Look of the C&J 337 last

[Tibo]

Originally Posted by medtech_expat

Tibo, just wanted to let you know that Shyam sent me a pair of C&J Chelseas a few weeks ago and there was no VAT charge. Feel free to orderwith abandon!

That's good news ... it's been a while since I've been thinking about ordering a pair of Belgraves, I think the time has come !

 

[sysdoc]

Originally Posted by rajesh06

Well in fairness - she said they come "highly polished." I can't dispute that based on appearance. That said - I think I will follow the advice of the SF and apply cream.
Please do yourself as well as your new pair of shoes a favor and forget the cream - at least for the time being. Applying cream will ruin the original (supposedly high-gloss) polishing and you'll have a good amount of work at your hands to re-establish the shine. I wouldn't know how long it would have to take for the leather of a brand new shoe to "dry out". IMO it's a myth altogether. I've yet to come across a "dried out" shoe in any high-end shoe shop this side of the universe. If you want to make sure your new pair of shoes will be safe from the weather, go and give it a good mirror shine polish. This will make the upper water repellent and the pair will look as perfect as a new pair should.

 

[rajesh06]

Originally Posted by sysdoc

Please do yourself as well as your new pair of shoes a favor and forget the cream - at least for the time being. Applying cream will ruin the original (supposedly high-gloss) polishing and you'll have a good amount of work at your hands to re-establish the shine.


So what do you recomend for maintainance - cream or wax polish?

 

[ATM]

Anyone out there with a US E width foot own a pair of 337 shoes? If so, how did you size down?

 

[billiebob]

I have a US11E foot and couldn't even get the US11.5 size in 337 last to fit. They are way too long and narrow for me. I think this sizing down business is for the narrow-footers.

 

[tiger02]

Originally Posted by billiebob

I have a US11E foot and couldn't even get the US11.5 size in 337 last to fit. They are way too long and narrow for me. I think this sizing down business is for the narrow-footers.
I had a similar experience with Grenson MPs--the Paul Stuart ones no less. Wide American feet seem to have narrow heels, relative to their English brethren. Can't say for sure with the 337.

Tom

 

[sysdoc]

Originally Posted by rajesh06

So what do you recomend for maintainance - cream or wax polish?
As a straight believer in mirror shine I have very little use for cream, unless I use it for a complex antiqueing job that can't be achieved with wax alone. I suggest to use either Avel's Saphir Pate de luxe or Lincoln wax polish. It's required for both mirror shine as well as water proving. Cream is IMO the "lazy man's" shoe care. It's easy to apply and you get a reasonably easy shine that doesn't look too bad. It is water based and thus neither useful to protect your shoe from bad weather, nor capable of allowing a full blown mirror shine. Shoenut might be the best person in the forum to advise us on proper long-term care for shoes. He seems to own shoes that have been made many decades ago. I'd love to hear what he has to say about "dried out" leather and how to fight it.

 

[TKDKid]

Originally Posted by rajesh06

Ended up buying a pair of Westfields in a 9.5EUK (I wear a 10DUS).
I love the Westfield! What colour did you get? I think it looks particularly nice in dark brown.

Re the shoe cream thing, my understanding is that you're not supposed to use shoe cream on shoes that come with antique finishes, because you'd just end up covering up the antiquing. If this is the case, then presumably this would apply to shoes in general. Having said that, it may be that neutral cream or even shoe conditioner is the answer, but I've not used either before so not sure what the effect on antiquing would be.

 

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by sysdoc

Please do yourself as well as your new pair of shoes a favor and forget the cream - at least for the time being. Applying cream will ruin the original (supposedly high-gloss) polishing and you'll have a good amount of work at your hands to re-establish the shine. I wouldn't know how long it would have to take for the leather of a brand new shoe to "dry out". IMO it's a myth altogether. I've yet to come across a "dried out" shoe in any high-end shoe shop this side of the universe.

If you want to make sure your new pair of shoes will be safe from the weather, go and give it a good mirror shine polish. This will make the upper water repellent and the pair will look as perfect as a new pair should.

It is not a "myth." It is the finish, not the leather itself, that dries out. When I was selling shoes, I saw more than one pair whose finish split or crazed upon the first or second wearing, and one of these pairs was Allen Edmonds. These people did not follow our advice to apply a cream.

Cream and wax have very different functions. Wax is a surface treatment that helps protect against liquid damage; cream soaks in to an extent and rejuvinates the finish, mainly with lanolin. It is not at all difficult to rebuild a mirror shine (if, in fact, a mirror shine is your thing). One good waxing over a cream buff will do the trick.

TKDkid, do yourself a favor and DO apply the cream. Maybe your finish won't become problematic, but why on Earth would you take that chance?

 

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by sysdoc

Cream is IMO the "lazy man's" shoe care. It's easy to apply and you get a reasonably easy shine that doesn't look too bad. It is water based and thus neither useful to protect your shoe from bad weather, nor capable of allowing a full blown mirror shine.

This is pure nonesense. First of all, wax is no easier (or harder) to apply. Second, the main function of cream is not "shine." Not everyone here shares your love of the gaudy Berlutti look. Third, creams are not water based, they are lanolin or oil based, with some waxes in there.

 

[sysdoc]

Originally Posted by Teacher

This is pure nonesense. First of all, wax is no easier (or harder) to apply. Second, the main function of cream is not "shine." Not everyone here shares your love of the gaudy Berlutti look. Third, creams are not water based, they are lanolin or oil based, with some waxes in there.
I love it, the modesty, knowledge and eloquency

.

It is the finish, not the leather itself, that dries out. When I was selling shoes, I saw more than one pair whose finish split or crazed upon the first or second wearing, and one of these pairs was Allen Edmonds. These people did not follow our advice to apply a cream.

The finish dries out? The finish split up or (doh?) crazed upon? Is that based on actual research or significant technical or scientific knowledge? Is the "our" in your comment meant as pluralis majestatis?

Not everyone here shares your love of the gaudy Berlutti look.

How nicely put! Methinks that there's plenty else you ain't sharing. Knowledge, experience and manners come to mind ... and in fact lots of shoes SANS split upand crazed upon finish. You don't happen to just be a wise and modest teacher, but also the shareholder of one or several shoe cream labels, do you? Anyway, TKDKid and rajesh06, please do what you think is best and base your future decision on your own experience rather than on the ramblings in this forum. Different to certain others, I don't claim to know it all. Before I'd take any advice out of these fora for gospel, I'd use common sense teamed up with technical knowledge ... ... and who likes this gaudy Berlutti look anyhow ... besides bad boy sysdoc?

 

[Teacher]

Good God, did you get up on the wrong side up bitchy this morning? I notice, sysdoc, that you get offended by pretty much anybody that disagrees with you. You haven't had a problem with finish drying out, so it must not happen. Very logical. Please accept the fact that these things do happen. Your blind prejudices against cream...which I don't understand (and I never advised against wax in any fashion -- I use it myself)...are just odd.

 

[Teacher]

As to the pokes at my language:

"Crazed" is a term used in pottery and refers to a sort of spider-web cracking which develops in a glaze. I was saying that people can develop a crazed pattern (also known as "crazing") in their finish upon the first or second wearing without rejuvinating the finish.

"Our" advice came from me, the owner, the manager, and other employees who offered said advice upon recommendations from Allen Edmonds, Rockport, Florsheim, and perhaps other shoe companies we sold (I don't remember if the others specified it or not).

I know you want desperately to be a high authority, but please try to be civil and recognize the fact that there are others out there who have knowledge as well.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by sysdoc

... and who likes this gaudy Berlutti look anyhow ... besides bad boy sysdoc?

I never said nobody did. I said not everyone did. Please improve your reading efficiency.

 

[sysdoc]

I'm being totally benevolent. Seriously. Now let's see, what have we got here?

Originally Posted by Teacher

This is pure nonesense.

Originally Posted by Teacher

Your blind prejudices against cream...

Originally Posted by Teacher

pokes at my language

Originally Posted by Teacher

I know you want desperately to be a high authority

Originally Posted by Teacher

I notice, sysdoc, that you get offended by pretty much anybody that disagrees with you.
Sounds like projected self-analysis to me and a rather precise one at that. I admit to getting offended when my words are labeled "pure nonsense". There's few who wouldn't. See above for further (clumsy) ad-hominem attacks coming from you.

Originally Posted by Teacher

please try to be civil and recognize the fact that there are others out there who have knowledge as well.
I politely suggest you take some of your own medicine. Other than that, I'm done skirmishing with you. I might not be quite as desperate after all.

 

[rajesh06]

Originally Posted by TKDKid

I love the Westfield! What colour did you get? I think it looks particularly nice in dark brown.

Got the dark brown - haven't worn them yet because I'm still trying to decide how I am going to treat them before I do.