Changing the Color of Black Leather Shoes

[bigbris1]

Originally Posted by bespoke-london

I have tried this technique & as you will see from the photo's it works & I believe that with care, any colour can be achieved.

1...Use Asetone chemical to remove the surface polish. Rub very hard with a cloth / duster. (approx 5 mins per shoe) This will leave the died black leather without a shine surface.
2...Use un-diluted hosehold Bleach to remove colour. Rub very hard with a cloth / duster. Where you want an extra light area, pour the bleach on to the shoe being careful to wipe in quickly to ensure an even area..( if not, it will look streaky) (approx 10 mins per shoe)..I left some areas black so to give a patina look.
3...Leave to dry for an hour or so. (The shoes will smell of bleach for a week or so)
4...To Colour...Use Kiwi Renovating polish on the dry leather & then kiwi polish to create the required shine. I did not use shoe cream as I have found that renovating polish is more of a dye & creams tend to wipe off easily.

I would say that I polished these 10 or so times to achieve the shine I wanted.

I remembered this post & pics when I recently bought a pair of black Chukkas & aim to do the same. Good work.

 

[bellyhungry]



I have tried this technique & as you will see from the photo's it works & I believe that with care, any colour can be achieved.


1...Use Asetone chemical to remove the surface polish. Rub very hard with a cloth / duster. (approx 5 mins per shoe) This will leave the died black leather without a shine surface.

2...Use un-diluted hosehold Bleach to remove colour. Rub very hard with a cloth / duster. Where you want an extra light area, pour the bleach on to the shoe being careful to wipe in quickly to ensure an even area..( if not, it will look streaky) (approx 10 mins per shoe)..I left some areas black so to give a patina look.

3...Leave to dry for an hour or so. (The shoes will smell of bleach for a week or so)

4...To Colour...Use Kiwi Renovating polish on the dry leather & then kiwi polish to create the required shine. I did not use shoe cream as I have found that renovating polish is more of a dye & creams tend to wipe off easily.


I would say that I polished these 10 or so times to achieve the shine I wanted.

Reviving an old thread....

I have a pair of 10 years old Bostonian Classic LWB in black. Given that I don't really wear black shoes a lot, I want to change the color to dark burgundy.

Question for the experts here: I am just wondering if I could skip the bleaching part (step 2 and 3) and only use acetone and red/burgundy shoe polish?

 

[MyOtherLife]

Starting with tan or brown leather gives you a chance but starting from black, at least for my own experiences, has proven a waste of time.

 

[SoGent]

a nooB is wondering about an idea & asking for help and advice.
i'm wodering if it is possible to strip say a top layer of black from a shoe and refinish the area as navy blue.

i realize having a black base will substantially darken virtually any color 'laid' on top of it but what i'm truly after is a fairly high bluer sheen.

anyone have any experience with this ? is it even possible.

 

[Ivar]



a nooB is wondering about an idea & asking for help and advice.
i'm wodering if it is possible to strip say a top layer of black from a shoe and refinish the area as navy blue.

i realize having a black base will substantially darken virtually any color 'laid' on top of it but what i'm truly after is a fairly high bluer sheen.

anyone have any experience with this ?  is it even possible.

I wouldn't worry about the "black base". Shoe dye normally is so thick that it more than covers whatever color the shoes originally had. You have to scrape pretty heavily at the dye for it to crack and reveal the color underneath it. I've dyed two pairs of leather shoes, and they both turned out great.

 

[SoGent]

I wouldn't worry about the "black base". Shoe dye normally is so thick that it more than covers whatever color the shoes originally had. You have to scrape pretty heavily at the dye for it to crack and reveal the color underneath it. I've dyed two pairs of leather shoes, and they both turned out great.

thanks for the reply. have you ever used Saphir recolorant for something like this or just dyed in the wool dye ?

maybe it's just time to take an old pair of black shoes & experiment a little.

 

[Ivar]

Sorry, I don't really know how different products and makers differ. But I can vouch for Tarrago (http://www.tarrago.com/fam/ES/tarrago-products-dyes/287/), whose products are easily found on eBay.

 

[Bertrand]

here is a pair of black shoes i creamed crimson several times and then repeat the next day. at the end i put a mirror polish.
(you cannot put a mirror polish if you just cake or layer cream on the leather like paint, you have to impart the essence of the cream color and buff off the cream. do this several times per day and a few days).

here is how they look under a flash. they dont look like this in natural light (those of you experience taking pictures of shoes with digital camera know).
see how the cream imparted a brownish reddish hue . i repeat, i did not cheat and just paint the cream dried on. or else i cannot get a mirror shine like above. it is imparted color . if you take your finger and run across that toe, you will feel a smooth even surface.

as you can see i tried a john lobb red MUSEUM mottled effect. doesnt look good in flash but in natural light under the mirror polish it is subtle.

Hi Sir sho'nuff ,

your antiquing is fantastic ! what brand of cream polish did you use on the black shoes?

thanks!

 

[Bertrand]

Hi Sir sho'nuff ,

your antiquing is fantastic ! what brand of cream polish did you use on the black shoes?

thanks!