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

[Emil S]

The polish on the toe cap was applied directly after the shoe was cleaned with Saphir Renomat and conditioned with Renovateur. So not sure why the polish won't take in those areas.

Did you clean the new pair with renomat and only used renovateur before applying the polish?
I would recommend using renovateur, followed by Pommadier (at least 2 layers) and then polish. Remember to let the shoe rest in between so it can absorb the products. If you just applied some renovateur you might have gone through the leather straight with the polish depending how hard you cleaned with renomat.

 

[Michael81]

After cleaning with Renomat I let the shoes sit for 24 hours before applying the Renovateur. I polished them several days after that; first with Pommadier and then Pate de Luxe. Maybe I should have added another layer, but I was otherwise pretty cautious. I guess I'll have to try again. But it's a pretty poor showing for shoes that are less than 6 months old. Hopefully they can be saved.

 

[Emil S]

After cleaning with Renomat I let the shoes sit for 24 hours before applying the Renovateur. I polished them several days after that; first with Pommadier and then Pate de Luxe. Maybe I should have added another layer, but I was otherwise pretty cautious. I guess I'll have to try again. But it's a pretty poor showing for shoes that are less than 6 months old. Hopefully they can be saved.

I absolutely think its possible to solve, be sure also to not use to much/to little water when applying the polish to avoid spots similar to the one you got.

 

[ace13x]

I happened to look inside my shoes today. I noticed some powdery green substance (mold) in the bottom of the toe area. They are from C&J and I use their shoe trees (wood), putting them in the shoes almost as soon as I take them off. Which I would have thought would dried them out. Obviously, with shoe trees in there is no air circulating. I hope/think I have cleared the mold.

What is the best way to avoid this happening again? Should I not use shoe trees?

As @benhour said, use unfinished cedar trees. Also, let the shoes air out for 15-30 minutes before inserting the trees if your feet perspire a lot.

Not sure what method you used to remove the mold, but you may want to consider a wiping the interior with an alcohol wipe then a light conditioner if you haven't already.

 

[ace13x]

After cleaning with Renomat I let the shoes sit for 24 hours before applying the Renovateur. I polished them several days after that; first with Pommadier and then Pate de Luxe. Maybe I should have added another layer, but I was otherwise pretty cautious. I guess I'll have to try again. But it's a pretty poor showing for shoes that are less than 6 months old. Hopefully they can be saved.

Just my $ 0.02.

I would try removing all wax, then using a heavily pigmented cream like AE's shoe cream (I think its made by Collonil so you can check there fore a closer color match). Then polish/wax. If that fails, you could try contacting the manufacturer to see if they can refinish.

 

[PParker ESQ]

After cleaning with Renomat I let the shoes sit for 24 hours before applying the Renovateur. I polished them several days after that; first with Pommadier and then Pate de Luxe. Maybe I should have added another layer, but I was otherwise pretty cautious. I guess I'll have to try again. But it's a pretty poor showing for shoes that are less than 6 months old. Hopefully they can be saved.

You have had a pair of new shoes for 6 months and decided to clean them with renomat (a harsh chemical stripper), what on earth for? You seem to be blaming the quality of the shoes rather than your own actions for the damage where it seems to me that you have destroyed the original finish by using a product that really wasn’t necessary.

It really confuses me why people use this product for anything other than recolouring projects where the finish needs to be stripped away. It has no business in regular shoe care and is more trouble than its worth.

You should be able to correct it by building the finish back up but Id chalk this one up to experience, leave the renomat alone.

 

[Michael81]

This is the only pair of shoes I've had these kinds of problems with and the only one I have cleaned with Renomat. I used it because discolouration had been developing on the toe caps. It wasn't going away with regular polishing and was getting worse. I also wanted to remove water damage which had been sustained during the first wear despite being thoroughly polished with cream and wax beforehand.

I know Renomat is strong, but I thought it was worth a try because their condition was getting worse despite regular care. But hopefully the damage can be repaired.

 

[Nat Jag]

As @benhour said, use unfinished cedar trees. Also, let the shoes air out for 15-30 minutes before inserting the trees if your feet perspire a lot.

Not sure what method you used to remove the mold, but you may want to consider a wiping the interior with an alcohol wipe then a light conditioner if you haven't already.

Great suggestion about the alcohol wipe and conditioner. I'll do that after the weekend.

 

[Munky]

I wonder what has happened to that nice Patrick Booth. Perhaps he has joined a new-age community in northern Canada and is wearing home-made moccasins. Very best wishes, Patrick. Munky.

 

[ace13x]

Great suggestion about the alcohol wipe and conditioner. I'll do that after the weekend.

It's basically standard practice on the Vintage Shoe thread, since those shoes are of unknown history. Some also use an ultraviolet shoe insert that does a pretty good job of sanitizing and deodorizing. A pretty good investment if you have sweaty feet.

 

[Churchill W]

You have had a pair of new shoes for 6 months and decided to clean them with renomat (a harsh chemical stripper), what on earth for? You seem to be blaming the quality of the shoes rather than your own actions for the damage where it seems to me that you have destroyed the original finish by using a product that really wasn’t necessary.

It really confuses me why people use this product for anything other than recolouring projects where the finish needs to be stripped away. It has no business in regular shoe care and is more trouble than its worth.

You should be able to correct it by building the finish back up but Id chalk this one up to experience, leave the renomat alone.

Agree with you on this. I bought a bottle of Renomat years ago and have yet to find an occasion to use it yet.

 

[Munky]

Please, guys, go easy on the Renomat. If you feel compelled to use it, it may be time to tip it down the sink. M.

 

[Luigi_M]

Again, good advice by Munky on Renomat.
Truth be told, he and other gentlemen here gave such warning several times, but theirs appear to be vox clamans in deserto and every now and then someone screws his shoes with the chemical.
(I know too well this: I myself overstripped a pair of shoes - with mineral spirit, go figure - and had trouble in recovering it).

I never used Renomat but I gathered wisdom about it on several pages of this Thread.

Of course Renomat might have uses, but it's not the panachea many seem to believe it is, and the majority of possible troubles to shoes are better treated in different, simpler and gentler ways.

- Your shoes got whitish stains from rain? Try patrickBOOTH method and gently rub a solution of vinegar and water on the stain.
- Your shoes have too much polish on them? Try brushing them well and thoroughly, if it doesn't work try with a cloth, maybe just dampened in water: don't rub with too much force and don't insist for too long on a single spot but try to go evenly all around the shoe. Better than all, slowly learn by trial and error to use the tiniest amount of cream, as all the experts do and did.
- You peeled the leather on your shoes? Renomat will not do any good: don't use it.

When I sneeze, I don't immediately take a triple dose of antibiothics.

Be aware that nowadays many shoes, to meet a fashion that I find questionable, are given a "patina" in the factory, i.e. they are painted with colors that, while maybe attractive to someone, aren't the true colors of the leather but a micrometric layer of paint that lies on the top but doesn't penetrate and therefore it's veery prone to get removed.
To use Renomat on such a finish (that BTW is charged at premium $$$ on the buyer) means removing it.
If one is lucky and removes the patina uniformly, he just throws down the WC the money spent on a fashionable finish.
If one is unlucky, he screws his shoes and all the money spent on them.

Again, as always, mine is the dilettante opinion - just my € 0,01. Experts will offer better and ampler advice.
Best wishes to all, and may you all wear out many many pair of shoes. Luigi.

 

[ap10046]

Guys, Help me please...
I wanted to get a burnished effect toe on one of my Vintage Pine pairs.
So I used a dark brown Saphir cream polish and rubbed it in, let it sit and buffed it off.
Looked awesome and I was very pleased with it too...until I wanted more shine and used some brown Saphir Wax. I gently dabbed it on and it stripped all the "burnishing" polish off before I even got down to buffing them...!?!
Why? How do you lot do it then?

 

[PParker ESQ]

Guys, Help me please...
I wanted to get a burnished effect toe on one of my Vintage Pine pairs.
So I used a dark brown Saphir cream polish and rubbed it in, let it sit and buffed it off.
Looked awesome and I was very pleased with it too...until I wanted more shine and used some brown Saphir Wax. I gently dabbed it on and it stripped all the "burnishing" polish off before I even got down to buffing them...!?!
Why? How do you lot do it then?

Although using the cream may have looked like it had penetrated the leather, it hasnt. Most of that colour would be sitting on top of the leather, that was then displaced by the wax which will have in turn transferred onto your cloth.
The principle is correct of using a cream to burnish but this is going to take much longer to fully penetrate and absorb into the leather, it wont happen over night or with a couple of applications. Just keep up with what you are doing and eventually you will find that the colour takes more permanently. Simply a matter of persistence. Hope that helps.