Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[nikolau]

I have a pair of shell Alden for BB that are totally kicking ******. As some may remember, they came to me dried out and caked with polish. I've been stripping them and brushing and brushing and stripping for several weeks now. Here's what's going on: I'll brush the shoes to bring out the oils. The texture of the shell goes from smooth and sort of glossy to waxy and tacky. I can then run a fingernail across the surface and accumulate cordovan-colored wax on my nail. So then I'll break out the nail polish remover (acetone) and cotton balls, scrubbing them good and hard. Most of this accumulation is on the toe caps and vamps. Here's what I'm left with:

View attachment 1562647

After the acetone the shoes are again smooth to the touch. But vigorous brushing brings the wax back to the surface. I bet I brushed and stripped 4 times last night.

What gives? Is that wax I'm bringing out or the shell's oils and dye?

I wonder if you might be pulling off whatever varnish Alden bake into their shell. I think they coat (or used to coat) shell in a shellac type substance that does not play well with shoe polish containing solvents.

 

[Raimar]

Finished my attempt at restoring these Florsheim shells. Process was renomat, acetone (quite a bit), glycerin bath, 2 coats of bick 4, venetian shoe cream (helped remove some additional wax), saphir light brown cream, tarrago mahogany cream (I probably should have used a cream with more pigmentation) and finally some collonil supreme creme de luxe.
I liked how the right shoe came out but i think the left one needed more work. Probably had to strip it more to remove all the extra wax and even out the colors but was worried of drying the shell (there is a slight crack in the back). It may also have done with a bit of sanding to remove some of the bumps. Too bad that at 10 D they are bridge too far but good project overall.

 

[davidVC]

After a hiatus from shoe science instigated by the purchase of NOS shell longwings (to the earlier conversation of the most I’ve ever paid for shoes), I was pulled back into it by this pair of 7 eyelet 5th Aves. Couldn’t resist them.

Does anyone know when these might be from?
View attachment 1562884 View attachment 1562885

That's a great pair.

The logo on the sole looks like the one they used in the 60s and 70s.

 

[suitforcourt]

I've been on a vintage watch buying binge over the past few days. Honestly, I don't know how many I've bought. I feel like I'm huffing paint.

My watch list on ebay used to be maxed out. All the time. Now down to 30, and mostly paracord laces for my boots.

Not having all those items on my watch list has helped..... temper things.

 

[suitforcourt]

I've been on a vintage watch buying binge over the past few days. Honestly, I don't know how many I've bought. I feel like I'm huffing paint.

And if the feeling is similar to huffing paint, then you're not an addict. Yet. Addict level is where you have shoes show up. And you don't even remember buying them.

And when you bring them to your shoe lab, you find more shoes you don't recall buying. Or owning.

Then you're an addict.

That's what my addict buddy says.

 

[right_hook]

You're talking about addiction and I imagine as one of us wake up in a hotel in some unfamiliar shoes with laces around the limbs
No. My ability to function in day to day life is totally fine. Moreover, high quality and comfortable shoes help me stay active all day long.
And most importantly, I don't need to buy shoes to feel good. I just want to do it. But I don't have to. I just want to. So I do it.

 

[ZePrez]

You're talking about addiction and I imagine as one of us wake up in a hotel in some unfamiliar shoes with laces around the limbs
No. My ability to function in day to day life is totally fine. Moreover, high quality and comfortable shoes help me stay active all day long.
And most importantly, I don't need to buy shoes to feel good. I just want to do it. But I don't have to. I just want to. So I do it.

Denial ...

 

[Oshare]

It's kinda hard to describe. I haven't run into this before. The shell is a little tacky feeling to me. If I drag my finger over it with some pressure I can see a little more shine but still not right. When I brush them it gets that more matte look. I need to reup my acetone, dont have any on hand right now. I worked on them somewhat aggressively with alcohol, which isnt really ideal. I did get a decent amount of color off the surface, yes, although I think it was more wax than dye from the shell. There is no wax on them at this point. My pair are just saturated, I am pretty sure...

A couple years ago when I first got into shell, I was a bit overzealous and impatient with a pair of 97626s that I had picked up. I probably put about 4 coats of Bick 4 onto them with only a few minutes in between each coat, and turned them into a tacky mess similar to what you are describing. Basically it was dull and tacky. Brushing did not help at all.

I had to do a reset with Renomat wiping off as much of the surface gunk as possible. After the wipe down, I reconditioned slowly and now they are much better.

 

[FatTuesday]

At what age do shoes b/c vintage? These walnut-shell short wings are over 10-years old.

 

[vdubiv]

How old do cars have to be in order to apply for vintage tags? Also with that said, once you declare your shoes vintage are limited to wears/mileage just as you in a vintage tagged cars?

 

[smfdoc]

My Prediction Is those will go over $400. Maybe even over $500

For sure over 400. I think it's likely they will go over 500 as well. I was being sarcastic.

Despite their age, they are new shell shoes at a quality level that exceeds many current makers. Allen Edmonds and Rancourt's current list price for shell is $695.

 

[Nealjpage]

My watch list on ebay used to be maxed out. All the time. Now down to 30, and mostly paracord laces for my boots.

Not having all those items on my watch list has helped..... temper things.

It's not the watch list, per se, but the 150 saved searches that I've got going.

 

[M635Guy]

How old do cars have to be in order to apply for vintage tags? Also with that said, once you declare your shoes vintage are limited to wears/mileage just as you in a vintage tagged cars?

My understanding is twenty or twenty-five years, depending on the state, which is kinda funny since my wife's car is only four years away from twenty.

For me "Vintage" for both starts in the 80's and goes back for both cars and shoes. Even twenty years from now I think most things from the 90's forward will just be old.

 

[vdubiv]

crazy to think that music from the 80's and early 90's is considered vintage

 

[Bertrand]

Hi my fellow vintage shoe friends, I am new to vintage shoes..

1. What are the best shoe trees for vintage shoes? (Other than original lasted tree)

2.Are the “shoe tree with spring” (for example Nordstrom generic tree or Woodlore Epic tree) good? I heard that people say the spring would somewhat expand the shoes into a excessive extend.. is it real?