What's gone wrong with these shoes?

[pete146]

I've just bought these shoes from Bexley in their clearance sale. I thought that for £70 they would be ok for everyday / bad weather wear rather than ruining my better shoes.

They arrived yesterday and I conditioned them with Saphir renovateur, then gave them 3 thin layers of polish.

While polishing them they started to feel quite waxy - the cloth was sticking to them and they were marking really easily. I had to use a wet cloth to get the cloth to slide over the leather and they wouldn't really shine. They are supposedly full grain calf.

This morning they look like old shoes! Marked with light patches.

Have I done something wrong, or are they just bad leather? I'm trying to decide whether they can be salvaged or whether to return them.






This is where I bought them from:
http://www.bexley.com/Bexley/en/p/clearance/william?tarification=FINSERIE&coloris=marron


Also, the website recommends totally covering the shoes in thick polish and leaving them for 48 hours, then buffing. I have never done this before - can anybody recommend it as a polishing method?

Thanks for your help

 

[Murlsquirl]

You might get more help here http://www.styleforum.net/newsearch?search=shoe+care

 

[ter1413]

You did that all before wearing the shoes??

 

[pete146]



You did that all before wearing the shoes??

Lol - yes of course! After they're worn it's too late

 

[ter1413]



Lol - [COLOR=FF00AA]yes of course![/COLOR] After they're worn it's too late

Of course? Some people don't do anything to new shoes until after a few wears.
3 layers of polish? See what that got you...

 

[pete146]

How is the leather protected if you wear them without any treatment? I would have thought that any marks, scuffs etc would damage the leather if it didn't have a few layers of Polish?

 

[pete146]

Are you saying that the marks on the shoes are actually caused by the polish? If so, am I better removing the polish completely are seeing how they look?

Thanks

 

[Fred G. Unn]

I see three issues at play here. First of all, I'm pretty sure they are too big. You never want the lacing of a balmoral to close completely at the top, especially not when new when the leather will still likely stretch a bit with wear. Second, did you apply wax to the vamp, the area with all the lighter creasing? In general, I only apply wax to the toe and heel counter, places that aren't going to crease, and apply cream polish to areas like the vamp when needed. As the wax on the vamp creases, you are going to see those lighter areas of cracked wax as in your pics. Third, if the cloth is sticking to the wax you are likely using way too much wax. Here's an example of how much wax to use, by @Crat:

 

[pete146]

Thanks - some great advice here

Yes they are slightly too big - I am actually debating whether they are ok to keep - but I do have odd shaped feet!

Yes I polished the vamp. Ironically because of Shoe Snob videos that I watched. But I do like the idea of only using wax on the cap and heel.

Great video thanks.

So - I've used Renomat to remove all of my errors, and I've re-conditioned and only polished the cap & heel. I'll get some cream tomorrow and give it a try. I do think the markings are something to do with the leather also - it is so soft that even the contours of my shoe trees are showing through and marking the outers of the shoes!