# Shoes - advice on polishing for brand new shoes



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

I purchased a brand new pair of burnished calf-skin leather shoes, which are splendid! I would like to treat them properly. Here is what I usually do with new dress shoes: (1) wear them around the house once briefly to feel them out and allow the pores to open; (2) wipe them down with a soft cloth to remove dust and debris; (3) apply polish and brush with horsehair brush; (4) remove excess polish and buff; (5) apply weatherproofer (I use a spray) and allow to dry.

My question is twofold. First, is this process that I outlined above correct, or should I add/delete anything? Second, since my new shoes are burnished calf-skin, I'm concerned about matching color properly and with any "darkening" that may occur by using polish; they are a gorgeous light brown and I certainly don't want the polish to darken the color or give them a wet or oily look. I was told I should use a neutral creme polish. Is this advice correct? Is there anything I should do differently since these shoes are calf-skin leather? Are they really even supposed to look shiny?

Thanks!


----------



## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

Everyone's mileage may vary but for what it's worth:

My routine is to try them on for size (if an internet purchase) and nothing more before first polishing. Then dust off and polish with whatever you fancy - for shoes with an antique effect, a neutral cream is probably best. Otherwise, knock yourself out with whatever cream or wax you want.

The final finish is personal preference - I like a shiny toecap so use wax and a spit-shine technique to acheive this. If you don't want a high gloss shine, just buff with a brush and/or soft cloth. If you're not chasing a high gloss, you could use either cream or wax, if you want a spit-shine, you need wax.

Wear for a few hours at a time at first if possible and in dry conditions for the first few times, again, if possible.

Finally enjoy wearing them! Don't just keep them stored away, never to be worn because they're too pretty.


----------



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

Ok, thanks. And I like your final piece of advice the best, Holdfast -- wear the shoes! 

So I guess the neutral creme polish is the way to go. I'm just so nervous about putting polish on the calfskin since it's so soft looking! It looks like it would give it a "wet" appearance. Any other advice out there?


----------



## Charley (Feb 8, 2005)

My advice would be to first apply conditioner. Lexoil in a goodly generous amount, but run it on, not in. Rubbing too hard can disturb the finish you have.

After that dries very well - next day - I would apply shoe cream in the lighter color of the shoes - but not in neutral. Neutral will turn white and appear as cracks of a different color. Do not get carried away in trying to protect the leather with a thick layer of either the cream or wax. All you will get is a layer of dried cracked junk.

When you brush the dried cream or polich it will be distributed over the shoe. If you prefer some parts darker, use black, cordovan, or very dark brown on those areas. After the lighter cream. Again I want to emphasise that the brushing of the lightly applied layers will redistribute the colors slightly. Further, the cream and conditioner will wear off. The end esult is that it will be very hard to make a permanent mistake, and equally long to achieve a permanent antiquing.


----------



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

Charley -- so you would not recommend using a Neutral creme?

I'm wondering if I really even need to use creme polish because I don't feel like these shoes would look good with a "shine." I'm more interested in protecting the look of the leather, and treating it properly before wearing them.

Here're a few pictures, maybe this well help.
https://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shoes0103mq.jpg
https://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shoes0169yl.jpg


----------



## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

What kind of wax do you all use?

Mark


----------



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

I haven't used anything on these shoes yet, which is why I'm seeking advice on what to do. Some have said use Neutral creme, and Charley recommended against it.

But, I normally use Meltonian creme polish on my other shoes.


----------



## Trimmer (Nov 2, 2005)

I am not sure if Charley is warning against neutral creme or wax or both. I have no experience of the former but heed the advice about the wax. It will dry to white at the creases where it is hard to polish out. Coloured polish leaves a residue as well but you don't notice it. I assumed neutral wax would be the solution to the problem of not darkening light coloured shoes. It is not.

Trimmer


----------



## Trimmer (Nov 2, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by AndreMcGrath_
> 
> What kind of wax do you all use?
> 
> Mark


I have been using bees wax polish for about the last year with very satisfactory results. The problem is that I reckon I will need to use it for several years before I can properly assess its affect on my shoes.

Trimmer


----------



## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

Neutral cream does not cause "crease-whitenening". This was my big bugbear about neutral wax and I hardly ever use neutral wax apart from a bit of toecap spit-shining on antiqued shoes b/c the toecap isn't creased. But neutral cream doesn't have this problem in my relatively limited experience.

URMarc - whatever you decide to use, you're unlikely to permanently damage your shoes. Don't obsess too much about this or you'll end up like us poor monomaniacal souls! The fundamental issue is to get some sort of moisture/protection on before first use (even that's slightly controversial in terms of actual benefit though I find it sensible) and then take regular care thereafter. Do that and you're already miles ahead of 95% of guys out there in terms of shoe care. The details are relatively minor. 

The one thing I would be quite careful of experimenting with are coloured creams because they have a more rapid and harder to reverse colouring effect than waxes.


----------



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

Thanks to all. I think I'll probably go with the Neutral creme polish in a light amount.


----------



## Charley (Feb 8, 2005)

The pebble grained shoes cannot be made to have the mirror shine. I'm not much of a fan of that anyway, and do very much like the pebble grained leathers. The colored cream will leave the soft glow shine - somewhat as the shoes seem to have now. And will add some color for antiquing interest. The softer cream polish will also brush / rub off more easily, particularly if applied thinly, as it should be. Using the conditioner at least once a month will also help to prevent any cream build up.

Good luck with the attractive shoes.


----------



## CharlieChannel (Mar 16, 2006)

If they're not Edward Greens or something, and they're
fall/winter shoes, I go ahead and start with a good
layer of mink oil, worked into the seams. I let em
dry for a day, then polish. It seems to help with
puddles and snow . . . without the shine and flaking
of spray-on "waterproofers" ? . !


Charlie Channel-hunter


----------



## Kenneth (Apr 10, 2006)

I like to wax the shoes and heat up the wax in the sun or just warm it up. Then brush it very well, and then spit shine. I also like to have this little Italian shoe shine guy do my shoes once a month, I think he gets a little more elbow grease on them.

Kenneth


----------



## Trimmer (Nov 2, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by CharlieChannel_
> 
> If they're not Edward Greens or something, and they're
> fall/winter shoes, I go ahead and start with a good
> layer of mink oil


But you can't polish after using mink oil. 
I recommend Chelsea Leather Food: www.caswell-adhesives.co.uk/chelsea.php

Trimmer


----------



## Harrydog (Apr 2, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by URMarc_
> 
> Charley -- so you would not recommend using a Neutral creme?
> 
> ...


Based on the color, I'd use Meltonian Cognac cream. You could follow that with Kiwi tan wax.


----------



## Teacher (Mar 14, 2005)

Yes, as others have stated, start by using a good cream (colored or neutral) or a cream-like conditioner. There's a good chance that the leather's finish may be dry. After that, go ahead and use wax for protection.


----------



## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

There are a couple of points that I'd like to comment on. URMarc, you noted in your opening post that you'd finish the process by spraying the shoes with a waterproofing substance (probably containing silicone). DON'T DO THIS. This stuff is not designed for dress shoes, but rather for hunting/hiking boots and the like to keep water out under rough conditions, and should never be used on good-quality calfskin shoes. Second, I have to respectfully disagree with CharlieChannel about using mink oil on dress shoes. I would never do this. Mink oil is another waterproofing agent used with boots worn under wet and adverse outdoor conditions, and was never meant for dress shoes. It will soak the leather and turn it darker and will defeat the purpose of the creams and wax polishes that are appropriate. 

Ron Rider pointed out to me a while back that we worry too much about waterproofing good-quality dress shoes. Leather is already pretty waterproof, and your shoes--particularly if welted--are not going to take on water. Nor is the quantity and character of rain water (unlike submerging the shoes in water) likely to damage the leather to any noticeable degree. You will get more than enough protection against the elements by following the advice given above by others and using cream and paste wax. I use cream first (in a shade just a touch lighter than the shoe color) to restore color to scuffs if necessary and to provide some moisturizing for the leather to keep it supple. I finish off with a coat of wax, again in a color as close as possible to that of the shoes, or just a touch lighter. For the kind of shine you want--and for the protection you want to provide--this is more than ample. If you do this every 5-6 wearings (and generally avoid wearing them on successive days), giving them a brief wipe-down with a cloth or brush between polishings to remove surface dirt, your shoes will last a long, long time and look good to the end.

Vancouver


----------



## URMarc (Apr 25, 2006)

Roger - thank you for your informative and well-thought-out post. 

I think I'm going to just go with the Neutral creme polish, which should provide plenty of protection and moisture for the leather. I'm very easy on my shoes, they never get particularly dirty, and I don't live in a rainy/snowy area. So, I'm thinking the least amount of "stuff" I have to put on these new shoes, the better. Thanks to all for the input.


----------

