SHELL CORDOVAN! That most magical of shoe leathers. King of shine, paragon of durability, bastion of beauty. There really is nothing quite like it. But shell cordovan also has its downsides! The cost, the maintenance, rolls gone wrong.  So is it truly the best shoe and boot leather? Oh, and is it even leather at all?!? @tichoblancoshoes and Ben from Stitchdown.com are here to engage in the most probing possible discourse to figure it out. They also tackle: what even is shell cordovan? When and where was it first created? How's it made? Who's making it today and what do you need to know about those tanneries?There's a lot in this one! Give it a listen!This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, where you don't NEED an engineering degree to buy their engineer boots...but it helps. Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock Opera