BOOT RENOVATION MASTERCLASS | HOW TO SALVAGE A TIRED PAIR OF BOOTS 

I religiously use shoe trees as shown in your video in every pair to hold their shape and absorb any moisture. In addition I have all of my polished shoes in cloth shoe bags to keep them dust free while on the shelf and I never, and I mean never, put my shoes on without using a shoehorn. Even tennis shoes. Prompt and regular attention to your shoes will do wonders for even modestly priced shoes and extend out their value. It’s a mindset that gentlemen have. I learned it as a boy from my dad who was a true gentleman in all forms.

Great video Ash, love polishing boots! As for being frugal, recently came across a pair of Loakes black chukka boots in a local charity shop. They are donkeys years old, but I don't think they have ever been worn. Couldn't believe when they were my size (12) !! £15, Couldn't say no! Quick application of Kiwi parade gloss and they looked brand new.

Great job Ash. I agree with you completely that the conditioning of the shoes and improvement in appearance is great but I also love the fact you are winter proofing your shoes and so satisfying to do so. Thanks again Ash.

Nice transformation on you boots, nothing like breathing new life into a old Sole! I learned how to really get a good shine on my boots in the army and made some good pocket money shining boots for others in my spare time. Keep up the hard work Ash

The state of the "before" boots simply cries out for a good pair of shoe trees. They should always be inserted after wearing your shoes as they keep shoes in shape and reduce wrinkling.

Caring for my boots and leather goods is one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday morning! It's so satisfying! And Saphire products are second to none! Loved the video and your content!👍🏼👊🏼

I'd have spent the extra on a dainite resole. I had to replace the vibram on my redwings 50 odd quid but 3 years later and I'll probably get another couple of years. Quality pair of boots worth the investment.

Time well spent and very worth the effort. I I find I walk a little taller once I have cleaned my shoes. Some you tubers try to over complicate the task ... Here you made you demonstrated it can be an enjoyable, worthwhile and brisk task.

Ash, very serendipitous as I just purchased a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes from the thrift store here locally for $8 and brought them home and did a number on them and now they look brand new. Thanks for all your videos and help. Cheers Ron

Excellent transformation!! Thanks Ash!

Two things: I use "medical" gloves from the pharmacy to keep my hands clean. They are so thin that they really do not impede feel. Big box left over from 2020 when we wore them as extra protection against Covid. Even if the leather is pebbly I put a mirror shine on the toes. Either I will succeed with such leather with some extra polish or the toes will simply gleam a good bit extra. Great video. Nice boots.

Outstanding sir! IMHO I think your return to chocolate brown laces restore the elegance to your gentleman's chukka boots in direct relationship to my perception of your style, understated class. Excellent.

Superb transformation and a demonstration of how a bit of investment of time and cash makes a big difference to the longevity of footwear.

Great video Ash! I've watched your "Shoe videos" with great interest and supplemented already my rather substantial shoe care equipment, both for private use as well as for work. Especially at work I got great praise for it from customers and my boss and colleague already... and these guys have been repairing and building shoes for decades, in the case of my boss for over half a century ^^. Don't misunderstand, we already deliver shoes in our care as polished and spiffy as we could, but it gets a lot *more spiffy* with the "full scale Ash" treatment. So thank you from all my heart^^ - our customers love it, and they often have *massively* worn shoes because we are orthopaedic shoemakers and thus a lot of our customers have sufficient deformities in their feet to truly almost automatically more or less kill their shoes in a year - that's why they get three bespoke ones initially and a replacement for one every year, but a lot would really love to keep them and build a collection of shoes that fit them so we renovate a lot and in substantial amounts. And your set of care give them not only the beautiful *look* but also a rejuvenation of the, sometimes pretty damaged and worn after only a short time, leather. It's the perfect final touch after a sometimes substantial repair operation (soles, heels, interior, laces, eyelets, midsoles, toe caps... you name it and we have had to repair and replace it ;) )! So thank you again and keep your shoes spiffy! Raoul G. Kunz

Excellent video!!!

Love the fact that even the boiler suit is immaculate 🙂

Great Video Ash.

Great video Ash.

Another great video. Thanks

Excellent video Ash! I often struggle to get a nice shine applied to my shoes. Now I'm better equipped to try it again full of convidence.

Smart! I have a very similar pair of chukka boots and I was just taking them off and thinking they are looking tired and this video popped right up in the nick of time. Very well done! They look amazing and I will thankfully use this tip as the color choices are pure class and those deep reds browns go really well together.

Well done, sir!👍

Incredible! Thank you for teaching how to do a proper shoes revitalising.

Hi Ash, what can I say apart from wow!!!! amazing video on shoe care,how you can turn an old pair into a new pair with minimal effort,I polish my shoes & boots religiously as you are a well dressed man so am I!!!thanks Ash amazing video as always

Thank you for this video yesterday I purchased some Saphir renovateur, it's an amazing product, some of my older shoes now look as good as new.

Great job Ash. Can you please do a non-cut version of Mirror shine!

Thanks Ash,You`ve inspired me to get Polishing! Cheers! Viv (the Spiv)

Fantastic video Ash, great to see the before and after results. Just goes to show a bit of elbow grease and plenty of polish goes a long way as serving man I can appreciate just what shoe care is all about. Quick question I recently got a pair of loake loafers for a bit of a steal, now can loafers be worn with jeans? I know they go great with shorts and trousers for a casual look but not sure on jeans. Loved your videos on the MRE’s 👌

These kind of „full“ shoe trees are excellent for storing shoes imho but they are not that easy to handle while taking care of them. For this kind of operation I personally prefer the trees with a spring, so you could grab & hold them better.

will be using this technigue later this evening,great info: ash

Lovely! My Saturday morning treat is your latest video, Ash. I adopted your shoe renovation process to my boots, and I was delighted to see you using the same polish - Kiwi. I also use a wax- based product called ‘Sno Seal’ on my big, tough boots (Wm Lennon) and Kiwi is the only thing I’ve found that brings a shine on top of that - probably to do with the different typre of wax and oil? Anyway, another good one. Thank you, sir.

Impressive when you compare before and after. I little bit of patience, work and dexterity that comes with time is needed.

Amazing how different light/angle of the camera 'change' the colour of the boots...

Just in time for my shoe polishing weekend.

Thanks for a great video Ash, to go the ‘extra step’, how about a touch of edge dressing along the edge of the sole?

Ash, you could have a new leather sole and leather heal stack on those for a hundred quid, I'm sure. The tops look perfectly serviceable.

Great video Ash! I’m frankly shocked that those boots are not made by Loake! They are an absolute dead ringer for the Loake Kempton model… Keep up these great videos!

Good job on the polishing and so glad to see doing the job in the correct attire But sorry Ash those soles are awful and don't do justice I have the Crocket and Jones, version and they are wonderful for my wider than average feet

What are your opinions on conditioning / "feeding" leather with mink oil paste? I have a leather bag that feels stiff

You should try Tom the cobbler at Tring shoe repair He's excellent and has a you tube channel Great restoration there Ash and thanks for another excellent video

would leather conditioner be a good substitute for the saphir, or is the saphir a different substance? i've been using LC and polish and had poor results due to my inexperience!

Thank you for a pleasant video! I actually can't understand why people don't enjoy the simple pleasure of looking after their footwear and other leather items. I wish I had more time... One question I have is, have you ever done a video on how your store your footwear? I am presently building a shoe storage cabinet / closet for a few dozen well liked pairs of shoes and boots, and have looked at many ideas over the years. Did you build something yourself, or have someone build one?

Fascinating as always Ash thanks! Will you still do a video discussing Sport coats? I'd love to know which 3 you would have in your wardrobe if you only went with 3. I'm thinking Tweed obviously along with a Windowpane and a Plaid pattern. Excellent content!

Dear Ash, Great video and a nice transformation for your viewers to watch! Were you wearing a lab coat? If so, who makes it and where/how did you purchase it? Thanks again and cheers!

Hi there, first time I have seen one of your videos. I love shoes and take very good care of mine. All shoes I posess have shoe trees and get conditioner before I wear them for the first time. If not worn for a while, I will still put conditioner on them. There are so many things about your video I cannot comprehend. To begin with, I would have filmed on a day with less wind, or gone to a more sheltered area. Then, I would have had a shoe tree in my boots to begin with. How can someone that gives people guidance on shoecare neglect his own boots like this? Why would I wait until I have worn a hole in a very resilient sole? Why would I have someone glue a rubber sole on my boots, without an assessment of damage after wearing a hole in the sole? Why not put on a great new Dainite sole? I would recommend watching a video from Trenton & Heath. You will find out much more about leather, manufacturing and shoe repair and care. Sorry for the rant, but don't neglect your shoes like that and give other people advice about shoe care. Lead by example.

amazing result... quick question if i may...I've just ordered some saphir renovateur as it looks like what i could do with, but I assume it won't remove the polish i have on a pair boots (as i darkened them slightly) like what the Renomat would do? I already have some of their Medaille D'Or Pate De Luxe Wax Polish and Medaille D'Or 1925 Pommadier Creme which i love!

Another good video. I too like to keep my shoes in good order. I've been enjoying your videos for a few months now and I have a question for you, how long have you been making them?

hello sir, another random question if i may.. :) I'll be polishing my loake boots tomorrow with my new saphir renovateur and loake tan cream... and what are your thoughts about doing the same for belts etc? - as i have a loake tan james belt - and i dare say that would benefit from some renovateur at least..? just they are more adverse to friction marks (due to unfastening them against the buckle etc) than shoes etc..

Hey Ash, just found your channel and am enjoying your content. From your experience are Grensons true to size or do you have to size up or down? I wear a 12 in sneakers but 11.5 D in Allen Edmonds. Thx Dave

Thanks for the guide, sir. Does that process also work on leather jackets?

Another quick comment Ash. Please think about how it sounds when you say, someone might think that you are a farmer or agricultural worker. I know you don’t mean to offend but that might sound different to how you intended? I particularly notice the effect of company representatives saying, from the CEO to the cleaner, as an all encompassing example really puts the cleaner at the bottom of the pile without intending that impression.

Hi Ash, do you have any tips for brand new shoes. I just bought an expensive (for me) pair and wondering if their tips for breaking them in and even treating/protecting them prior wearing? The shoes are leather with a city sole. Thanks

I must admit I find it a chore to take care of my boots and shoes but because of their initial cost I follow this procedure religiously. After four wears I apply shoe cream and then polish them, using Saphir products. Every six months I give them a thorough cleaning followed by conditioner and finishing the process with Saphir wax. the conditioner and cleaner I use are from Leather Honey. It should go without saying that I always use shoe trees, shoe horn or boot hooks. I buy good shoe and boots and take care of them thus my uppers last at least 25 years. In truth I feel cheated if they don't last 30 or more years. I still have the shoes I bought when I first married - can it say that about the wife.

I dont have a lot of money so i buy cheap clothes, but one item i don't cheap out on is leather boots. A good pair of leather boots can be cleaned and polished up to look new again and again, so my words of wisdom to anyone is to avoid the cheap fake leather shoes because they look horrible imo and they will fall apart after a few uses.

What a shame the boot manufacturer can’t do a proper sole replacement job. I’m sure the job is ok, but it just isn’t the way it should be done.

Looks like you haven’t used shoe trees ?

Why people neglect footwear in the first place is beyond me.

Those shoes are worth to put some efforts into the sole. A new sole will not be more than 100 pounds and the shoes should make it another 10 years. The solution you chose is not the best imo. Those are beautiful boots