Tried to polish my new shoes, think I might have destroyed them... - Page 3

Please keep posting

Please keep posting

Seriously, this guy is a piece of work.

Can't decide if he is trolling, or just a clueless n00b who's read a few posts on SF and now thinks he's God's gift to the world.

Either way, it's entertaining!

I suspect there's some ignorance if not a bit of posturing at work there.

Fact of the matter, is that a good shoe with a quality leather insole will develop a "footbed" that is topographically a dynamic mirror image of the persons foot--ie. both at rest and during walking. That's no small thing. Indeed, it is the principle aim and ideal of every bespoke maker.

Once the footbed has been created it is not only unique to that person but achieves a level of comfort that no new shoe can replicate short of going through the whole attenuated process all over again. And it will get better with each wearing.

For some people, esp. if they have to be on their feet for long periods of time, an old shoe is the foundation of comfort and even a sense of well being.

Bottom line is that resoling preserves that footbed and extends the life...and hence the investment value and ready comfort...of a shoe. The whole idea behind welted shoes is brilliant when you think about it and nearly the epitome of using the world we live in gently.

Of course, if you're wearing shoes that don't have leather insoles...more and more at every price point...none of this will apply.

Good luck with that...on so many levels.

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Edited by DWFII - 1/21/13 at 7:42am

This is exactly what happened to my shoes - also C&J Maltons.

Tremendous thread; would read again. A+ all round.

Forget the factory reset and just wear the shoes and let them patina in due course. Once you're ready to re-sole, you can always send them back to C&J and request them to treat the uppers.

+1, the difference will blend in over time. I did the same to a pair of my shoes.

Euxeus, a 'factory reset' might be possible, but not very easy. Leather's a porous, fibrous structure, it would be like trying to get a water mark out of cardboard.
 

I can only speak for me, but I would just darken the other toe to match. And like somebody else wisely said, as your shoes age gracefully, you won't notice it so much any more. Again, only in IMO, used shoes that are well cared for, look much, much better than new ones in a box.

My first polish was with a street side shoe shine woman.  She used too much water I think.  The shoes got a little spotty - but the spots were lighter not darker, and were all around the broguing.  I went to the only store in the who city that sells C&J and asked what they can do.  They said it was most likely water and let the shoe dry over a few days and then re-polish.  The saleswoman said I could also strip the polish with one of those commercial strippers.  I went to a shoe repair and he recommended I do nothing as it would probably make it worse if I stripped the layer of polish.

 

I just left it, but continued to rub the excess polish off with a clear cloth, until the finish was matte.  Then went to get another street shine, and this time none of the little spots from before.  I think I must be building up a layer of polish.  The toes on my shoes are really nice and even.  Around the creases, it does appear a little lighter.  I think there is not enough layers around the creases as it is hard for a street shiner to really work the polish in there.

 

Sorry, I do not have time, patience, space to shine my own at home.  So will continue to use the street shiners just ask them to go easy on the water, and live with less than brilliant shoes.  I expect the next time I go, the shoes will look a little nicer as the layers of wax builds up.

And shit like that is why I shine my own shoes.