# How long do you let shoe cream dry before polish?



## josepidal (Jul 24, 2005)

How long do you let shoe cream dry before polishing? Straightforward question. Especially when applying multiple layers of different colors?

Briiian13 has said 20 minutes; I've seen another poster say overnight.


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## Mr. Di Liberti (Jan 24, 2006)

I would say 3 - 5 minutes is more then enough, provided you buff the shoes prior to adding the next coat of polish.

Anthony

Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage ~ Theodore Roosevelt


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## bystander (Jan 18, 2006)

I would go along with the 3-5 minute timespan. There is a polishing / glazing video on J M WESTON website though that shows buffing following application of polish as one continuous process


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## zegnamtl (Apr 19, 2005)

As a kid, I had to shine my dad's shoes 
(army officer, a touch up tight about the brass buttons and shoeshine!),
you can tell by the look of the cream or polish when it is good to go, generally, 
I would say about 10 minutes is fine.

Don't forget to take a soft tooth bush to get in the corners of the sole stitching.

Edit:

Goes without saying that each color polish gets it's own brush dedicated to it.


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## Shoe-nut (Feb 8, 2006)

I have a number of jars of Propert's Shoe Cream (bought some 20 years ago) some of them made in England and some by Kiwi after they bought that company out. Now no longer made I can't imagine why it was a great cream polish.

The instructions on the jar say to brush before drying and I have always followed this method. I rather think that there some credibility in following the polishing by brushing as it helps distribute the cream evenly over the shoe also catching those hard to reach corners.

_The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive._


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## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by josepidal_
> 
> How long do you let shoe cream dry before polishing? Straightforward question. Especially when applying multiple layers of different colors?
> 
> Briiian13 has said 20 minutes; I've seen another poster say overnight.


I don't know if you got the overnight idea from me, but I need to clarify my procedure:

I leave wax/polish on overnight, but not cream. I brush cream before drying. Wax gets a wonderfull shine when left overnight. Cream left too long will just dry up and look bad.

It's very important to note that cream has a primary function to moisturise the leather, while wax/polish's primary function is to provide shine and some weather protection. They are different products and require different appicaion procedures. (I know, AE sells the mix, and it's actually quite decent, but that's another topic...)


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## Albert (Feb 15, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by hreljan_
> I leave wax/polish on overnight, but not cream. I brush cream before drying. Wax gets a wonderfull shine when left overnight. Cream left too long will just dry up and look bad.
> 
> It's very important to note that cream has a primary function to moisturise the leather, while wax/polish's primary function is to provide shine and some weather protection.


Fully ACK.

Little thought: isn't a function of the cream to preserve / revitalise the colour as well? That is at least what La Cordonnerie Anglaise tells me.

Cheers,
A.


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## zegnamtl (Apr 19, 2005)

hreljan wrote:

I leave wax/polish on overnight,

~~~

Do you think there is a noticeable difference between a shorter period and overnight?
I have polished a lot of shoes in my day and I am can't say that I have noticed a difference once the polish gets to a certain stage.


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

I recall a thread on this forum a while back in which the opinion was offered that one shouldn't let cream dry for too long, as Hreljan has just noted. Polish (meaning the wax), on the other hand, was portrayed as best left to really dry before buffing--the longer the better. I think the theory about the cream is pretty much as Hreljan has put it--that it can dry into solid, hard clumps that are difficult to disperse later. With the wax polish, on the other hand, longer drying allows it to harden and set so that buffing doesn't remove too much causing an inadvertently thin coat, and leads to a higher shine. This made a certain amount of sense to me when I read it, months ago, and I have now gone to this drill when polishing my shoes. Actually, when I'm feeling more compulsive and have time to spare, I start with a leather cleaner/conditioner before the application of the cream. As for the cream application, my assumption has been that you want to really rub it as deeply as possible into the leather, removing any that remains in a blob on the surface. This followed promptly with a good buffing (I use a brush for this) should leave the cream where you want it--under the surface of the leather. What do you all think? Is this just another ill-conceived shoe-care ritual?

Vancouver


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## Albert (Feb 15, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by Roger_
> 
> Actually, when I'm feeling more compulsive and have time to spare, I start with a leather cleaner/conditioner before the application of the cream. As for the cream application, my assumption has been that you want to really rub it as deeply as possible into the leather, removing any that remains in a blob on the surface. This followed promptly with a good buffing (I use a brush for this) should leave the cream where you want it--under the surface of the leather. What do you all think? Is this just another ill-conceived shoe-care ritual?


Sounds quite good to me. I'm doing the same and my oldest operational pair of shoes dates back to 2001, when I started buying fine shoes.

Cheers,
A.


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## zegnamtl (Apr 19, 2005)

Roger, you are making me feel like a lazy man!

Generally speaking:
Wipe down with a very slightly damp cloth.
Apply Polish
Buff 

Every once and a while:
Wipe down with a very slightly damp cloth.
Apply cream/ buff with fine soft brush
The next day,
Apply Polish
Buff 

Maybe now that I am heading into EG territory to protect the investment I should rethink my shoe care?


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

Well buddy, most of the time I'm pretty lazy about it too! My bouts of shoe-compulsiveness are rare. But you're right about the EGs, speaking of which, have you heard anything from them yet about your November order?

Vancouver


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## zegnamtl (Apr 19, 2005)

I have heard nothing to date, have you?
I stopped in and asked they other day,
who knows, we'll call,
seemed to be the general feeling.

Not that I would wear them much in this weather any way.


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

Zegnamtl, I haven't heard word 1 from EG, but I did get an urgent call from the security division of my credit card company. They were worried about a massive charge to my card from England--some company called Edward Green evidently! My vague recollection from Susie was that I wouldn't be charged until the shoes were finished. So, as you say, Who knows? But I'm hoping that this body blow to my credit card will be followed by a couple of pairs of shoes (and another body blow from Canada Customs)! 

Vancouver


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## briiian13 (Oct 24, 2005)

Jose,
I said at the most 20 minutes.
Cream is ideally best brushed off in after maybe several minutes and then repeating.
Remember , creams some of them are acrylic based and will dry up like a layer of paint on your shoes.


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## zegnamtl (Apr 19, 2005)

Roger, 

we have digressed somewhat, 
but the UK should have most favored nation status and therefore very low, if any import duties, the GST however will be heavy!


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## Demeter (Feb 8, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by zegnamtl_
> 
> Roger,
> 
> ...


I've felt that one, let me tell you.

Roger, I may have missed you posting about this, but what style did you order?

Jose, I'm with the general consensus on this - around 5 minutes should be enough. In a big way it's not the duration so much as it is the regularity of application - better to do it a few times for 5 minutes each than once for 20.


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

_Originally posted by meaculpa:_ Roger, I may have missed you posting about this, but what style did you order?

Hi Dimitri: a pair of Newburys in oxblood and a pair of Ashbys in Chestnut. 

Vancouver


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## josepidal (Jul 24, 2005)

So, basically, 5 minutes, and the cream should barely be visible and should be rubbed into the leather?


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## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by zegnamtl_
> 
> hreljan wrote:
> 
> ...


I used "overnight" as a proxy for very long time for two reasons:

1) There has to be enough time to allow all the wax to dry
2) Longer time does not hurt (as opposed to cream)

There is definitely a moment when the wax is all dry and you can strat brushing. But when is it? I agree that overnight is far end of teh spectrum. It definitely depends on temperature, humidity, phase of the moon (well, not the last one). So, if you are unsure, overnight won't hurt. If you are in a rush, leava the polish on as long as you can.

Another note: shell cordovan semms to need more time for wax to dry up.


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## Demeter (Feb 8, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by Roger_
> 
> _Originally posted by meaculpa:_ Roger, I may have missed you posting about this, but what style did you order?
> 
> ...


Oh, wow, those are going to be awesome. You'll post pics, of course. [:I]


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