Saphir Renovateur to clean shoes?

Also heard it's good to condition. Any experiences with it? Better than saddle soap I've been told. Recommendations? How often should you use it?

All those things, plus a good substitute in a pinch for shampoo and shower gel.


- B

Originally Posted by GBer

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Also heard it's good to condition. Any experiences with it? Better than saddle soap I've been told. Recommendations? How often should you use it?

Avoid saddle soap. It's gonna dry out your shoes. I'd recommend Lexol for cleaning and using Saphir Renovateur afterwards.

You just might have tied the perfect fly to catch a Vox. I hope your line is strong enough.

Originally Posted by laphroaig

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You just might have tied the perfect fly to catch a Vox. I hope your line is strong enough.

I poached some chicken legs once in Saphir Renovateur, and it made a passable confit.

It is the most Holy of Elixirs.


- B

A quick comment...I've never used Saphir Renovateur but rubbing something on, even if you wipe off the excess isn't going to clean anything--it just moves the dirt around.

Dirt...the kind of dirt that gets on shoes...is, by nature, gritty. It is often comprised of microfine particles of ground rock, old coke bottles (there's a straight line for someone) and even, in some regions, obsidian glass.

Unless the shoe is washed on occasion...like when the moon is in the seventh house...and rinsed, those particles lodge in the creases of the shoe and act like any other abrasive--cutting the fibers of the shoe.

Don't confuse cleaning with conditioning.

DW, what products would you recommend for cleaning/conditioning? Any special tips?

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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I poached some chicken legs once in Saphir Renovateur, and it made a passable confit.

It is the most Holy of Elixirs.


- B

Wonderful! Mein chicken is too whrinkley, this will smooth it?

Originally Posted by laphroaig

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You just might have tied the perfect fly to catch a Vox. I hope your line is strong enough.

prefer a repellent

Originally Posted by laphroaig

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You just might have tied the perfect fly to catch a Vox. I hope your line is strong enough.

Could say it's like catching an old boot from the river

Originally Posted by taxgenius69

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Avoid saddle soap. It's gonna dry out your shoes. I'd recommend Lexol for cleaning and using Saphir Renovateur afterwards.

St Crispin's recommends saddle soap for cleaning per the link below.

http://saint-crispins.com/download/s...s_shoecare.pdf

Originally Posted by DWFII

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A quick comment...I've never used Saphir Renovateur but rubbing something on, even if you wipe off the excess isn't going to clean anything--it just moves the dirt around.

Dirt...the kind of dirt that gets on shoes...is, by nature, gritty. It is often comprised of microfine particles of ground rock, old coke bottles (there's a straight line for someone) and even, in some regions, obsidian glass.

Unless the shoe is washed on occasion...like when the moon is in the seventh house...and rinsed, those particles lodge in the creases of the shoe and act like any other abrasive--cutting the fibers of the shoe.

Don't confuse cleaning with conditioning.

If I might be so presumptious as to illustrate what DWF is saying with an analogy that many here on teh StyleForvm will understand:

It is like the difference between Americans and Canadians on one hand, and Europeans on the other.

Americans and Canadians (and by "Canadian" I, of course, exclude French Canadians) tend to shower and bathe every day. This habit helps to remove microfine particles of ground rock, old coke bottles, etc.

Europeans, in contrast, do not. They tend to rub lotion on their bodies and to douse themselves with cologne instead of bathing. This just moves the dirt around...including obsidian glass that settles on the body from the periodic eruptions of Vesuvius (a cone-shaped mountain near Naples.)

I hope that was helpful.



- B

Isn't that how soap works? It picks up dirt and allows it to be removed when the soap is. I don't see why shoe cleaner wouldn't work the same way.

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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(and by "Canadian" I, of course, exclude French Canadians)

You must mean Quà bà cois. There are no "French" Canadians.

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Originally Posted by srivats

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DW, what products would you recommend for cleaning/conditioning? Any special tips?
Sri, I use Lexol ph (in the orange bottle) for cleaning. Lexol in the brown bottle for conditioning and Lexol NF (a highly homogenized but pure neetsfoot oil) for periodic conditioning of insoles. I have no affiliation with Lexol. I mentioned this in another thread but strange as it may seem "no more tears" ph-balanced baby shampoo will also work. Tearless onions have no effect.

Originally Posted by Ataturk

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Isn't that how soap works? It picks up dirt and allows it to be removed when the soap is. I don't see why shoe cleaner wouldn't work the same way.
I think I'm repeating myself but it bears repeating--soap gets rinsed off. The oils and greases in soap lift and encapsulate the dirt so that a "flushing" with water can remove it from the surface. If you're not rinsing in the shower, you're not clean. More Joop is indicated. Again...saddle soap is fine for...ahem...saddles. On shoes in leaves a tallow residue that collects and holds dirt...in the creases.