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

[benhour]

Anyone have any tips for moisturizing the inside of a shoe as previously recommended? Just shove fingers in and hope for coverage? Use a qtip? Don't do it all?

Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all well gentlemen!

Before going to the moisturizing part lets say a few things about one important thing you have to do first : clean very well the inside (mostly from dirt and remnants of your socks )!! A dust cleaning cloth (like swiffer or anything similar) will do the trick for you!

Then use a very thin (i suggest water based ) cream or lotion preferably !! Apply a very small amount about once or twice a year(if you polish and care your shoes correctly you wont need more applications)!! Important the shoes must be rested at least for 3-4 days before the application and never use shoe trees afterwords till the moisturizing agent is fully absorbed!

Ps. Thank you all my friends for the messages i received during my absence (special thanks to LUIGI) !! \
I am really sorry i couldnt post earlier (changed country(Netherlands now), had a bad injury at my right arm but everything now is going well so i am back!! i hope i find everyone in good health !! Wishes to all the Gents here from the bottom of my heart!

 

[Munky]

Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all well gentlemen!

Before going to the moisturizing part lets say a few things about one important thing you have to do first : clean very well the inside (mostly from dirt and remnants of your socks )!! A dust cleaning cloth (like swiffer or anything similar) will do the trick for you!

Then use a very thin (i suggest water based ) cream or lotion preferably !! Apply a very small amount about once or twice a year(if you polish and care your shoes correctly you wont need more applications)!! Important the shoes must be rested at least for 3-4 days before the application and never use shoe trees afterwords till the moisturizing agent is fully absorbed!

Ps. Thank you all my friends for the messages i received during my absence (special thanks to LUIGI) !! \
I am really sorry i couldnt post earlier (changed country(Netherlands now), had a bad injury at my right arm but everything now is going well so i am back!! i hope i find everyone in good health !! Wishes to all the Gents here from the bottom of my heart!

Hello Benhour
Welcome back! It's lovely to see you again. Sorry to hear of your injury and hope it is now healed. Very best wishes, Munky

 

[FredAstaire1899]

I am about to try a new leather conditioner, either Bick 4 or Lexol.

I have read the Lexol formula is changed and no longer American made. Could anybody confirm this?

 

[RD383]

Gentlemen, I purchase hanger project saphir products and follow the presidential shoe shine method. After applying two thin (what I believe to be thin) coats of cream polish, I move to wax. When applying wax (clear) I get tons of cream polish onto my rag.

Do I need to remove all excess polish before applying wax? For example, my brushes get huge builldups of cream polish already after applying two coats of cream polish. If I take a clean rag and rub the shoe, it will get polish onto it.

Do I just continue to apply my wax polish even though polish is being brought back to my rag.

In the past, I have found that for me, the chamois transfer too much cream polish on the shoe and it's hard to gauge how much is being moved. So last night I applied polish on 2 shoes with my finger where I could control the amount going on.

Also in my neutral wax polish tin, I have small amounts of different colored polish. Will that change the color of my shoes? Should I get a new jar of neutral wax polish for whatever color shone I am shining?

I have dark brown and black mirror gloss but only neutral regular wax polish. All my products are Saphir.

Advice is much appreciated.

 

[Nat Jag]

Gentlemen, I purchase hanger project saphir products and follow the presidential shoe shine method. After applying two thin (what I believe to be thin) coats of cream polish, I move to wax. When applying wax (clear) I get tons of cream polish onto my rag.

Are you leaving enough time and brushing your shoes after the cream polish? Someone else had a similar thing in the C&J thread, the original shoe colour came off after apply wax only. Use light pressure while you start to build up the wax. Personally, I put the wax on the radiator to warm it ups little, then apply it with my finger to start with. Theres less chance of you pulling off the finish and previous layers with the cloth at the start that way.

 

[RD383]

Are you leaving enough time and brushing your shoes after the cream polish? Someone else had a similar thing in the C&J thread, the original shoe colour came off after apply wax only. Use light pressure while you start to build up the wax. Personally, I put the wax on the radiator to warm it ups little, then apply it with my finger to start with. Theres less chance of you pulling off the finish and previous layers with the cloth at the start that way.

Thank you for your reply. I leave between 30 minutes and 2 hours to let cream polish to dry before buffing with horse hair brush.

I get beautiful color and nice shine with cream polish alone even.

But I do apply medium to firm pressure with my first couple coat of wax. That could be an issue. I thought I want the leather to absorb the wax to fill in the pores with first few coats.

 

[Nat Jag]

Thank you for your reply. I leave between 30 minutes and 2 hours to let cream polish to dry before buffing with horse hair brush.

I get beautiful color and nice shine with cream polish alone even.

But I do apply medium to firm pressure with my first couple coat of wax. That could be an issue. I thought I want the leather to absorb the wax to fill in the pores with first few coats.

You’re definitely leaving enough time between cream polish and buffing. I leave my wax a few minutes between my first few coats. I stopped using a cloth as I was getting the same thing you have not will (with certain shoes). I apply the wax with my finger as I mentioned and it doesn’t happen.

 

[Munky]

You’re definitely leaving enough time between cream polish and buffing. I leave my wax a few minutes between my first few coats. I stopped using a cloth as I was getting the same thing you have not will (with certain shoes). I apply the wax with my finger as I mentioned and it doesn’t happen.

I know I am boring but I would repeat the mantra: keep it simple. Use cream and polish sparingly. Treat the surface of your shoes gently. No 'hard pressure'. If lots of colour is turning up on the cloths, from your shoes, then it suggests that something is wrong. My guess would be that you may be putting on too much product and rubbing the shoes too much. Especially if you are using neutral products and your shoe cleaning rags show so much colour. Don't over do it, don't do it too frequently and use small amounts of anything you put on your shoes. With all good wishes, Munky

 

[DapperAndy]

Thank you for your reply. I leave between 30 minutes and 2 hours to let cream polish to dry before buffing with horse hair brush.

I get beautiful color and nice shine with cream polish alone even.

But I do apply medium to firm pressure with my first couple coat of wax. That could be an issue. I thought I want the leather to absorb the wax to fill in the pores with first few coats.

After each coat of cream polish, brush it in with a short horsehair or boar’s hair brush to push it into the pores, take a clean cloth and wipe off any excess (there shouldn’t be a full depth of pigment coming off, otherwise you’re definitely putting it on too thick). If it still looks like there’s surface cream, repeat (boar’s hair, wipe). Then when little to none is coming off, give it a thorough horsehair brushing. After the waxes have cooled, then you can build up a wax base and go for a high shine or a mirror shine. Again, thin layers. You can watch the Japanese and Singapore YouTube videos to see it in real-time.

 

[DapperAndy]

Thank you for your reply. I leave between 30 minutes and 2 hours to let cream polish to dry before buffing with horse hair brush.

I get beautiful color and nice shine with cream polish alone even.

But I do apply medium to firm pressure with my first couple coat of wax. That could be an issue. I thought I want the leather to absorb the wax to fill in the pores with first few coats.

I also have been recommending to picture it as skin lotion or sunscreen when you’re applying the cream into the pores. Anything that floats on top is excess and attracts dust and grime. Good luck!

 

[1up]

After applying the sapphir shoe polish, do you gents typically wash your brush?

I typically use a rag to apply the wax afterwards, but I’m mostly concerned for using the brush the next time I apply shoe polish, it may harden and be difficult to apply.

 

[Reiver]

After applying the sapphir shoe polish, do you gents typically wash your brush?

I typically use a rag to apply the wax afterwards, but I’m mostly concerned for using the brush the next time I apply shoe polish, it may harden and be difficult to apply.

I use the brush on a clean cloth afterwards to take off the excess wax remaining on the hairs of the brush. Seems to work reasonably well.

I don’t think washing horsehair brushes is recommended. Not sure about boar bristle, it may soften the bristles which would defeat the object of having boar.

 

[Reiver]

You’re definitely leaving enough time between cream polish and buffing. I leave my wax a few minutes between my first few coats. I stopped using a cloth as I was getting the same thing you have not will (with certain shoes). I apply the wax with my finger as I mentioned and it doesn’t happen.

I have heard if neutral cream being used to remove wax build up, I wonder if the neutral wax is having a similar effect.

I wonder if using a coloured wax first followed by the neutral wax if desired would be a better approach.

 

[1up]

I use the brush on a clean cloth afterwards to take off the excess wax remaining on the hairs of the brush. Seems to work reasonably well.

I don’t think washing horsehair brushes is recommended. Not sure about boar bristle, it may soften the bristles which would defeat the object of having boar.

Sorry - I meant to say Dauber, these are the ones received in the Hanger Project Starter Kit. Is it recommended not to wash this too? I can't find the type of material.

 

[Reiver]

Sorry - I meant to say Dauber, these are the ones received in the Hanger Project Starter Kit. Is it recommended not to wash this too? I can't find the type of material.

I would imagine dauber will be either horse hair or boar