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

[JE_FR88]

Hello and welcome! Brushing is really important. Give your shoes a good brushing before you go and out when you come back. I like it that you don't use loads of product, loads of times. I hope you enjoy your shoes! Yours sincerely, Munky

Hi Munky, thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it!

 

[troika]

Hi Munky, thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it!

If you're already using Saphir sparingly, why do you want to use it even more sparingly? Renovateur does have wax in it so it'll come up to (some) shine. If you're after a matte finish, you can try Bick 4, as it doesn't have any wax. I use it for shoes or other leather goods that don't need any additional shine, although I believe the Saphir to be a superior product. If you don't mind the shine, and don't use it all that much, I think you should stick to reno. Another popular nourishing option is Venetian Shoe Cream, without getting into some of the heavier waxes like obenaufs.

 

[troika]

Hello.

Can anyone suggest a brand/color of leather dye that would closely match Allen Edmonds dark chili?

Thanks

I've had great luck with feibings for both smooth calf and suede. The colors in the chart are pretty true in my experience though please consider that you can only really dye the leather a darker shade, it doesn't work if you choose a lighter hue

 

[ccpl14]

I've had great luck with feibings for both smooth calf and suede. The colors in the chart are pretty true in my experience though please consider that you can only really dye the leather a darker shade, it doesn't work if you choose a lighter hue

View attachment 1057670

Thanks. I’m assuming at alcohol based is the way to go for smooth calf? Any advantage to using the Pro dye over the standard?

 

[JE_FR88]

If you're already using Saphir sparingly, why do you want to use it even more sparingly? Renovateur does have wax in it so it'll come up to (some) shine. If you're after a matte finish, you can try Bick 4, as it doesn't have any wax. I use it for shoes or other leather goods that don't need any additional shine, although I believe the Saphir to be a superior product. If you don't mind the shine, and don't use it all that much, I think you should stick to reno. Another popular nourishing option is Venetian Shoe Cream, without getting into some of the heavier waxes like obenaufs.

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, I am using the reno sparingly, but I think that when more polish is needed, a conditioner beforehand is a good idea, no? And seen as too much mink oil and too many waxes in a conditioner are not desirable on a regular basis, I was thinking that the Bick 4 would be more suitable.

 

[Munky]

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, I am using the reno sparingly, but I think that when more polish is needed, a conditioner beforehand is a good idea, no? And seen as too much mink oil and too many waxes in a conditioner are not desirable on a regular basis, I was thinking that the Bick 4 would be more suitable.

With shoes, as in life, keep it simple. I know I go on about this but it is important. Brush, occasional cream (and wax, if you want a higher shine; I leave it at cream). Brush some more. Keep up a simple routine and don't rush to apply complicated conditioners unless you shoes really need them. My guess is that they won't. Yours, as ever, Munky.

 

[MrUnderwood]

This is a bit tricky as the usual care methods don't really apply to suede. What kind of damage is it? If its minor nicks and scuffs, a suede eraser followed by some brushing (with a suede brush) should get it out. For tougher dirt (usually happens if u get the shoe wet, then dirty) you will likely need to use a suede cleaner/saddle soap. Brass bristles are good for loosening up dirt that has gone further into the nap before any deep cleaning.

If its actual damage to the nap then i'm afraid you'll likely have to rely on a coloured spray to "mask" the damage, in which case darkening the shoe via a slightly darker shade wouldn't really be a concern.

Late reply, but thank you for taken the time Sehn82

Lets avoid the question of what kind of issue i would like to fix and focus on the Neutral spray - lets assume that a Saphir Renovateur Suede & Nubuck Conditioning Spray would be the best option available.

Now i would like to ask, how can a neutral spray do any recoloring? I might be incredibly dumb, but i understand how a e.g. a medium brown spray can add color to places, since it is - yes actually providing coloring. But how can a neutral spray help anything?

@Luigi_M Cheers for the recommendation for that color chart. I will order one with my next Hanger Project order.

 

[Sehn82]

Late reply, but thank you for taken the time Sehn82

Lets avoid the question of what kind of issue i would like to fix and focus on the Neutral spray - lets assume that a Saphir Renovateur Suede & Nubuck Conditioning Spray would be the best option available.

Now i would like to ask, how can a neutral spray do any recoloring? I might be incredibly dumb, but i understand how a e.g. a medium brown spray can add color to places, since it is - yes actually providing coloring. But how can a neutral spray help anything?

@Luigi_M Cheers for the recommendation for that color chart. I will order one with my next Hanger Project order.

Neutral won't do anything colouring wise if you're looking for confirmation. That being said, renovateur spray is essentially a conditioning product and I use neutral as a personal choice since it can work on any suede or nubuck that I have regardless of colour.

Suede is a little unique in that it can pick up dirt and scruffs easier (especially when wet) On the flip side, it can also "hide" scuffs better due to the nature of it (once cleaned of course).

I haven't had the need to use any colouring product on my suedes and nubucks. Then again, I tend to not baby them as much. Just a routine cleaning regime and regular waterproofing sprays to help (I live in a tropical climate where rain is common) YMMV of course.

 

[JE_FR88]

Do you guys use any silicone free waterproofing spray, by the way? If so, which ones?

 

[JE_FR88]

Also, do you guys condition and then put cream/polish on the soles, or in the area between the upper shoe and the soles?

 

[Luigi_M]

Do you guys use any silicone free waterproofing spray, by the way? If so, which ones?

Also, do you guys condition and then put cream/polish on the soles, or in the area between the upper shoe and the soles?

I never used waterproofing spray. Anyway I know that Pure Polish (ex GlenKaren) produces a shoe cream with waterproofing properties, whose concept I find interesting, and I plan to give it a try some time ...

About soles, the common consensus is that conditioning the soles is likely to 'soften' the leather and lead to premature wear.
Once in a lifetime I spread some shoe wax on my soles, though, and then burnish them with a hot iron in order to melt the wax and have it penetrate the leather (hot means that I cannot touch it, not that it's rovent!)
I borrowed this idea from the bespoke shoemakers, but I'm not sure if I apply it correctly and haven't been experimenting for long enough, so if you decide to try, you do that at your own risk ...
While I like to experiment, anyway, I have to second @Munky's wise KISS advice!
Best wishes. Luigi.

P.S.: I own and use Bick4, and find it a really good general use conditioner.

 

[Luigi_M]

Thanks. I’m assuming at alcohol based is the way to go for smooth calf? Any advantage to using the Pro dye over the standard?

Im my rare experiments, until now, I only used alcohol based dyes. I prefer to furtherly dilute them with a little pure alcohol and lay it on my shoes in several hands. I like to think I have more control on the process this way..
In Italian groceries you only find a pink tinted one, so I use the food grade alcohol that's transparent. Expensive, but a little bottle will last me a lifetime.

@MrUnderwood

 

[troika]

Do you guys use any silicone free waterproofing spray, by the way? If so, which ones?

I use it on my suede, roughout, nubuck, canvas, and sneakers religiously, never on smooth leather though. I switch the AE spray to Tarrago Nano bc it was recommended on here. Fwiw, it's been great for me, works well.

Edit: Lololol Derek just posted about it in a different thread too

Also, do you guys condition and then put cream/polish on the soles, or in the area between the upper shoe and the soles?

Every once in a while (maybe once a year or two) I'll put conditioner on the soles and let them dry for about a week. Whenever I condition the whole shoe, I'll do the welt and the sole sides as well. I had a couple of pairs who's soles started cracking a bit, and now I'm extra careful.

 

[JE_FR88]

Thank you all for the input! Do you guys also dip your cotton chamois in water first before polishing? Or is that nonsense? I find the Collonil shoe cream to be quite difficult to spread at times. The same goes for the Saphir samples I have received in the past.

 

[Christian GV.]

Thank you all for the input! Do you guys also dip your cotton chamois in water first before polishing? Or is that nonsense? I find the Collonil shoe cream to be quite difficult to spread at times. The same goes for the Saphir samples I have received in the past.

@JE_FR88 Very good questions! I usually don't dip the chamois, but shoe shining is all about personal preferences so it's not non-sense, not at all. When polishing with a wet cotton cloth, the advice is to very sparingly dab just a tiny bit of wax on the cotton cloth before applying. I've tried it much, my experience is; more water on cloth = less wax on cloth, and visa versa, try to find a balance, for an efficient and successful polish.

Using a cotton chamois with creams, in my opinion, will quickly get buttery in the touch and make it harder to spread the cream. Go one better by spreading creams with a little dauber, with the hands (example Yuya Hasegawa at 2:15) or with a sponge (example Peter Bultitude from G.G. at 10:45).

Hope this helps and that the examples can be inspirational, these guys have helped me a lot Happy shoe shining!