friendlygoz
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- Aug 17, 2016
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I’d try acetone and then some Bick4 sanding as suggested by @CWOyaji. Acetone on shell does not take off the color to the degree that it does on calf. In fact the color comes back on shell right after you condition.Alright guys, need a helping hand on a shell restoration issue. It happened to me again! Ok, not exactly, but a while ago I mentioned that I had been working on a pair of shell aldens that I tried to condition and sand as part of the restoration and that I had ended up with this weird matte portion of the shell. For that pair, I came to the conclusion that I over conditioned and they are now sitting waiting for more attention... or just time.
Well... I just e-thrifted a pair of AEs and there is a panel that has a similar issue but a different cause (I think). However, this time I have no idea what the history of the shoe is other than what I have done so far, which isn't that extensive. They looked very similar to the below when I got them. They really do not seem to be overconditioned. I gave the shoes a quick scrub with saddle soap and a wet microfiber. Then I did a coat of a neatsfoot + VSC blend (which, by the way, seems to be a good idea since it makes it much easier to modulate the neatsfoot). I then let them dry for a bit and gave them a brushing with a pig bristle brush. Both shoes look much better at this point except for this one section.
Lotta pics, sorry... just trying to figure out what's up here. I realize they are still a little messy. It really does not feel like buildup of polish or wax or conditioner to me and I got barely any color off at all while cleaning. I don't have the impression that the they have been polished much really.
Thoughts?
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