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

[UglyJoe]

No insight other than what others have posted- Saphir Reno consists mostly of natural waxes etc (and that is their biggest advantage over normal conditioners). Using other waxes/polishes with normal chemicals would cancel out the effect of using reno? Not based on my own personal experience or views...

So... Saphir wax or cream?

Wax for the toe cap/heel, cream everywhere else. You don't want a lot of wax anyplace you get a lot of flexing in the shoe, unless micro-fissures in the wax layer is something you like.

 

[Hampton]

I have a pair of G&G Cambridge ''vintage oak'' what color cream from Saphir shall I use on them? And the toe is little black black wax polish there?

 

[cbfn]

I would use medium brown cream and dark brown polish.

 

[Hampton]

I would use medium brown cream and dark brown polish.

Thanks Mr!

 

[cbfn]

No problem. You may want to blend in some mahogany to give it some reddish patina. That said, I'm no master in this at all, maybe someone more educated have better advice.

 

[Stirling]

I COULD buy both and experiment, but this stuff is pretty expensive, especially if I jump for multiple colors.

I really loathe this mentality. If you can spend hundreds of pounds/dollars on a pair of shoes, why can't you spend a little more on products to look after your shoes???

Reminds me of little boys who go out & buy high value cars, but then can't afford to put fuel in them & maintain them properly.

 

[rootskier]

Will burgundy shell get lighter or darker in time and with the sun? I have some new AE Macneils which I really like but expected to be lighter. Without doing anything crazy, is there anything I can do to help along the development of a more varied patina?

 

[well-kept]

They'll lighten with exposure to direct sun. Each piece of shell has its own personailty and will age a bit differently than any other. No need to use any colored polish or cream, in my experience. Just brush and buff. And enjoy.

 

[SHS]



So... Saphir wax or cream?

Cream.

 

[paskaldjay]

I saw on youtube there's a new shoe shine lounge in Tokyo like Yuya Hasegawa's Brift H & it's named Kutty or something. The tagline of the Italian Shoe Bar or something & yes, japanese know well about making something 'European' include this place
Seems like Shoe Care/Shining emerge in Japan. I wondered maybe Japanese stock Saphir more than France itself, every shoe care shop carry em !

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I saw on youtube there's a new shoe shine lounge in Tokyo like Yuya Hasegawa's Brift H & it's named Kutty or something. The tagline of the  Italian Shoe Bar or something & yes, japanese know well about making something 'European' include this place
Seems like Shoe Care/Shining emerge in Japan. I wondered maybe Japanese stock Saphir more than France itself, every shoe care shop carry em !

Supposedly a lot of the guys make their own polishes.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



Wax for the toe cap/heel, cream everywhere else. You don't want a lot of wax anyplace you get a lot of flexing in the shoe, unless micro-fissures in the wax layer is something you like.

Saphir wax and cream have almost identical ingredients. They are both beeswax, just a different binder. The thinking that "cream" polish doesn't contain wax is misled.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

Does that then mean you can get a high shine with cream as well?

 

[UglyJoe]

Saphir wax and cream have almost identical ingredients. They are both beeswax, just a different binder. The thinking that "cream" polish doesn't contain wax is misled.

This is true, but in my experience the binder makes all the difference. Creams don't set the same was as wax polishes do, at least in my experience. It's much more difficult to get a mirror shine and to build up several protective layers with a cream than with a wax polish, again in my experience. I still hold to my advice of "wax" on the top cap and heel, cream everywhere else.

EDIT: I guess I should note that I usually use cream on the whole shoe for 2-3 layers, buff and let the cream set for a while, then bull the toe with wax and put a couple of layers of wax on the heel as well, so I guess technically I suggest cream everywhere, wax on the toe/heel.

 

[david3558]

Quick question: on a shoe like the EG Dover, what kind of 'finish' is appropriate? I don't know how shiny I need to get them - they're on the 606 last, Dark Oak.