Enter for a chance to win a FREE Saphir Shoeshine Starter Kit. Sign Up Here: www.hangerproject.com/giveaway/ This comprehensive kit contains everything you need to begin taking the best care possible of your shoes. Giveaway ends January 29th. Good luck!
@@psilocybemusashi I'm not Kirby but he (Kirby) did a video with other brands, even high-end polishes. What sets Saphir aside is it uses a natural pine turpintine, not a petroleum based one. Petroleum at first might look great but over time will lead to cracking...I've learned from the pro Kirby!
These shoe cleaning videos by Kirby are absolutely outstanding. He explains WHY processes are necessary which is so important. Everything he says has a clear, precise meaning and is in a logical sequence. I have learned a huge amount from them. Many thanks to you Kirby.
Love this guy ,, I can believe how many young men don't know how to polish a pair of shoes. " unbelievable " great video. Young men don't know how to dress like a gentleman these days.. Nice to see someone still knows how it's done..fantastic teaching aid.
Thank you for always mentioning the warning about over waxing in areas where the shoe flexes, which causes the cracked white appearance, more people need to know about that
Mr. Allison's recommendation (presumably after cleaning and conditioning the leather): - Apply the cream to the entire shoe. After it dries, brush it off with a horsehair brush. Do it 2 or 3 times. 0:27 - Apply light wax to the entire shoe, 1 or 2 coats. Apply multiple layers of wax only to the toe box and hind quarters . 1:13 Mr. Allison showing the result of: - 1 application of cream and brushing. 5:25 - 1 coat of wax and brushing. 8:35
Thank you for explaining the reasoning _why_ you do the different steps. I'd been watching so many videos to try and understand this and you laid it out beautifully. I no longer have to look at the different creams and waxes I'd bought thinking I'd wasted my money by buying things I didn't know how to use.
Thank you for this video! I started working trades and getting into leather boots and wears a few years ago. I was always hard on my tennis shoes as a kid. I ran them into the dirt. My parents hated how frequently I would destroy them.... But my leather boots last for years! And I actually quite enjoy taking care of my leather. It's a nice way to clear my head and ground myself, shampooing, conditioning, and polishing my leather. I've been wondering if I've been doing it correctly all this time, because my parents are simple city folk who don't know much about leather or how to care for it. I polish with a layer of neutral cream polish, a layer of colored cream polish, and then I finish off with 1 or 2 layers of wax polish. It made sense to me, since like you said cream is primarily for conditioning the leather and wax is used for a protective layer. I'm so glad to finally get confirmation that this is a good method to polish!! Thanks again!!
What a really well explained presentation! I was especially in the Saphir range … I have been polishing my shoes since I was about 8 years old (I was born in 1970). You are quite right to point out the quality differential that exists for shoe care products. There are some very expensive and beautifully made shoes, sadly many of the owners have no idea how to care for them. Dress shoes are quick and easy to care for and they look fantastic when they are well cared for. Thanks for the clear and calm stylistic delivery. I will definitely be buying some Saphir products … I am a sucker for high shining my leather footwear. 😂
The big soft ones.. after a harder one filled with polish... even with KIWI will being out an AMAZING shine... I just did that in 5 minutes with a shine kit I found at a Vintage Store.. I highly suggest it..
Thanks Mr Allison this was very helpful I’m 18 and was just shining my boots to this it helped went for the cream cause it’s all I had but next time will applie a wax aswell
Kirby! You are going to have to begin stocking deeper. I went to order some basics, and you're out of stock once more. Love your channel and site, but I'm forced to go to Amazon to get the products I need today. I'd rather buy from you Kirby, and be able to tell my friends to as well. I'm in love with this stuff and giving it as gifts now, it truly is like nothing else out there.
James Bryce James - like what? We ran out of a few things because the winter storm knocked one of our deliveries off. But we do need to work on better in-stock percentages.
Today, it was... Renovatuer, Dark Brown cream Polish, Black Cream Polish, small welt brush. Those are the ones I remember, and just double checked. OOS. I know they are more obscure, but I've been wanting the Deer bone, and basic horn shoe horn for a while as well.
I’ve always applied hard waxes with water-dampened cotton balls. After sitting a few minutes I’ll then go over the shoes with new damp cotton balls; more-or-less the classical “spit shine” technique. Once you master the technique then your shine, just like mine, will challenge the best, most mirror-like shine in the world. You can do that maybe ten or so times before you then strip all the polish and then repeat as desired.
I actually did cause damage to my sites using Saphir cream by leaving it on overnight. It turned out that, while I attempted to apply the cream liberally, it wasn’t even, and in places where it was thicker, the dye created stains that left the shoes blotchy.
Perhaps the most important lesson here, don’t apply too much hard wax, it’s easy to overdo it and difficult to remove and those white cloudy lines are very unsightly. I put way too much on a pair of Fiorentini+Baker boots, it multiple de-applications and two bottles of Renomat to remove the redundant layers. It’s also a good idea to watch all these videos as otherwise you might not learn that all old waxes have to be removed once or twice a year, shoes cleaned to their leather so there’s nothing left and then the whole regimen applied again; Renovateur, Pommadier, Pate de Luxe (or Mirror polish).
My bro was in the army and watching this reminds me of the days he taught me and made me polish his shoes whenever he came home on vacation... This man in a way looks and sounds like my brother 😂😅😊... I had to apply the cream polish and leave the shoes in the sunshine until the polish gets absorbed for 30-60mins and then i had to polish it with the brush until each and every surface reflects light like a mirror
I'm a bootmaker and footwear repairman; retired after 40 years in the shoe retail and repair business. My best advice to preserve and care for your shoes or boots is to never use any product that soaks into the leather. Products like shoe creams, waterproofing oils or sprays are harmful to the leather if used regularly and a waste of money. The only product to put on shoes is wax polish. I always told my customers use it often but lightly. The best way to polish shoes is to spritz the outside of the shoe with water to remove the dust and slight dirt. If the shoe or boot is quite dirty then rinse it under a faucet with cold water, never warm or hot water. Before the shoe dries add a light coat of wax polish (I recommend Lincoln was polish but Kiwi is ok). Use a horsehair polish dauber or a cotton cloth and use a polish that is color similar. Though a neutral polish will protect it will add a slight white discoloration if applied to darker colored shoes. Neutral polish works best on white, beige or light grey tones. After applying the polish buff with a horsehair brush or a cotton cloth. I recommend this method for all leather shoes or boots no matter the environment. Polish often but lightly and the leather will respond even better in time and the process will become easier.
I do Kirby Allison's videos instead of yoga. He's such the quintessential gentleman that his videos are literally therapeutic. Great for blood pressure management - all the while leveling up your class coefficient.
Kirby, so refreshing to get this kind of advice from someone who isn’t a total prick or a class warrior or any of that. You come across as a well spoken gentleman who enjoys fine attire and looking good (and having fun with it). Stumbled upon your site and blog as I was researching Saphir shoe products. So glad we have you out there. Aces!
Hi. Great video. I have the Safir black hard wax (in your video) but I also have a Safir white tin with a clearer wax. What is this used for? Whenever I apply it it doesn't seem to improve the shine, in fact it kind of diminishes the shine I created with the black wax. Maybe I'm using it wrong. Thank you.
My shoes have been cracking around the exact area you were saying. Ruined my expensive shoes. Will be using shoe cream going forward. And switching to sapphir
Shoe creams will cause cracking on the stress points and offer absolutely no protection from water or perspiration. Remember anything that soaks into the leather opens the door for everything else to soak in. Wax polish does not soak in, but actually sets on the surface of the leather adding protection and yet maintaining breathability.
Carl Schumacher with cream as well? I find it not good enough for recolouring the sides of the sole. But I admit that im using a burgundy cream on dark brown soles xd
5 років тому+2
That was incredibly educational and informative!! I enjoyed it a lot!! As you explained and demonstrated so well! And I'm not even a man!!! I don't even have any mans dress shoes! But it was incredibly satisfying! 😄😄👌🏻👌🏻😊😊
I love the look of my wax polished toe caps, with a gradient towards the body of the shoe. My problem is that it only takes a couple drops of rain to mess it up. If the leather underneath swells up, because of the saturation of the rain water, the wax cracks.
That's weird. I wore highly polished shoes in ROTC, and they were never affected by water. It is a wax, and water can't penetrate it. So maybe you're using a poor quality wax?
Excellent, informative video! I have my first pair of high-quality dress shoes (Allen Edmonds Byrons) on their way. They're used and slightly damaged, but I thought that would be an excellent place to start, considering I don't want to make beginners' mistakes on a new pair. (And also, price! I got an excellent deal.) I have two questions concerning their care. First, there appears to be some cracking along the back lip/rim of the shoe (that is, the rim of the hole your foot goes in), though it may be just be puckering of the leather. It's hard to tell from the picture. For proper hydration, to prevent further breakage, is a cream polish left overnight sufficient, or should I use a more specific hydration cream? If so, what do you suggest? (Most, if not all, hydration creams I've found have been formulated for couches, boots, etc., so I don't know what they might do to shoes.) Second, you mentioned leaving little wax along the creasing part of the vamp, so as to avoid wax cracking lines. You suggest just 1-2 layers of wax. My question is: how often should I re-apply that coat along the creasing? Or, how many wears until I should? Or finally, how might I know when to? In case it helps, here is the listing for the pair I bought: www.etsy.com/listing/654153640/allen-edmonds-byron-black-10e-leather?show_sold_out_detail=1 Thank you!
The directions on most creams and waxes will tell you to buff the excess before leaving the shoe to dry. This is because wax drying on top of wax leaves a film; you want the wax drying on top of leather. It's ok to use a lot of product, so long as you buff the excess off before it dries. If you don't wish to do so, then be less liberal with the initial application. Use just enough cream to penetrate rather than saturate. The reason, likely, that this began after you switched to a more boutique brand of cream is because most commercial shoe creams are essentially petroleum solvents with a little bit of tallow and leather dye thrown in. They're essentially idiot-proof in application and do little to nourish leather. Using a professional grade wax cream composed primarily of beeswax and mineral spirits is a different ballpark altogether.
Hi! I have a wild raw hide shoe from vivo barefoot shoes and I wear them everyday. They get dirty and wet though. I don’t care about shine. I only care about keeping them clean and want them to last as long as possible. Thank you!
Its great to use a Cream Polish to nourish and enhance colour richness. But using waxes thereafter is outdated and unnecessarily laborious. Since you want the wax to give a great gloss and repel water, simply spray any silicone-based spray on top of that leather. Buff with a soft dry cloth. Easy and quick. No more cracking due to flexing. No more thick buildup of old wax layers. No more messy hands and hard labour work.
Thank for this video Kirby. I have a question though. I we wax the shoes to make it shine, the next time that we apply the cream to moisturiser the leather we need to remove the wax patina? Thank you
Great video ,I wanted to ask is there a kit that has the brush, and all the components to clean my Wolf And Shepherd black ? Also , those shoes have a white soul and side , is there something that can be use to prevent dirt or scuffs on that.
I'm waiting anxiously for a pair of shoes I ordered from TLB Mallorca. I've never spent $400 on a pair of shoes, so I have high expectations. My question is this: If the shoes are brand new, is it necessary or advisable to apply a pigmented cream polish? Wouldn't a neutral polish actually be better for the shoe?
At 4:08, it shows you using the hard polish, not the cream you started out with. You gave a caution about using the hard wax at the bend point-- I guess that doesn't apply to the cream?
I heard turpentine is dangerous for your health and that even absorbing it through your skin is dangerous? Should I be using gloves when working with these creams?
For smooth leather boots, what are the proper steps and products? Are those right? 1.clean 2.renovateur conditioner 3.colored medaille d'or 1925 beeswax cream. 4.medaille d'or wax. 5.mirror gloss wax on hard parts. 6.finish with water resistant spray.
Just to be certain, that cut at 4:08 to your using the wax polish was an editing error, right? You stuck with the cream polish for the entire first portion, correct?
For women's leather shoes, do you need to get a horse hair brush for the cream shoe polish (not pigmented) or will a clean cloth work as well? Thank you for the great tutorial.
Generally, it's good practice to condition and buff your shoes with shoe trees inserted. You get the cream into creases better. But most of all, buffing with shoe trees in will counter crease manifestation (heat from buffing).
After using the hard was, can I use the mirror gloss on the cap toe to make it even more shiny? Or better use the mirror gloss first and then the hard wax you had in your last step?
furga Thanks! That cut is incorrect. Shouldn't be wax. Should have been cream. A mistake in the editing. Generally, there is no reason to mix wax and cream. First Polish with cream, and then finish with wax.
Can you add cream polish on top of the wax polish after a few months, or do I have to strip the whole shoe every time and restart the process after every a few months?
Hi Kirby, i absolutely love your channel. I have these pair of loafer that the color keeps coming off (scratching would be a better description). Would it be possible to repaint or cover it up with some sort of polish or shoe cream?
Enter for a chance to win a FREE Saphir Shoeshine Starter Kit. Sign Up Here: www.hangerproject.com/giveaway/
This comprehensive kit contains everything you need to begin taking the best care possible of your shoes. Giveaway ends January 29th. Good luck!
Kirby, Have you ever tried Griffin shoe polishes. I was surprised by the nice finish it produces for something I found randomly in a grocery store.
I've grown up with commonly found Kiwi products but now know Saphir is really in a whole other league.
@@psilocybemusashi I'm not Kirby but he (Kirby) did a video with other brands, even high-end polishes. What sets Saphir aside is it uses a natural pine turpintine, not a petroleum based one. Petroleum at first might look great but over time will lead to cracking...I've learned from the pro Kirby!
Kirby, no shoe trees? You must put shoe trees in your shoes the moment you take them off. It will help,retain the shape as they dry out. We do sweat
What hair product do you use???
These shoe cleaning videos by Kirby are absolutely outstanding. He explains WHY processes are necessary which is so important. Everything he says has a clear, precise meaning and is in a logical sequence. I have learned a huge amount from them. Many thanks to you Kirby.
Like Reviewbrah’s older brother.
It's so good he even puts it in his hair
😂
Why am I on a watching spree of shoe polishing videos at 2 am - if I dont even take care of mine?
Exactly!
Yup 2am for me here too
It's relaxing some call these behaviour ASMR response
Because self improvement never sleeps.
@@jt0851 exactly. I also did not take care of my shoes so watching these videos is a means of learning them.
Love this guy ,, I can believe how many young men don't know how to polish a pair of shoes. " unbelievable " great video. Young men don't know how to dress like a gentleman these days.. Nice to see someone still knows how it's done..fantastic teaching aid.
Thank you for always mentioning the warning about over waxing in areas where the shoe flexes, which causes the cracked white appearance, more people need to know about that
How do you remove those?
@@metamorphomisk he says at the end of the video you can just brush them off with the same brush
Mr. Allison's recommendation (presumably after cleaning and conditioning the leather):
- Apply the cream to the entire shoe. After it dries, brush it off with a horsehair brush. Do it 2 or 3 times. 0:27
- Apply light wax to the entire shoe, 1 or 2 coats. Apply multiple layers of wax only to the toe box and hind quarters . 1:13
Mr. Allison showing the result of:
- 1 application of cream and brushing. 5:25
- 1 coat of wax and brushing. 8:35
Excellent summary! Thanks!
Thank you for explaining the reasoning _why_ you do the different steps. I'd been watching so many videos to try and understand this and you laid it out beautifully. I no longer have to look at the different creams and waxes I'd bought thinking I'd wasted my money by buying things I didn't know how to use.
Thank you for this video! I started working trades and getting into leather boots and wears a few years ago. I was always hard on my tennis shoes as a kid. I ran them into the dirt. My parents hated how frequently I would destroy them.... But my leather boots last for years! And I actually quite enjoy taking care of my leather. It's a nice way to clear my head and ground myself, shampooing, conditioning, and polishing my leather. I've been wondering if I've been doing it correctly all this time, because my parents are simple city folk who don't know much about leather or how to care for it. I polish with a layer of neutral cream polish, a layer of colored cream polish, and then I finish off with 1 or 2 layers of wax polish. It made sense to me, since like you said cream is primarily for conditioning the leather and wax is used for a protective layer. I'm so glad to finally get confirmation that this is a good method to polish!! Thanks again!!
What a really well explained presentation! I was especially in the Saphir range … I have been polishing my shoes since I was about 8 years old (I was born in 1970). You are quite right to point out the quality differential that exists for shoe care products. There are some very expensive and beautifully made shoes, sadly many of the owners have no idea how to care for them. Dress shoes are quick and easy to care for and they look fantastic when they are well cared for.
Thanks for the clear and calm stylistic delivery. I will definitely be buying some Saphir products … I am a sucker for high shining my leather footwear. 😂
This guy is awesome! He's like a young/old guy lol. Thank you so much for the tutorial and invitation for help 👊
A very good tutorial, I will invest in one of those large horsehair brushes ! Thanks.
The big soft ones.. after a harder one filled with polish... even with KIWI will being out an AMAZING shine... I just did that in 5 minutes with a shine kit I found at a Vintage Store.. I highly suggest it..
I keep waiting for the trollie to ride by in the background and then have him walk over and feed his fish.
Unexpectedly informative. Everything I was hoping to learn. Thank you for this video. Keep doing these.
Thanks Mr Allison this was very helpful I’m 18 and was just shining my boots to this it helped went for the cream cause it’s all I had but next time will applie a wax aswell
4:08 - anyone else noticed, that he switched the side view to the wax polish here? :-D :-D
exactly my point
That's a mistake made by editing
yeah. Did a double take myself. Had to rewind it just to double check
me too @@grabtharandhishammer8251
Yes, but now my shoes are so shiny, they reflect the sun onto approaching airplanes... I might have too much shine now?
I always remove the laces AND I clean the tongue with cream but not wax
Kirby! You are going to have to begin stocking deeper. I went to order some basics, and you're out of stock once more. Love your channel and site, but I'm forced to go to Amazon to get the products I need today. I'd rather buy from you Kirby, and be able to tell my friends to as well. I'm in love with this stuff and giving it as gifts now, it truly is like nothing else out there.
James Bryce James - like what? We ran out of a few things because the winter storm knocked one of our deliveries off. But we do need to work on better in-stock percentages.
Today, it was... Renovatuer, Dark Brown cream Polish, Black Cream Polish, small welt brush. Those are the ones I remember, and just double checked. OOS. I know they are more obscure, but I've been wanting the Deer bone, and basic horn shoe horn for a while as well.
James Bryce Shit man. Sorry. PM me and I’ll take care if you. Will resolve Monday.
James Bryce We just got the deer bones on Thursday. Should be back soon.
No worries, I'll PM, but it's a good problem for you. The channel is working to reach people and they are responding. Thanks for taking care of us.
Thanks for your shoe shine videos. I have found them all to be significant sources of information.
I think there's a mistake in the editing of the video. 4:08 shows the use of polish where you are at the creaming phase.
Great videos by the way ;)
Maxime good catch
I’ve always applied hard waxes with water-dampened cotton balls. After sitting a few minutes I’ll then go over the shoes with new damp cotton balls; more-or-less the classical “spit shine” technique. Once you master the technique then your shine, just like mine, will challenge the best, most mirror-like shine in the world. You can do that maybe ten or so times before you then strip all the polish and then repeat as desired.
Excellent video on shoe conditioning and polishing, and Saphir products.
Best shoe shine boy video I've ever seen! I'm definitely saving this tutorial video. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated
I actually did cause damage to my sites using Saphir cream by leaving it on overnight. It turned out that, while I attempted to apply the cream liberally, it wasn’t even, and in places where it was thicker, the dye created stains that left the shoes blotchy.
That may just be buildup of the cream, there is a product (Reno Mat I think) that removes the wax finish which may contain most of the dye
Perhaps the most important lesson here, don’t apply too much hard wax, it’s easy to overdo it and difficult to remove and those white cloudy lines are very unsightly. I put way too much on a pair of Fiorentini+Baker boots, it multiple de-applications and two bottles of Renomat to remove the redundant layers. It’s also a good idea to watch all these videos as otherwise you might not learn that all old waxes have to be removed once or twice a year, shoes cleaned to their leather so there’s nothing left and then the whole regimen applied again; Renovateur, Pommadier, Pate de Luxe (or Mirror polish).
My bro was in the army and watching this reminds me of the days he taught me and made me polish his shoes whenever he came home on vacation... This man in a way looks and sounds like my brother 😂😅😊... I had to apply the cream polish and leave the shoes in the sunshine until the polish gets absorbed for 30-60mins and then i had to polish it with the brush until each and every surface reflects light like a mirror
I'm a bootmaker and footwear repairman; retired after 40 years in the shoe retail and repair business. My best advice to preserve and care for your shoes or boots is to never use any product that soaks into the leather. Products like shoe creams, waterproofing oils or sprays are harmful to the leather if used regularly and a waste of money. The only product to put on shoes is wax polish. I always told my customers use it often but lightly. The best way to polish shoes is to spritz the outside of the shoe with water to remove the dust and slight dirt. If the shoe or boot is quite dirty then rinse it under a faucet with cold water, never warm or hot water. Before the shoe dries add a light coat of wax polish (I recommend Lincoln was polish but Kiwi is ok). Use a horsehair polish dauber or a cotton cloth and use a polish that is color similar. Though a neutral polish will protect it will add a slight white discoloration if applied to darker colored shoes. Neutral polish works best on white, beige or light grey tones. After applying the polish buff with a horsehair brush or a cotton cloth. I recommend this method for all leather shoes or boots no matter the environment. Polish often but lightly and the leather will respond even better in time and the process will become easier.
but for sway there is only spray that works..
Melting them together gives very satisfying mix.
I do Kirby Allison's videos instead of yoga. He's such the quintessential gentleman that his videos are literally therapeutic. Great for blood pressure management - all the while leveling up your class coefficient.
so you can't sit in padmasana? It's not mutually exclusive with watching Kirby Allison vids! thanks
Discovered your channel just recently, great content! Keep up the good work, God Bless!
Mr. Rogers with the boot swag
I came here for the “Mr. Rodgers sweater” comment. Left satisfied! 👍
I thought so too
Kirby, so refreshing to get this kind of advice from someone who isn’t a total prick or a class warrior or any of that. You come across as a well spoken gentleman who enjoys fine attire and looking good (and having fun with it). Stumbled upon your site and blog as I was researching Saphir shoe products. So glad we have you out there. Aces!
Wimp
Hi. Great video. I have the Safir black hard wax (in your video) but I also have a Safir white tin with a clearer wax. What is this used for? Whenever I apply it it doesn't seem to improve the shine, in fact it kind of diminishes the shine I created with the black wax. Maybe I'm using it wrong. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing. What is the reason to apply water on the wax to make it look glossy?
He is the absolute best.
Great vid, short and to the point, I wonder what I did wrong when my shoes become a little white! Gracias
Here i am at 2 am thinking about starting a hobby of collecting and polishing shoes it seems relaxing and satisfying
Useful. I want to freshen my red shoes up but wasn’t sure about which product to use and how to match color
My shoes have been cracking around the exact area you were saying. Ruined my expensive shoes. Will be using shoe cream going forward. And switching to sapphir
Shoe creams will cause cracking on the stress points and offer absolutely no protection from water or perspiration. Remember anything that soaks into the leather opens the door for everything else to soak in. Wax polish does not soak in, but actually sets on the surface of the leather adding protection and yet maintaining breathability.
Do you need a different shining brush for every colour?
monobg antonina Two brushes - one for dark polishes, like black, and a second for light polishes, is all you need.
Thanks a lot for the quick reply!
don't forget to polish the sole's and heal of the shoe's.
Carl Schumacher with cream as well? I find it not good enough for recolouring the sides of the sole. But I admit that im using a burgundy cream on dark brown soles xd
That was incredibly educational and informative!! I enjoyed it a lot!! As you explained and demonstrated so well!
And I'm not even a man!!! I don't even have any mans dress shoes! But it was incredibly satisfying! 😄😄👌🏻👌🏻😊😊
How about adding some drop of water during the wax shoe polish? Does it make a difference? Great video!!
phus2001 Thanks! Yes, you can absolutely use a drop of water during the glossing process with the wax polish.
yes...a drop of water is a good thing.
what about a drop of oil
Merci Monsieur Kirby pour ces explications, vous êtes aussi très élégant british 👔🎩👞
Can you put mirror gloss right on top of the cream polish or do you have to put a layer of wax polish on as an intermediate step?
I love the look of my wax polished toe caps, with a gradient towards the body of the shoe. My problem is that it only takes a couple drops of rain to mess it up. If the leather underneath swells up, because of the saturation of the rain water, the wax cracks.
That's weird. I wore highly polished shoes in ROTC, and they were never affected by water. It is a wax, and water can't penetrate it. So maybe you're using a poor quality wax?
Always a pleasure to watch your vidios
Thank you for the clarification and thank you for the lesson!
Excellent, informative video!
I have my first pair of high-quality dress shoes (Allen Edmonds Byrons) on their way. They're used and slightly damaged, but I thought that would be an excellent place to start, considering I don't want to make beginners' mistakes on a new pair. (And also, price! I got an excellent deal.) I have two questions concerning their care.
First, there appears to be some cracking along the back lip/rim of the shoe (that is, the rim of the hole your foot goes in), though it may be just be puckering of the leather. It's hard to tell from the picture. For proper hydration, to prevent further breakage, is a cream polish left overnight sufficient, or should I use a more specific hydration cream? If so, what do you suggest? (Most, if not all, hydration creams I've found have been formulated for couches, boots, etc., so I don't know what they might do to shoes.)
Second, you mentioned leaving little wax along the creasing part of the vamp, so as to avoid wax cracking lines. You suggest just 1-2 layers of wax. My question is: how often should I re-apply that coat along the creasing? Or, how many wears until I should? Or finally, how might I know when to?
In case it helps, here is the listing for the pair I bought:
www.etsy.com/listing/654153640/allen-edmonds-byron-black-10e-leather?show_sold_out_detail=1
Thank you!
The directions on most creams and waxes will tell you to buff the excess before leaving the shoe to dry. This is because wax drying on top of wax leaves a film; you want the wax drying on top of leather. It's ok to use a lot of product, so long as you buff the excess off before it dries. If you don't wish to do so, then be less liberal with the initial application. Use just enough cream to penetrate rather than saturate.
The reason, likely, that this began after you switched to a more boutique brand of cream is because most commercial shoe creams are essentially petroleum solvents with a little bit of tallow and leather dye thrown in. They're essentially idiot-proof in application and do little to nourish leather. Using a professional grade wax cream composed primarily of beeswax and mineral spirits is a different ballpark altogether.
Great Job Kirby!
Thanks Mr. Rogers.
Exactly, a homey neighborhood touch.
Thank you, bought saphir cream, wax and sole guard for my English Barkers.
Great video! I have some new Doc Martens that I want to shine up. Using some cream, and later gonna wax them. Thanks for the great tips!
J'ai enfin réussi ! Merci Kirby !
That is exactly the information I was searching for. Fantastic explanation with demonstration.
How to remove the white buildup in the “bend area”? Is it enough 1925 creme to solve the problem? Or need the Juvacuir? Thanks Mr Kirby!!!
I actually mixed your purplish, violet and magenta and made a good purple for my Dr. Martens. You Blue was perfect for my brighter blue DMs.
Awesome! Yes, the polishes can certainly be mixed!
Hi! I have a wild raw hide shoe from vivo barefoot shoes and I wear them everyday. They get dirty and wet though. I don’t care about shine. I only care about keeping them clean and want them to last as long as possible. Thank you!
Would you advice removing the shoestrings prior to polishing the shoes?
Rocking that Mr Rogers outfit!
Its great to use a Cream Polish to nourish and enhance colour richness. But using waxes thereafter is outdated and unnecessarily laborious.
Since you want the wax to give a great gloss and repel water, simply spray any silicone-based spray on top of that leather. Buff with a soft dry cloth.
Easy and quick.
No more cracking due to flexing. No more thick buildup of old wax layers. No more messy hands and hard labour work.
Thank for this video Kirby.
I have a question though.
I we wax the shoes to make it shine, the next time that we apply the cream to moisturiser the leather we need to remove the wax patina?
Thank you
Great video--do you worry about ever polishing the tongues of the shoes?
You really can smell the difference with saphir, it smells soooo good
Great video ,I wanted to ask is there a kit that has the brush, and all the components to clean my Wolf And Shepherd black ? Also , those shoes have a white soul and side , is there something that can be use to prevent dirt or scuffs on that.
Loving that Mister Rogers sweater
Question: how often should you clean your shoe brush
I'm waiting anxiously for a pair of shoes I ordered from TLB Mallorca. I've never spent $400 on a pair of shoes, so I have high expectations. My question is this: If the shoes are brand new, is it necessary or advisable to apply a pigmented cream polish? Wouldn't a neutral polish actually be better for the shoe?
At 4:08, it shows you using the hard polish, not the cream you started out with. You gave a caution about using the hard wax at the bend point-- I guess that doesn't apply to the cream?
How come you didn't remove the laces first? Would help to clean the tongue too.
"Gunking", it's an industry term! As Marissa Tomei might opine.😄 Very nice video, BTW.
Does Mr. Allison’s hair look a bit disheveled?
Thanks for the informative video.
These tutorials are very useful!
I heard turpentine is dangerous for your health and that even absorbing it through your skin is dangerous? Should I be using gloves when working with these creams?
Excellent video, thanks for sharing this information 👌
@4:11 looks to use a different polish? Am I wrong? Just looking for clarification.
For smooth leather boots, what are the proper steps and products? Are those right?
1.clean
2.renovateur conditioner
3.colored medaille d'or 1925 beeswax cream.
4.medaille d'or wax.
5.mirror gloss wax on hard parts.
6.finish with water resistant spray.
Thanks for this and all your videos Kirby
Just to be certain, that cut at 4:08 to your using the wax polish was an editing error, right? You stuck with the cream polish for the entire first portion, correct?
I like the Mr Rodgers sweater 🙂
For women's leather shoes, do you need to get a horse hair brush for the cream shoe polish (not pigmented) or will a clean cloth work as well? Thank you for the great tutorial.
Great way of explaining.
Can you mix the coloring creams to match your shoe's color? Im wondering if that is possible or even works. Very good video by the way. Cheers!
Alleluia! At last explained. Thank you ❤
Cremes contains emulsified lanolin. Waxes contain carnauba, which produces the best shine.
Great video. I'm about to order some of the polish from you. Can I use the same brush to buff black polish and say lighter color polish?
Brilliant! Fantastic advice! Quite a variety of colours you have for this, I should try them sometime
Meltonian. Or whatever. It's also effective to use a neutral polish first, or second. The more layers, the better the visual.
This is a great feature.
Thanks for the demo... great stuff... just wondering about using a neutral color cream in case you wanna keep the shoe color as is...would it help?
Yes
Generally, it's good practice to condition and buff your shoes with shoe trees inserted. You get the cream into creases better. But most of all, buffing with shoe trees in will counter crease manifestation (heat from buffing).
Great Video ......... what is your most common method for sole dressing? Finishing touch!
No doubt. My current preference is some Saphir Pommadier Cream Polish followed by the Saphir Mirror Gloss and some buffing.
Instead of a horsehair brush, what about using an electric buffer?
I like to apply the waxes with my bare fingers. It’ll requires less polish and actually melts the wax onto the leather and leaves a nice shine.
I thought that Mr. Roger's grandmother-made cardigan was at the Smithsonian Institute - did you borrow it?
After using the hard was, can I use the mirror gloss on the cap toe to make it even more shiny?
Or better use the mirror gloss first and then the hard wax you had in your last step?
Nice video!
But why on 4:08 do you mix the wax with the cream during the process?
furga Thanks! That cut is incorrect. Shouldn't be wax. Should have been cream. A mistake in the editing. Generally, there is no reason to mix wax and cream. First Polish with cream, and then finish with wax.
The Hanger Project Thank you for replying so promptly. I really like your videos!
furga 👍🙏
Well said Sir, thank you.
Once I put my shoe wax, to protect the shoes, should I even be using the conditoner/polisher?
I'd imagine it won't work the same over the waxes
Can you add cream polish on top of the wax polish after a few months, or do I have to strip the whole shoe every time and restart the process after every a few months?
Hi Kirby, i absolutely love your channel. I have these pair of loafer that the color keeps coming off (scratching would be a better description). Would it be possible to repaint or cover it up with some sort of polish or shoe cream?