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

[Mbaldinger]

Just followed a modified mirror shine technique on the tips.
View attachment 1029998
I only shined the tips that fade out and not the whole toe cap. I personally find this to look more natural

Stunning pair...love the shine!

 

[BXpress]

Has anyone tried the Saphir polishing glove and if so how does it compare to polishing cloths and brushes?

 

[Schweino]

Has anyone tried the Saphir polishing glove and if so how does it compare to polishing cloths and brushes?

I have one made of horse hair by Colonil and I prefer it over a brush. Much easier to use.

 

[zanci]

Hello guys,

I have a few pairs of shell cordovan shoes. I only use renovateur once in a while and brush. Anyone knows how do the asian care masters get the mirror shine on shell? With classic wax?

 

[Mbaldinger]

Hello guys,

I have a few pairs of shell cordovan shoes. I only use renovateur once in a while and brush. Anyone knows how do the asian care masters get the mirror shine on shell? With classic wax?

I've used saphir mirror gloss on the toes only for mirror shine on shell

 

[Mbaldinger]

Although to be honest I found mirror gloss largely unnecessary on shell. I feel I can get a fantastic shine with saphir shell cordovan cream, renovateur, and venetian shoe creams and a solid brushing.

 

[Munky]

I have used a lot of brushes and polishes over the years. I tend, now, to use mostly Collonil neutral cream. I get fed up with it when I clean brogues. It tends to stick itself into the brogue holes. I use my finger to apply creams and polishes.

I have never used a round, dauber brush. Would this be a way of making sure that cream doesn't get into broguing?

Second, a terrible question. Would it be OK to use the same dauber brush for different colour brogue shoes? I know that, technically, the answer is 'no' but has anyone done this? I find shoe cleaning less attractive than I once did and as long as my shoes stay well brushed and clean, I would be happy to break the rules, if possible. Yours in shoe care, Munky.

 

[Sehn82]

I have used a lot of brushes and polishes over the years. I tend, now, to use mostly Collonil neutral cream. I get fed up with it when I clean brogues. It tends to stick itself into the brogue holes. I use my finger to apply creams and polishes.

I have never used a round, dauber brush. Would this be a way of making sure that cream doesn't get into broguing?

Second, a terrible question. Would it be OK to use the same dauber brush for different colour brogue shoes? I know that, technically, the answer is 'no' but has anyone done this? I find shoe cleaning less attractive than I once did and as long as my shoes stay well brushed and clean, I would be happy to break the rules, if possible. Yours in shoe care, Munky.

Usually just brushing (with any type of brush) would get cream out of brogue holes. You mentioned you apply cream with your fingers. I use this method as well and I never have problems with cream in brogue holes. Probably due to applying thinner coats?

I have 4 brushes in total. 1 extra large horse hair for before and after wear brushing which i have near the door. This is totally optional but i'm a lazy man and like to have things within reach when I want them.

The remaining 3 (1 horsehair 2 regular) I use during my shoe care routine. The horsehair almost always gets used post routine, when everything is nice and dry and ready for that final brush before storage. The remaining 2 i use for diff colours. 1 for darker colours (dark browns, navy, black etc) and the other for lighter (tans, cognacs etc).

You can get away with one brush if u clean it well. For me I'm just too lazy and getting dark coloured flecks of dried polish on my lighter shoes just irks me.

 

[Luigi_M]

@Munky , I know you used to have several different large brushes, one for each colour of shoe, so I don't think you need any dauber.
I too spread the cream on my shoes with my bare finger and, if the broguing gets clogged, I remove the surplus of cream by gently dabbing the brush in a vertical motion over the holed or jagged part of the vamp (with narrow circular movements) before starting with the usual long, steady, back-and-forth strokes.
I found that this removes the clogging with little if any effort.
Glad to read you! Luigi

 

[JohnAAG]

Happy Thursday, all!

I asked this question over in the Vintage Shoe thread, but I wanted to share it here.

I've seen some posts (my apologies for not remembering who they were from) of people who have sanded sole edges to remove the dark color and turn them a "natural" color. For anyone that has done it, did you use anything to lighten the color of the sanded sole edge? A diluted bleach solution for example? Or was it just sand, sand, sand until you got them as light as you could? Does anyone have any recommendations for something that could lighten the edges without causing grievous harm to them?

Thanks!
John

 

[Munky]

@Munky , I know you used to have several different large brushes, one for each colour of shoe, so I don't think you need any dauber.
I too spread the cream on my shoes with my bare finger and, if the broguing gets clogged, I remove the surplus of cream by gently dabbing the brush in a vertical motion over the holed or jagged part of the vamp (with narrow circular movements) before starting with the usual long, steady, back-and-forth strokes.
I found that this removes the clogging with little if any effort.
Glad to read you! Luigi

Hello Luigi, it was lovely to hear from you again. As you know, I owe the 'finger application' to you. I also do what you describe with a brush, over filled brogue holes. A few taps with the brush and the polish has gone. I suppose I was looking for a seriously lazy method of application that didn't fill the holes in the first place. I think I will stick to this routine and try not to be such a sloth. With fraternal good wishes, Munky.

 

[florent]

Happy Thursday, all!

I asked this question over in the Vintage Shoe thread, but I wanted to share it here.

I've seen some posts (my apologies for not remembering who they were from) of people who have sanded sole edges to remove the dark color and turn them a "natural" color. For anyone that has done it, did you use anything to lighten the color of the sanded sole edge? A diluted bleach solution for example? Or was it just sand, sand, sand until you got them as light as you could? Does anyone have any recommendations for something that could lighten the edges without causing grievous harm to them?

Thanks!
John

Just keep sanding until you removed wax/edge dressing products and get to the bare leather beneath. It won't harm the edge (you're just removing top coat) as long as you're cautious enough to not sand the upper

 

[Luigi_M]

@JohnAAG I did a similar experiment some time ago, but I was working on black shoes so the heel and edge had to be painted in black too and hence I didn't care too much about sanding out all the previous staining.
My only advice - from my single experience - would be to use sandpaper in just one direction, so to minimize the odd fibres raising/or getting loose.
This way, to be clear:


Good luck and please post the results!
Luigi.

 

[JohnAAG]

Just keep sanding until you removed wax/edge dressing products and get to the bare leather beneath. It won't harm the edge (you're just removing top coat) as long as you're cautious enough to not sand the upper

Thanks! I should have said that I've already sanded the edges to remove the original top coat/edge dressing and expose the bare leather underneath. However, that leather is still dark so there isn't much contrast with the brown uppers. This is a comparison. The edge on the right is untouched. The edge on the left is after some pretty aggressive hand sanding with 120 grit

I think the leather they used is just that dark (or the edge dye they used penetrated deeply). I'd love to find a way to get it lighter.

 

[Munky]

Thanks! I should have said that I've already sanded the edges to remove the original top coat/edge dressing and expose the bare leather underneath. However, that leather is still dark so there isn't much contrast with the brown uppers. This is a comparison. The edge on the right is untouched. The edge on the left is after some pretty aggressive hand sanding with 120 grit
View attachment 1051571
I think the leather they used is just that dark (or the edge dye they used penetrated deeply). I'd love to find a way to get it lighter.

I'm not sure what your goal is here. Do you just want a lighter shade around the soles? If so...er, why? From the photo, you seem to have got very close to the uppers and the seam. Less, as always, is more. Also, what is going on in the right shoe, at the bottom? The uppers seem in need of a bit of care, too. They look very dry. Sorry to be such a misery face! Yours, Munky.