TAKING GOOD CARE: SHELL CORDOVAN

[@baberoot1998]

Thanks for the tutorial. Recently thrifted a pair of Allen Edmonds, shell cordovan "Leeds", for only, $12.99. (I don't think Goodwill knew what they had). Shoes were a little rough looking, but I was sure I would be able to spruce them up. The shell was in good shape, with no cracking, but they had a weird white film all over them. Looked as if they had been in a musty closet for a long time. Almost looked like mold was on them. Trying to figure out, how to get them "cleaner" looking, and a better shine. Doing my research, and found your tutorial. Thanks again...I am learning so much about mens's dress shoes. I had never even heard of "shell cordovan", until a few months ago. Again...thanks for your insight...it helps a lot.

[@brunonjezic6208]

i love your Seiko. Beautiful boots of course. Cordovan is really intriguing

[@Alandale45]

Beautiful collection. Thank you for the video. The boots at first glance appear like cigar brown shell cordovan to me. Saphir has a specific Cordovan cream for that shade.

[@ardentdfender4116]

I remembered about a week ago I was watching a Justin Fitzpatrick shoe vid in which he was doing shoe maintenance with polish and explaining. He made the point that test shoe polish at the very read end bottom of shoe as no one looks there 🤔. Good point! And he also explained on using shoe cream, that it takes very little cream to do the whole shoe and that most people use way too much cream. Use only a little to rub in for the leather. Just something with the way leather ábsides cream I couldn’t remember the science of it all. But I remembered that from his video in watching you in this one. My takeaway is that brown shades of polish don’t always match exact, so you kinda have to test and find the closest to it or something else.

[@wishoeguy]

Very true. I usually test on the tongue because it’s usually covered. I like contrasting colors of polish but only do that when I’m working to age the shoe. For regular maintenance I usually just brush and add a little transparent wax if needed. Every 7-10 wears I will do a full routine and with my collection I am on the lookout for the shoes getting “dry” because wearing every 3-4 months it takes too long to get to 7 wears so conditioner is sometimes needed. As Justin says in his videos and demonstrates… less is more.

[@damrongsakjaneratanachuen4709]

What really annoy me is when looking intentionally on my Shell cordovan shoes when they're catching the light. there're so many thin small scratching lines from horsehair brush. Im quiet sure my brush is soft enough which I also use it with other calf leather shoes. Do you think that is normal? shoes are meant to be wearing, brushing and taking care. but with the price I paid for them I cant get my mind off that I also have ruined them. So sad.

[@wishoeguy]

I’m sure they’re not ruined. If you’re getting small scratch lines from the brush it’s probably in the product layer on top of them instead of in the shell. Some brands put a layer on in the factory. Some folks will use wax or creams that don’t absorb in the cordovan like they do in calf and just sit on top. Each piece of shell is slightly different in its absorbency, the membrane is very dense so not everything gets through. I’ve used a knife to take this off if it’s really thick but it’s scary, they’re really expensive. You’re better off using acetone or just a polish remover like renomat to pull the top layer off. Personally I like pure polish water resistant cream, saphir cordovan cream, or Venetian shoe cream to keep the shell supple. The wrc actually prevents water spotting best, but if you have a scratch in the shell VSC works best. They all work though. Using an ebony, bone or horn tool will help put natural waxes back into the shell as well as well as help push the oils together to remove the scratches. You’re right, a horse hair brush shouldn’t cause scratches. I actually use a quite short boar hair brush on my shell. It helps to remember that the strap used to sharpen the old straigh edge razors was cordovan. It’s pretty tough.

[@frankiel3854]

I’m thinking to moisturize my CJ Whiskey shell as it’s looking dry, even with brushing. What’s the difference does letting the shoes sit under the sun make? Would it lighten the color?

[@wishoeguy]

Sunning shell is a good way to lighten color but you need to moisturize too as it will dry the, out. Venetian shoe cream is my moisturizer of choice for this. Only use very thin layers. You don’t want to saturate any product in your shoes. I usually do before and after in the sun. One dime size piece on a rag per shoe or boot.

[@joeheinecke5134]

Overall do you prefer shell or calf? Or is it too much like apples and oranges?

[@wishoeguy]

It’s a little like do you like suede or smooth calf. You don’t really shine or care for shell the same way and generally I wear them differently than calf but I get the origin of the question. For casual wear and foul weather I do trend towards shell, but it really depends on my mood. I can dress up shell and since I’m usually dressing down formal wear it seems to fit across the board.

[@paulkissiah8083]

Yeah damn they look nice

[@wishoeguy]

Thanks

[@briansanchez1740]

Those first boots don't need any cream just Renovatur and some wax MAYBE

[@ardentdfender4116]

If I may ask, can you please explain the difference between using shoe cream vs Renovateur which I believe is a Saphir product. As I also recently ordered some Saphir products to try out and haven’t as yet but do believe one the products was a Cream. But I don’t yet know the difference between Cream and Renovateur. So can you explain if you can.

[@wishoeguy]

Renovateur is a cleaner conditioner that darkens a little and adds a base shine. It had mink oil among many others that really softens the leather over time. It’s an important component but you don’t use it every time. Cream is pigmented and renovateur is not. Cream you restore color and start a heavier protection. If you like a dull shine you can stop with cream because you can lift the shine pretty well and it never cracks like wax. Personally I use it only 7-8 wears and think of it as a restorative. Renovateur and cream are great to keep shoes in their original color (where they really match like Meermin). If you wait a little longer between applications you get a natural aging / patina on the shoes too. Which I like.

[@Tarka1]

I noticed that you used a boar hair brush while cleaning your shoes. I’m looking for one that is somewhat of a large size. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks,

[@wishoeguy]

Mine is from abbeyhorn. Kirby Allison is a great place for a wide variety of brushes. Of course if you want to go on the cheap and don’t want a large one like you, the boars hair hairbrushes with short bristles will work equally as well. I use boar because it’s shorter and stiffer but some boar hair brushes are as long as horse hair.

[@frankrizzo7185]

Kirby Allison has the best brushes I have ever used by far, really high quality and density, they are tight. I like their horse hair and their pig bristle brushes for shoes with grain. Not cheap but fantastic quality. Plus it supports Kirby who entertains and teaches us on youtube, as do you Wisconsin Shoe Guy! Thank you.

[@ardentdfender4116]

I will also chime in and say do also go over to Kirby Allison and his website isn’t hard ro find either. But he has damn good quality brushes. I only about a week ago got two brushes one for shoes and the other for use on brush cleaning my wool fabric clothing. Abbey horn or something akin to that I believe was the name I remember. But they looked and feel of really good quality and Kirby Allison is all about that also. You also pay for quality, so there’s that. So you can check there.