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

[Munky]

Thanks Munky. I invented it at home, but someone else invented it before me apparently. A bit like the wheel. Now I know that I use the "straight European lacing" style. I find it is particularly useful for boots with 7, 8 or more eyes. It helps to equilibrate the tension and lace length from the beginning to the top.

A great idea for a site and very useful. Thank you for doing this. Best wishes, Munky.

 

[Luigi_M]

Wonderful! A man after my own heart! At last there is someone who subscribes to the idea that shoes don't need piles of cream, wax or conditioner. Brilliant. Wear and brush. You can't beat it.

I've also used Hermes Red on Burgundy shoes and the results are stunning.

A horsehair brush! A horsehair brush! My kingdom for a horsehair brush!

@Munky ... this one doesn't count, as you served it to me on a silver dish!

 

[Munky]

A horsehair brush! A horsehair brush! My kingdom for a horsehair brush!

@Munky ... this one doesn't count, as you served it to me on a silver dish!

"What's in a shoe? A rose by any name would smell as sweet".

 

[Luigi_M]

@BoydsShoes and @Munky :

" ... we owe our shoes a polishing and let it go the way it will, he that polishes his shoes this year is quit for the next".

BTW, gentlemen, your idea of Hermes Red (which I understand is quite bright) on burgundy shoes is tickling me.
Did you use polish wax or cream? And what outcome did you notice?
Thank you very much! Luigi.

 

[BoydsShoes]

@BoydsShoes and @Munky :

" ... we owe our shoes a polishing and let it go the way it will, he that polishes his shoes this year is quit for the next".

BTW, gentlemen, your idea of Hermes Red (which I understand is quite bright) on burgundy shoes is tickling me.
Did you use polish wax or cream? And what outcome did you notice?
Thank you very much! Luigi.

Oh, the reason for Hermes Red has to do with my other brown dress shoe, which is Allen Edmonds dark chili. The Burgundy and Dark Chili can look very similar, so I try to emphasize brown with the dark chill and red/black with the burgundy shoes. Under inside lighting, the burgundy/hermes red looks quite dark and goes quite well with a dark navy suit. No one notices how red it is, and if you are not looking carefully you might think this was a dark brown shoe under inside lighting. The alternative color would be mahogany which is very close to burgundy. My original shine was with mahogany, which brings out some brown undercoloring that is nice, but I was worried the color might drift a little to the chili color.

I use cream throughout, but at the very tip I use a little wax, and spread it a little over the cap. The reason I do this is that when I get a scrape on the toe, I feel I can rub my finger into wax and schmoosh it over the scratch, followed by brushing. This avoids having to polish (we don't like to polish). I also put some wax right behind my heels. The heel coating seems to get very hard over time and seems to resist scratches (although I am more of a toe scratcher rather than a heel scratcher). I am not sure why it feels differently on the heel compared to the toe.

I don't have Hermes Red wax. The waxes I have are black, mahogany and neutral. I use mahogany on the heel, but frankly on the toe I have been grabbing whatever. I don't know that it matters, I use so little, I doubt the color of the wax matters much since it barely seems to contribute much color..

 

[Luigi_M]

Thank you @BoydsShoes! That's a very detailed and convincing answer.
Luigi

 

[troika]

Does anyone here just use neutral on everything? I've been doing this for my shoes almost exclusively for the past ten years, I like the natural color of the leather to "fade" a little over time, and show that patina instead.

 

[Munky]

Does anyone here just use neutral on everything? I've been doing this for my shoes almost exclusively for the past ten years, I like the natural color of the leather to "fade" a little over time, and show that patina instead.

Yes, I use Collonil Creme de Luxe neutral cream on all of my shoes and then not very often. I very rarely used coloured cream and never use wax. I like the idea that shoes can age a little, develop a patina, not shine to much and to show a bit of 'character'. This doesn't mean I ignore them or don't take care of them. I just happen not to like shoes that always look 'new'. Some shoes never seem to need coloured polish, at all. With kind regards, Munky.

 

[Dingusberry]

I don't think Herring sells their own branded items, so it makes it a bit difficult to look it up. But, seems like it might be a conditioner/protector since it's got beeswax. Open it and let's have a look. Also, describing the consistency will help with the mystery.

The consistency is creamy, but not watery (like Saphir Renovateur). It feels like hair wax or vaseline.

Also, I have some Wax Polish that is hard. Inside the box it moves around like nuggets. Is it ruined or supposed to be like this?

 

[troika]

The consistency is creamy, but not watery (like Saphir Renovateur). It feels like hair wax or vaseline.

Also, I have some Wax Polish that is hard. Inside the box it moves around like nuggets. Is it ruined or supposed to be like this?

I bet that's a thick conditioner or weatherproofer. Try it on a small piece of leather, or an old wallet or something. i don't think that's white polish.

 

[Luigi_M]

^ +1 or, maybe, just neutral shoe cream

 

[EZB]

Any idea why only one shoe would take to the mirror shine? The other one only ended up building up a bunch of wax, which you can see on the vamp. It did not get any shine on the toe cap

 

[PontusL]

Hi i just bought a pair Rmw chinchillas, the colour is bordeaux. And im a bit confuced about what products to use to keep them nice. I read on Rmw:s hompage that conditioner not should be used on burnished shoes. Only their natural polish. But wont that eventualy dry out the leather?

 

[Reiver]

Hi i just bought a pair Rmw chinchillas, the colour is bordeaux. And im a bit confuced about what products to use to keep them nice. I read on Rmw:s hompage that conditioner not should be used on burnished shoes. Only their natural polish. But wont that eventualy dry out the leather?

I would think a gentle conditioner would be fine with burnishing.

I did manage to accidentally remove all burnishing from a pair of Barkers a few years back using renovateur. I’ve heard it’s ok if used gently but personally wouldn’t risk it again.

A light coat of quality polish shouldn’t dry them out at all.

 

[PontusL]

I would think a gentle conditioner would be fine with burnishing.

I did manage to accidentally remove all burnishing from a pair of Barkers a few years back using renovateur. I’ve heard it’s ok if used gently but personally wouldn’t risk it again.

A light coat of quality polish shouldn’t dry them out at all.

So if i use a good polish there is no need for conditioner? If thats the case, should i go for rmw:s own natural polish? Or is there a better product out there?