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

[chogall]

Well, many here are believing the less is more bullshit. But for shoe care, more is more.

 

[Nick V.]



Well, many here are believing the less is more bullshit. But for shoe care, more is more.

If you know what you're doing, maybe. I've seen countless pairs of shoes ruined or damaged because they were over done over thought.
Chances are before you get really good at this stuff you did some damage on your own stuff. Part of the learning process.....

 

[Staffer18283]

From a video about Lobb's shoes, made in the Lobb workshop, by chief cutter and fitter: " ...a few layers of polish are applied, the more the better. You can't over polish a pair of shoes". Not, I suspect, a sentiment shared by many on here...but Lobb's are one of the best shoemakers in the world.

To be fair, I always understood the "less is more" sentiment in relation to the use of various esoteric products on shoes (like using conditioner cleaners during each polish / improper or overuse of renomat etc). I don't think it was meant to guard against the over polishing of shoes using wax. The various shoe videos by shoe snob also prescribe building a shine with multiple layers of cream / wax (although he does say that a little wax is enough for each application).

This is offcourse just my reading of various posts and I may be off the mark.

 

[clee1982]



Well, many here are believing the less is more bullshit. But for shoe care, more is more.

I think that's true for wax, ae you can always strip it at the worst, not sure about other things

 

[chogall]



I think that's true for wax, ae you can always strip it at the worst, not sure about other things

If you know what you're doing, maybe. I've seen countless pairs of shoes ruined or damaged because they were over done over thought.
Chances are before you get really good at this stuff you did some damage on your own stuff. Part of the learning process.....

Wax and conditioners.

 

[Nick V.]



Wax and conditioners.

Personally, I prefer cream over wax.

 

[Munky]

This is all well and good. But the man from Lobb's is using a dauber brush and a pot of cream to apply product to the shoes. I suspect he must know something about what he is doing. If you got your bespoke Lobb's, you wouldn't want to find that they were ruined by over polishing. Lobb's must have some knowledge of shoe care!

 

[chogall]



This is all well and good. But the man from Lobb's is using a dauber brush and a pot of cream to apply product to the shoes. I suspect he must know something about what he is doing. If you got your bespoke Lobb's, you wouldn't want to find that they were ruined by over polishing. Lobb's must have some knowledge of shoe care!

Bespoke Lobbs don't go to Northhampton for refurbishing.

And usually bespoke sample shoes are hella waxed to a high mirror shine through out. But not bespoke shoes at delivery.

 

[Munky]

Well, all I can say is that this was a Lobb video, published for a national, UK, newspaper [read, a great advert for Lobb's]. The vid started with a interview with the current Mr Lobb being interviewed. I assume that he looked at the whole video and approved it. The man who claimed that you can't over polish shoes and who was liberal with the polish, looked as though he had being doing this for years. Finally, what were being made in this vid were bespoke shoes. Finally, finally, the video confirmed that Mr Lobb inspected every pair before they left the workshop. I doubt that he would be very fond of shoes that were badly finished.

 

[DWFII]



Well, all I can say is that this was a Lobb video, published for a national, UK, newspaper [read, a great advert for Lobb's]. The vid started with a interview with the current Mr Lobb being interviewed. I assume that he looked at the whole video and approved it. The man who claimed that you can't over polish shoes and who was liberal with the polish, looked as though he had being doing this for years. Finally, what were being made in this vid were bespoke shoes. Finally, finally, the video confirmed that Mr Lobb inspected every pair before they left the workshop. I doubt that he would be very fond of shoes that were badly finished. 

I suspect that when it comes to wax, unless you apply so much that it is cracking in the creases or your shine has been ruined by spotty build up, it's pretty much benign. Esp. after the first few applications--waxes do have "evaporators" (benzine, for instance) in them that can dry the leather.

Beyond that, while the concept of "less is more" is certainly aesthetically sound, as a maxim, or rule of thumb, it is more for those folks who don't want to exert themselves inordinately thinking about things.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[chogall]



Well, all I can say is that this was a Lobb video, published for a national, UK, newspaper [read, a great advert for Lobb's]. The vid started with a interview with the current Mr Lobb being interviewed. I assume that he looked at the whole video and approved it. The man who claimed that you can't over polish shoes and who was liberal with the polish, looked as though he had being doing this for years. Finally, what were being made in this vid were bespoke shoes. Finally, finally, the video confirmed that Mr Lobb inspected every pair before they left the workshop. I doubt that he would be very fond of shoes that were badly finished. 

My apologies. I thought you were talking about the John Lobb Paris Northampton factory videos.

Link to the said video please?

 

[02///M3]



Wait it out. Give it a day or two for the water spot to disappear.

Rebuilding finish will be a pain ********** if you used renomat, which, despite the instructions, should be left for hours before the next step.

Renovateur will be a better choice than renomat.

Thanks much @cbfn and @chogall. Guess I'll wait it out. Attached is the pic I tried to post the first time. Will the dark spots on the toe really disappear on their own eventually? I do have renovateur too if that will do the trick.

 

[rbhan12]

I suspect that when it comes to wax, unless you apply so much that it is cracking in the creases or your shine has been ruined by spotty build up, it's pretty much benign. Esp. after the first few applications--waxes do have "evaporators" (benzine, for instance) in them that can dry the leather.

Beyond that, while the concept of "less is more" is certainly aesthetically sound, as a maxim, or rule of thumb, it is more for those folks who don't want to exert themselves inordinately thinking about things.

Better safe than sorry.

I'm a little hesitant to believe that commonplace waxes have benzene in them...it's a very well known carcinogen. Do you have documentation to support this, or was benzene just an example?

 

[DWFII]



I'm a little hesitant to believe that commonplace waxes have benzene in them...it's a very well known carcinogen. Do you have documentation to support this, or was benzene just an example?

Yes and no. Years ago when I first got into the Trade that was the common perception. Of course, back then Saphir and Collonil and so forth were unheard of. But, AFAIK, all commercially made shoe waxes have an evaporator/solvent in them--to to first soften & carry and then cool and harden the wax (usually carnuba which can, without some amelioration, be flint-y hard). So it might not be benzine in particular but it's something along those lines. Today it's probably naptha or turpentine in high end products but maybe even still benzine in the lower end.

But don't take my word for it, call Saphir or Kiwi or any of them and see if you can get a straight answer as to ingredients.

And good luck with that.

PS...while you're at it, look to the colourants used in waxes and creams. Mostly, even on the high end, they are derived from petroleum distillates and may contain heavy metals such as arsenic or mercury, etc.. These are probably as toxic in their own way as benzine.

 

[DWFII]

PSS...BTW, the Shoe Trades--from manufacturing to repair are rife withproducts that are dependent on toxic chemicals, from toluene to methyl-ethyl ketone to acetone to the solvents used in leather dyes. Even common wood alcohol (methanol) will make most people nauseous just inhaling the fumes. (When your body reacts like that, it's trying to tell you something).

Of course, the manufacturers try to keep such products (or at least the knowledge of them) out of the hands and consciousness of the public but in the end we're all affected. Some just more than others.

And many more are in denial.