Cordovan Deer Bone Question

[JFWR]

Dear everyone,

I have friends of mine who frequently hunt deer. Would it be possible to get a deer bone from them and use it to polish cordovan? Or are these bones specially treated (through impregnation of neetsfoot oil?) by the manufacturers of the product? Would it be possible to impregnate a deer bone with neetsfoot oil to achieve the same effect?

 

[daizawaguy]

I would think its natural, or else they would use another or any bone....but maybe wrong...

 

[JFWR]

I would think its natural, or else they would use another or any bone....but maybe wrong...

I'm hoping yes, but I do have a lot of neetsfeet oil if no.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I don’t get the whole deer bone thing anyway. If you’re going to be it, just buy one already prepped for such work. The last thing you need is a magnet for bacteria sitting in one of your drawers.

 

[JFWR]

I don’t get the whole deer bone thing anyway. If you’re going to be it, just buy one already prepped for such work. The last thing you need is a magnet for bacteria sitting in one of your drawers.

I don't think a bone would be that bacteria ridden.

 

[brax]

My father in law hunts. My deer bone came from one of his adventures.

 

[dieworkwear]

The deer bone thing is an online myth that started with an ASW video back in something like 2012. Years later, I asked Kelani, the woman in the video, about it and she said she doesn't use deer bones on shoes. Or even recommends using it. She was asked to "demonstrate" the technique in the video because Will was selling deer bones in his store.

At best, rubbing a deer bone on your shoes does nothing. At worst, the uneven surface on the bone will mar the surface of the leather.

A couple of West End bespoke shoemakers have told me that deer bones are only used for waxed calf riding boots. It's doubtful anyone here would ever have such a pair of shoes.

The whole deer bone thing is the iGent version of denim guys going out into the salty ocean to wash their jeans and then rolling around in the sand for fades.

 

[dieworkwear]

Here is the original ASW video that was published in like 2011. Again, Kelani never even used deer bones before this. This was just a marketing stunt.

At worst, if the surface of the bone is uneven, which is not an uncommon thing, you can mar the surface of your shoes.





Here is a close up of a pair of waxed calf riding boots. The surface of this leather is fibrous, meaning fibers normally stick up everywhere. To get the fibers to stay down, the shoemaker applies some polish and then compresses the material with a deer bone. Very few people on this board will have this sort of shoe. You also need to have lasted boot trees inside for this to work.

An example from Horace Batten's page: "Before you start boning your boots, you must first ensure they are wax calf leather as boning box calf will damage the grain surface and ruin your boots."

Deer Bones For Wax Calf Horace Batten

Made to measure riding boots, bespoke riding boot maker Northamptonshire. Riding boot manufacturer, polo boots, hunting boots, wax calf riding boots, equestrian boot manufacturer. Quality riding footwear made in England

www.horacebatten.com

 

[Phileas Fogg]

The whole deer bone thing is the iGent version of denim guys going out into the salty ocean to wash their jeans and then rolling around in the sand for fades.

I thought that was to dye their balls blue. Boy was I wrong!

 

[JFWR]

Here is the original ASW video that was published in like 2011. Again, Kelani never even used deer bones before this. This was just a marketing stunt.

At worst, if the surface of the bone is uneven, which is not an uncommon thing, you can mar the surface of your shoes.





Here is a close up of a pair of waxed calf riding boots. The surface of this leather is fibrous, meaning fibers normally stick up everywhere. To get the fibers to stay down, the shoemaker applies some polish and then compresses the material with a deer bone. Very few people on this board will have this sort of shoe. You also need to have lasted boot trees inside for this to work.


View attachment 1385116

View attachment 1385117


An example from Horace Batten's page: "Before you start boning your boots, you must first ensure they are wax calf leather as boning box calf will damage the grain surface and ruin your boots."

Deer Bones For Wax Calf Horace Batten

Made to measure riding boots, bespoke riding boot maker Northamptonshire. Riding boot manufacturer, polo boots, hunting boots, wax calf riding boots, equestrian boot manufacturer. Quality riding footwear made in England

www.horacebatten.com

Deer bone for shell cordovan shoes

Now I get my first shell cordovan shoes, I think I'll need those bones that people were talking about for polishing and smoothing creases on shell cordovan shoes. Any suggestion where to get those bones?

www.styleforum.net

This post predates the video by 7 years.

Furthermore, there is a will of a Saxon leather worker that includes mention of his deer bones he is giving to his heirs for the care and maintenance of cordovan leather, which was popular amongst the Goths and was widely used at the time.

I mean, it might be a fad, but it doesn't seem to be made up in 2011.

 

[JFWR]

I thought that was to dye their balls blue. Boy was I wrong!

 

[dieworkwear]

Deer bone for shell cordovan shoes

Now I get my first shell cordovan shoes, I think I'll need those bones that people were talking about for polishing and smoothing creases on shell cordovan shoes. Any suggestion where to get those bones?

www.styleforum.net

This post predates the video by 7 years.

Furthermore, there is a will of a Saxon leather worker that includes mention of his deer bones he is giving to his heirs for the care and maintenance of cordovan leather, which was popular amongst the Goths and was widely used at the time.

I mean, it might be a fad, but it doesn't seem to be made up in 2011.

What do you think the deer bone does on shell cordovan?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I mean, it might be a fad, but it doesn't seem to be made up in 2011.

Neither was ******, pillage and plunder....

 

[dieworkwear]

The deer bone story was definitely around before the ASW video, but it didn't really take off until the ASW video. Here's an old thread on AAAC about it. Unsurprisingly, Bengal Stripe, who's one of the more knowledgable and level headed people on here about shoes, notes that this is only meant for waxed calf.

Deer bone?!?

Good folks, I know that, several decades ago, deer bone was used for polishing shoes; it's still for sale on at least one website I've visited. How on earth does one polish a shoe with a deer bone? Is it worth it?

askandyaboutclothes.com

On the SF thread linked earlier, some members cite John Lobb London and Horace Batten as authorities on this subject. Nicholas Templeman, who previously worked as a lastmaker at JL, told me this is only used for waxed calf. The owners of Batten told me the same.

The theories I've read on this:

1. The deer bone imparts oils. The deer bone I bought was bone dry (no pun intended). A year or two later, I once saw two shipment boxes full of deer bones intended for use on shoes. They were also bone dry.

2. The deer bone helps get rid of scuffs. Possibly, but so will anything else you use to help rub a scuff. You can use a horsehair brush or even just your fingers.

3. The deer bone helps smooth out rolls. Also possible because you're just pressing the rolls down. Again, you could use anything in this case for that, including beer bottles, spoons, or your hand. But these rolls will return the minute you wear your shoes again.

I think people buy into this stuff because it sounds fun. And certainly, if you're just having fun with it, by all means, have fun. But you are just rubbing a deer bone on a pair of shoes. You could just as easily rub KFC chicken bones. They're oilier and are infused with 21 essential herbs and spices.

 

[bengal-stripe]

Here is an even older thread from this august forum:

While we're talking shoes: "bone polishing"

Flusser talks about the "bone polished" shoes worn by the Italians, and I've found a reference in a Harvard Magazine article to a former president of Harvard wearing bone polished shoes, but I've been able to turn up nothing else about this topic. Does anybody have any information...

www.styleforum.net

I haven't got much to add to my reply back then.

Shell cordovan is very sensitive to pressure from above, that's the reason why you can see frequently the marks of the sewing machine wheel in the leather. But you can also remove scratches and dents by using shoe polish (as lubrication) and a hard tool. A teaspoon is fine, also the hardwood handle or a hammer. The classic deer bone is said to have additional lubrication through natural oils. I have a deer bone (somewhere, I would have to find it) which is maybe 20 years old, no idea whether there are any natural oils left.

The ability to remove, with a degree of luck, damage from the surface of shell cordovan is very valuable one. Can't be done with calf leather. If a deer bone is the only tool for that purpose, I consider questionable.