As a person who disseminates knowledge, I hope I can share with everyone how to appreciate shoes, where shoes are good and where they are not. It is good to interpret them with specific examples. This pair of Carlos Santos is a good example. Let us check it out.
Unboxing
Shoe box is particularly good because the carton is thick and tough, texture is unique.
The label on the side of the box announces a lot of information.
For example, the leather is Capre 117, which is the internal code, so it is not clear which leather from which tannery, and the grade is even more impossible to know. The last is 434, which can be found in my introduction to the Carlos Santos lasts.
At the top are shoe bags with Carlos Santos logo.
The inside of the shoe bag is a velvet feeling, which is the texture of the shoe shine cloth sold by various care brands. Outside touch is not very exquisite.
Inside the lid of the shoebox, there is a quote from founder Carlos Santos himself. The content is thanks to customers who choose Carlos Santos and Carlos Santos’ strengths.
Because I only see this presentation on Carlos Santos which I think it is a great idea.
Underneath the shoe bag, the shoes are wrapped in paper with logo, separated by foam in the middle.
Last
Generally, Franch and Italian loafers have more pointed toes than English ones, and this pair of Carlos Santos leans on the latter.
I don’t like the outside of my feet to stand out, whether it’s Carmina’s Rain last, John Lobb’s 7000, 8000 lasts, or Gulun’s shoes, the outside is too prominent. Prominent is wide feet friendly, but I think this place looks better with soft lines.
The last is sleek and the forefoot looks very flat.
Pattern
The apron stitches are the most seen method and the hollow shape on strap is tender.
Construction
The most unique thing about this pair is its construction is Bolognese.
Goodyear is most universal then Blake stitched is one of the lower-priced styles. You can’t buy Bolognese construction everywhere, even if you look around the world, you won’t find many people doing this craft.
First of all, from the name, we know that this is a process from Italy, but the one who insists on still using this process is a.testoni. Count down to Carlos Santos, a Portuguese shoe factory.
I don’t know exactly why. From what I know, Bolognese can be considered a variant of Blake construction just as Norwegese can be considered a variant of Goodyear. The expected price point of Blake construction is lower than Goodyear because the process steps are less and more convenient. But Bolognese is not so convenient and the working hours are not short. As it takes more time but cannot sell at a good price, it is gradually abandoned by the shoe factory. If Norwegese construction can only be sold for the same price as Goodyear, this process will disappear too.
The characteristic of Bolognese construction is that what your forefeet step on is the upper leather, commonly known as “leather socks”. In practical terms, the forefoot is better wrapped.
Outsole
Slightly bevelled waist.
The general Blake stitched (because it is said that Bolognese is a variant of Blake) soles will take on two forms, one is close channel and the other open. Close channel is achieved by cut the edge of sole leather, then glued it back to cover the channel after stitches are done.
But with this shoe, you can see the channel of the sewing thread (actually the edge), but you can’t see the sewing thread. That means that the skin is not cut from the very edge, but from the middle (that is, the visible seam), and after sewing, it is glued back. .
Leather
This leather is grained leather, and it should basically be counted as Pin Grain. Compared to the most common scotch grain, the grains are smaller and a little flatter.
Summary
I feel the leather triggers me the most.