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benhour

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Restore black colour?

I have a pair of C&Js and the left shoe is starting to lose its black pigment.

Tried Saphir renovstor and cream (no wax) but not seeing any effect.

Any tips how to beat some more black into the leather?
the easier way is to use leather dye!
 

sleepyinsanfran

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Restore black colour?

I have a pair of C&Js and the left shoe is starting to lose its black pigment.

Tried Saphir renovstor and cream (no wax) but not seeing any effect.

Any tips how to beat some more black into the leather?

Tarrago black shoe cream stains pretty well - better than most other pigmented creams and polishes. although if only one of your shoes is losing pigment, you might consider emailing C&J about it
 

CrimmyS

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Hello,

After researching a day or two I'd like to make sure I got everything down regarding the care of my shoes and ask a few questions about what I need to purchase. These will be my first leather shoes and my first time caring for them.

I have three shoes on the way. Black, Bourbon, Cordovan (#8).

I picked up AE Bourbon Creme and AE Condish/Cleaner

Now the problem comes from living in China and not having access to a lot of stuff. I have however found
Saphir Renovateur
Saphir Wax in Black and #37 (which was recommended for Bourbon on Kurt Allison's website)
Saphir Creme in Black (but not #37)
Saphir Cordovan Creme #71 (I believe was the Cordovan color)
Saphir Brushes/Chamois (which I saw are said to be horsehair and from Germany)

So other than the Bourbon creme I should be set for cremes and waxes.

Would a light wax from time to time be beneficial for my shell? The people who said less is more seem to have more shoes than I do. I will be wearing these shoes up to every other day and so I'm wondering if a very light amount of wax once a month or two would be good for them.

I saw a few people mentioning Shell should be rested for 2-3days. Is this correct? If I wear them every other day what can I expect to happen?

I'm confused about the brushes. I will need at least 3 right? One for Black, one for browns, and one for reddish colors. People are talking about the big brushes and not the little ones right? Do I need 3 little ones as well? When it comes to just brushing my shoes after/before a wearing but not polishing/using creme do I use the same brush or should I have a 4th brush on reserve just for dusting and such?

When it comes to cloth I see people mentioning lambswool mitts, chamois, t-shirts, nylon stockings etc. They all serve the same purpose and differ in the results achieved right? So is there any reason to purchase an expensive chamois over cutting up a t-shirt or buying some stockings?

Do the brushes need to be cleaned/replaced periodically? How about the chamois, t-shirts, nylon etc... Do they get replaced pretty often or can they be reused indefinitely?

Is a deer bone necessary? If I can't find one locally I doubt I can import one and I worry about buying something locally that's misleading/potentially damaging. If it's a must have, are there any alternatives I could use? I saw someone mention using a spoon....

Last question is regarding rainy/wet days. I know there are galoshes that you can wear on your shoes. Do people still advise against using sprays for the uppers for some extra resistance (ones without silicone)?

I think those are the only questions I have... thanks for any help!
 
Last edited:

Petepan

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Hello,

After researching a day or two I'd like to make sure I got everything down regarding the care of my shoes and ask a few questions about what I need to purchase. These will be my first leather shoes and my first time caring for them.

I have three shoes on the way. Black, Bourbon, Cordovan (#8).

I picked up AE Bourbon Creme and AE Condish/Cleaner

Now the problem comes from living in China and not having access to a lot of stuff. I have however found
Saphir Renovateur
Saphir Wax in Black and #37 (which was recommended for Bourbon on Kurt Allison's website)
Saphir Creme in Black (but not #37)
Saphir Cordovan Creme #71 (I believe was the Cordovan color)
Saphir Brushes/Chamois (which I saw are said to be horsehair and from Germany)

So other than the Bourbon creme I should be set for cremes and waxes. 

Would a light wax from time to time be beneficial for my shell? The people who said less is more seem to have more shoes than I do. I will be wearing these shoes up to every other day and so I'm wondering if a very light amount of wax once a month or two would be good for them.

I saw a few people mentioning Shell should be rested for 2-3days. Is this correct? If I wear them every other day what can I expect to happen?

I'm confused about the brushes. I will need at least 3 right? One for Black, one for browns, and one for reddish colors. People are talking about the big brushes and not the little ones right? Do I need 3 little ones as well? When it comes to just brushing my shoes after/before a wearing but not polishing/using creme do I use the same brush or should I have a 4th brush on reserve just for dusting and such?

When it comes to cloth I see people mentioning lambswool mitts, chamois, t-shirts, nylon stockings etc. They all serve the same purpose and differ in the results achieved right? So is there any reason to purchase an expensive chamois over cutting up a t-shirt or buying some stockings?

Do the brushes need to be cleaned/replaced periodically? How about the chamois, t-shirts, nylon etc... Do they get replaced pretty often or can they be reused indefinitely?

Is a deer bone necessary? If I can't find one locally I doubt I can import one and I worry about buying something locally that's misleading/potentially damaging. If it's a must have, are there any alternatives I could use? I saw someone mention using a spoon....

Last question is regarding rainy/wet days. I know there are galoshes that you can wear on your shoes. Do people still advise against using sprays for the uppers for some extra resistance (ones without silicone)?

I think those are the only questions I have... thanks for any help!


It is possible you are overthinking the whole thing. They are shoes, just enjoy them, and the choice of shoe care maintenance stuff will be discovered by you bit by bit depending on your usage. As a minimum, get a conditioner cleaner such as Renovateur, black and brown cream and clear neutral paste wax. Old tshirts, wife/girlfriends stockings, thin latex gloves and two brushes. That should do just fine.
 

sleepyinsanfran

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It is possible you are overthinking the whole thing. They are shoes, just enjoy them, and the choice of shoe care maintenance stuff will be discovered by you bit by bit depending on your usage. As a minimum, get a conditioner cleaner such as Renovateur, black and brown cream and clear neutral paste wax. Old tshirts, wife/girlfriends stockings, thin latex gloves and two brushes. That should do just fine.

After buying loads of creams and polishes, I have come to realize that the above (conditioner/cleaner, pigmented creams, and neutral paste wax) can pretty much suffice for most of my shoes. +1 for old tshirts and latex gloves (organic chemicals such as present in creams and waxes are carcinogenic over a lifetime, so you want to minimize skin contact with them).
 

YRR92

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pB re tee shirts

When they get to be a grey/black color they have better uses than on one's body.


We call that patina where I come from.

This is referred to as an oil-tan, no?
 

Petepan

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After buying loads of creams and polishes, I have come to realize that the above (conditioner/cleaner, pigmented creams, and neutral paste wax) can pretty much suffice for most of my shoes. +1 for old tshirts and latex gloves (organic chemicals such as present in creams and waxes are carcinogenic over a lifetime, so you want to minimize skin contact with them).

Glenkaren is a healthy alternative. Much more work though, but pleasing results. Thin latex gloves minimizes wastage, as the stuff is not soaked into the cloth or brush when being applied.
 

JezeC

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What do you mean by "much more work"? I use it the sameway as any other polish whether its AE premium polish or Saphir cream polish.
 

Petepan

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What do you mean by "much more work"? I use it the sameway as any other polish whether its AE premium polish or Saphir cream polish.


Have you tried the cleaner/conditioner?
 

CrimmyS

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I'm definitely over-thinking the whole process but because I'm worried about ruining something. I don't ever plan on having an extensive shoe collection (though that may end up happening) so I'd like to get as much from my recent investment as possible.

I'm still not clear on the brushes. If I understand correctly, brushing is to remove the excessive polish/cream. So does this mean I need a separate brush for just dusting before/after wearing when I'm not polishing? That way I don't get any loose/leftover polish or cream on the shoe.

Do I need a dauber or is that what the t-shirt is for? I see quite a few people mention never really using theirs but then see others saying it's needed for adding cream into the shoes welts and such.

It seems like a lambswool mitt would be something I'd use instead of a brush, correct? So having both would be redundant? I didn't find anything on Style Forum regarding this though saw Kirby mention it. Can't use any English search engines because of the recent internet crack down China is doing.

And about how the resting period Cordovan is supposed to have.... 1 day enough?
 

Petepan

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^^^ You wont ruin your shoes from the care regime, trust me on this. There is a higher probability of ruining them when you are wearing them, so be careful not to kick them against rough surfaces eg uneven cobblestone roads, going up stairs, walls etc, and dont step on the heel of your shoe to take it off. Shoe trees, rotate, brushing, and the 3 pairs will probably last you 5 to 10 years. By which time, you will be rich enough to rotate a large collection.

Edit: regarding the cordovan, i presume you mean shell. I reckon at least one day, but it really depends on things such as how you wear them, how much you sweat and humidity levels.
 
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Munky

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CrimmyS

I think the questions you ask are useful ones. I can only pass on some tips that I have learned from this thread.

I have two, horsehair brushes for each pair of shoes (if they are all different colour shoes). I use one to brush the shoes before I put them on to go out. The other brush is for buffing up after applying cream or wax.

An old tee shirt is usually thought to be the right thing to use to put on (a very small amount) of cream and/or wax. I use another sort of cloth but that needn't worry us! From what I can tell on here, daubers don't seem to be particular popular; possibly, I would think, because they encourage you to use to much product.

Once cream or wax has dried, I use the second brush to buff the shoes to a shine. How much of a shine you want is likely to be a matter of trial and error. So will be the decision whether to use cream and/or wax.

Two cardinal rules are, perhaps: 1) always use shoe trees and 2) 'rotate' your shoe wearing, ie don't wear the same pair of shoes two days running. A third might be to use only a very small amount of cream or wax.

I hope this helps a bit - but everything you will ever need to know is available somewhere in this thread. But bear in mind the old KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid)!
 

sacafotos

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I think my brain fried after reading about 70+ posts :)

For chromexcel—and I guess any calf leather—what's the best conditioner/cleaner to use?

Lexol
VSC
Saphir Renovateur

The first two are available in 1L quantities, so I was considering grabbing one and a 24 ct pack of microfibers. Isn't that a good start?

1) Is there any reason to have two of the above three for a standard regimen? I read someone's post that he uses Lexol to condition but VSC to clean, i.e. Lexol more often than VSC throughout the year (obviously depending on wear).
2) I read that VSC and Saphir Reno can be used on shell. The community seems to prefer Reno, though. Is it that much better than VSC? (better shine?)
3) Is there a reason to use a polishing cloth over a standard microfiber cloth?

Much appreciated, gents. Looking forward to a Shoe Shine Sunday, every Sunday. And some tequila.
 

bespoken pa

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VSC tends to have a fairly high concentration of turpentine in it which can be harsh...have you looked at glenkaren products...just kidding. I recently purchased lexol just to try it out. I went a little crazy on amazon and figured I may as well just order everything I needed. Overall I try to take a minimalist approach with my shoes.
 

sleepyinsanfran

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VSC tends to have a fairly high concentration of turpentine in it which can be harsh...have you looked at glenkaren products...just kidding. I recently purchased lexol just to try it out. I went a little crazy on amazon and figured I may as well just order everything I needed. Overall I try to take a minimalist approach with my shoes.

are you sure about the turpentine in VSC? Would that be worse for the leather than other petroleum distillates (e.g. naptha) that are used as thinner in paste wax and leather conditioners?
 

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