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

[patrickBOOTH]

I just don't mind getting soles wet and having them replaced. I also think topy's are ugly. I have said this in the past, but I hate when I am walking behind an otherwise well dressed person and I see topy's or rubber on the bottom of their shoes. It just looks wrong to me. Too fuddy-duddy, and doesn't have that classic look of scuffed shoe bottoms. I don't know.

 

[Ducc]

(This is now the third time I'm posting this. I believe THIS is now finally the proper thread for shoe care. I sincerely apologize to everyone who had to see this post three times, and I implore the moderators to delete whatever they choose.)

I recently purchased a pair of Crockett & Jones Hallam's in light brown. The second or third day of wearing them, I spilled a drop of water on the top. I wiped the drop off, but this is the result (the light stain):

I came home and applied a bit of water/vinegar to even out the stain, and then applied some Saphir Renovateur. So it's not quite as bad as it was, but it doesn't seem to want to go away. It's not even so bad, but I really don't want it happening again.

This exact same thing happened to a cheap pair of shoes. I wore them in a very slight rain, and I ended up with little light-colored drops all over the toes. This can't be normal. I can't imagine I have to be so protective of my shoes.

As soon as they were purchased, I treated them with some Saphir Renovateur, and applied a bit of Saphir Medium Brown creme (I'm trying to darken them over time). That's the only two products on these shoes, and I ended up trying to blend the brown creme into the shoe with Renovateur. So maybe there's not so much actual polish on the shoe.

Anyway, I have two questions: first, how can I remove this light stain, and second, how can I prevent it from happening again? How can I water-resist this leather?

I have a pair of Wolverine 1000 Mile that I treat with Montana Pitch-Blend Leather Dressing, and they have never been discolored by water. But I I'm not sure I should be putting the pitch-blend on these shoes. I expected the Renovateur to provide a barrier, but apparently not.

Thanks for any advice you have.

EDIT: wurger posted some advice which helps a great deal. The stain is still there, but I've noticed that of all the water drops that showed up, the one in the picture (the largest one) is the only one which didn't dry up and go away. It's also the only one I actively wiped, which I think may have taken some polish off?

 

[Ducc]



I just don't mind getting soles wet and having them replaced. I also think topy's are ugly.

I had my favorite pair of shoes (in the world) resoled after I wore holes in them. When they were replaced, the cobbler (who has a reputation for being one of the best in New York City), changed the shape of the shoe so badly that I swore I'd topy all my shoes and never replace a sole again (if I could help it).

I don't like the look of a topy either, but it kills me to have my favorite pair of shoes reshaped. It's, for me, the lesser of two evils.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

If you don't like the cobblers work then send them back to the factory.

 

[Munky]

Is there any news on my shoe tree question?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Somebody already replied. In a nutshell, tighter is preferred over looser.

 

[Munky]

Sorry, Patrick, I didn't pick that up. Thanks.

 

[benhour]

One last shoe tree question. If trees are made by the company who made the shoes, can those trees be relied upon to fit the company's shoes? I have bought Loakes shoe trees (size 8.5 to 10) for my size 9 Loake shoes. The trees go in reasonably easily but take a good bit of getting out. It occurs to me that this may be because the trees have very small 'handles'. Should I rely on the company to supply appropriate trees for their shoes?

try to put shoes with the toe down and the sole to toutch the desk or some other hard surface!! now pull the handle downwords to the shoe toe to make spring get in!! they ll go out a lot easyer!!

!most of the time yes!

Anyway, I have two questions: first, how can I remove this light stain, and second, how can I prevent it from happening again? How can I water-resist this leather?


EDIT: wurger posted some advice which helps a great deal. The stain is still there, but I've noticed that of all the water drops that showed up, the one in the picture (the largest one) is the only one which didn't dry up and go away. It's also the only one I actively wiped, which I think may have taken some polish off?

renovateur is not waterproofing at all!! it has really low percentage of wax!!the easyest way is to use some dubbin!!(waterproofing spray not recomended for that kind of leather) work it with your fingers!! remember less is more with dubbin!it ll help with the stain to! dont put a lot of product cause it ll take a lot time to get absorbed and dry! leave it for 2 days and then buff and if you want polish!

btw i dont think you took out polish by just wipping water if you have scrub with force!!
hope i helped

 

[wurger]



I just don't mind getting soles wet and having them replaced. I also think topy's are ugly. I have said this in the past, but I hate when I am walking behind an otherwise well dressed person and I see topy's or rubber on the bottom of their shoes. It just looks wrong to me. Too fuddy-duddy, and doesn't have that classic look of scuffed shoe bottoms. I don't know.

The cost of getting topy replaced is minimal compared to sole replacement, and they last 2 to 3 time longer. I don't find having a rubber topy is worse than a scuffed shoe bottoms. And IMO, having a leather sole finish aesthetic is the only thing a non-topy sole have over a topy sole.

No one seems to complain about the rubber heel pieces on our shoes though.

 

[VegTan]



One last shoe tree question. If trees are made by the company who made the shoes, can those trees be relied upon to fit the company's shoes? I have bought Loakes shoe trees (size 8.5 to 10) for my size 9 Loake shoes.  The trees go in reasonably easily but take a good bit of getting out. It occurs to me that this may be because the trees have very small 'handles'. Should I rely on the company to supply appropriate trees for their shoes?

Did you buy the above? Hooked or knobbed trees are easily pulled rather than that.
http://www.dunkelman.com/products.php?categoryid=2
http://www.springline.net/shoe-trees.htm


BTW, RTW shoemakers except Saint Crispin don't make shoe trees as well as polish/cream, and only Saint Crispin and Edward Green sell lasted shoe trees which fit each size & last, AFAIK.

http://www.edwardsofmanchester.co.uk/lasted-shoe-trees.html

 

[chogall]

I thought G&G sells lasted trees as well

 

[Ducc]



If you don't like the cobblers work then send them back to the factory.

Excellent suggestion. I'll probably do that the next time this sole wears out. But it's not a great solution for me in general, because I *really* don't want to have to send my shoes back to the factory every year. I realize I should be rotating the shoes I wear, but in practice I wear the **** out of my favorite pair, and would need a repair if I didn't have topy'd soles. I don't have so many pairs of shoes for rotation to be possible.

Life is about compromise. If you walk behind me and silently judge me for having topy'd soles, I fully support your scorn.

BTW, RTW shoemakers except Saint Crispin don't make shoe trees as well as polish/cream, and only Saint Crispin and Edward Green sell lasted shoe trees which fit each size & last, AFAIK.

Church's Lamport come with last-fitted shoe trees, and they are extremely difficult to take out of the shoe. I was in the Church's store in NYC a few weeks ago, and some guy tried to take the trees out of the shoes on display to check the arches. The female sales person told him, and I quote, "Good luck with that. I have to get a male colleague to help me with it".

I find it takes some practice but it's pretty easy to get out. It is much more difficult to get in the shoe, both because it's tight, and because catching the ankle section on the side of the shoe opening is easy if you aren't paying attention.

 

[Oli2012]

To the shoe experts here -

What purpose does shoe creme serve? If a shoe is kept well conditioned and has no marks/scuffs is it even necessary to use it?

 

[chogall]

To the shoe experts here -

What purpose does shoe creme serve? If a shoe is kept well conditioned and has no marks/scuffs is it even necessary to use it?

Shoe cream conditions, supplements pigments, and provides a light sheen.

No, it is not necessary if you use conditioners. But some painted on shoes do lose color over time and it would be nice to get some of those color back. Or to build a patina of your own.

 

[mediahound]

PSA - Horween now sells their own custom branded tin of Venetian Shoe Cream:

from- http://horween.bigcartel.com/product/venetian-cream