• 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.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • 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.

Ayrton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
70
Reaction score
1
I would say after a little polishing, and perhaps some burnishing, you will never notice. YMMV
 

actionjbone

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
538
Reaction score
2,028
I disagree. I’ve used them for years and they smooth out the creases in the shell cordovan as well as removing scratches and smoothing out nicks as well.

You can’t go from this….
View attachment 2080641

To this…

View attachment 2080643

With just a brush/cloth.
Yeah - whether you use a bone, a spoon, a smooth dowel, or some other kind of object, you need *something* in order to apply pressure.

The pressure seems to do three things: (1) force the lubricant/cream/polish deeper into the dense shell, (2) smooth the microtears that cause the dry-looking lighter patches in deep creases, and (3) flatten the waves back down.

Different people will swear by a bone or a spoon. Either way, the pressure does seem to help old shell.
 

Johnniegold

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Messages
477
Reaction score
2,343
Yeah - whether you use a bone, a spoon, a smooth dowel, or some other kind of object, you need *something* in order to apply pressure.

The pressure seems to do three things: (1) force the lubricant/cream/polish deeper into the dense shell, (2) smooth the microtears that cause the dry-looking lighter patches in deep creases, and (3) flatten the waves back down.

Different people will swear by a bone or a spoon. Either way, the pressure does seem to help old shell.

In addition to the deer bone and the sleeking bone, I’ve added this tool to my kit. This is the Ebony Stick. Its size and shape make it ergonomically easier to handle than the deer bone and sleeking bone. Due to its shape, it acts as both a deer bone and a sleeking bone with its narrower end allowing you to work easily between outsole and the upper, while its wider end as well as length-wise works very well on the vamp, toe cap and heel areas.

I am pleased with it.

IMG_8816.jpeg
IMG_8817.jpeg
IMG_8818.jpeg
IMG_8819.jpeg
IMG_8820.jpeg
IMG_8821.jpeg
 

JFWR

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
6,063
Reaction score
10,016
Yeah - whether you use a bone, a spoon, a smooth dowel, or some other kind of object, you need *something* in order to apply pressure.

The pressure seems to do three things: (1) force the lubricant/cream/polish deeper into the dense shell, (2) smooth the microtears that cause the dry-looking lighter patches in deep creases, and (3) flatten the waves back down.

Different people will swear by a bone or a spoon. Either way, the pressure does seem to help old shell.

None of these reasons makes sense, I'd say.

Mechanical pressures are unlikely to push oil deeper into the substance substantially. The penetration comes from staining through the inside of the material. I highly doubt that any amount of pressure that isn't compressing the leather itself in a significant way - like putting it in a vice - would actually squeeze the oil deeper in.

2. The dry looking lighter patches are cured not by smoothing, but by rehydration with Neetsfoot oil or equivalent.

3. The rolls don't get flattened, they emerge immediately again upon being worn.

I doubt you're hurting your shoes with this technique, but I don't believe there is any reasonable evidence that this does anything positive for your shoes at all.
 

Featured Sponsor

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

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 45 40.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 44 39.6%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 5 4.5%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 18 16.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 25 22.5%

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
504,423
Messages
10,573,907
Members
223,687
Latest member
corcelleglauru
Top