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

[Munky]

The shoes that I was referring to are calf leather. They do seem to be benefit from brushing rather than regular polishing.

It strikes me that shoe product makers certainly have a vested interest in promoting the idea that we should spend most of our lives polishing shoes.

I have lots of jars and tins of creams, waxes and conditioners, as I imagine many people on this thread have. I'm finding, though, that the most useful products are my horsehair shoe brushes.

 

[chogall]

Different types of calf leather needs different type of care, as I indicated above.

 

[Munky]

I can't elaborate any further, Chogall. My two pairs of calf leather shoes are Loake's 1880s and they are described as 'calf leather'.

They do seem to benefit from less polishing and more brushing. They aren't corrected grain.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Calf, is calf. Chogall is talking about how the calf is finished.

 

[Munky]

sorry, mistake.

 

[jssdc]

To avoid cross-contamination between different creams and waxes, I use dedicated applicants, brushes, and clothes - marked with a Sharpie Pen - and in an open air zip-lock bag for easy retrieval .

All my best,

David

I personally have found no value in this and use the same brush for reno/cream/polish in black/brown/whatever other shade. I wouldn't mind a bit of mixing if it did take place but don't think that any actually occurs.

 

[blue collar]



Nearly 2 years old worn regularly with rotation...

Sorry to thread jack but who makes these lovely shoes?

I tried scanning for an answer with no luck.

 

[PCK1]

I have one brush that I use for all color shoes...and I find that over time it gives the shoe an interesting patina that is truly unique only to my shoes...

I use this same brush to brush my shoes after I remove them from my feet at the end of the day.

 

[chogall]

Sorry to thread jack but who makes these lovely shoes?

I tried scanning for an answer with no luck.

Looks Vass to me. Cordovan. New Peter?

 

[sstomcat]

3636 last.

 

[Beach Bum]

Am I the only one that thinks those shined shoes look hideous? Both the shoe and the shine.

 

[goodlensboy]



Shoe care really depends on the type of the leather. 

For unfinished leather (crust) like G&G, Berluti or C&J, polishes are needed to bring out a shine. 
For finished leather (box calf, museum calf, etc) like JLP and Vass, light cream is good enough. 
For finished leather with heavy factory top coats like Alden or those heavy corrected grain shoes, brushing alone is fine.

How about St. Crispin - the leather looks bit dry in some pics

 

[cbfn]



Am I the only one that thinks those shined shoes look hideous?  Both the shoe and the shine. 

Yep, those are beautiful. BTW, acting like a jerk is looked down upon until you reach 5k+ posts.

 

[chogall]

How about St. Crispin - the leather looks bit dry in some pics

Depends on the leather, if its FUN, CRU, or VNA. But the general rule is if the leather has no top coat, it will appear to be more dry.

Easiest way to tell if leather is finished is by dripping water on the shoes; if the water was absorbed into the leather and caused color to darken, then it has little or no top coat. Otherwise its finished with a top coat.

 

[JezeC]

Is it necessary to use both lexol and saphir cordovan cream on the shells?