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

[flaminiom]



I'm preparing to use Allen Edmonds black shoe cream on my Park Avenues for the first time.  I'm pretty new to proper shoe care.  Would I use the cream like a normal polish? IE. applying the cream in circular motions, waiting for it to air dry and then brush the shoe off with a horsehair brush? I'd appreciate any direction here. I'm rather nervous about mucking the process up.

At the bottom of the AE site they have a care link with videos. Also you'll find info inside the Q/A section for the various care products. A good place to start.

 

[Fred G. Unn]



Anyone else have a nice set of brushes?

Well, I use one brush to dust off all my shoes. I keep a separate brushes for polishing the various colours of my shoes ( eg I keep a brown brush for polishing up my brown shoes). All of this works fine with calf leather. I don't know anything about shell. 

This is what I use:

I just use the "black" brush for navy as I don't really have enough navy to need a dedicated brush. The smaller Carmina brush I leave on my dresser and use it for dust at the end of the day, and a quick brush before putting the shoes on in the morning. The Saphir brush is for suede obviously.

 

[rbhan12]

I have two buffing brushes. One is a goat hair brush that is purely for dusting off when I come through the door, and a quick shine before I leave. Then I have a dark bristled horsehair brush that I use to brush off conditioner, cream, etc., when polishing. I wash my dauber brushes that I use for cream with soap and water after each polishing session with cream/conditioner.

 

[EnglishShoes]

Any ideas on this one?

I bought some Tricker's boots with a natural welt and Dainite sole. From the factory, the sole edges look very dull and almost milky/cloudy. I tried applying some Saphir neutral wax which went on nicely but then dried milky again.

Another poster on here has the same boots and he applied a French "cold wax" product which makes the sole edges and welt look really bright and shiny. I can't seem to get that product in the UK though. (see pic)



Do you know of an alternative product that might give the same effect? Ideally with a sealant/water-proofing properties? Feibings Edge Cote has been suggested. Anyone used it?

 

[Kochegar]

Hello,guys!

Need some advice!

I bought a tan pair of shoes and decided to make them little bit darker. I used cognac shoe cream (somewhat darker than original colour, but not so much) and added some mahogany to get the reddish tint. The colour of the shoe became awesome.

The only problem I face is creasing area - area at the vamp is lighter than toe, I can say I get some light stripes at the creasing area. These are darker then original colour but lighter the new shoe colour (shoe cream colour). How could I avoid these stripes without dying the shoes? Will it it be better after 10-20-30 polishes?

Use only shoe cream

Thanks!

 

[Jorge]

This lovely photo comes from @MSAINT

 

[EnglishShoes]

This lovely photo comes from @MSAINT

Indeed. Have I done anything wrong?

 

[ragnr]

How do I deep clean my cordovan? Can I work the shoes with a brush under a running tap? The creasing of my Vass shells have turned darker than the rest of shoe. Alden's guide of cordovan care suggests only a damp cloth, no chemicals. However that doesn't do it.

I also find my Carmina shell far superior to my Vass. My Carminas have developed rolls, while my Vass is creasing. Carmina is in no need of any care while Vass shell turn dull and dry rather fast. Anyone else that share the same experience?

 

[rbhan12]

How do I deep clean my cordovan? Can I work the shoes with a brush under a running tap? The creasing of my Vass shells have turned darker than the rest of shoe. Alden's guide of cordovan care suggests only a damp cloth, no chemicals. However that doesn't do it.

I also find my Carmina shell far superior to my Vass. My Carminas have developed rolls, while my Vass is creasing. Carmina is in no need of any care while Vass shell turn dull and dry rather fast. Anyone else that share the same experience?

Try conditioning your shell if you think it's dry.

 

[ragnr]

Try conditioning your shell if you think it's dry.

I use Saphir's cordovan cream.

Is it possible to strip cordovan?

 

[bdavro23]

This isnt exactly a shoe car question, but I thought the residents here would be the best people to ask: I have a low instep. I have two pair of Vass that I love and are gorgeous, but would benefit from a tongue pad. For reasons that shouldnt need to be detailed, I refuse to put a fetl tongue pad in my Vass, so I am looking for a good cobbler/ leather worker who can put a small pad INSIDE the tongue. Thoughts on who could do that and do it well?

Alternatively, I would be open to putting a leather tongue pad in place. Why doesnt that exist? We should make that product: Premium leather tongue pads...

 

[rbhan12]

This isnt exactly a shoe car question, but I thought the residents here would be the best people to ask: I have a low instep. I have two pair of Vass that I love and are gorgeous, but would benefit from a tongue pad. For reasons that shouldnt need to be detailed, I refuse to put a fetl tongue pad in my Vass, so I am looking for a good cobbler/ leather worker who can put a small pad INSIDE the tongue. Thoughts on who could do that and do it well?

Alternatively, I would be open to putting a leather tongue pad in place. Why doesnt that exist? We should make that product: Premium leather tongue pads...

Buy some cheap leather from amazon, or cut up an old crappy leather shoe you haven't thrown out yet and duct-tape some leather to the tongue and see how it works. In my experience duct-tape holds pretty well, but if you want an even tighter fit use barge cement or something of the sort. Very easy DIY, no need to send to a cobbler for this.

 

[Fred G. Unn]



For reasons that shouldnt need to be detailed, I refuse to put a fetl tongue pad in my Vass, so I am looking for a good cobbler/ leather worker who can put a small pad INSIDE the tongue. Thoughts on who could do that and do it well?

Alternatively, I would be open to putting a leather tongue pad in place. Why doesnt that exist? We should make that product: Premium leather tongue pads...

I assume if anyone could do that, and it's a reasonably good idea to actually do, then B. Nelson could. Paging @Nick V., who will probably have an answer for you.

 

[cbfn]

This is better than the felt option:

http://www.skolyx.se/ilaggssulor/299-pedag-supra-ploeskudde.html#/storlek-herr_large_x_large

 

[Munky]

This is better than the felt option:

http://www.skolyx.se/ilaggssulor/299-pedag-supra-ploeskudde.html#/storlek-herr_large_x_large

cbfn. Unfortunately, the site says that the felt pad is no longer available.