ok, now i'm in trouble (shoe polishing error)

[stickonatree]

so i was polishing my new tramezzas and mindlessly talking on the phone with a friend. without thinking, i had accidentally applied a dark spot somehow on the toecap and i can't seem to get out the polish. i wanted to check the experts here before i do anything else, i can't seem to get this darker brown patch (matte, not glossy) of wax out despite some extreme polishing. i had to cut the conversation short to ponder this problem and post on SF. help? including a blurry pic b/c i don't have enough time to take another one:

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Are you using water or moisture of any kind? Might try just letting it dry, then hitting it with some neutral tomorrow. Thing to remember about polish accidents is they are never permanent. Don't worry about it.

 

[overdog]

I did something similar once when I used too much water while trying to create a mirror shine on my first polish of a shoe. I tried using leather conditioner to remove polish later but the dark spot never came off. I gave up after that and just called it antiquing.

 

[stickonatree]

Originally Posted by overdog

I did something similar once when I used too much water while trying to create a mirror shine on my first polish of a shoe. I tried using leather conditioner to remove polish later but the dark spot never came off. I gave up after that and just called it antiquing.

this is what i'm planning to do too, if RIDER can't help me out!

 

[DocHolliday]

I'm now going to give you Bad Advice. Do not follow this advice if you value your shoes. This is something best left to the professionals. My comments, however, may draw out someone to admonish me and tell you the proper way to remedy your problem.

Once I created a similar spot on a pair of tan shoes during an attempt at poor man's antiquing. Despite all my efforts, I couldn't smooth out the blotch, and it looked terrible. Leather conditioner didn't work, while polishing just made it worse. I hadn't sunk enough into the shoes to make it worthwhile to have them professionally refinished. So, in foolhardy fashion, I wrapped an old T-shirt around my finger, like I was going to polish the shoes, and dipped it ever so lightly into a mixture of alcohol and purified water. Then I very lightly rubbed the dark spot to remove the top layer of finish. It did not take much rubbing at all. I was left with a light spot, so I conditioned it, let it dry, then polished until the spot was gone.

This, of course, could have gone horribly wrong and ruined the finish, or created an even worse blotch, and it probably did the leather no favors. But, in my case, it fixed the problem. If you choose to try this method, however, you do so at your own peril. It's an option of last resort, but better than having a pair of shoes in your closet you can't bring yourself to wear.

All that said, I think you have the right idea in contacting Ron. He'll know the best answer.

 

[stickonatree]

thanks doc, i will hope Ron has a less risky move for me. i will, however, try your method if Ron doesn't have an alternative!

 

[DandySF]

If you find the spot resists your milder efforts at erasing it, you do have the nuclear option of completely stripping the finish off the shoes--plural since you'll need to do the pair to ensure a match. I've done this and was surprised at how quickly it can be done. I approached the task with the realization that I might destroy the C&Js even as I tried to save them. I was lucky that my experiment was a success.

Lincoln Dry Cleaner and Spot Remover can be used to strip off the finish. The powerful smell makes me think it's got to be a carcinogen, or at least capable of modifying stray bits of genetic code.

Although it worked for me, I must insist upon being held harmless if things don't work out quite right.

 

[grimslade]

Pics?

 

[DandySF]

These are the post-op shoes I mentioned, above.

 

[stickonatree]

dandy those look pretty good actually! what was the original color?

 

[Tarmac]

black. just kidding

 

[DandySF]

The before/after appearance is pretty much identical, with the main difference being the absence of the flaking neutral polish.

I vow never again to use neutral polish. It created a flaky, white appearance within the creases.

 

[kaxixi]

Originally Posted by stickonatree

Looks nice. I vote to leave it as is, unless photo is understating the spot.

 

[teddieriley]

i don't think it looks bad, actually. seeing as these are brand new, I advise against trying to do anything too risky with the finish. I can imagine if it absolutely bothers you, but once you start wearing the shoes more, you will care less. When you've beaten them up a bit, then I'd try the stripping, etc.

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

. So, in foolhardy fashion, I wrapped an old T-shirt around my finger, like I was going to polish the shoes, and dipped it ever so lightly into a mixture of alcohol and purified water. Then I very lightly rubbed the dark spot to remove the top layer of finish. It did not take much rubbing at all. I was left with a light spot, so I conditioned it, let it dry, then polished until the spot was gone.

I've done this on a pair of Alden #8 shells that had polish buildup. Worked fine ( like Doc says, it left it light and I had to re-polish. Do Not Try This At Home.