The London Lounge

Are A & A Crack & Sons the highest quality leather (for shoes) sellers in the UK. I have heard that a lot of the shoe factories in Northampton use them but I am not sure if that is indeed true. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks

Certainly Crack is the leather merchant from whom most of the bespoke makers obtain their leather (e.g. when I was there in March, I spied an order from Lobb St James that they had received). I don't know whether the RTW makers get their leather from Crack or whether they purchase it directly from the tanneries, although Crack's size is clearly not solely a result of selling to the bespoke makers.

Do they stock leathers from tannerie D'Annonay?

I don't know. I know they carry leather from some Italian tanneries and the successor to Freudenberg, but you would have to ask them about Annonay. Why don't you just give them a call -- ask for either Alan or Tony, who are the two brothers who run the place.

All the shoe manufacturers will have one or more leather buyer on their staff, whose task it is to source the best leather at a given price. They will deal directly with the tanneries, equally the tanneries’ agents will visit the manufacturers directly, to introduce their ranges. But then, it might be more economical to buy certain ranges from Crack and not from the tannery themselves. That's the task of a buyer, to work out where he can get the best deal.

Crack is a wholesaler who deals with firms who do not have the buying capacity to deal with the tanneries directly. By all accounts (I have never had any dealings with them), they are the best shoe leather wholesaler in the UK.

If you need a single hide, Crack is probably your best choice, if you need 500 hides, deal with the tanneries directly.

Rolf

Dear Rolf,

Do you know a good place to buy other shoe making equipment such as stay tapes, glues and dyes etc? Is there a seller of quality shoe laces?

cheers

Is it the French or the German tanneries which provide the finest calf?

Anonymous wrote:Do you know a good place to buy other shoe making equipment such as stay tapes, glues and dyes etc?

I can give you two German wholesalers of shoe supply with extensive on-line catalogues:

http://www.goetz-service.com/web/home.p ... =2&cartid=
https://www.minke.de/index.php4

In London for leather (and dyes, glue etc.), I know J T Batchelor, but they don't deal with shoe leather, but leather for cases, belts, bridle work etc., although I suppose dyes and glues are rather universal.

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1218/8296.php

Rolf

What about shoe laces? Where can the highest quality replacement shoe laces be obtained?....thanks..

Rowly:

For the best replacement laces, Google Shoelace Express. Whether you need braided laces (for suede tie-ups), flat laces, round laces, leather laces, dress laces, etc, you'll find every color and length available. Rather than buying just a pair or two, lay in a good supply for all your needs.

You can find other websites that offer laces, but beware of laces that are made in China. The minimum order is a dozen of any color, the styles are limited, and they incorporate elastic. That may work for children's shoes, but it's a disaster waiting to happen for grown-ups.

Oops, forgot to mention that Shoelace Express will tell you exactly what length your laces need to be based on the number of paired eyelets on your shoes?

JMB

Thanks JMB, ......laces are on their way!... Rowly.