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

I put lexol on the soles of my shoes once in a while. That stuff is probably really good, similar to Obaneuf's Leather Oil. It says not to use that on vegetable tanned leathers so if you have proper oak bark tanned soles don't use it. I would be careful though because leather oils can act as a solvent that can loosen glue so it can loosen the glue that binds the welt and sole together. So, if your soles are not channeled and the thread is worn out and you overdo it with that stuff it can make the welt pull away from the sole. I have seen it happen. Also, I condition the inside of my shoes with lexol, on the underside of the vamp and a very small amount on the insole. Again, on some of my gemmed soles I am careful not to let any conditioner or oil (Obaneauf's when I used that for the innards) seap under the insole because it can loosen up the gemming glue, the gemming could slip and then you can have a disaster.

All in all I only bother conditioning oak bark soles if the ground was wet, it was raining and after they dried naturally.

Why would you want your soles to be soft and supple?

Well, I have also seen solesthat were overexposed to wet terrain eventually crack before they wore down.



Ich_Dien said:

Why would you want your soles to be soft and supple?

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I've applied Obenauf LP (not oil) to the soles of my Wolverine 1K's. The aim was to increase water resistance, not make them soft and supple.



Lear said:

You might find with RM's, that while the toecaps sparkle, the area to the rear appears a little dry by comparison only. Coming along nicely.

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Yes, I've noticed that. I'll be combating it with lots of Waproo cream.

As for the toe, I've found that an old stocking is the easiest way to get a deep shine in the wax. I've tried an old mesh shirt and a microfibre cloth so far, but the stocking is really something else. I believe the heat caused by friction with the synthetic fibre, and the lesser amount of wax actually being removed by the pantyhose contributes to the shines I am achieving now. However, as with all things shine-related, your mileage may vary.



Ich_Dien said:

Why would you want your soles to be soft and supple?

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Because they last longer?

Alright, so I'm going to go the Saphir route for my my black and brown 1000 miles, and my Alden Indy 405's. Want to get a bulletproof finish so it'll resist the 1,000,000 scratches my current 1000 miles have. So which products do you guys recommend? Reno, obviously, but what else?

Oh, and where to get them from? I know Will sells some of them, and so does Ron, but now Kirby's selling them too?



Rambo said:

Alright, so I'm going to go the Saphir route for my my black and brown 1000 miles, and my Alden Indy 405's.

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don't be a *****. use proper stuff for boots.



fritzl said:

don't be a *****. use proper stuff for boots.

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Austrian horse *****?



Mr. Moo said:

Austrian horse *****?

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never tried. is it any good?



SHS said:

Because they last longer?

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Ich_Dien said:

Why would you want your soles to be soft and supple?

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Really? While you certainly wouldn't want them dry to the point of cracking, I would think any moisture would cause them to degrade quicker with use. Although it's never happened to me, I've read a number of SF horror stories of leather soles getting unexpectedly wet and being destroyed with not much wear in that state. With that in mind, I would think "soft and supple" (from moisturizing) would contribute to a faster than usual wear down. Am I wrong?

I think though that the point would be to condition the soles to be water resistent. Not to condition them to be soft and supple.

But since my shoes very rarely see a wet pavement I'm blissfully ignorant of what might actually be best in this regard.

However, there is no doubt that once a sole is thoroughly soaked that continuing to walk on rough pavement in it will chew it up far more quickly than if it were dry.



razl said:

Really? While you certainly wouldn't want them dry to the point of cracking, I would think any moisture would cause them to degrade quicker with use. Although it's never happened to me, I've read a number of SF horror stories of leather soles getting unexpectedly wet and being destroyed with not much wear in that state. With that in mind, I would think "soft and supple" (from moisturizing) would contribute to a faster than usual wear down. Am I wrong?

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The place I bought the oil for the soles recommends that it should be applied every second month or so, and then dry out for a day. I have great faith in the guy behind the shop. He seems to know what he is talking about. He writes a blog in danish, and one in english:

http://stiljournalen.blogspot.com/

http://www.the-journal-of-style.com/

I don't think that the conditioning of the soles will make them "moisturized." My hope is that they will be more flexible, which will make them last longer, and more pleasant to wear.

SHS

Seems like a matter of balance. Too little moisture in the life of the sole and it could dry and crack. Too much moisture in the life of the sole and it could soften and wear down faster.

SHS said:

The place I bought the oil for the soles recommends that it should be applied every second month or so, and then dry out for a day. I have great faith in the guy behind the shop. He seems to know what he is talking about. He writes a blog in danish, and one in english:
http://stiljournalen.blogspot.com/
http://www.the-journal-of-style.com/
I don't think that the conditioning of the soles will make them "moisturized." My hope is that they will be more flexible, which will make them last longer, and more pleasant to wear.
SHS

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more flexible/supple = wears down faster. i would just pre treat them before the raining season. or better, get double leather sole or danite sole.