**The Official Shoe Care Thread: Tutorials, Photos, etc.**

[JFWR]

Some of my Saphir creams (not wax) have become dry, is there a way to add a solvent to make it soft again?

Yes, you can add some turpentine or neetsfoot oil (cordovan cream) if you want. Or you can just add a bit of water. Be sure to stir it around and don't go over board.

 

[sartorialism]

Shell is among the easiest leathers to take care of. You’re over complicating it and putting a bunch of random unnecessary products into the mix for some reason.

Step 1: Buy a brush.
Step 2: Brush your shoes.

That’s it.

No creams? Polishes? Wax?

 

[sartorialism]

Okay, I'm going to ask the most ignorant question, and I'll definitely be scolded as I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum. Nevertheless... I just got my first pair of shell cordovan shoes (AE Leeds (black)) and I want a step-by-step tutorial on how to care for them (along with recommendations for specific products). Thanks in advance!

Another question: I love when my (non-cordovan) shoes are super-shiny. I see wax-based polishes advertised as the best means for attaining the shine. Is that correct? Is it in addition to or instead of the regular cream polishes I've always used?

Finally: patent leather. What's the best way to clean them and make them sparkle again?

 

[sartorialism]

I suggest to sandwich them between two pieces of cardboard (or any rigid material you find), tape it all up and let it sit for a few days.
Not 100% sure it would work but it would be the first thing I'd try.

This didn't work. Any other tips?

 

[JohnMRobie]

No creams? Polishes? Wax?

Maybe some Venetian shoe cream once every year or so.

 

[basu13]

No creams? Polishes? Wax?

Saphir has a shell cordovan cream polish. You can try that.

 

[JFWR]

Okay, I'm going to ask the most ignorant question, and I'll definitely be scolded as I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum. Nevertheless... I just got my first pair of shell cordovan shoes (AE Leeds (black)) and I want a step-by-step tutorial on how to care for them (along with recommendations for specific products). Thanks in advance!

Another question: I love when my (non-cordovan) shoes are super-shiny. I see wax-based polishes advertised as the best means for attaining the shine. Is that correct? Is it in addition to or instead of the regular cream polishes I've always used?

Finally: patent leather. What's the best way to clean them and make them sparkle again?

Yes. You need wax polish to bring up the highest shine on a shoe. You simply cannot mirror gloss the heels/toes with cream, nor get a super high shine with just cream, though you can get a nice one.

Cordovan shoes are easy to care for.

About once every year or two, a thin (thin!) layer of neetsfoot oil should be used as conditioner on them.

For standard care, what you want is to get some cordovan cream from Saphir. You can get the BDC or Pommadier, as either works fine. The cordovan cream will serve as a standard cream polish and regular conditioner. Apply as you would to calf shoes, working it in and brushing/buffing it off after you let it dry.

If you want a higher shine than what you will get from brushing/buffing the bejesus out of the shoes (which works splendidly on cordovan as it continues to develop a really nice shine from brushing), you can begin to apply some wax polish. Ideally, you want to avoid excessive use of turpentine, so you may want to just use a mirror gloss/amiral gloss, though some degree of solvents are not going to hurt the shell--shell is extremely durable. You just don't want to bathe the shell in turpentine containing waxes.

But in terms of developing the shine, it's easy: Apply wax (to the toes, heels, and leather sole edge) and buff with some spit/water (very little) with a soft cloth after letting dry about a minute. Honestly, the spit is better than water, but when I say spit, I don't mean like spitting a wad of chewing tobacco, I mean a drop or two.

Apply thin layers and build them up. I usually start off with about 6 layers on a brand new shoe in order to raise the highest of shines - sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on the colour. Cordovan tends to take a mirror shine slightly less than calf, but it will soon develop quite a nice high shine especially as you continue to care for the shoe.

If you are using mirror gloss, my suggestion is to apply a thin layer of the pate de luxe wax polish on the final layer. This will help soften that last layer in order to get the best, smoothest surface, that will bring up the highest shine.

Finally, take a lady's nylon stocking, place it on your hand like a glove, and vigorously (but not especially firmly) rub the hell out of the entire shoe nice and fast. You will find the shine comes up MAJORLY at this point - it becomes SPARKLING. The nylon stocking is the key to the highest of shines.

For maintenance: Routinely buff with a cloth/nylon stocking (avoid a brush on the high shine areas as it disrupts the finish). When the shoes begin to dull noticably or you get knicks/scratches you want to care for, reapply the polish. For scratches on cordovan, brushing by itself will take care of 99% of scratches, and the rest can be usually fixed with just some cordovan cream, let dry, then brush. Unless you take a knife and drag it across the shell, you should more or less never have to worry about gouging or otherwise harming the shell. It's that durable. It's basically indestructible from normal wear.

Of course, you will need to reapply the wax every now and then to keep the shine, too. I'd say probably once a month, apply a layer or two.

Just don't gunk it on. if you do, you'll eventually have to strip it off and that's annoying.

 

[JFWR]

Okay, I'm going to ask the most ignorant question, and I'll definitely be scolded as I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum. Nevertheless... I just got my first pair of shell cordovan shoes (AE Leeds (black)) and I want a step-by-step tutorial on how to care for them (along with recommendations for specific products). Thanks in advance!

Another question: I love when my (non-cordovan) shoes are super-shiny. I see wax-based polishes advertised as the best means for attaining the shine. Is that correct? Is it in addition to or instead of the regular cream polishes I've always used?

Finally: patent leather. What's the best way to clean them and make them sparkle again?

As for patent leather, I'd probably go to a cobbler. That is a weird material and I don't know how to care for it well myself, but I've heard (I am not suggesting) that you can actually do wonders just with a damp cloth. Who knows? I have no idea, depends on whether the lacquer layer is cracked or otherwise hurt, I'd imagine.

I'd go to a cobbler and get his advice.

 

[guarrellam]

New color...

 

[jsong812]

Any advice on how to get rid of these “spots” on my cordovan? Tried using reno, various cordovan creams and wax polishes and I can’t seem to get rid of them. Thanks in advance!

 

[Schweino]

Any advice on how to get rid of these “spots” on my cordovan? Tried using reno, various cordovan creams and wax polishes and I can’t seem to get rid of them. Thanks in advance!

Hi, see my previous experience which worked out just fine:

The Shell Cordovan, non-Alden Shoe and Boot Thread

Natty shell? Yes sir.

www.styleforum.net

 

[Shawnc]

Silly question while I’m here. Is there any reason or advantage to applying cream/polish with your fingers rather than a cloth? Every one in a while a cobbler shows up with n my IG thread polishing shoes this way.

 

[Schweino]

Silly question while I’m here. Is there any reason or advantage to applying cream/polish with your fingers rather than a cloth? Every one in a while a cobbler shows up with n my IG thread polishing shoes this way.

Hi, I use my fingers most of the time too, especially with Bick 4 since it is colorless. I find that with my fingers I can better feel when the leather is saturated or needs some more conditioner/cream. The disadvantage with polish/wax is that you'll have to scrub your fingers/nails afterwards to get rid of the pigments.

 

[Gustaf]

New color... View attachment 1873762 View attachment 1873763 View attachment 1873764 View attachment 1873765

You threw away those old shoes and bought the same model in color 8 shell? Just kidding. Amazing work. How did you achieve that uniform shine?

 

[JFWR]

Silly question while I’m here. Is there any reason or advantage to applying cream/polish with your fingers rather than a cloth? Every one in a while a cobbler shows up with n my IG thread polishing shoes this way.

Some suggest it fills in the pores better. I am not convinced.