No Polish?

I was talking to a leather worker today (he makes boots, shoes, wallets, etc) who advises to not polish shoes, but only use conditioner; he recommends RM Williams Saddle dressing. He said that this is his favorite product, and that nothing compares in his 45+ years experience. His reasoning is that polish doesn't allow the leather to breath, and will shorten the lifespan of leather goods by a considerable amount of time.

Let's discuss, as I know it seems that on this board, that many tout polishing every so many wearings and I know some polish after each wearing.

I think I understand what he is saying, but polishing is not to make the leather last longer per se. It's to make it shiny.

If you need your shoes shiny, you have to do something other than conditioner.

When given a choice like this, I choose both. Conditioner then polish.

A good conditioner (or shoe cream) is a must. I use Saphir.

Polishing is not a must, and over time can build up and not allow the leather to breathe as much. I usually polish (wax) only on the toe area and heel area (after using shoe cream) to protect from scuffs, since those areas are scuffed the most and if there is already some wax there you can buff out most minor scuffs.

is there an easy way to remove layers of polish without potentially ruining the leather by applying too much of a certain chemical or being too rough with it?

Originally Posted by anon

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is there an easy way to remove layers of polish without potentially ruining the leather by applying too much of a certain chemical or being too rough with it?

Saphir makes a product called "renovateur" which, I believe, removes polish and conditions the leather at the same time. Otherwise I am not sure what to use.

Good quality cream contains beeswax, as does wax polish. Cream is more readily absorbed than polish, but does not give a better finish. The answer is to use a neutral cream or a leather food from time to time and regularly polish your shoes up for the finish. If you polish every two weeks or so, there'd be no polish build up and you'd enhance the colour and patina of your shoes wonderfully. You get the best of both worlds really. I avoid tinted cream like the plague.

Neutral cream (02) from both Saphir and La Cordonnerie Anglaise will remove wax and cream build up! I do a clean up each 2-3 months, and it works very well. The idea is to leave the cream on the shoes at least 12 hours, so there will be "breathing". On the other hand, the idea is to keep the leather as flexible as it is possible in order to prolong the life of the shoe, so conditioning is necessary from time to time!

There is a video on Youtube of a very well-spoken English butler instructing on how to polish shoes. He gently informs that he uses cream one time, wax the next.

But he saves the kicker for last. ... The pair of black captoes he is polishing on camera? He tells us he has had them for 36 years and worn them fifty percent of the time. Check it out.

Originally Posted by koolhistorian

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Neutral cream (02) from both Saphir and La Cordonnerie Anglaise will remove wax and cream build up! I do a clean up each 2-3 months, and it works very well. The idea is to leave the cream on the shoes at least 12 hours, so there will be "breathing". On the other hand, the idea is to keep the leather as flexible as it is possible in order to prolong the life of the shoe, so conditioning is necessary from time to time!

The polish vs cream debate is an old chestnut that always kicks around. However, I'd add to my my post that polish does give greater waterproofing than cream, despite what the makers of cream say. After all, it makes sense - a layer of wax is applied to leather. Interestingly, cream can lead to a build up of residue if you're not careful. This takes the form of a powdery white substance that sits in the difficult to get at parts of the shoe. Evident on brogues. That's why I tend to use a neutral leather food - I've found Chelsea Leather Food works very well indeed.

The cream then polish routine, rotating week by week, would probably work well - the cream would take off any polish residue and the polish any cream residue. Leather food will also clean the leather, but not affect the finish. I've spoken to people who mix a bit of cream in with the polish. This probably breaks down the polish a tad and allows it to be more readily absorbed.

I tend to use polish for the colour and finish. I've found that neutral cream tends to 'fade' the shoes slightly, possibly due to a subtle build up of cream residue. Look great at first, but does nothing for the patina. Tinted cream does the reverse - tars the shoe in it's own colour.

The basics of shoe care are quite simple when you think about it, it's just that there is so much contradictory advice out there and the shoemakers don't set out how it should be done. No doubt, people will disagree with me. As I say, the basics are: cream or leather food to nourish your shoes, polish for the finish, colour and patina. Years down the line polish reaps rewards.

I like Meltonian shoe cream. Comes in all colors (literally), conditions and polishes. Have used it on one pair of shoes for ten plus years and the leather looks brand new. I hear good things about Saphir as well, but Meltonian is easier to find and has more color variations.

Is saddle soap the same as leather food? Is it equivalent to RM Williams Saddle dressing?

Originally Posted by Style Pontifex

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Is saddle soap the same as leather food? Is it equivalent to RM Williams Saddle dressing?

No and no.
Saddle soap is used for cleaning the shoe from dirt, wax residue, etc. However, it is not a conditioner but the exact opposite: It's a soap (who would have guessed). Use it rarely and only if necessary and apply a conditioner immediately after the shoe has dried.

BTW I use Saphir beautà de cuir for conditioning and medaille d'or polish for the shine.

Funnily enough I have met a similar old shoemake who also used the same ' I have been doing this 45 years' line on me and told me all I should be using is a conditioner. He also made the comment that he would not sell me a tube of Colonil he had in his cabinet while pulling horrible faces.