# Dry, cracked shoe leather...



## mfdugan (Apr 21, 2006)

how do you bring it back to life? I am sure you have discussed this a thousand times on this board but I am new so at least link me to the old post. 

Do you clean condition and polish like you would with any shoe? Is there a cleaning and conditioning process without polish that should occur for a few days?

What about Mink Oil? When and how often should this be used on any shoes? 

I primarily use AE cream shoe polish. Do I need still need mink oil?

Thank you.


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## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

How bad is the cracking? Can you give us a bit more description?


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## mfdugan (Apr 21, 2006)

DocHolliday said:


> How bad is the cracking? Can you give us a bit more description?


hmmm, its not cracked like there are fissures in the leather. just dried and kind of spiderwebbed in certain spots.

I need a digital camera i think.


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## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

Give 'em a good dose of leather conditioner, hit 'em with some shoe cream, then see how they look. If all is well, then polish to a glossy shine.


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## briiian13 (Oct 24, 2005)

i agree you can try that, but in most cases, if leather goes beyond a certain point of wear and damage, the only remedy is replacement, not prevention.


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## Lino (Apr 15, 2006)

Leather is like skin. It needs moisturizer or it will dry and crack. Once it cracks, there is not going back.

Take them to a good shoe repair place and tell them you want the shoes stripped of all wax (you can do this yourself with rubbing alcohol—be sure to quickly follow with the next step as the rubbing alcohol will dry the leather out even more). Next you want them (your yourself) to clean the shoes using saddle soap (saddle soap will clean things up some more and also soften the leather a little). After that, conditioner or leather dressing (makes sure the dressing does not have neatsfoot oil as this softens leather by breaking it down), just keep pouring it on as the leather drinks it in, it can look a bit like a mess but you will wipe up the excess later (or give it a light saddle soap cleaning). Last step, polish them up again.

Note, if you do the above on broughed shoes, try not to get anything in the holes because you will not get them out and you will have saddle soap residue (white spots) or shoe grease/leather dressing buildup left in them.

At best, all of this will keep the shoe from getting worse, but it will not make the patterns or cracks go away. At worst, it will have no effect.


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## Siggy (Jan 14, 2006)

Try cleaning the leather with something like Lexol leather cleaner and then conditioning with Lexol conditioner or another good leather conditioner (I would prefer Lexol to mink oil). Apply the conditioner and let it soak in as much as it will take. Wipe off excess and let dry. Once the leather is fully conditioned and dry, then apply shoe polish. I did this to dried out and cracked shoes and it did wonders. Most of the cracks are not nearly as visible now and the shoes look quite nice.


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## Lino (Apr 15, 2006)

Siggy said:


> (I would prefer Lexol to mink oil)


Don't just prefer it, NEVER use Mink Oil. It breaks down leathr like neatsfoot oil.

You want a good shoe grease or leather dressing. Leather Balm will do in a pinch though. Just check the ingrediants to make sure there is no mink or nearsfoot oil.


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