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

[sstomcat]



Now this sort of high minded, liberal thinking will NOT DO around here. These are matters of great importance upon which the very future of mankind will be determined. If one chooses to wallow around lazily in the 'middle ground' without firmly taking a position one runs the very serious risk of becoming trampled during the ensuing battle.
For your own sake I recommend that you make a choice. As I believe the days of old when one was free to choose his own shoe polish are rapidly coming to an end. And I don't imagine it will be any fun for those who ultimately end up on the 'wrong' side. At least not if the history of mankind is any indication. As civilization becomes completely unraveled over the great shoe polish debate I predict a return to the dark ages. Can 'the rack', crucifixion, and being boiled in cauldrons of shoe polish possibly be far away?
For God's sake man, SAVE YOURSELF!

Are you a attorney, author or poet?
Hilarious, I'm still laughing as I write this

 

[Gdot]

Architect. Glad I amused you.

 

[Northampton Novice]

So, why is heaven considered to be a perfect place?

Because there are no Architects to screw up the design

 

[Gdot]



So, why is heaven considered to be a perfect place?
Because there are no Architects to screw up the design

Ouch!

 

[bauerbach]

so, 126 pages lol.

My first pair of shoes that were not purchased in DSW are coming in soon. big boy pair of black calfskin alden balmoral captoe.

I want these to be a long term investment...

Alden shoe tree on the way.

everything else....

I see saphir Renovateur mentioned with great frequency.

http://www.hangerproject.com/closet/saphir-renovateur.html

I think I need a horsehair brush?

http://www.hangerproject.com/closet/horsehair-shoe-polishing-brush.html

Is that all I need? I read macs method... wipe it down with a damp cloth, then brush it with the horsehair brush for 15minutes?

then, once every 10-15 wears, apply Renovateur with a soft cloth?

am I remotely close? does renovatuer get used everytime? and I need a polish?

Im sure this info is buried in these 126 pages, but I am hoping someone has a more condensed summary. :/

 

[Northampton Novice]



If I were going all Saphir and starting from scratch I would recommend the following (assuming you have only brown and black shoes):
Saphir Pommadier Cream Shoe Polish - One jar in brown and one in black.
Saphir Pate de Luxe Wax Shoe Polish - One tin Neutral
Renovateur Cleaner and Conditioner.
Horsehair Brushes: Three - one for cleaning, one for black, one for brown.
One small brush for conditioning the welt (an old toothbrush or an artist's brush will do just fine as well).
Condition all new shoes with Renovateur before wearing: Apply by rubbing the Reno in thoroughly with soft cotton rag wrapped around your finger, wait three minutes, brush buff, wait 24 hours and repeat.
When it's time to polish:
1 coat of Renovateur, wait 3 minutes and brush buff.
1 coat of cream polish in the desired color, brush buff.
1 coat of Neutral wax on toes and heal counter, buff with soft cotton rag. (You can add a couple of more layers of polish if you like a super high shine.)
Between polishes simply apply Reno and buff after each wearing (assuming you don't wear a pair more than once a week).
You can polish again as often as you like - the Renovateur will keep the wax from building up.
Some people will tell you that Neutral polish is no good - but these would be mostly people who have used Kiwi Neutral - which is indeed terrible **** as it dries gray and cruddy. But the Saphir Neutral is clear and crisp and I like it a lot. If you aren't comfortable with it - just buy a tin of brown and a tin of black.

bauerbach there is some debate on the use of neutral wax polish, but as Gdot suggests you could simply buy the black/brown instead if you like.

 

[bauerbach]

excellent, thank you very much.

Ill use that as my guide!

I figure a jar of black and brown polish is not beyond my means, atleast black. I understand that different shades of brown shoes with 1 brown polish might result in lots of similair brown shoes. but as Im currently dealing with black, Ill leave that alone for the moment.

 

[bucksfan]

so, 126 pages lol.

My first pair of shoes that were not purchased in DSW are coming in soon. big boy pair of black calfskin alden balmoral captoe.

I want these to be a long term investment...

Alden shoe tree on the way.

everything else....

I see saphir Renovateur mentioned with great frequency.

http://www.hangerproject.com/closet/saphir-renovateur.html

I think I need a horsehair brush?

http://www.hangerproject.com/closet/horsehair-shoe-polishing-brush.html

Is that all I need? I read macs method... wipe it down with a damp cloth, then brush it with the horsehair brush for 15minutes?

then, once every 10-15 wears, apply Renovateur with a soft cloth?

am I remotely close? does renovatuer get used everytime? and I need a polish?

Im sure this info is buried in these 126 pages, but I am hoping someone has a more condensed summary. :/

^^ good advice above.

The Mac Method is really for shell cordovan shoes, though some (including Mac Himself) claim it works well on calf as well. For black calfskin shoes, get some sort of conditioner (renovateur works, but there are other, cheaper alternatives too), a horsehair brush, some black shoe polish and a buffing cloth (or an old t-shirt).

 

[bik2101]

do you all think thje types of shoe trees matter? i know there are some for like 40,50 dollars and there are others for like 20. I just have a few of the $20 ones, but wondering if I should be investing in better ones?

 

[NORE]



do you all think thje types of shoe trees matter? i know there are some for like 40,50 dollars and there are others for like 20. I just have a few of the $20 ones, but wondering if I should be investing in better ones?

I think properly fitting trees can make a world of difference. I used to go down to C21 each time I got a new shoe and get a pair of those $12 trees. No more. $55 isn't a lot for trees when I'm wearing $1K shoes.

 

[Northampton Novice]



I think properly fitting trees can make a world of difference.....

.......$55 isn't a lot for trees when I'm wearing $1K shoes.

Exactly.

 

[knezz]



i seems that either 10% or free shipping, but not both.

That's how they explained it to me when I purchased. But I did try...

 

[Gdot]



I think properly fitting trees can make a world of difference. I used to go down to C21 each time I got a new shoe and get a pair of those $12 trees. No more. $55 isn't a lot for trees when I'm wearing $1K shoes.

If lasted trees are available with the shoes, spring the extra moola for them, period!

 

[BigCheese]

Does anyone have the code for free shipping for the Hanger Project? I didn't get an email from Kirby even though I have bought from him before.

 

[bik2101]

If lasted trees are available with the shoes, spring the extra moola for them, period!

lasted trees? what are those?