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

[nmfa]

Some people like a mirror shine on their shoes. Apparently maintaining this involves applying many layers of wax. Keeping the shine apparently requires frequent repetition. This would lead to accumulation of wax. The wax may attract dust and dirt. So the shoes could become caked with dirt-impregnated wax. That might require regular stripping of the wax with something like Renomat. Since this removes fat, something like Renovateur might be needed to replace the oils removed by the Renomat. At this point the leather could be oiled, but still dehydrated. Repeated cycles of stripping out fat and replacing it, and not replacing the water, might be harmful.

Since I don't want a shine, I use little to no wax, and hence have no need to remove it. But my approach will never produce that mirror shine so many desire.

If you apply lots of wax, you may find yourself obligated to do some variation of periodic stripping and re-oiling. I'm no expert, but this does not sound like it would be good for leather.

For someone who lives in NYC and spends a lot on shoes, it may make sense to just turn maintenance over to B Nelson. The cost may be trivial compared to losing expensive shoes to cracking after a few years. And you would be sure the job would be done right.

I am too cheap to go that route, and I like to tinker. Hence all the study of leather chemistry.

Why should a oil replenish the leather if added to the surface and not the water? Especially if you have striped your shoe from wax and oils with renomat?

Renovateur is a water based product, it is an emulsion of oil and water!
Therefore it will refinish the water as well as the oils in the leather!

 

[David Copeland]

For someone who lives in NYC and spends a lot on shoes, it may make sense to just turn maintenance over to B Nelson. The cost may be trivial compared to losing expensive shoes to cracking after a few years. And you would be sure the job would be done right.

I am too cheap to go that route, and I like to tinker. Hence all the study of leather chemistry.

When I spoke to Nick last week - his regular shine is $4.00 . He also provides Saphir products at $7.00 (which does seem inexpensive for expensive shoes.

David

 

[David Copeland]

New Saphir catalogue on A fine Pair of Shoes:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0060/5272/files/GUIDE_MEDAILLE_DOR_GB.pdf?2382

Good place for UK members to get their fix of product and brushes

Lear

EXCELLENT fine!

(Now if I can just figure out how to print it 100% view instead of my printer wanting to "fit it" all on a standard piece of landscape paper)

 

[jssdc]



1. Really depends how you wear your shoes; distance walked, weather condition, etc. I would not use cream more often than every quarter if its that infrequently used and renovator less.

2. No. It will alter the original finish. Worse product for new shoes is Renomat. Best thing you could do to new shoes is to use light color or neutral wax to soften up the shoes and condition the waxed threads.

Seems like others have recommended conditioning RTW shoes prior to the first wear, as there's no telling how long they've been sitting about. Is your objection above to renovateur specifically (since it is both cleaner and conditioner) or to conditioning before first wear generally (with Lexol, for example)? Also, why does wax (i assume you mean paste wax) soften the shoe and why would the color matter?

 

[Fang66]

Frank Zappa wrote and recorded a song about moving to Montana and starting a dental.floss ranch. Still appropriate I see

He also wrote that brown shoes don't make it.

 

[Numbernine]



He also wrote that brown shoes don't make it.

Well we certainly dont see eye to eye on that one. Irc he had a penchant for high heeled knee high python skin boots Check this vid if im not mistaken his fit might just be sf approvedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TIVAMehnxM

 

[dbhdnhdbh]

NMFA,

I did not know that Renovateur was an emulsion of oil and water. If used as directed, applying very sparingly, then even if it were a mix of oil and water, it would not contribute much water.

I am not pitching for or against any particular product. As I have indicated, I find the leather chemistry interesting, but I do not claim the applied knowledge required to have an opinion on what products are best. When I sent a pair of shell shoes to Nick V for new soles, he told they were dry so he treated them with Renovateur. That is about as good an endorsement as one can get.

I have used Renomat to remove caked on wax on vintage shoes and one pair one which a cobbler decided to cover the beautiful patina with a thick coat of opaque polish. Renomat, followed by Renovateur, did a great job of getting the wax off. If shoes are really dirty, I sometimes follow that sequence with Lexol cleaner to get the dirt out. But I have never had the need to use Renomat more than once on a pair of shoes. The fumes alone would rule out employing it as a routine treatment.

I have not seen any official statement of what is in Renovateur. I have seen one shoe-care site say that it contains "beeswax mink oil, hoof foot oil, and lanolin", but I don't know whether that is correct, let alone what else might be in it. If you have a MSDS, or other information on the contents of Renovateur, please post it.

 

[Hill]

We're the shoes you mentioned that Nick treated with Reno shell or another type of leather?

 

[Numbernine]

When I sent a pair of shell shoes to Nick V for new soles, he told they were dry so he treated them with Renovateur. That is about as good an endorsement as one can get.

 

[Hill]

Apologies, missed that

 

[chogall]



When I sent a pair of shell shoes to Nick V for new soles, he told they were dry so he treated them with Renovateur. That is about as good an endorsement as one can get.

And I know from the horses mouth (ofvsome bespoke makers) that Renovateur was not used in the manufacturing/making process. Endorsements it could be from B Nelson but caveat emptor.

Truth is, cordovan is a short fiber and greasy leather compare to calf and likely to suffer and endure dryness disregarding of conditioners used.

 

[B-Rogue]



2. No. It will alter the original finish. Worse product for new shoes is Renomat. Best thing you could do to new shoes is to use light color or neutral wax to soften up the shoes and condition the waxed threads.

So should I change from Pommadier cream to Saphir wax instead? Or should I use a coat of cream and then a coat of wax on top (like I've heard some people suggest?)

 

[David Copeland]

So should I change from Pommadier cream to Saphir wax instead? Or should I use a coat of cream and then a coat of wax on top (like I've heard some people suggest?)

Be careful and perhaps wait (or call Nick or Kirby - or both personally on Monday - and get a professional opinion)

I have emailed both Nick and Kirby about new shoes - and what process they would recommend. The products I am using are for the shoes I arealdy purchased and have worn.

David

 

[dbhdnhdbh]

I agree that I have not heard of Renovateur being used in leather production, but that is not the topic of this discussion. For that matter, there is very little public information about just what tanneries use for specific leathers. I assume customers of the tanneries can may be able to get far more detailed information, but it sounds like much of is classified as proprietary.

I consider Nick V an expert on shoe maintenance and repair, so if he says Renovateur (and Venetian) are good for dry leather, then I will take him at his word. Nick Horween has advocated Venetian rather than Renovateur, but I have not seen him quoted as suggesting that Renovateur is dangerous for leather.

For some time Nick Horween has been saying their tannery will start selling a conditioner, once it comes out I certainly will try it.

 

[nmfa]

I have not seen any official statement of what is in Renovateur. I have seen one shoe-care site say that it contains "beeswax mink oil, hoof foot oil, and lanolin", but I don't know whether that is correct, let alone what else might be in it. If you have a MSDS, or other information on the contents of Renovateur, please post it.

Sorry, but we consumers have no right to get a MSDS for consumer products made for for retail. Only distributors may have that right. Therefore Valmour do not need to publish their MSDS for public access.

From Valmours homepage:
"Non greasy cream based on beeswax enriched with mink oil and lanolin. Aqueous formula."

Nothing more is given.