leather shoe resuscitation

[CMcG]

I found a pair of nice, cap toe, leather sole, black oxford, dress shoes at a thrift store the other day and am planning out how to revive them. Please offer any advice you might have on the subject of leather dress shoe care and maintenance!

These shoes are worn but definitely serviceable. My biggest concern is a wee bit of cracking in a couple places...

Here's what I'm thinking so far:

1) Clean with either a damp cloth or saddle soap
2) Condition the upper with mink oil or some other leather conditioner
3) Seal the leather soles with dubbin
4) Shine with coloured cream or wax polish

Now I just need to hope Santa gets me some shoe care products for xmas including cedar shoe trees...

[xman]

An old toothbrush does well for getting into those tight corners whether you are cleaning out or polishing on.
I suspect mink oil is your friend for the cracking. I always use Kiwi brand polish and spit shine.

[piperdbh]

Attention please! Calling DFWII!

(He's our resident shoemaker.)

[CMcG]

Attention please! Calling DFWII!

(He's our resident shoemaker.)

I'm hoping Artificer might chime in too...

[budd4766]

Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator is pretty good stuff. But anything you put on them has the potential to darken the leather a bit. If you can live with that, go for it.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/s...kw=Dr.+Jackson

[CMcG]

Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator is pretty good stuff. But anything you put on them has the potential to darken the leather a bit. If you can live with that, go for it.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/s...kw=Dr.+Jackson

I think I'm definitely going to need something like that. Darkening the leather should be fine though; the shoes are already black!

[English Bloke]

Kiwi Polish, vigorously and repeatedly applied with a stiff "on" brush and a soft-ish "off" brush. Just keep working it in... It's worked for every pair of manky boots I've ever had.

[artificer]

I'm hoping Artificer might chime in too...

You rang?



While not a shoe maker, I have done a bit with leather over the years. Shoes are somewhat unique in that certain areas bend CONSTANTLY. To a certain extent, the amount you should try to rejuvenate depends on just how dry the leather is.

Truly dry leather should be left alone, don't attempt to re-hydrate or it will swell and crack (it's basically mummified).

If the leather is still pliable and hasn't gotten to 'carded' (stiff and cardboard-like) you might want to consider neatsfoot oil, or neatsfoot blended with mink to help re-hydrate- a few treatments over a week or so before you plan on trying to polish and wear.

Then, instead of Kiwi paste polish, I'd try the Kiwi CREME polish HERE. It will help prevent the leather drying out a bit more than the paste will.

Also, don't wear them for a full day right away. You'll likely have to break the leather in again and re-soften them. If you wear them too much right at first you might aggravate the cracking problem or cause a tear in the leather.

To help disguise the cracking when you do polish, mix a bit of melted beeswax with the polish and use it to fill any gouges or scaling. Once it dries and hardens you can polish over it just like the leather. This DOES NOT work when the cracking is in the 'flex' are across the top of the toe/ball of foot area, as it flexes too much and the fill will work loose.

[CMcG]

An old toothbrush does well for getting into those tight corners whether you are cleaning out or polishing on.
I suspect mink oil is your friend for the cracking. I always use Kiwi brand polish and spit shine.

Kiwi Polish, vigorously and repeatedly applied with a stiff "on" brush and a soft-ish "off" brush. Just keep working it in... It's worked for every pair of manky boots I've ever had.

You rang?



<snip>
Then, instead of Kiwi paste polish, I'd try the Kiwi CREME polish HERE. It will help prevent the leather drying out a bit more than the paste will.

Kiwi seems to be the go-to brand, eh? I've got an old tooth brush for polishing but will put a soft-ish "off" brush on my list...

Here's a couple "before" pictures. Luckily the leather isn't too badly dried out... the cracks are just behind the toe cap, where the instep flexes.

[Tobus]

If the leather is still pliable and hasn't gotten to 'carded' (stiff and cardboard-like) you might want to consider neatsfoot oil, or neatsfoot blended with mink to help re-hydrate- a few treatments over a week or so before you plan on trying to polish and wear.

I absolutely agree. But I seem to recall reading somewhere that before attempting this, one should clean off the surface with rubbing alcohol (I think it was, anyway). This removes existing wax and such, allowing more uniform penetration of the oil into the grain of the leather.

Basically it 'unseals' the leather before oiling, and then you 'seal' it back with the polish afterwards.

What say the experts on this? Is the step with alcohol recommended, or is it superfluous?