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

[Kivi D]

Thanks for the replies! I opted to get a refund on the shoes. On a side note, any ideas what might be causing this?? My first wear and this starts happening...It’s the only pair that this has happened to and I don’t know why. They fit rather well...

 

[DGC]

Hey guys,

My first post on this forum. I've spent a few years learning shoe restoration and browsing the forums/Youtube and thought I'd start getting social. Below is a before and after of my second attempt at doing a custom patina for a friend, any tips would be appreciated!

Before:

After:

I completely agree with earlier comments about not using Renovateur for patina work. It lifted an awful amount of the lighter layers that were used to fade. I'm having to import Bick 4 into the UK for my next project!

Thanks

 

[troika]

Thanks for the replies! I opted to get a refund on the shoes. On a side note, any ideas what might be causing this?? My first wear and this starts happening...It’s the only pair that this has happened to and I don’t know why. They fit rather well...

What are you referring to as "this"? I think maybe the creasing? It looks ok I guess, but that's a marker of not a great fit for your foot shape.

 

[Munky]

Hey guys,

My first post on this forum. I've spent a few years learning shoe restoration and browsing the forums/Youtube and thought I'd start getting social. Below is a before and after of my second attempt at doing a custom patina for a friend, any tips would be appreciated!

Before:

View attachment 1412277

After:

View attachment 1412289

View attachment 1412291

View attachment 1412292

I completely agree with earlier comments about not using Renovateur for patina work. It lifted an awful amount of the lighter layers that were used to fade. I'm having to import Bick 4 into the UK for my next project!

Thanks

Those look fabulous, DGC, they really do. Many congratulations. Best wishes, Munky.

 

[JFWR]

Hey guys,

My first post on this forum. I've spent a few years learning shoe restoration and browsing the forums/Youtube and thought I'd start getting social. Below is a before and after of my second attempt at doing a custom patina for a friend, any tips would be appreciated!

Before:

View attachment 1412277

After:

View attachment 1412289

View attachment 1412291

View attachment 1412292

I completely agree with earlier comments about not using Renovateur for patina work. It lifted an awful amount of the lighter layers that were used to fade. I'm having to import Bick 4 into the UK for my next project!

Thanks

They really are beautiful.

My only critique is that I think you should do a little bit less on the burnishing on the toes. You should cut back a tiny bit and blend it in a bit more.Like, I'd have personally not burnished into the second swirls of the medallion quite as much.

Minor criticism as these are, as noted, beautiful.

The Elegant Oxford did a great video where he talks about this.

 

[Patek]

So, I did something dumb.

I was wearing an almost new pair of John Lofgrens M-43 Natural CXL (see link below) when I opened a can or sardines and the oil splashed out and onto my right boot. My mother-in-law who was in the kitchen with me at the time said to put flour on it to absorb the oil. That did nothing. I then scrubbed with dish soap and a toothbrush to try to get it out. It seems I discolored (lightened) the boots while the oil stain remained.

Low, I want to patina the boots but a huge oil stain on the toe is a bit much.

I have a three options and need advise:

1. Oil the whole boot with leather treatment and darken it. If so, what to use (cats would love me if I used sardine oil)
2. Try to clean it a couple more times and then figure out how to get the boot darker again or just wear it till it darkens
3. Forget about it and just wear the damn thing. Beat them up as much as possible and do oil changes in them to make them a true "boot"

M-43 SERVICE SHOES / HORWEEN LEATHER CXL NATURAL ROUGHOUT

John Lofgren Bootmaker M-43 Service Shoes are not simple reproductions of WWII U.S. Army service shoes. Not just another boondocker. They are a modern-day piece de resistance of footwear, carefully designed to meet the needs of contemporary life, but still look very classic, down to the...

johnlofgren.com

 

[audog]

So, I did something dumb.

I was wearing an almost new pair of John Lofgrens M-43 Natural CXL (see link below) when I opened a can or sardines and the oil splashed out and onto my right boot. My mother-in-law who was in the kitchen with me at the time said to put flour on it to absorb the oil. That did nothing. I then scrubbed with dish soap and a toothbrush to try to get it out. It seems I discolored (lightened) the boots while the oil stain remained.

Low, I want to patina the boots but a huge oil stain on the toe is a bit much.

I have a three options and need advise:

1. Oil the whole boot with leather treatment and darken it. If so, what to use (cats would love me if I used sardine oil)
2. Try to clean it a couple more times and then figure out how to get the boot darker again or just wear it till it darkens
3. Forget about it and just wear the damn thing. Beat them up as much as possible and do oil changes in them to make them a true "boot"

M-43 SERVICE SHOES / HORWEEN LEATHER CXL NATURAL ROUGHOUT

John Lofgren Bootmaker M-43 Service Shoes are not simple reproductions of WWII U.S. Army service shoes. Not just another boondocker. They are a modern-day piece de resistance of footwear, carefully designed to meet the needs of contemporary life, but still look very classic, down to the...

johnlofgren.com

Nice looking boots! I understand your problem, 2 yrs ago was wearing a new pair of Alden Natural CXL boots, spilled oil on them. Like you, I tried to clean them a number of times, eventually I opted for your option #3. Best darn lawn mowing/garden digging, general work boots I have (and they look like it now)

 

[troika]

So, I did something dumb.

I was wearing an almost new pair of John Lofgrens M-43 Natural CXL (see link below) when I opened a can or sardines and the oil splashed out and onto my right boot. My mother-in-law who was in the kitchen with me at the time said to put flour on it to absorb the oil. That did nothing. I then scrubbed with dish soap and a toothbrush to try to get it out. It seems I discolored (lightened) the boots while the oil stain remained.

Low, I want to patina the boots but a huge oil stain on the toe is a bit much.

I have a three options and need advise:

1. Oil the whole boot with leather treatment and darken it. If so, what to use (cats would love me if I used sardine oil)
2. Try to clean it a couple more times and then figure out how to get the boot darker again or just wear it till it darkens
3. Forget about it and just wear the damn thing. Beat them up as much as possible and do oil changes in them to make them a true "boot"

M-43 SERVICE SHOES / HORWEEN LEATHER CXL NATURAL ROUGHOUT

John Lofgren Bootmaker M-43 Service Shoes are not simple reproductions of WWII U.S. Army service shoes. Not just another boondocker. They are a modern-day piece de resistance of footwear, carefully designed to meet the needs of contemporary life, but still look very classic, down to the...

johnlofgren.com

Flour was the right suggestion, but perhaps the wrong baking element. Try cornstarch or baby powder, they should absorb better. It might work even after the dish soap scrub.

If it's still gnarly, I'd try to oil the whole thing. Either obenaufs or another type of wax, or mink oil.

 

[JFWR]

Flour was the right suggestion, but perhaps the wrong baking element. Try cornstarch or baby powder, they should absorb better. It might work even after the dish soap scrub.

If it's still gnarly, I'd try to oil the whole thing. Either obenaufs or another type of wax, or mink oil.

I was thinking of mink oil or neetsfoot oil.

 

[DapperAndy]

So, I did something dumb.

I was wearing an almost new pair of John Lofgrens M-43 Natural CXL (see link below) when I opened a can or sardines and the oil splashed out and onto my right boot. My mother-in-law who was in the kitchen with me at the time said to put flour on it to absorb the oil. That did nothing. I then scrubbed with dish soap and a toothbrush to try to get it out. It seems I discolored (lightened) the boots while the oil stain remained.

Low, I want to patina the boots but a huge oil stain on the toe is a bit much.

I have a three options and need advise:

1. Oil the whole boot with leather treatment and darken it. If so, what to use (cats would love me if I used sardine oil)
2. Try to clean it a couple more times and then figure out how to get the boot darker again or just wear it till it darkens
3. Forget about it and just wear the damn thing. Beat them up as much as possible and do oil changes in them to make them a true "boot"

M-43 SERVICE SHOES / HORWEEN LEATHER CXL NATURAL ROUGHOUT

John Lofgren Bootmaker M-43 Service Shoes are not simple reproductions of WWII U.S. Army service shoes. Not just another boondocker. They are a modern-day piece de resistance of footwear, carefully designed to meet the needs of contemporary life, but still look very classic, down to the...

johnlofgren.com

Just use a cleaner conditioner product, and re-establish the proper oil balance, so that it evens out. Sardine oil is not the ideal oil, as the rancidity rate is pretty high.

 

[takashi78]

VSC maybe?

 

[BoydsShoes]

Flour was the right suggestion, but perhaps the wrong baking element. Try cornstarch or baby powder, they should absorb better.

For oil stains, I would totally do several dry strategies before you give up and do oil. Adding oil products is a white flag. Cornstarch is the easiest to start with. If after two applications that doesn't work, try Fuller's earth (cheap) or a similar product, such as Avel Hussard powder. If that doesn't work there is Hussard Detacheur spray. This works well, but I have to warn you, that while the oil is extracted, you are sometimes left with a darkening at the edge of where the drying agent is deposited. There is also the Hussard liquid stain remover. . .but. . I bought that, not realizing it has benzene in it, a known carcinogen. I keep it outside my house, and have used with a q-tip. It also leaves a ring, and I haven't totally figured out how to use it properly without generating something else that is weird. Not totally sure I would recommend it, unless desperate.

 

[JFWR]

For oil stains, I would totally do several dry strategies before you give up and do oil. Adding oil products is a white flag. Cornstarch is the easiest to start with. If after two applications that doesn't work, try Fuller's earth (cheap) or a similar product, such as Avel Hussard powder. If that doesn't work there is Hussard Detacheur spray. This works well, but I have to warn you, that while the oil is extracted, you are sometimes left with a darkening at the edge of where the drying agent is deposited. There is also the Hussard liquid stain remover. . .but. . I bought that, not realizing it has benzene in it, a known carcinogen. I keep it outside my house, and have used with a q-tip. It also leaves a ring, and I haven't totally figured out how to use it properly without generating something else that is weird. Not totally sure I would recommend it, unless desperate.

Would you really have to worry about a carcinogen as a one time dosage?

 

[BoydsShoes]

Would you really have to worry about a carcinogen as a one time dosage?

Not really, but you don’t want it in house due to low level leaking during storage. I store it near my gasoline. Its also flammable. I really don’t know what to do with it.

from US CDC:

CDC | Facts About Benzene

Information on Benzene. Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

emergency.cdc.gov

 

[Patek]

So, Lofgren oil spill update. I tried a bunch of strategies over the weekend and stain removers specifically made for oil stains. They didn't really work and discolored the area around the stain which made it worse. So, as some have said, I threw in the towel.

First, I would like to note, that these were seconds where the right boot (the one with the stain) was slightly darker and more oily than the left (maybe these boots are cursed) so I didn't pay the retail $765 for these. Also, being natural CXL, they are intended to darken with wear and dirt (but maybe not sardine oil).

When I decided to wave the white flag I decided to do it gradually and work up. I started with Bick 4. This darkened it a little but not enough. I then went to Chaimberlain's Leather milk. I liked the color this gave them but after sitting over night, it was absorbed by the leather and no longer hid the stains. I then took out the heavy hitter, Montana's Oil which is a pitch and mink oil blend. This significantly darkened them up and hid the stains. On the plus side, it also hid the raw denim stains that I had already given these boots. I generally don't like "fake patina" but the oil made them look like the 2-3 year old versions of these which I am ok with. An additional benefit is that the darker leather really makes the beautiful stitching that John Lofgren is famous for pop.

I guess I don't have to worry about staining them any more.