**The Official Shoe Care Thread: Tutorials, Photos, etc.**

[Gdot]



I thought the general consensus here was to NOT leave the Reno on for too long as it could be difficult to get off.

The pictogram on the jar says to wait 3 minutes. It will be hard, but not impossible, to buff it down if left on overnight without brushing/buffing first.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I thought the general consensus here was to NOT leave the Reno on for too long as it could be difficult to get off.

Yes.

My understanding is Venetian shoe cream (small amounts) works well on shell.  A quick rub and then brushing (lots) and a final buff.

I hate the ****. It is like paint on the creases, cracks all up. I wouldn't use it on anything. Reno, or Cordovan polish from Saphir, no more questions.

what does it mean if a lot of the polish is coming off on the conditioning rag?

Nothing. It is normal.

The pictogram on the jar says to wait 3 minutes. It will be hard, but not impossible, to buff it down if left on overnight without brushing/buffing first.

Yep.

 

[SHS]



Permanent Style has this on Corthay event in London:
http://www.permanentstyle.co.uk/2012/02/
Lear

I thought the general consensus here was to NOT leave the Reno on for too long as it could be difficult to get off.

Reno shouldn't sit too long, but cream is apparently recommended to sit overnight?

 

[patrickBOOTH]



Reno shouldn't sit too long, but cream is apparently recommended to sit overnight?

No. Not recommended, but it is easier to get off than reno.

 

[Winston S.]



I thought the general consensus here was to NOT leave the Reno on for too long as it could be difficult to get off.

D'oh! Really? I don't think I've had issues before, but maybe I am not getting all of it off.

 

[Bear]

Is there a consensus with Reno - does it darken the shoe or will the shoe color restore after drying?

 

[mymil]

Background: Some people have claimed that shell cordovan "bloom" (a white residue that appears on the surface of the leather) is somehow linked to water or solutes in water trapped in the leather. Inspired by patrick_b's incredibly detailed tutorial on mirror shining, I did an experiment with my shell boots to see if drying time between wiping them clean and beginning to condition them has any effect on the amount they bloom.

Methods: On two separate occasions I went through my entire routine (cleaning, boning, Reno'ing, brushing, buffing). The first time I allowed them to dry 30 minutes after cleaning, the second 24 hours.

Results: 12 hours later, they bloomed an equally small amount.

Discussion: I guess it doesn't matter how long you let them dry beyond 30 minutes. But since I dry them immediately after wiping them down, there probably isn't much water that needs to evaporate in the first place. Or maybe bloom has nothing to do with water. Either way, a little extra buffing with a soft cloth takes care of everything.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



Background: Some people have claimed that shell cordovan "bloom" (a white residue that appears on the surface of the leather) is somehow linked to water or solutes in water trapped in the leather. Inspired by patrick_b's incredibly detailed tutorial on mirror shining, I did an experiment with my shell boots to see if drying time between wiping them clean and beginning to condition them has any effect on the amount they bloom.

Methods: On two separate occasions I went through my entire routine (cleaning, boning, Reno'ing, brushing, buffing). The first time I allowed them to dry 30 minutes after cleaning, the second 24 hours.

Results: 12 hours later, they bloomed an equally small amount.

Discussion: I guess it doesn't matter how long you let them dry beyond 30 minutes. But since I dry them immediately after wiping them down, there probably isn't much water that needs to evaporate in the first place. Or maybe bloom has nothing to do with water. Either way, a little extra buffing with a soft cloth takes care of everything.

Bloom has nothing to do with water. It is just the separation of the oils at the flex point. It is normal.

Btw, I never wipe my shell clean with a damp rag, just a dry cloth. I don't really understand why one does it, especially if they are going to reno them. Why put water on shoes? Water is generally the enemy.

 

[mymil]

Bloom has nothing to do with water. It is just the separation of the oils at the flex point. It is normal.
Btw, I never wipe my shell clean with a damp rag, just a dry cloth. I don't really understand why one does it, especially if they are going to reno them. Why put water on shoes? Water is generally the enemy.

That's what I've always thought---but since some people have made that claim (I've seen it, I swear), why not test it to know for sure?

My logic behind using a very slightly damp rag is that I imagine it helps to remove anything on the surface of the shoe by dissolving (and then wiping away) anything water-soluble. Is it really a little water that is the enemy, or that which is dissolved in water?

 

[patrickBOOTH]



That's what I've always thought---but since some people have made that claim (I've seen it, I swear), why not test it to know for sure?

My logic behind using a very slightly damp rag is that I imagine it helps to remove anything on the surface of the shoe by dissolving (and then wiping away) anything water-soluble. Is it really a little water that is the enemy, or that which is dissolved in water?

That is what reno does while conditioning. Why use water that is drying? I think if anything it is more harmful (albeit little) than helpful.

 

[Gdot]

I never use a damp cloth on shoes unless they have something on them that won't come off with brushing.

My dress shoes rarely see wet or mud or anything as unseemly as the actual out of doors however. They are pampered little babies. When they do encounter mud or some other smudge that won't come off with a brushing then a quick wipe with a damp cloth seems the best option.

In any case - a little swipe with a damp rag is not going to do any harm. But is certainly not a part of my normal routine as it serves no purpose.

As to the bloom in shell. It's a good thing - it shows that the hide is full of wax and oils that are coming up to the surface. New shell shoes that do not 'bloom' should be moisturized, no?

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I never use a damp cloth on shoes unless they have something on them that won't come off with brushing.
My dress shoes rarely see wet or mud or anything as unseemly as the actual out of doors however. They are pampered little babies. When they do encounter mud or some other smudge that won't come off with a brushing then a quick wipe with a damp cloth seems the best option.
In any case - a little swipe with a damp rag is not going to do any harm. But is certainly not a part of my normal routine as it serves no purpose.
As to the bloom in shell. It's a good thing - it shows that the hide is full of wax and oils that are coming up to the surface. New shell shoes that do not 'bloom' should be moisturized, no?

+1 Sometimes a smudge of something that wont come off with brushing reno does the trick. It's powerful stuff.

 

[Gdot]



+1 Sometimes a smudge of something that wont come off with brushing reno does the trick. It's powerful stuff.

You'd probably put Reno on a pimple wouldn't you? Or do you do Windex for that?

 

[patrickBOOTH]



You'd probably put Reno on a pimple wouldn't you? Or do you do Windex for that?

Renomat

 

[Gdot]