**The Official Shoe Care Thread: Tutorials, Photos, etc.** - Page 90

As I've mentioned before, this thread has always been very informative while being refreshingly free of attitude. Therefore the rare hostile toned post stands out like a beacon. It's also just so incongruous when you follow up a gem of shoe care information with something like :

...or...

Am I a fool for wondering [aloud] where that comes from?

I believe you are trying your damned hardest to stir up a fight and yes I think that makes you a fool.

If you don't like my posts don't read them.

^ You really need to lighten up.

Sid Mashburn - 1.5 years, just gave them first polish

Lovely colour...first polish?

^ They were getting pretty light until I polished them. I use only black polish on my brown shoes - prob not for everyone but I love what it does when it gets into all the scars and stitching.

Fair enough - your shoes look in good shape - carry on!

Any update to when you will have the new Saphir products available on the online store?

Wow...those look fantastic! What's the story with the pair in your avatar? Same model, the Alfred Sargent/Sid Mashburn?? Are they the well worn pair from the "Starts with Typewriters" blog post? In any event, they look great too.

I have two questions about a pair of suede monkstraps:

- When I use this kind of shoe trees, does the shoe stretch out? 

 

- What is the best way of caring for suede shoes? Should I brush them after wearing them? Or only once a month? Should I use special cremes or something like that for keeping the suede nice and soft? Or are there other ways to keep them nice and clean?

I am sorry for these dumb questions but since I just started caring for my shoes I don't have much experience with it.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Wax Removal Help

As we've previously discussed, Renomat is oft recommended as a product capable of removing old, built up layers of wax. While waiting for Kirby's site to start carrying the full Saphir line, I picked up a bottle of Lexol's PH Balanced leather cleaner. My goal was to remove built up layers of dark brown Kiwi wax from a pair of walnut colored Allen Edmonds Westchester loafers.

The shoe was one of my early attempts at a mirror polish and I made two mistakes. I went too heavy on the wax and applied wax too far up on the vamp. We all know that too much wax (esp in this) area won't look great once the shoe starts to crease. Here's an image of the shoe in question after polishing and before wearing.

Loafer on left:



I started applying the lexol with a round horsehair dauber and working it into a lather. By the time I finish the 2nd shoe, I start wiping it off the first shoe with a damp cloth. The I repeat the process...and repeat...and repeat...and repeat. After I remove the wax, I'll condition with renovateur, apply a couple of coats of AE's walnut cream polish, then add a lighter brown wax just to the toe and in much smaller amounts than before.

I'm just wondering how to remove the old layers of wax without risk of damaging the leather underneath. Should I let the Lexol do the work or use more elbow grease? I can see the wax coming off onto my soft cloth so clearly it's working. But the low hanging fruit is the easy part. I'm now at a point where I can see the dark brown wax in certain spots but very little is transferred to the cloth when I wipe the lexol off. How much pressure is too much? Can I damage the leather with too much rubbing or too much product? Should I let the lexol sit for a period of time or work into a lather then wipe clean/remove the product immediately?

My initial goal was to achieve a mirror toe, like this:



By the time I polished the dark brown blucher above (AE Kenilworth) I knew not to apply too much wax and not to apply too much wax up the vamp.

Thanks for any help.

Perfect timing for this since I'm waiting to remove some wax build up on some shoes. I already have the Lexol cleaner, but I put it on a damp cloth, apply, and wipe off with a wet cloth to remove all of the "soap", but this may be wrong?

exactly - they are the pair from the blog post on Starts with Typewriters.

here's some more pics of mine prior to polishing:

DO NOT put any sort of cream or polish on suede, evar!

Spray them with a 'suede protector' product to prevent them from absorbing stains. Get a little suede brush and 'eraser' from any local shoe shop. Brush them lightly after each wearing. Use the 'eraser' to lift up stains if they occur. ENJOY!

Suede is very easy to care for.