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LLEE

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Happy New Years everyone,
Just a quick question regarding Saphir Renovateur, sorry if I've missed it discussed already. On a pair of Ferragamo monks I've been working on, in a mildly impaired state I started applying Renovateur to the one shoe I had already fully worked and had looking beautiful. It pulled up alot of the pigments from the creme I had been using and left quite an unsightly mess. I was able to buff and redo the creme to achieve the look I had without too much trouble, but is this a normal occurrence? Or perhaps just a case of the creme not having been totally set into the leather? Last coat of creme was applied about 3 days before my accidental re-renovateur application.
Reason I ask is I have a few pairs that have some solid colour work, wondering if an occasional treatment of renovateur might not be a good idea.
Cheers!
 

benhour

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Happy new year to every Lady and Gentleman!! I wish all of you from the bottom of my heart health luck happiness and everything you wish for!!

@LLEE Renovateur is a cleaner-conditioner so it is normal to remove previously applied polish
 

bik2101

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any tips on how I can best fix these up? AE cordovan wingtips

2018-01-03 08.58.45.jpg
 

benhour

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any tips on how I can best fix these up? AE cordovan wingtips

View attachment 901721
You can use a cleaner first remove any dirt and old polish!! The discolouration is due to the removal of the factory finish!!! Then use the back of a big spoon and push down the raised fibres ( very light pressure and circular motion) !! finally use a slightly darker shade of polish to cover it up (preferably cordovan dedicated product)
 

bik2101

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You can use a cleaner first remove any dirt and old polish!! The discolouration is due to the removal of the factory finish!!! Then use the back of a big spoon and push down the raised fibres ( very light pressure and circular motion) !! finally use a slightly darker shade of polish to cover it up (preferably cordovan dedicated product)

thanks! will try. any recommended cleaner?
I have renovateur, lexol and venetian shoe cream. tbh idk which of them are cleaners or conditioners.
 

benhour

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thanks! will try. any recommended cleaner?
I have renovateur, lexol and venetian shoe cream. tbh idk which of them are cleaners or conditioners.
Renovateur will do the trick for you!! (Venetian cream is not a cleaner and Lexol depends on the product you have)
 

TheForeigner

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Just a little update here on my problem with my recently acquired Edward Green Dovers. A few weeks ago I posted a picture showing some cracking in what some very knowledgeable forum members pointed out is an acrylic top layer applied by the manufacturer. With this cracking I lost the appetite to wear this pair, but every few time I worn them since I noticed that wherever the leather bends the top layer/finish seemed to be cracking. Especially around the creases above the toe the cracking would be particularly pronounced which of course accentuates the creases, making the shoes look much older and more decrepit (which is why I’ve only worn them a few times since last post). I wore them again yesterday to a restaurant (it was snowing outside) - when I wiped them off with a cloth afterwards it seemed like the acrylic top layer just peeled off. It appears to me now that if I ever want these shoes to be wearable again I need to strip them. What would be the safest way forward? Or would you recommend talking to the manufacturer?

B00A424B-406F-4B06-A485-9CAB04917334.jpeg
DE2D6E0D-8B4B-4474-9D26-7861C080A147.jpeg
 

Article 26

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Just a little update here on my problem with my recently acquired Edward Green Dovers. A few weeks ago I posted a picture showing some cracking in what some very knowledgeable forum members pointed out is an acrylic top layer applied by the manufacturer. With this cracking I lost the appetite to wear this pair, but every few time I worn them since I noticed that wherever the leather bends the top layer/finish seemed to be cracking. Especially around the creases above the toe the cracking would be particularly pronounced which of course accentuates the creases, making the shoes look much older and more decrepit (which is why I’ve only worn them a few times since last post). I wore them again yesterday to a restaurant (it was snowing outside) - when I wiped them off with a cloth afterwards it seemed like the acrylic top layer just peeled off. It appears to me now that if I ever want these shoes to be wearable again I need to strip them. What would be the safest way forward? Or would you recommend talking to the manufacturer?

View attachment 902357 View attachment 902358
That is ugly! Perhaps neutral polish might be the softest starting point - be sure to “wax on, wax off” promptly.
 

Nat Jag

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Just a little update here on my problem with my recently acquired Edward Green Dovers. A few weeks ago I posted a picture showing some cracking in what some very knowledgeable forum members pointed out is an acrylic top layer applied by the manufacturer. With this cracking I lost the appetite to wear this pair, but every few time I worn them since I noticed that wherever the leather bends the top layer/finish seemed to be cracking. Especially around the creases above the toe the cracking would be particularly pronounced which of course accentuates the creases, making the shoes look much older and more decrepit (which is why I’ve only worn them a few times since last post). I wore them again yesterday to a restaurant (it was snowing outside) - when I wiped them off with a cloth afterwards it seemed like the acrylic top layer just peeled off. It appears to me now that if I ever want these shoes to be wearable again I need to strip them. What would be the safest way forward? Or would you recommend talking to the manufacturer?

View attachment 902357 View attachment 902358

If you've not had them long, I would definitely speak to the manufacturer. I had a very minor issue with some C&Js and they were more than happy to rectify for me. This is quite a major issue to me.
 

Bill Chung

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Hi everyone, first post here

Quick question for those using Saphir Mirror Gloss: I am having trouble raising a glass-like shine. I mean, it's shiny, but by no means a mirror shine. Here's a quick shot attached.

My question: how much of the Mirror Gloss product are you applying with each layer? Is it substantial (a generous spritz of water and a vigorous rubbing on the surface of the tin to pick up a gob of wax?) Or is it a fairly thin layer?

Coming on top with some standard Saphir MDO works great, but it's still not like the glacage like I've seen on Instagram.

Any help would be appreciated!

IMG_5497.jpg
 

EnglishShoes

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I've just ordered my first pair of boots in Horween Chomexcel (Chicago tan - dark brown looking)

Regarding shoe care products, I have seen a great YouTube video of a guy applying neutral Vanetian cream to a pair of scuffed Alden Indy boots and they came up great.

That cream is rare and expensive in the UK, but I do have some Saphir Renovateur. Is this as good on Chromexcel, or should I invest in the Vanetian cream?
 

Stefan88

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Just a little update here on my problem with my recently acquired Edward Green Dovers. A few weeks ago I posted a picture showing some cracking in what some very knowledgeable forum members pointed out is an acrylic top layer applied by the manufacturer. With this cracking I lost the appetite to wear this pair, but every few time I worn them since I noticed that wherever the leather bends the top layer/finish seemed to be cracking. Especially around the creases above the toe the cracking would be particularly pronounced which of course accentuates the creases, making the shoes look much older and more decrepit (which is why I’ve only worn them a few times since last post). I wore them again yesterday to a restaurant (it was snowing outside) - when I wiped them off with a cloth afterwards it seemed like the acrylic top layer just peeled off. It appears to me now that if I ever want these shoes to be wearable again I need to strip them. What would be the safest way forward? Or would you recommend talking to the manufacturer?
Hi,
Just checked the original picture. I think this just looked like an old pair with some old finish from the manufacturer or the store. Did you purchase this on a sale of some sorts? Like DWFI said, they could probably have been vigurously brushed and carefully conditioned with a neutral cream (Bick4 maybe?).

I assume the last picture is a wet shoe due to the snow you mentioned?
I have never heard of Edward Green using an acrylic finish, and I've only seen various forms of polish visiting their factory.
 

TheForeigner

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I went at it with a brush and a cloth and some water last night. After a couple of hours of hard work I managed to get one side of one shoe to look just like new., only somewhat lighter. Then I applied Renovateur to condition them and the leather above the toe seemed to absorb it and darken significantly. I didn't think much of it at the time since I figured it would dry up. But now it's been a full 24 hours and the flat area above the toe is just as dark (almost blackish), in an uneven way. I guess this is the leather having absorbed the oils in the conditioner. I have never seen anything like this happen before and I don't understand why it happened to only this area (I applied the conditioner evenly). Hoping these spots will lighten, but seeing as its been 24 hours I'm not so sure.

Anyone have any ideas?



Hi,
Just checked the original picture. I think this just looked like an old pair with some old finish from the manufacturer or the store. Did you purchase this on a sale of some sorts? Like DWFI said, they could probably have been vigurously brushed and carefully conditioned with a neutral cream (Bick4 maybe?).

I assume the last picture is a wet shoe due to the snow you mentioned?
I have never heard of Edward Green using an acrylic finish, and I've only seen various forms of polish visiting their factory.
 

Stefan88

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I went at it with a brush and a cloth and some water last night. After a couple of hours of hard work I managed to get one side of one shoe to look just like new., only somewhat lighter. Then I applied Renovateur to condition them and the leather above the toe seemed to absorb it and darken significantly. I didn't think much of it at the time since I figured it would dry up. But now it's been a full 24 hours and the flat area above the toe is just as dark (almost blackish), in an uneven way. I guess this is the leather having absorbed the oils in the conditioner. I have never seen anything like this happen before and I don't understand why it happened to only this area (I applied the conditioner evenly). Hoping these spots will lighten, but seeing as its been 24 hours I'm not so sure.

Anyone have any ideas?
This is why I asked if it was an old pair that was sold at sale. If the leather was very dry, it may have absorbed a lot of oils darkening it. I try to use something neutral and mild (like bick4) to condition, but in this case it may be late.
Maybe you could colour the whole shoe darker? Before you do something rash I would ask EG.
 

TheForeigner

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I bought them at full price, but but from EG directly, but from a different store in another country. So your question is valid — I do in fact not have any way of knowing how long the shows were in that store before I came along...

What you’re saying is, it seems, that I shouldn’t count on being able to lighten the endarkened spots. I guess it wouldn’t kill me to darken them. I can always get a lighter pair at a later stage anyway.

Thanks for replying to my questions btw!

This is why I asked if it was an old pair that was sold at sale. If the leather was very dry, it may have absorbed a lot of oils darkening it. I try to use something neutral and mild (like bick4) to condition, but in this case it may be late.
Maybe you could colour the whole shoe darker? Before you do something rash I would ask EG.
 
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