Got me some shell cordovan wingtips! They need a little TLC, tips on restoring them / adding a nice

[SomethingsFishy]

Hi guys! Today I'm happy to say that I grabbed these off the Bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261192014732


YAY SHELL

As you can see, they're a little beaten up and will need some love. My goal is to get the scuffs off the toes, minimize the appearance of wrinkles, and get a pretty patina on them. I was planning to strip old polish with nail polish remover and start re-coloring with a cream polish, focusing on the tips of different areas to get a patina there. I was going to use a darker shade of wax to fill cracks and finish off this patina.

My question is: Is my method sound? Any recommendations for brand of products to use, or techniques to try?

 

[SiegfriedFuerst]

I'd probably start with a leather conditioner before applying anything harsh like nail polish remover, especially on vintage shell, which can crack when mistreated. I don't know how old they are or how they were taken care of but I usually start with 1-2 weeks and 3-4 treatments with conditioner, then put them in shoe trees, strip the old polish, and apply creme polish. Then I'll use a darker wax on the toes if I want a patina'd look.

 

[SomethingsFishy]

Sounds good to me! For a leather conditioner, can I use something more mundane like lexol, or should I invest in something like Saphir Renovateur?

 

[NORE]

Damn OP. You should call SVU.

 

[SomethingsFishy]

Really, you think they're in that bad of shape?

 

[NORE]

 

[T-Lama]

I like how the listing says "gently used". Why not send them back to AE and have them recrafted? Let the professionals do the work. Looks like they have already been recrafted once.

 

[NORE]

I would recommend that you and everyone else spend a bit more, even if that means saving or borrowing, on a brand new pair of shoes and create your own patina. I once went the route of buying used shoes and after 50 or so pair in various states of repair have never been more pleased with the brand new pairs I put my own imprint on. Now I own about a half dozen pairs of shoes and haven't bought a pair in a couple of years.

The time and money you will spend to make those look acceptable along with the purchase price could have scored you a new pair or just about.

 

[New Shoes1]

I don't want to rain on your parade or anything, but . . . I cannot believe you paid $150 for shoes that

Them horses were rode hard and put away wet.

People on SF regulary find fixer-uppers like these for for $50 or less.

 

[SiegfriedFuerst]

They were set to go for around $35, I messaged the seller and told him to relist them as shell for a higher price, guess it worked

 

[mymil]

These shoes are beat to hell. If you're set on saving them, definitely send them to Allen Edmonds for recrafting. But...

 

[Slippybee]



I don't want to rain on your parade or anything, but . . . I cannot believe you paid $150 for shoes that   

Them horses were rode hard and put away wet. 

Yup. That looks like a lot of cash for not so much shoe IMO.

What's a new pair of those kicks going to put you back compared to the time, effort and cost you'll incur in getting those into anything like a presentable condition?

Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[RogerP]

"A little TLC" aint gonna do it. Recrafting is the only answer to the question raised by those beat-to-hell-and-back doggies. By then you may start to look around at what you could have bought for the cost of the shoes plus the cost of recrafting.

 

[New Shoes1]

"A little TLC" aint gonna do it. Recrafting is the only answer to the question raised by those beat-to-hell-and-back doggies. By then you may start to look around at what you could have bought for the cost of the shoes plus the cost of recrafting.

I sincerely feel bad for OP. $150 for the shoes plus $150 to recraft and he has a $300 pair of beat to heck shoes with new soles and someone else's foot sweat still soaked into the insole. For another $100 he could have gotten a brand new pair of the exact same shoe. Seconds, but still a new shoe.

I don't know if I would even spend the money to recraft because it's not like AE can turn water into wine. AE can only do so much with shoes this well worn. Expensive lesson to learn.

 

[SomethingsFishy]

To say the least, this wasn't what I was hoping to hear, but I'll make the best of it. I also may be able to resell them on eBay if it seems completely hopeless.While I am fine investing time, I'm short on cash, so that might be the route I choose.

Thanks for the heads up... ouch.