Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[friendlygoz]

Incoming shell for personal... View attachment 1367263

These look like either model 92612 or 92649, but have a customer's name in them and are NOS. We shall see.
View attachment 1367264

Those are fantastic. Let me guess: you paid $8.79.

 

[CWOyaji]

Not for the shell, but the calf shoes were that price, you betcha. Part of The Haul.

What a day that was. 13 pairs for $9 PPU.

Shell were $200 but NOS so I don't mind.

 

[nikolau]

Not for the shell, but the calf shoes were that price, you betcha. Part of The Haul.
View attachment 1367735
What a day that was. 13 pairs for $9 PPU.
View attachment 1367719
Shell were $200 but NOS so I don't mind.
View attachment 1367720

Where in the name of all that is good are you finding vintage shoes at $9 PPU?

 

[suitforcourt]

Where in the name of all that is good are you finding vintage shoes at $9 PPU?

He is a master thrifter. He forages through bins of shoes.

 

[CWOyaji]

Found that lot at a St. Vincent de Paul; you may know him as the patron saint of vintage footwear. This store runs a soup kitchen in the back that serves the poor, and has a bathroom. It's been a productive store for me.

 

[Nealjpage]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

 

[CWOyaji]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

View attachment 1367791

The left shoe looks improved. Did you try @smfdoc’s suggestion of a stiffer bristle brush yet?

 

[woofmang]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

View attachment 1367791

They actually look pretty good, considering. Cordovan Cream would probably help even out the color. You may also want to try a thin coat of high-shine paste (Saphir makes a good one, as does Pure Polish) on top.

 

[right_hook]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

View attachment 1367791

I had similar trouble with my thrifted 6845s.
I've read some manuals on SF on how to clean shell shoes. Yeah, all those things like "brush untill your arm fell off and then 20 minutes more"
While I think it's the best you can do with your shell cordovan footwear, there are non stantdard situations.
I think it's common issue with thrifted shoes - you'd never know what previous owner did to them. In this, sometimes you should take more aggressive approach and somewhat "step over the line".
It looks like your shoes have been overpolished. So when you try to clean/sand them you see all that dull mix of old gunk and polish (with silicones and other non natural substances maybe). Dealing with such issue I tried to heat them with usual hairdryer and then "rib" with a thick cloth. It worked but sooo slowly. I'm not that patient so brought some chemicals and used white spirit. It helped me to clean (unearth) the surface of the shoes and bring the shine back.
I think that white spirit is an effective and at the same time is a very mild chemical solution to clean your shoes.
@CWOyaji recommended to sand them, but he can tell you how he did renomat bath to his shell shoes as well

 

[suitforcourt]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

View attachment 1367791

At this point, just enjoy them. They are vintage and used. Lots of history and beauty to these.

 

[Nealjpage]

The left shoe looks improved. Did you try @smfdoc’s suggestion of a stiffer bristle brush yet?

I did. I used one after the sanding, sort of a buffing before using my soft brush. I didn't sand the left shoe, btw.

They actually look pretty good, considering. Cordovan Cream would probably help even out the color. You may also want to try a thin coat of high-shine paste (Saphir makes a good one, as does Pure Polish) on top.

My main concern is filling in the rough area in the leather. Would a cream or a paste help with that?

I had similar trouble with my thrifted 6845s.
I've read some manuals on SF on how to clean shell shoes. Yeah, all those things like "brush untill your arm fell off and then 20 minutes more"
While I think it's the best you can do with your shell cordovan footwear, there are non stantdard situations.
I think it's common issue with thrifted shoes - you'd never know what previous owner did to them. In this, sometimes you should take more aggressive approach and somewhat "step over the line".
It looks like your shoes have been overpolished. So when you try to clean/sand them you see all that dull mix of old gunk and polish (with silicones and other non natural substances maybe). Dealing with such issue I tried to heat them with usual hairdryer and then "rib" with a thick cloth. It worked but sooo slowly. I'm not that patient so brought some chemicals and used white spirit. It helped me to clean (unearth) the surface of the shoes and bring the shine back.
I think that white spirit is an effective and at the same time is a very mild chemical solution to clean your shoes.
@CWOyaji recommended to sand them, but he can tell you how he did renomat bath to his shell shoes as well

They didn't SEEM over polished when I started; if anything, they seemed under conditioned. I brush and brush, trying to get the bloom to come to the surface, but so far that has been unsuccessful. In fact, I loaded them with Bick 4 last night. Maybe that helped.

 

[CWOyaji]

I had similar trouble with my thrifted 6845s.
@CWOyaji recommended to sand them, but he can tell you how he did renomat bath to his shell shoes as well

^It's true. Strong stuff though, so make sure you're outdoors if you use them. I like to start off using mild treatments but the orange peel buildup on those 994s may need to be knocked off with a pig bristle brush, like the doctor said.

 

[friendlygoz]

Not for the shell, but the calf shoes were that price, you betcha. Part of The Haul.
View attachment 1367735
What a day that was. 13 pairs for $9 PPU.
View attachment 1367719
Shell were $200 but NOS so I don't mind.
View attachment 1367720

Ok. I feel better... wait... that’s a crazy good deal! I tease you only because I envy you. Wear them in good health.

 

[friendlygoz]

Grrr. Even with a 3000 grit wet sanding pad lubed with VSC (or Bick 4), I can't get these 994s to polish out. Should I try some neutral or cordovan colored cream polish? Ice brushed until my arm went numb, too.

View attachment 1367791

My JM shell saddles are like that. I tried everything. Collonil neutral helps some, the only a little. I agree with @suitforcourt - wear and enjoy.

 

[CWOyaji]

Ok. I feel better... wait... that’s a crazy good deal! I tease you only because I envy you. Wear them in good health.

And when this is all over and the thrifts are back in business again, let's hit some stores. Maybe even a trip to the Bins.