New oxfords won't hold wax polish.

[WalkingHammers]

Recently bought a pair of black AE Strands. This is my first pair of non-bookend leather shoes so I wanted to try using wax polish somewhere inconspicuous. I put a tiny dab of Saphir black wax polish on the instep with a cotton cloth and rubbed it out so it was smooth and not caked or anything, then left it overnight. Next day I gently brushed the spot with a horsehair brush and buffed with a clean cloth. There doesn't look to be any difference what I polished and what I didn't. Do new shoes come too heavily polished to add a layer of wax or am I not doing something right? I do know that wax should be put on very lightly or not at all in areas that flex like the vamp.

 

[Crispyj]

Recently bought a pair of black AE Strands. This is my first pair of non-bookend leather shoes so I wanted to try using wax polish somewhere inconspicuous. I put a tiny dab of Saphir black wax polish on the instep with a cotton cloth and rubbed it out so it was smooth and not caked or anything, then left it overnight. Next day I gently brushed the spot with a horsehair brush and buffed with a clean cloth. There doesn't look to be any difference what I polished and what I didn't. Do new shoes come too heavily polished to add a layer of wax or am I not doing something right? I do know that wax should be put on very lightly or not at all in areas that flex like the vamp.

Need water to get shine. How much did you put? Only need very thin layers to build up a shine. Also I wouldn't use horse hair brush while you're trying to polish the shoe.

This is done in 30min with 3 layers.

 

[dieworkwear]

Personally don't like a mirror shine and find that polish only makes a big difference after the shoes have been worn for a while. When the leather has become dull, a cream or wax polish can really revive the material.

Wax only makes a noticeable difference on new shoes if you've done a mirror shine. When you do this, pay attention to whether you like the look of mirror-polished shoes in an outfit, not just how the shoes look sitting on your floor.

 

[johng70]

Even if you don't put a mirror shine on the new shoes, I prefer to put a couple coats of wax on them. As mentioned, they won't look noticeably different but that wax is also a layer of protection. Scuffs brush out much easier and it provides more water resistance. If you're not going for a noticeable shine, you know it's time to re-apply the wax when the scuffs don't brush out easily anymore. If you prefer shine, then as often as you need to in order to keep the shine you want (keeping in mind that brushing before or after each wear is the best maintenance)