shoe care supply checklist

[GBer]

Originally Posted by blazingazn

what is an easy way to tell if they have old excess wax?

Maybe Saphir RENOMAT might help.

For stain-removing and in-depth cleaning of the pores of smooth leather, removing dirt marks and deposits of products based on resin and silicone. Essential before using Saphir shoe polish which contains neither silicone nor resin. Non-agressive formula.

http://www.valmour.com/cleaning-prod...omat-saphir,20


If you contact Valmour, they are very helpful and have a wide range of Saphir products.

 

[Petrus1]

Originally Posted by Lendial

I currently only use kiwi polish but would it be wise to swap to meltonian cream instead? I'm really more interested in prolonging shoe life rather than a shiny finish. or perhaps use both somehow?
To prolong the life of leather you must keep it supple and from drying out. Use mink oil paste(it comes in a tin like saddle soap) Use a tiny amount a couple of times a year. Just be careful if the shoe is a very light colour. Even my 25 yo Churches shoes are still soft and look new but even cheap shoes will benefit from using the mink oil and won't crack.

 

[Petrus1]

One tip
Use a stiff brass metal brush on suede to clean and keep the nap. Don't put anything else on the shoes like water repellants or use cleaners.

And don't use the suede brush on Nubuck leather. These should be brushed the old fashioned way with a Rubber brush (suede brushes will scratch them) Since you can't find these good rubber brushes easily then just use a soft suede brush that are found commonly.
The rubber nubuck brush looks like this and you can see the rubber bristles
http://shop.listingsca.com/shop/prod...d_2527282.html

I usually like a larger brush for suede and nubuck but you'll have to ask a shoemaker to find one for you because they are not common.

 

[koolhistorian]

Originally Posted by goodlensboy

Many thanks for the useful advice koolhistorian. It worked. However, I just noticed there are scuffs all over the vamp stiching, might be a manufacturing defect. I would probably unfortunately return them now.

Your help is really very much appreciated.

Re leather type, wondering if it is tumbled calf that gravati uses on many of its models.

It is normal with mocassin construction - they will crease more than the usual shoe - but if you can return them, and you do not like them, your choice!

 

[goodlensboy]

Many thanks for the explanation.

Could you please also suggest what might have caused the white scuffs over the wamp,,, are these normal, or a damage, or probably just becuase of shoes being exposed for a long long time in display. They appear to be defected finishing but I find it hard to believe Gravati can do this!

I tried crema alpina, kiwi, and bata's delicate gel - all temporarily made them look ok (not polished, smooth and shiny like the rest of the stiching though), but then back to dry/white. Could brown shoe cream resolve this?

 

[Rugger]

I didn't read through all of the pages, but how does everyone feel about waterproofing a new shoe before polishing?

 

[Nicola]

How long does Meltonian keep? Doing a bit of surfing I found a trade place that sells to the public. Prices if you ignore shipping are pretty good . Best point is a full range of colours. Problem is the small consumer tin is 500grams.

 

[Salad]

I searched this thread but don't really see whether people use suede spray protectors or just clean shoes when they get dirty. Is there a consensus regarding whether to use a suede stain protector or not? Do silicon based sprays do more harm than good?
I just got a pair of suede monks and am thinking about whether to use a spray protector while they're still clean. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[thebunk]

Hey folks.

I have searched for a thread on shoe repairs\\cleanup and this is the closest I have been able to find. I am hoping someone can help me here so I do not have to start a new thread.

I bought a pair of Allen Edmonds Stockbridge shoes off of ebay. They are in pretty good shape overall but they do have some spotting on the leather that appears to be be from water? The shoes are a cherry \\ chili color so it is fairly easy to see.

My question is, I want to be able to clean these up but when I looked around in a retail store, all I could find was a full suite of Kiwi products. There were some cleaners for all types of shoes, as well as some polish for specific colors (i.e. brown and black). I am assuming it is a bad idea to use the brown pollish for a cherry\\chili type of color. What would folks recommend?

I am also considering buying a pair of Allen Edmonds black McAllister wingtips so if I need to place an order online for a good kit, I would like to know if I need to order somethign specifically for black as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[jbharris88]

Originally Posted by thebunk

My question is, I want to be able to clean these up but when I looked around in a retail store, all I could find was a full suite of Kiwi products. There were some cleaners for all types of shoes, as well as some polish for specific colors (i.e. brown and black). I am assuming it is a bad idea to use the brown pollish for a cherry\\chili type of color. What would folks recommend?

I am also considering buying a pair of Allen Edmonds black McAllister wingtips so if I need to place an order online for a good kit, I would like to know if I need to order somethign specifically for black as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Go to an AE store or website and get the color products to match your shoes. Conditioner/cleaner to clean them. Shoe cream to renew, restore, moisturize the leather. Polish to shine + protect. If you have serious issues w/ the water spotting either send customer service a picture and ask their advice or go somewhere local to fix them. There is also the AE re-crafting option if they are REALLY bad.

 

[elgreco]

My current shoecare kit includes the following:

-2x Kiwi brushes (1 designated for brown; 1 designated for neutral, although I tend to use that for black shoes)
-A bunch of old undershirts cut up into rags for applying polish
-1x tin of Saphir dark brown wax polish
-1x bottle of Saphir Renovateur
-1x vial of Crema Nubiana (which is running out; does anyone carry this anymore?)
-1x Kiwi black polish (not a fan, but I wear black shoes so rarely that they barely need polish)
-1x Kiwi Saddle Soap

I, too, have been on the hunt for a good wax polish remover and I am sketched out by the Angelus DeGlazer/Meltonian Color Preparer because this seems like it would remove ALL polish, including factory polish. I don't like the rubbing alcohol idea either because it will dry out the leather.

Can someone recommend a good, LIGHT polish remover? Does anyone have experience with RENOMAT and is it very astringent?

 

[jbharris88]

Anyone have first hand knowledge of Leather Honey Leather Conditioner?

 

[ak622]

This is a great thread. I've been lurking for a while and stumbled upon this thread which has great list of items to keeping shoes looking good. I have a question, is Saphir Renovateur that much better than another conditioner like AE Cleaner/Conditioner?

 

[thesecondprize]

Originally Posted by ak622

This is a great thread. I've been lurking for a while and stumbled upon this thread which has great list of items to keeping shoes looking good. I have a question, is Saphir Renovateur that much better than another conditioner like AE Cleaner/Conditioner?

Curious about this myself...

 

[antsshoes]

It's worth mentioning, if you own any shell cordovan, Venetian Cream is good to have.