Guide I
Polish & Shine
A good shine is not one thick coat of polish. It is clean leather, a little nourishment, and very thin layers of wax built up only where the shoe does not bend.
Cream or wax?
| Product | What it does | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Cream polish | Feeds the leather, restores colour, gives a soft glow | The whole upper, including areas that crease |
| Wax polish | Builds a hard, glossy, protective layer | Toe cap and heel counter only |
| Conditioner | Puts moisture back into dry leather | A few times a year, before cream |
Hard wax on the vamp cracks as the shoe flexes and leaves white lines in the creases. Keep it to the stiff parts of the shoe.
The five passes
- Clean. Take the laces out and put shoe trees in so the leather is taut. Brush off dust with a horsehair brush, then wipe with a barely damp cloth. If old wax has built up and gone cloudy, remove it with a leather cleaner first.
- Cream. Rub a small amount of cream polish over the whole upper with a cloth or dauber. Let it dry for ten minutes, then brush it out briskly.
- Wax. Wrap a cotton cloth tightly around two fingers, touch it to the wax and work it into the toe cap in small circles. The layer should be thin enough to see the leather through it.
- Water. Add a single drop of water to the cloth or the toe and keep making small, light circles. The water helps each layer of wax spread and harden instead of smearing.
- Buff. Repeat thin wax and water layers four or five times, letting each set. Finish with a clean part of the cloth and almost no pressure until the toe reflects.
Patience beats pressure. If the shine turns cloudy, you have used too much wax or too little water. Let it dry, then go over it with a damp cloth and lighter circles.
Brushes and cloths
- Keep one horsehair brush for each polish colour, and a clean one for neutral.
- Old cotton T-shirts make good shine cloths once washed soft. Avoid anything with a printed design.
- A small dauber brush puts cream into welts and seams without staining your fingers.
Edges and soles
Sole edges and heel edges take a beating from kerbs and stairs. An edge dressing or a little matching wax, brushed and buffed, restores them and helps keep water out of the welt.
How often
A quick brush after every wear, cream every few weeks, and a full shine when the shoes are going somewhere that matters. Leather that is brushed regularly needs far less polish.