Spoo-liscious Edward Green Crocodile Shoes Restoration Project

Some of you might remember the Edward Green Crocodile shoes listed in Cool Shoes, Paraphernalia & Desiderata - Part II? Well, I was able to persuade my dad to take a chance on them and turn them into one of his projects. He has severe pain management issues and working on a project like this has an amazing therapeutic effect on him. So, he got them a few days ago and has already begun the work of restoring them. I thought it might make for a great before/after thread?

First, they were not as bad as the photos and description suggested. While the leather used at the heel to replace the damaged crocodile was a horrible match, it was done quite neatly along the seam and so can be re-done properly. It just so happens that my dad has a large collection of exotic leather that he keeps just for projects like this one. He has already found what he calls the “perfect match.”

Upon receiving them, he cleaned them up and then dyed the heel patch to match the rest of the shoe. He then treated them with Lexol. After the Lexol he used Saphir dark brown cream and then finished that with Saphir dark brown paste. He also used some Fiebing’s Edge dressing to finish them off. Those are the pictures you see below.

Next, he is going to have the heel patch re-done using some crocodile leather that he has matched to the shoes. He believes it will be difficult to identify the repair if done correctly. When that is completed he is sending them to Edward Green for re-crafting (new soles, heels, and metal toe plate). When he gets them back he says I can offer them here first, so, you might want to watch the progress in this thread?

BEFORE (condition received in):



AFTER (Initial cleaning, polishing, as described above):





More photos to come as the project progresses..........
Edited by LatinStyleLover - 11/3/11 at 4:25pm

I am not certain, but I think he said it was over $100, but under $200? I know he thinks it was a bargain, now that he has them!

I will pass on the cudos, but that really is not the restoration, it is just the initial cleaning, conditioning, and polishing, but it does show what doing those things can do for a pair of shoes.

Ah, then point well taken. Yes, regular care for ones shoes would seem obvious to most on this forum, but it is sad how many outside of this forum think they buy a pair of $1500 Edward Green shoes (I know these were more than that, I am just saying "normal" EG shoes) and then you don't have to do anything to maintain them. On this particular pair, for example, many of us were lamenting the fact that the seller would have pruchased these at one time for, as he claimed, more than $4K only to abuse them in the manner his photos suggested. Fortunately, it was not as bad as his photos indicated and proper care did wonders in bringing them back to life. This is why I and two of my brothers bring our shoes to our dad for "care" when we are in the neighborhood because he does make them look quite nice.

As to Spoo's involvement, which he has already addressed somewhat, Spoo is to croc what the Pope is to Catholicism! A "deep affinity for croc" might be considered minimizing one's obsession.

It is absolutely just the photos. The first photos, prior to being worked on, were clearly taken with a flash because the actual shoes, before any conditioniong or polishing was done, was a very dark brown. The color did not change, other than on the repaired heel area which was darkened to match the rest of the shoe.

Now, this might be wrong, but I am just going on what my 91 year old grandpa has said, and he owned a mens clothing store way back in ancient times, and my dad has confirmed. Straight laces on balmorals--criss-cross on derbies. I still have an open mind on the issue and if one of our experts can provide some verifiable insight to the contrary I might change my position on this, but getting my dad to change his mind would be like getting Repubicans to agree that raising taxes stimulates economic growth while simultaneously getting Democrats to agree that lowering taxes stimulates economic growth. It's not going to happen!