A good friend, GW, sent me this wonderful video about shell cordovan. The film reminded me of another video I’ve seen about how calf leather is made. Both are worth a watch.
As a note, if you’ve never handled shell cordovan shoes before, your priority for the next week should be to get your hands on some immediately. Reading about shell cordovan on the internet is no substitute. There is a reason why so many menswear enthusiasts go crazy over the stuff.