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Cordovan by Cap'n

capnwes

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SpooPoker asked if he could send me his Shell Cordovan shoes for polishing, since his beautiful collection had outgrown his spare time. I accepted the challenge, and thus this thread, Cordovan by Cap'n, was born.

I will be using this thread to display before and after pictures of the Shell Cordovan shoes I have polished. Click the spoiler to see side by side comparisons.

The first batch of Spoo's Shoes.

Alden Full Strap #8

























Alden for BB Moc Toe





















Crockett & Jones Moc Toe Full Strap
These were a real challenge. The previous owner had covered them in some sort of heavy acrylic lacquer.























Alden for Brook Brothers Cap Toe Balmoral















Vintage Barrie LTD Plain Toe Blucher



















Allen Edmonds "Macneil"



















Limited Edition Wolverine 1000 Mile Cap Toe Boots















Crocket & Jones for Ralph Lauren "Lindrick" Wingtip Boots


























 
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An Acute Style

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Excellent work.
fing02[1].gif
Good luck in your endeavor.
 
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jrd617

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WOW GREAT WORK!

How long does it usually take you to shine a pair of laceups in poor condition you find at a thrift? That must be a ton of elbow grease for each pair
 

capnwes

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In rough shape it can take a few hours. The C&J loafers above took at least 3 maybe closer to 4. They still aren't perfect or like new, but they went from "nearly garbage" to "shoes with a story to tell" and have an interesting patina now.
 

jungleroller

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Nice work! I only have a couple pair of shells but I've nearly broken my arm trying to brush them to any visible results.
 

jrd617

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I found a picture of Capnwes

Must have huge forearms

anatomy_of_popeye_by_esbjornnord-d69prxg.jpg
 

jungleroller

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Was thinking more like this


700
 

razl

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The fact that Spoo let his Lindricks get to this level of shite has lowered him a small notch in my mind. Granted, at least he realized and is addressing it, and props to capn for bringing them back to their former glory as well as making this a great demonstration of how resilient shell is, but part of the point of being a gentlemen is to care for ones things.

Spoo has been known for quickly rampaging through things but to let some highly prized beauties like these (as well as the rest) get this bad doesn't really reflect well. One has to wonder if the Ferrari's oil change and maintenance regimen is as neglected...

1000
 
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jrd617

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Can you take us through the process? Is this a modified mac method? What products do you use?
 

capnwes

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Can you take us through the process? Is this a modified mac method? What products do you use?
I have been shining my own shoes since about the time I could tie them. My father and grandfather were US Marines and they always took pride in their shoes, both quality and appearance, so they taught me at a very young age.

For Shell Cordovan, I use the Mac Method strictly. It can make for a lot of work, but the end result is worth the extra effort.

Here is The Mac Method
1 - Clean shoes with damp cloth
2 - Brush vigorously with a horsehair brush
3 - Buff with smooth cloth
4 - Use wax sparingly after a minimum of fifteen wearings
There is no magic potion involve, the two main ingredients here, are patience and elbow grease. I RARELY use polish for shell cordovan. If I need to used it for a deeper scuff, it is such a small amount to avoid buildup. Never use the cream polish, only the wax type. Never use saddle soap on shell cordovan...unless you want to do 5 times the buffing. It clouds the finish and defeats the purpose altogether. I learned that lesson early on.
 

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