and naturally becomes durable?

The choice is yours.

If you choose the latter, we're happy to produce such leather on demand, with a delivery time of 4-6 weeks.

The order form is here.

Thank you for reading!

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June 3st, 2024

Maxim Bobrikov

MARBLED SHELL CORDOVAN