Simply put, what precisely do they do? Do they describe the work involved? Are there any particular standards that are adhered to?
In recent months, largely based on what I've learned here, I've started to "fix" some of my older, mistreated shoes. Regarding the uppers, it goes something like:
- use leather cleaner a couple of times to wipe everything down
- use alcohol + swabs/towels to get all the old wax off (this can take nearly a dozen passes and take a very long time, several hours per shoe)
- let dry
- put on a ton of leather conditioner. Usually Lexol. Again, a solid hour per shoe, doing multiple coats and really getting it into the more "tired" parts
- wait a day
- put on more leather conditioner, not a ton, just a bit more and really rubbing it in
- wait another day
- then a whole bunch of polish/wax coats. Up to six or so.
The result is that my hands and arms are sore, but the shoes look close to new. It's also not lost on me that the above is my own inefficient technique done by hand and a "professional" ought to have tools and experience to achieve the same effect with a lot less effort. So, when I think of reconditioning services, I assumed they are accomplishing the same effect as the above (strip everything, condition, then polish/wax) but perhaps with fewer steps and better equipment.
But, a pair of shoes I just got back from Ferragamo's service showed no actual evidence of reconditioning (it looks like they just waxed and buffed the shoes like any street-side shiner) and a friend who is fond of the Allen Edmonds refinishing service told me that they also pretty much just do the same thing that cobblers do: light wash with soap, pat dry, then wax. (He cited conversations with AE about this, I don't know how accurate the info is.)
So, I was wondering if anyone had experience with whether you can have a "professional" really do a "strip and recoat" treatment on shoes.
In recent months, largely based on what I've learned here, I've started to "fix" some of my older, mistreated shoes. Regarding the uppers, it goes something like:
- use leather cleaner a couple of times to wipe everything down
- use alcohol + swabs/towels to get all the old wax off (this can take nearly a dozen passes and take a very long time, several hours per shoe)
- let dry
- put on a ton of leather conditioner. Usually Lexol. Again, a solid hour per shoe, doing multiple coats and really getting it into the more "tired" parts
- wait a day
- put on more leather conditioner, not a ton, just a bit more and really rubbing it in
- wait another day
- then a whole bunch of polish/wax coats. Up to six or so.
The result is that my hands and arms are sore, but the shoes look close to new. It's also not lost on me that the above is my own inefficient technique done by hand and a "professional" ought to have tools and experience to achieve the same effect with a lot less effort. So, when I think of reconditioning services, I assumed they are accomplishing the same effect as the above (strip everything, condition, then polish/wax) but perhaps with fewer steps and better equipment.
But, a pair of shoes I just got back from Ferragamo's service showed no actual evidence of reconditioning (it looks like they just waxed and buffed the shoes like any street-side shiner) and a friend who is fond of the Allen Edmonds refinishing service told me that they also pretty much just do the same thing that cobblers do: light wash with soap, pat dry, then wax. (He cited conversations with AE about this, I don't know how accurate the info is.)
So, I was wondering if anyone had experience with whether you can have a "professional" really do a "strip and recoat" treatment on shoes.
