• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Church's Appreciation Thread

Nikola

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Messages
2,071
Reaction score
500
For anyone who has owned Church’s polished bookbinder shoes for many years, how does their appearance hold up over time?

Ditch those shoes. They have a layer of plastic that doesn't allow shoes to be polished or to absorb the cream .. Also, the creasing is pretty bad with polished binder leather once they are getting older.
 

shoefan57

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2020
Messages
789
Reaction score
1,194
For anyone who has owned Church’s polished bookbinder shoes for many years, how does their appearance hold up over time?
They wear much better than polished leather shoes from other makers and hold up well. However IME after about ten years of regular wear micro surface cracks appear. These do not go deep and do not affect the performance of the shoe.
 

William Kazak

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2022
Messages
139
Reaction score
97
I was reading one of my old Church's pamphlets. They said it is a highly waxed treatment. You can polish it but do not use leather cleaners with spirits. Mine are over twenty four years and still looking good.
 

hollandn

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2021
Messages
133
Reaction score
162
For anyone who has owned Church’s polished bookbinder shoes for many years, how does their appearance hold up over time?
I think they hold up well and I am not sure about people stating it is a plasticised finish. These Keats loafers are over 30 years old! They were the shoes of choice working in The City in the 80’s and 90’s. Don’t wear them much these days. Have a few cracks but nothing too dramatic.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3361.jpeg
    IMG_3361.jpeg
    130.2 KB · Views: 17
  • IMG_3362.jpeg
    IMG_3362.jpeg
    178.1 KB · Views: 33
  • IMG_3363.jpeg
    IMG_3363.jpeg
    186.2 KB · Views: 33

JUAN MANUEL

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
1,454
Reaction score
5,950
I think they hold up well and I am not sure about people stating it is a plasticised finish. These Keats loafers are over 30 years old! They were the shoes of choice working in The City in the 80’s and 90’s. Don’t wear them much these days. Have a few cracks but nothing too dramatic.

I don't like corrected leather but it performs pretty well in rainy days. I own a couple of pairs reserved for heavy raining days.

Somewhere I read that Churchs' bookbinder quality is far better than other GYW brands, so maybe is something to ponder.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 88 37.6%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 88 37.6%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 25 10.7%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 38 16.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 36 15.4%

Forum statistics

Threads
506,710
Messages
10,591,459
Members
224,316
Latest member
Wilmalotties
Top