Shell cordovan
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Shell cordovan, cordovan, or cordwain is a type of tanned leather commonly used in high-end shoemaking. Cordovan is an equine material made from the superficial fascia (or shell) of the lower layers of the hide on the rump of a horse.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The material derives its name from the city of Cordoba, Spain, which was long known as a center of leather production.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is a difficult and expensive material to make, and in the late 19th and early 20th century was mostly used for razor strops to hone razors in barber shops. More recently it has been increasingly used for shoes, wallets, and watch straps due to its visual appeal and exceptional durability. It is also used in archery to protect the fingers. It is smooth and durable, ideal for a finger tab. Shell cordovan has a unique non-creasing characteristic. Because it is made of connective tissue, it is smooth and lacks the pebbled effect of leather derived from the outer skin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ProductionEdit
After removal from the horse, the hide is measured from the root of the tail Template:Convert forward on the backbone. The hide is cut at right angles to the backbone and the resulting pieces termed a "front" (the forward part) and the "butt". The term cordovan leather applies to the product of both the tanned fronts and tanned butts, but is especially used in connection with the term galoshes, meaning the vamps or boot-fronts cut from the shell of the butt.<ref name="eb">Template:Cite book</ref>
After being tanned, leather from the "front" is typically used in the fabrication of gloves, or blackened, to be used in the tops of shoes. The "butt", after tanning, is passed through a splitting-machine which removes the grain, or hair side, revealing what is termed the "shell". The close fibers of the shell result in a smooth and pliable material used mostly in the manufacture of shoes.<ref name="eb"/> Other uses include watch straps and the manufacture of finger protection tabs for archeryTemplate:Emdashwhere it is prized for its toughness, longevity, and protective qualities.