# Edge Dressing



## Nickargenta (Aug 4, 2011)

In the past I have always used polish on the sole edges of my shoes, however this doesn't seem to maintain a good look for long. Since I started reading here I have learned of edge dressing products, but have yet to find anyone who stocks them, including the reputable shoe dealers who are regularly mentioned here.

Where (particularly in the UK) do people obtain theirs from?

Nick


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/com...8047-All-Our-Yesterdays&p=1305126#post1305126


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## mhj (Oct 27, 2010)

Allen Edmonds website carries it, look under the Shoe Care tab.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Nickargenta said:


> In the past I have always used polish on the sole edges of my shoes, however this doesn't seem to maintain a good look for long. Since I started reading here I have learned of edge dressing products, but have yet to find anyone who stocks them, including the reputable shoe dealers who are regularly mentioned here.
> 
> Where (particularly in the UK) do people obtain theirs from?
> 
> Nick


I'm sorry I don't know the answer to your questions. I do know I've seen a few sources on-line but suspect they are USA based. Not to be a wise guy, but I'd be surprised if your search engine didn't return some hits.

If you wish to consider an alternative, I've found that a good shoe creme such as Meltonian on a Q-tip also does a very good job of coloring a sole's edge in a way that maintains it's color for quite a while. It's easy to swab on, let dry, and give it a good brushing with your horsehair brush.

Edit: This is something cobblers used to sell in the U.S. If you can find one, perhaps your cobblers do also.


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## dbhdbhdbh (Aug 10, 2012)

There is a thread, here or SF, in which cobblers warn that it is essentially impossible to remove any edge dressing that gets on the uppers, which apparently happens fairly often. For that reason, several said they use Kiwi Instant Wax Shine instead of edge dressing.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

I have never been tempted to use edge dressing, although in my youth I polished my black shoes with Kiwi liquid and applied it to the edges of the soles, and followed up with paste wax. I don't do this now and I don't recommend it.

As Flanderian says Meltonian works, and I have found Saphir to provide a particularly intense coloring of sole edges without being stark. I think it depends on how tidy you want your shoes to look. 

Gurdon


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## Aussie (Aug 8, 2011)

Nickargenta said:


> In the past I have always used polish on the sole edges of my shoes, however this doesn't seem to maintain a good look for long. Since I started reading here I have learned of edge dressing products, but have yet to find anyone who stocks them, including the reputable shoe dealers who are regularly mentioned here.
> 
> Where (particularly in the UK) do people obtain theirs from?
> 
> Nick


I found a supplier of Fiebings edge dressing here in Australia. I purchased both black and brown - excellent and essential!

https://www.shoetreemarketplace.com/Fiebing_s_Sole_Heel_Edge_Dressing_p/109001.htm

I'm sure you can find it in the UK.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Aussie said:


> I found a supplier of Fiebings edge dressing here in Australia. I purchased both black and brown - excellent and essential!
> 
> https://www.shoetreemarketplace.com/Fiebing_s_Sole_Heel_Edge_Dressing_p/109001.htm
> 
> I'm sure you can find it in the UK.


I use Fiebings edge dressing in brown. Didn't know if it would be available in the UK. Works well, but the toughest thing is getting the top off again after resealing it. As indicated, this is something you *don't* want to spill on anything. Also, the applicator is a sponge dauber that requires care and precision in use. As stated, if it gets on leather, it penetrates thoroughly and will stain it permanently. If the sole is thin and cut very close to the upper, I use the aforementioned creme method.


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## Shade22182 (Nov 5, 2005)

Allen Edmonds has little bottles of edge dressing that work very well.


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## Nickargenta (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for the responses. There seem to be some Fiebing's products available here, but so far I haven't seen anyone who stocks edge dressing. Some more digging is required on my part.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

I have Fiebing's black and brown. After reading this, I am switching to Kiwi. The Fiebing's are free to anyone who will pay shipping.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Edge dressing? Surely a wholly unneccessary product. The manufacturers will be creating a market for shoelace dressing next. :icon_smile_wink:


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Shaver said:


> Edge dressing? Surely a wholly unneccessary product. The manufacturers will be creating a market for shoelace dressing next. :icon_smile_wink:


While not required/or needed by most for the standard cleaning regiment, edge dressings for the consumer are an extension of the the products used by the manufacturers. They do have their place and depending on the user of the shoes and their environment may come into play at a higher or lower frequency.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

mrp said:


> While not required/or needed by most for the standard cleaning regiment, edge dressings for the consumer are an extension of the the products used by the manufacturers. They do have their place and depending on the user of the shoes and their environment may come into play at a higher or lower frequency.


There may be something I am failing to perceive (Heaven knows it wouldn't be the first time) but this is just stuff to keep the waist of your soles and heels **** and span, isn't it? An effect more conveniently achieved with the cream (or polish) used on the upper?

Please do not mistake me, I am the type of fellow who conditions his soles. Thus I am not dismissive of an arcane niche product that is beneficial but this edge dressing gloop is surely pure meretriciousness?


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Shaver said:


> There may be something I am failing to perceive (Heaven knows it wouldn't be the first time) but this is just stuff to keep the waist of your soles and heels **** and span, isn't it? An effect more conveniently achieved with the cream (or polish) used on the upper?
> 
> Please do not mistake me, I am the type of fellow who conditions his soles. Thus I am not dismissive of an arcane niche product that is beneficial but this edge dressing gloop is surely pure meretriciousness?


Wax polish really doesn't stain well enough, creme does, but edge dressing will stain most thoroughly, restoring color to any part of the sole or heel where it has worn. When buffed it also gives a little gloss.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Shaver said:


> There may be something I am failing to perceive (Heaven knows it wouldn't be the first time) but this is just stuff to keep the waist of your soles and heels **** and span, isn't it? An effect more conveniently achieved with the cream (or polish) used on the upper?
> 
> Please do not mistake me, I am the type of fellow who conditions his soles. Thus I am not dismissive of an arcane niche product that is beneficial but this edge dressing gloop is surely pure meretriciousness?


First edge dressing is not a cleaning product.
Edge dressing is a dye used to touch up/redo the edges (waist) of the soles from normal wear and tear. Sole edges/sides/waist will become scratched/gouged/etc and look unsightly in comparison to a clean polished upper (provided maintained). From my experience the best are fluids applied with a sponge applicator, as a fluid they wick into the leather. A creme/polish/wax will not wick into the raw exposed leather to the same degree. While one can use creme/polish/wax on the edges for general use, they do not work as well for maintenance.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Flanderian said:


> Wax polish really doesn't stain well enough, creme does, but edge dressing will stain most thoroughly, restoring color to any part of the sole or heel where it has worn. When buffed it also give a little gloss.





mrp said:


> First edge dressing is not a cleaning product.
> Edge dressing is a dye used to touch up/redo the edges (waist) of the soles from normal wear and tear. Sole edges/sides/waist will become scratched/gouged/etc and look unsightly in comparison to a clean polished upper (provided maintained). From my experience the best are fluids applied with a sponge applicator, as a fluid they wick into the leather. A creme/polish/wax will not wick into the raw exposed leather to the same degree. While one can use creme/polish/wax on the edges for general use, they do not work as well for maintenance.


I wish I might have stilled my tongue (or fingers more accurately) and so maintained my ignorance. Now it seems I have yet another ritual to extend the duration of my shoe care routine.

Thanks Gents.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Shaver said:


> I wish I might have stilled my tongue (or fingers more accurately) and so maintained my ignorance. Now it seems I have yet another ritual to extend the duration of my shoe care routine.
> 
> Thanks Gents. :redface:


Fortunately this one need not be done daily/weekly and is heavily dependent on the terrain that you negotiate.


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## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

I thought oldsarge might weigh in on this. In the army of the 1990s I believe edge dressing was standard issue & if not most everyone had a bottle. As the cobblestone roads really eat up my shoes, it's a shame I can't find edge dressing here.


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

mrp said:


> Fortunately this one need not be done daily/weekly and is heavily dependent on the terrain that you negotiate.


You are picking up the same lingo as Shaver !


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Kingstonian said:


> You are picking up the same lingo as him !


A most perplexingly oblique post. Could you be generous enough to provide a measure of clarification?

Update: I am afraid, even with the edit which you have so considerately applied to the original post, that it's import still thwarts my faculties of comprehension. You are surely not suggesting that our esteemed colleague mrp is incapable of formulating such a simple sentence of his own volition, that he requires some osmotic influence from myself?


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

I must be misunderstanding something on this post. When I get my shoes shined, they always apply some sort of dressing to the edges of the soles. Kiwi sells a liquid with a foam applicator called "Scuff Coat" in various colors that does the same thing ... I get it at Shop Rite. Are we talking about something else?


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## Virginia-Style (Oct 21, 2010)

mrp said:


> Fortunately this one need not be done daily/weekly and is heavily dependent on the terrain that you negotiate.


+1 on the frequency. I seem to apply my AE edge dressing about every third polish with normal city use...


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

*High gloss wax or soft creme*

It seems to me that using edge dressing might depend on whether one favors a high gloss or a subdued shine. Falling into the latter camp I find that Meltonian or Saphir applied to the edges of my soles gives them a finish which I find agreeable, not withstanding that I navigate 52 fairly rugged stone stairs several times a day and manage to scuff and ding my shoes. It's all part of my inherent rumpled-ness.

I can, nonetheless, understand that those wearing crisp busness suits and black or dark brown shoes might prefer a high gloss shine and absolutely opaque edges.

Regards,
Gurdon


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

Shaver said:


> ...stilled my tongue...


Ouch! That had to hurt.

I would have given you a tongue lashing too if I hadn't been looking at the Stanly Cup at the Hermosa Saloon.

Just kidding...


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Orsini said:


> Ouch! That had to hurt.
> 
> I would have given you a tongue lashing too if I hadn't been looking at the Stanly Cup at the Hermosa Saloon.
> 
> Just kidding...


Most amusing.

Just kidding.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

Shaver said:


> Most amusing.
> 
> Just kidding.


Sorry. Orsini was just being himself.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

Even if the edge dressing you apply looks "glossy" after application - i wipe them down with a rag - and the end result is flat black, brown or natural as described on the bottle.

The difference between edge dressing and simply applying polish to the soles IMO is that edge dressing is more of a liquid, which allows it to soak into the leather sole....meaning that for a few weeks (or months even depending on frequency of wear), even when you scuff the sole - it is not noticeable due to the color having soaked in a bit. Using polish on the soles covers the visible scuffs, but is only a surface treatment - which will just as quickly be rubbed off with the next scuff.

I never heard of edge dressing till I came to this site, now it is part of my monthly shoe care routine.


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## bluesman (Aug 17, 2009)

JerseyJohn said:


> Kiwi sells a liquid with a foam applicator called "Scuff Coat" in various colors that does the same thing


Kiwi has what they call "Sole and Heel Dressing" - you can get it on line from Amazon. I've used it for many years, and it really does a great job if used properly.

The admonition not to get it on the uppers is sound - it's very hard to remove it once it dries. The bottles I have come with a swab on a metal wire inside the cap. Brush the sole and heel edges well when cleaning off the shoes before beginning the cleaning and polishing process. I polish first, so I can work the cream into the crevice between the welt and the upper and brush / polish the upper all the way down.

Before applying the sole and heel dressing, I press the swab against the side of the bottle a few times so it's not soaked. Then I very carefully paint the edges with no concern for skipped areas. I wipe with a folded paper towel immediately, which removes excess and spreads it over the entire edge. Let it dry for a few minutes and repeat.

I have it in both black and brown.


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## BluePincord (May 14, 2012)

The primary difference between polish and edge dressing is the type of colorant used: polishes are made with pigments, edge dressing is made with mostly dyes.

While there are plenty of things that illustrate the differences between dyes and pigments (absorption vs. reflection, tastes great vs. less filling, etc.), the easiest differentiation to grasp is the size of the colorant molecules. Pigment molecules are relatively huge, and dyes are comparatively tiny. (The most common analogy is that, if a dye particle were the size of the head of a pin, a pigment molecule would be the size of a football.)

Too, dyes dissolve in their carrier (edge dressing being mostly water), and pigments cannot dissolve in theirs (polish being mostly oil and wax).

What all this means is that edge dressing can be absorbed into the leather, with the dye being left behind after it dries, and polish sits entirely on top of the leather, with its comparatively giant molecules being wiped away after treatment. That's why edge colorant shouldn't contact the uppers--it will be absorbed and permanently change the color.

That's another reason why you get very little color change from most polishes...you're wiping virtually all the colorant right back off when you buff it out.

Bottom line is that, with edge dressing you get a deep, dark color that last for weeks. Polish just gives you a lighter coloration, and it gets rubbed away pretty quickly. 

For those of you who have not tried edge dressing, it really does rock.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

BluePincord said:


> The primary difference between polish and edge dressing is the type of colorant used: polishes are made with pigments, edge dressing is made with mostly dyes.
> 
> While there are plenty of things that differentiate the differences between dyes and pigments (absorption vs. reflection, tastes great vs. less filling, etc.), the easiest differentiation to grasp is the size of the colorant molecules. Pigment molecules are relatively huge, and dyes are comparatively tiny. (The most common analogy is that, if a dye particle were the size of the head of a pin, a pigment molecule would be the size of a football.)
> 
> ...


One of my hobbies is working with furniture and I am familiar with stains and dyes. I knew polish has stains but did not know edge dressing has dyes. It is your turn to teach me something.

Regards,

Alan


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

I use the Fiebings liquid, in black and brown, but my cobbler uses something altogether different when he resoles or reheels my shoes...more like a black or brown paint, goes on a lot thicker and wears like iron. I should ask him what he uses, next time I'm in there.


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## tryst (Dec 7, 2014)

Would it be wise or prudent to use edge dressing and then use a wax to "seal" the edge color in?


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## Youthful Repp-robate (Sep 26, 2011)

^^

I'm not sure it would be necessary, but I freely admit that edge dressing is the weakest part of my shoe polishing.


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

Edge dressing is sometimes called edge ink. Perhaps you should search as such for UK.


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