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

[jerrybrowne]



Gentlemen: Since AE leather shoes are made of animals' skin. Would it be a good idea to apply hand cream or skin protectant on leather shoes (like AE PA) for better protection, etc.? I applied hand cream on my leather wallet before, it seems to restore its health a bit. At that time, I didn't have any shoe care products. But now I have AE shoe polish, leather conditioner, lotion, etc. Thus, my question boil down to: hand cream or skin protectant for human skin vs. specially-formulated lotion/cream for shoe leathers Just want to get your opinion and insights on this.

I would purchase products designed for leather. More specifically, I would use products designed for shoe leather.

 

[chogall]

Gentlemen:

Since AE leather shoes are made of animals' skin. Would it be a good idea to apply hand cream or skin protectant on leather shoes (like AE PA) for better protection, etc.? I applied hand cream on my leather wallet before, it seems to restore its health a bit. At that time, I didn't have any shoe care products. But now I have AE shoe polish, leather conditioner, lotion, etc. Thus, my question boil down to:

hand cream or skin protectant for human skin vs. specially-formulated lotion/cream for shoe leathers

Just want to get your opinion and insights on this.

No. Living human skin isn't the same as tanned animal leather.

 

[Zapasman]

I use specific products for leather. I think they are much better for your shoes, that is all.

I am suretoo some baby creams can work to avoid dryness in a shoe. Why not?

 

[Munky]

Felix. Thank you for the link to Bic4. Call me shallow, if you want, but I love the bottle it's in!

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Also skin creams often have petroleum products in them as well as silicones. Not the best option for leather.

 

[Iyor]



No bespoke pairs, but that will change very soon.

Did you find someone in NY, or are you going with one of the leffot trunk shows? I think Steven is trying to get one of the Japanese makers to come, but I forgot his name. I'm thinking of trying Perry Ercolino since he is somewhat local in PA, and will arrange an appointment in NYC if needed which I find beneficial compared to the traveling makers that come twice a year.

 

[FelixTheFinn]

Felix. Thank you for the link to Bic4. Call me shallow, if you want, but I love the bottle it's in!

This is the Style Forum afterall. A place where we spend copious amounts of our free time discussing the idiosyncrasies of men's dress. If we're not all a bit shallow I don't know what we are...

Felix

 

[sinnedk]



I would purchase products designed for leather. More specifically, I would use products designed for shoe leather.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Gentlemen: Since AE leather shoes are made of animals' skin. Would it be a good idea to apply hand cream or skin protectant on leather shoes (like AE PA) for better protection, etc.? I applied hand cream on my leather wallet before, it seems to restore its health a bit. At that time, I didn't have any shoe care products. But now I have AE shoe polish, leather conditioner, lotion, etc. Thus, my question boil down to: hand cream or skin protectant for human skin vs. specially-formulated lotion/cream for shoe leathers Just want to get your opinion and insights on this.

i don't think aquaphor would work, won't hurt. But i prefer to use it on my baby's bottom rather than the horses bottom used for my shoes. i think this is what you want:

http://www.amazon.com/Otter-Wax-Lea...UTF8&qid=1438009584&sr=8-4&keywords=otter+wax @other folks, i decided to try otter wax oil for my boots and am waiting on that. if that doesn't work i will try black saphir cream.

 

[Munky]

I've always used Otter Wax to polish my otters.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



Did you find someone in NY, or are you going with one of the leffot trunk shows? I think Steven is trying to get one of the Japanese makers to come, but I forgot his name. I'm thinking of trying Perry Ercolino since he is somewhat local in PA, and will arrange an appointment in NYC if needed which I find beneficial compared to the traveling makers that come twice a year.

None of which you mentioned here.

 

[wengxiah]

Shoe noob strikes again:
On Brannock device I am a US7,
So, theoretically, am I supposed to buy UK6.5-UK6 for shoes that fit true to size? (And let's just assume my width is F and all shoes in the world are F as well)

 

[wengxiah]



wengxiah,

In response...width problem equals heel problem (or greatly contributes to it).

With the possible exception of the insole (plantar surface), the shape of a last that the customer sees and buys usually has little to no relationship to fit.

The shape of a last that the bespoke maker arrives at to fit the foot usually has little or no relationship to appearance.

For instance, a good bespoke maker can fit the same foot...the same measurements...with a last that has a high cone (instep) or one that has a low cone, etc.. It often depends almost entirely on the aesthetic sensibilities of the maker.

Munky,

Dinna fash. No apologies necessary.

--

Can I ask, would wearing smaller width(1 size smaller than my true width) contribute to heel problem as well?

 

[DWFII]



Can I ask, would wearing smaller width(1 size smaller than my true width) contribute to heel problem as well?

Depends. Feet can be complicated beyond the power of anyone to simplify or rationalize. You could, for instance, have a foot that is wide..."E" for instance...in the forepart, and narrow in the heel--say an A. You would naturally buy shoes to fit the forepart but the heel would not be well served. You could buy a shoe that was a D under those circumstances (one size narrower than your true width) and still end up with a D heel--threes sizes too wide for your heel.

Beyond that there is very little standardization in lasts...at least not rigid standards. A size 9C in one model of last can be exactly equivalent to a 10C in another model.

FWIW, in the US standard I grew up with, widths ran from A-E with AAA, and AA and EE and EEE making up the extremes. There is no F sizing.

 

[wengxiah]



Depends. Feet can be complicated beyond the power of anyone to simplify or rationalize. You could, for instance, have a foot that is wide..."E" for instance...in the forepart, and narrow in the heel--say an A. You would naturally buy shoes to fit the forepart but the heel would not be well served. You could buy a shoe that was a D under those circumstances (one size narrower than your true width) and still end up with a D heel--threes sizes too wide for your heel.

Beyond that there is very little standardization in lasts...at least not rigid standards. A size 9C in one model of last can be exactly equivalent to a 10C in another model.

FWIW, in the US standard I grew up with, widths ran from A-E with AAA, and AA and EE and EEE making up the extremes. There is no F sizing.

may i ask another question

I have a pair of RTW shoes that pinches my little toe, does it not necessarily mean i need a wider fore foot width? I read one of the DFW post before, it is heel-ball length that matters, even if i lost my toes, i would probably still wear the same size. So 'pinching my little toes' might just mean, this rtw last is not for me, correct? Since, i dont feel uncomfortable at the place of my ball or the metatarsophalangeal joint of my little toe(i didn't know how to say it so i have just googled it)
Am i correct?

 

[chogall]

may i ask another question

I have a pair of RTW shoes that pinches my little toe, does it not necessarily mean i need a wider fore foot width? I read one of the DFW post before, it is heel-ball length that matters, even if i lost my toes, i would probably still wear the same size. So 'pinching my little toes' might just mean, this rtw last is not for me, correct? Since, i dont feel uncomfortable at the place of my ball or the metatarsophalangeal joint of my little toe(i didn't know how to say it so i have just googled it)
Am i correct?

Toe space length/width is as important as heel to ball length if not more. but isn't usually captured in sizing information.

Most RTWs have no arch supports and I doubt anyone could feel a damn thing about wrong heel to ball length. Toe space, on the other hand, will cause all sorts of deformities.

The RTW last might not for you, but those pressure points could be solved with shoe stretching liquids + shoe stretcher. Is it just rubbing against the very outside of your little toe at the side edge? Or top edge? A shoe stretcher could relief the former and a clamp style shoe spot stretcher could relief the latter.