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

[nutcracker]



not sure where to ask, but do you carry shoe trees with you when you are on vacation?

shoe trees+shoe bag would be nice. Keeps the shoes in shape (from being crushed ) during travel

 

[tv2177]



shoe trees+shoe bag would be nice. Keeps the shoes in shape (from being crushed ) during travel

yeah thanks, nutcracker! that's what i did. haha dun wanna more crease on it.

 

[shalako]

Anyone know anything about Apple Brand Leather Care?
http://www.applepolishes.com/applepolishes/products.html

Found a bottle of it in a box of shoe care stuff I didn't know I had.

I searched SF and found no mention.
Thanks

 

[blsing]

Forgive me, since I know this has already been covered, but my shoes have really not been polishing well. I have been using the leather conditioner from Allen Edmonds, and then following it up with AE polish. My shoes are still looking kind of dull. Am I supposed to be using the leather lotion ($9 bottle) instead of the conditioner? How should the conditioner/lotion be applied-ie should I just use a cut-up undershirt? I know people recommend Saphir, but it seems to be way too expensive for me.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

It could be that you have a wax build-up from too much polishing on the shoe. Post pictures.

 

[patrick_b]



not sure where to ask, but do you carry shoe trees with you when you are on vacation?

I fly for business ~twice a month. On shorter trips of 2-3 days or less, I bring just one pair of dress shoes and shoe trees. I'd like to rotate shoes every other day but I don't want to carry an extra pair of shoes for short trips especially if I packed sneakers for the gym. I simply pack the trees and install them in the shoes overnight. For longer trips I will bring two pair of shoes so that I can alternate, usually something that will work with business attire and casual attire. I still bring one pair of shoe trees.

I was flying from LAX to Boston recently after a 2 night trip. I had my suitcase (22" carry-on) run through the xray machine three times before she asked who's case it was. She couldn't figure out what the shoe trees were (the metal threw her off). When I informed her that they were shoe trees, she became even more suspicious because they weren't in a pair of shoes (I was wearing the shoes and didn't bring sneakers for the gym). I had to convince three TSA officers that I travel with shoe trees to use overnight in my dress shoes. The concept was completely foreign to them. What a PIA that was!

 

[patrick_b]



Forgive me, since I know this has already been covered, but my shoes have really not been polishing well.  I have been using the leather conditioner from Allen Edmonds, and then following it up with AE polish.  My shoes are still looking kind of dull.  Am I supposed to be using the leather lotion ($9 bottle) instead of the conditioner?  How should the conditioner/lotion be applied-ie should I just use a cut-up undershirt?  I know people recommend Saphir, but it seems to be way too expensive for me.  

Are you using AE's Premium Shoe polish in the tube? Only wax will produce a good shine, the cream polishes do a nice job of conditioning but you won't develop a good shine unless you use wax, which is in paste form. I get much better results using Kiwi or Saphir wax than with the AE wax. If you are using the wax and still can't get a shine, patrickBooth gives good advice. Pics would help us help you.

 

[blsing]

Are you using AE's Premium Shoe polish in the tube? Only wax will produce a good shine, the cream polishes do a nice job of conditioning but you won't develop a good shine unless you use wax, which is in paste form. I get much better results using Kiwi or Saphir wax than with the AE wax. If you are using the wax and still can't get a shine, patrickBooth gives good advice. Pics would help us help you.

Yes I use the premium shoe polish, so do you suggest I abandon the premium and then use the separate cream and wax steps? I will post pics after the weekend (I am away from the shoes).

 

[patrick_b]



Yes I use the premium shoe polish, so do you suggest I abandon the premium and then use the separate cream and wax steps?  I will post pics after the weekend (I am away from the shoes).

You can certainly continue to use the premium polish (it's a cream in a tube, right?) as you need it to condition the leather. But if you want a high sheen/shine, you'll need to add a paste wax polish step to the cream polish step. Your cream contains pigment and conditioner so it'll keep the leather supple and cover scuffs and scratches. You need to condition much less frequently than wax polishing.

I condition every other month or so but I wax polish a least once a month, maybe more for shoes that get worn more. Once you have a good wax shine on the shoe, you can maintain it with very little additional polish and very little work.

I like a high sheen on the toe on my dress shoes. It's a lot of work to get it to the mirror stage, but once it looks the way I want, I just have to brush like hell every week to maintain it. Every so often, I may have to add a small amount of wax to blend into the previous layers.

 

[tv2177]



I fly for business ~twice a month. On shorter trips of 2-3 days or less, I bring just one pair of dress shoes and shoe trees. I'd like to rotate shoes every other day but I don't want to carry an extra pair of shoes for short trips especially if I packed sneakers for the gym. I simply pack the trees and install them in the shoes overnight. For longer trips I will bring two pair of shoes so that I can alternate, usually something that will work with business attire and casual attire. I still bring one pair of shoe trees.
I was flying from LAX to Boston recently after a 2 night trip. I had my suitcase (22" carry-on) run through the xray machine three times before she asked who's case it was. She couldn't figure out what the shoe trees were (the metal threw her off). When I informed her that they were shoe trees, she became even more suspicious because they weren't in a pair of shoes (I was wearing the shoes and didn't bring sneakers for the gym). I had to convince three TSA officers that I travel with shoe trees to use overnight in my dress shoes. The concept was completely foreign to them. What a PIA that was!

ya i ended up packing a pair of wingtips and a pair of loafer with one shoe trees. so far it's holding pretty good. i also packed my gym shoes, hopefully i can get to the gym sometime during the holidays.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]



It also keeps them from literally cracking, which can happen if they are exposed routinely to water. It has happened to me. I wouldn't think you need to do it as routinely as regular care, but if you are walking in the rain after letting them dry for a day rubbing them down with Lexol sure can only help them.

It seems rather incongruous, to me, that someone would be so focused on shoe care as to want to condition their shoe's soles but at the same time so blase as to routinely wear leather soled shoes in the rain without using galoshes.

 

[stevent]

For scotch grain like this, what ia the best way to minimize the differences in color at the creases? Like the slightly lighter spot on the right shoe

 

[NORE]



For scotch grain like this, what ia the best way to minimize the differences in color at the creases? Like the slightly lighter spot on the right shoe

You don't. That's a character builder right there.

 

[chikkymonkey]

Hi, I need some help.. I haven't read through all this thread, I'm just really disappointed with my shoes and was hoping someone can guide me...

I purchased for the very first time dress shoes (Bruno Magli Maioco) after wearing ecco's for years.. First time wearing leather soles yesterday and when I came home I noticed that I scratched one of the shoes pretty badly... As you can see on the right shoe... what type of treatment can help? Annoying to happen first time wearing $270 shoes...




Also the bottom of the shoes are scraping, and the black is turning a little white.. Is this normal? Am I not suppose to walk in them outdoors? I was at wedding and walked from car to hall etc... Am I doing something wrong? THANKS

 

[chikkymonkey]

I tried posting this once but for some reason didn't go through.

I recently purchased my first dress show with leather sole (Bruno Magli MAioco) and wore it for the first time yesterday at a wedding. When I came home I was disappointed to see I got a bad deep scratch on it.. Is there anything I can do that will help with this? can't believe it happened on first wear...



Also noticed the soles are scratching and white is appearing am I doing something wrong? I walked form car to hotel otherwise indoors.. IS this normal?



Thanks a lot