How To Condition Leather Shoes 

I really like the jazz music in the background. Such a great channel. Keep up the good work. 👍🏻

Dude, you are so thorough and for that I am truly grateful

I was going to ask which you recommend and I watched a little longer and you answered my question! Excellent video!!!

Absolutely fantastic video, I learned so much! I recently purchased some Saphir Renovateur conditioner before I watched this video to condition a leather watch roll. The leather was a light camel brown color. When I applied the conditioner, I was shocked to see that it changed the color to a dark milk chocolate brown! Even after drying the color didn't change. So be careful when you use this product, it can really change the color of your leather.

Extremely helpful, helped me decide which conditioner to purchase. Thanks again!

Kirby, could you do a video on how to properly care for the INSIDES of shoes? How often should you clean/condition leather inners? What should you do to make sure you're taking care of the inside correctly to avoid denigration by sweat and general wear and tear? I noticed that my 6 month old Allen Edmonds Jefferson 2.0s with sheepskin interiors were getting a noticable black discoloration from my feet.

Kirby, your videos are such an enjoyment to watch!

Thanks for these videos. Medaille d'Or is pronounced like /Meh-DIE Dore/ in French if someone hasn't mentioned that here already

Pronounced (ho-ho-bah). Thank you for your video. I enjoy all your videos very much.

Fantastic video. My question is, over time, will using the Renovateur regularly result in a wax buildup that will ultimately limit the shoe’s ability to absorb conditioner, and therefore, need to be stripped off of the shoe periodically? Thanks, Kirby.

I love my Belgium Lofers !!!!!!!

Thank you for this wonderful video, you saved my beautiful leather boots from cracking, I'll also use your products for my handbags, but I wonder if I can use it for my leather jacket?

I know all of them. I would also recommend "liquid gold", if one needs to choose. Some of my winter boots I protect using dubbin/conditioners only and it works just fine. It takes like four days to do it properly, though (absorb). If minimal change of colour is desired I would look for vegetable based dubbin. Any addition of animal fat will darken the leather much stronger.

For those who shine shoes every day and alternate pairs daily and are constantly walking and scuffing shoes and need to maintain a mirror shine, how often should we we use leather lotions and conditioners? I usually shine my shoes daily with saphir Medaille d’or regular pate de luxe and I use the mirror gloss a bit less regularly.

Your videos and products are great! I have some of them. I must say, however, that this all becomes very confusing..you have too many products.. Renomat, Renovateur, Mink oil, Dubbin, wax polish, cream polish ...etc...etc ..this that and the next thing. It's at the point where one needs a P.H.D. from MIT to fathom all of these differences.

kirby im now a religious regular watcher of your videos and learning so much. i am a proffesional custom suit fitter and sell men's suits for a living. i must ask what type of suit do you wear? what brand at least? im guessing you wear a 38s suit but the notch lapel is fairly broad and masculine which i enjoy seeing instead of such skinny lapels. I would be interested in the brand you wear or do you do made to measure........or full bespoke? This would be a great video in my opinion.

Kirby, I appreciate the videos you produce. I recently bought three pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes and was wondering how to take care of them. Thanks to your video, problem solved! Just ordered some Saphir Renovateur. Many thanks! Sub'd.

Amazing video thank you.I have a question, can i use Nappa conditioner for my black leather jacket?Or Saphir is only for the shoes. Thanks

Hi Kirby, I recently graduated from college. From your vast experience with shoes, what is the best bet for the first pair of black oxford and a cognac apron front derby? Also, how often do we need to condition the shoes (with renovateur) as compared to regular weekly polish? THank you in advance!

Hello Kirby, thank you for sharing this information in this amazing format. I wonder what difference is between Renovatuer and Réno´Mat? Thank you for this very informative video. All the best from Germany, Markus

Hello Mr. Allison, I was wondering what are the differences between Saphir Mink Oil and Saphir Dubbin. And which is better for deep conditioning.

I have a question,how do you take care of the shoes that you dont use and in storage how often should they be condition and polish?? And is it ok to condition without removing polish thank you

So the mink oil and dubbin would work safer with my black shoes?

Hi what's the difference between renovator and cream polish? Thanks and this is a great channel for shoes :)

Can you demonstrate Juvacuir? No one have a Juvacuir demonstration, I enjoy your videos very much! Thanks 🙏

If I have to choose (due to budget constraints) between Renovateur and Saphir’s neutral cream polish, which one should be my go to option? Idea is to have nourishment (conditioning) as well as shine with minimalist approach. Thanks in advance for your kind advice.

Very informative video! I've got two pairs of handmade hunter's boots I got from Siberia, a winter and summer variant, and I've been trying to find a good conditioner for them. I'll probably go with the Saphir Renovateur. Question: One of the pairs of boots has an inner layer of deerskin leather. Should any conditioner be applied to this inner layer, or should it only be applied to the outer layer of leather? The outer layer is calfskin.

Thank you for these videos. They are my Bible! Is there a difference between the Renevatour and the neutral Saphir cream polish? Could I just use the Renevatour instead and then top it off with the wax?

I have boots, Croccodile, Anteater and Ostrich all which have quite a bit od textureof texture, I don't wear them often, but today I got a pair out and couldn't find my polish so I used Bowlingalley wax, it put a very high shine on them, but they need to be conditioned, but talk about smooth leathers. All are different colors and I use to use the color of the boot, but really the color is fine , so I would just use a clear color. Please tell me what you would recommend, it sounds like I should use a conditioner as I said I rarely wear my boots, the only pair that I wouldn't want to darken are the Ostrich as they are a light color. Thnk You, Jack

Dear Mr. Allison, I bought a new pair of vegetable tanned full-grain box calf shoes. Before applying Pommadier cream and Pate de Luxe, I want to condition the shoes first. Would you recommend Renovateur or Nappa Leather Balm for the conditioning of this leather? Thanks

So you would recommend the nappa balm for things like leather gloves, I assume? Loving the videos.

Hello Mr. Allison, thank you for the video. May I ask which of these products, if any, would you recommend for conditioning the leather straps of luxury wristwatches? Thank you in advance!

Brown charcoal suit 👍

Great explaining and teaching.thanks.

I always condition my shoes with raw organic coconut nut oil it works a treat and its cheap also.

Kirby, love your channel and content. Could you please let me know what you would recommend on a slight discoloration on a brand new pair of Allen edmonds hopkinson black dress shoe? I spilled filtered water on them this morning and almost couldn't bare it! They look fine just where the water touched and dried the color faded slightly and you can see the water mark and streaks. Would a simple polish routine work? What would be the basic steps to do? Appreciate your response!!!!

Very usufull video! You do not ship in Greece but I found your products in a european eshop and now I am waiting for my first cloth hangers to be delivered to me next week. I was searching for ages for proper cloth hangers!

The Napa one looks good

Mr. Allison, I am new to the world of shoes but I have watched just about every video of yours and really have gotten a taste of what looks good. I took your subtle advice and bought a pair of Allen Edmonds penny loafers from eBay and am looking to bring them back to life and also I have a pair of Sperry Mako 2’s that I am trying to rehab as they have gained spots of lighter brown. I also made a few purchases (based on my budget) of Florsheim’s (2 pairs of Chelsea’s, a black cap toe, and a brown brogue). If it isn’t too much trouble could you recommend a beginners program before I start wearing them to set me up for success? I think others may be excited to know too. Possibly even in a video form for those of us like you (when you started) who are in college and want to look their best! Thanks for the advice and thanks for what you do! Jake

I am having trouble ordering from your website. I keep getting error messages. Can someone check that it is working.

Excellent video Kirby. One question. If I use the Sapphir Renovateur on my Alden black shell cordovan loafers will it leave those chalky white marks where the creases are? Thanks for your help!

I have a question about how to care for my Allen Edmonds Neumok. They are well worn but in good condition. How/what products should I use to keep them in the best condition?

hi! very nice video! two questions, is buffing necessary after conditioning shoes? and how often should i condition women’s shoes?

Question : Hello Kirby and good day. First I've to say I've learned a lot from your channel and I want to thank you for this and to say how much I appreciate the knowledge you are sharing with us. I've a question - I've accidently bought the Saphir Renovator Cream 50ml ( from the "beaute du cuir" line of saphir) for my new calfskin full grain leather shoes ( from meermin), instead of buying the Saphir Medaille D'Or Renovator Cream with Mink Oil 75ml. (I was aware of the two lines of saphir but didnt know that there 2 kinds of products for renovating ) 1.Will it do the job of renovating anyway ? will it harm the leather ( I don't know if it has non-natural ingredients in it like the Medaille D'Or doesn't) ? Am I crazy ? I only have one pair of shoes which I use about once every two weeks but I want them to last as long as possible. Should I buy the Medaille D'Or Renovator anyway ? I'll be glad if you answer asap because of the black friday sale 2. How often should I use this renovator if I want my shoes to last as long as possible? I've heard once a month or once or twice a year or every season and I'm confused. Does it depend on the frequency of wearing the shoes ? I've mentioned I wear them once every two weeks. Can frequent use of the product harm the leather ? and how much long can the product last in its bottle before it gets dry ? year ? more ? thanks in advanced Eilon

I prefer a light shine on my calf skin shoes. With that in mind, how often should you use the Saphir Renovateur vs the Saphir Shoe Cream? And do I need to bother using their wax if I don't want a high gloss shine? Thank you.

Hello, you don't have the regular saphir renovateur on your website. I'd love to get my hands on some but can't find it!

I recently bought a pair of Danner boots. And I conditioned them with their very own product. It has been 5 days now, and still, when you run your finger over the leather, you still get residue off of the conditioner. I buff and rebuff, but it doesn't seem to help. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi Kirby, thanks for your informative vlogs. There is not much information about the nappa leather balm. I used the saphir leather balm on new LV black epi leather. Is it normal for the color to rub of the shoes? Thanks.

How often would you recommend conditioning your shoes with the Renovateur for shoes not in your common rotation? I.e. shoes that you maybe only wear once per month? They do not get much use, but I assume would still get dry over time regardless of lack of use?

Hi Mr. Kirby, This was really interesting to examine which Saphir product to buy for my vintage shoe collection. What would you recommend to nourish very fine vintage 70’s/80’s leather found on women’s designer shoes? Thank you!

Another excellent presentation! I bought the mink oil to restore an older pair of Danner boots that were a a little stiff & dry. I am a little less refined in my ways and I found just using by index finger to work in the mink oil into all the seams to be economical with the oil. I was wondering how long to leave it to absorb … and I suspected that you would have the answer, thank you! I am loving the Saphir range and your videos absolutely helped to regenerate my interest in mirror gloss and better footwear maintenance. 😊

Which conditioner is best for leather sneakers like common projects ? Would Saphir leather lotion work ?

Hi, great video! Btw I just got a pair of boots but there is too much screech on them everytime I move, mostly because the laces are made out of leather too, do you know if putting a conditioner like this on them will help to reduce/eliminate the noise or got any other tip?

Thats for all your great video's, very informative. I have a pair of Limmer oxfords (oiled leather) that I love. I used reno mat to take any previous finish off. They were very dried out after the RenoMat. I then put on 4 coats of Brown Saphir Oiled Leather Cuirs Gras. I'am not satisfied with the finish, seems to still be on the dry side. I would like the shoes to have a more matte finish and to be more waterproof since I use them for everyday use. What would you suggest to accomplish this?

Does conditioning help with break in? I've got 2 different colors of Allen Edmonds Mcallisters, both bought used. The black ones are very supple and comfortable. The walnut are incredibly stiff and don't seem to be getting any better.

Kirby Allison has Renovateur in the 100th Anniversary jars in stock! It has 33% more product for the same price $23.60 for 3.45oz/100mL.

I have a question about Saphir creme universalle; if I have traces of previous waxes on my toecap, how should I proceed with the application of conditioning products? Thanks for all your videos, I am slowly getting into the hobby of shoe care and your shared knowledge is invaluable! Cheers, Luka

Hey! First of all thank you for the amazing video! It was just what I was looking for :) I have a question about my shoes. I have a pair of white leather vans and I was wondering if using a saphir conditioner would cause discoloration. Also the pair I got had a specific unfortunate crease on one shoe from the start (not from wear) while the other shoe is absolutely perfect even after wearing them a couple of times. They are new so I was wondering if conditioning them would help smoothen it out. Thanks!

Hello Kirby, Hello everybody, I have a quick question. Normally shoes have already a layer of wax from previous shines. Should I use the Saphir Rennovateur directly on them or it can no penetrate through the leather because of the wax? The question then continues to the show cream, especially the pigmented one (i have a dark navy blue colored shoes)

What do you mean by you would only use mink oil traditionally on calf skin? Do you mean regularly? Also how come? Thank you for the great videos!

Nice video Kirby. I have traditionally used a dubbin cream for my RM Williams Gardener boot, which has an oiled kip finish. Would the Renovatuer be a good replacement, and can the Renovateur be used on a burnished shoe without changing the finish?

Hi Kirby, wonderful content. I’m a great lover of leather and your videos are incredibly informative and well produced. I’m interested in knowing your opinion (or if you have ever reviewed) a very nice leather conditioner I have been using that is made by the Australian company Oakwood. I’m particularly keen to know how it compares with the Saphir conditioners. Thanks for putting out such good information mate.

Can you recommend one for me. Because I'm a beginner use it. I don't know, which one i will choose.

Can I use the mink oil on a leather jacket?

Can we use the same cloth for conditioner, polish, and wax? How often do you replace the cloth?

I have a question. Should I use a silicone based spray on the uppers of my Allen Edmonds to protect them from water? Really need to know.

Hi Kirby May I ask how often do we need to remove the previous wax before applying the conditioner & wax (complete shine). Also how often should we be doing a complete shoe shine?

Would you recommend the Saphir renovateur for white leather sneakers like the Common Projects Achilles or would it make the leather really shiny?

can we use nappa leather balm on cow leather shoes?is it the best choice? may it be use once a week or two?

I have a nice pair of leather loafers that have become slightly loose in the heel. Is there any way I can make the heel area a little tighter?

I let a pair of my black cap toe Allen Edmonds go too long between conditioning and now have some slight cracks in the leather. Is there anything I can do to restore them?

I wonder what you would do/use, if anything, for brand new black leather sneakers? Thanks!

What do you suggest when preparing to have my Allen Edmonds Carlyle for stretching by a cobbler?

Do you need to clean your shoes with saddle soap before using the Saphire Renovateur?

Could you please tell us more about that nice suitcase on the commode behind you

Great video, Kirby. Which product would you recommend for shark leather? The shoes in question are 40 years old if that matters.

i am looking forward to buy these products. Can you recommend me a good company shoe tree and boot tree?

Hi kirby can i apply 2 coats of renovatour for my new monk strap using only my finger instead of dauber or chamois? And leave it over night?

I have a question about this video. I have a pair of Dr.Martens 1461, and I used saddle soap to clean it totally. Right now, it only shows the neutral leather color, and I want to apply Saphir mink oil AND saphir tabakbrown creme on it. Can you please give me some suggestions that which one I should apply firstly? Thanks for your videos, they do helped me a lot!

I'm just starting to learn about shoe care, but it seems that terms are often used interchangeably, Why is a conditioner also referred to as a polish? I understand that it may have some "polishing" qualities but that's secondary to the overall purpose of the product, to condition and rehydrate drying leather.

Hi Kirby, do these products go on old shoes or can be applied to new shoes? If for new shoes, which one should i use? Thanks...

Hi Kirby thank you for all your videos i love them! Can you tell me how often should i apply the saphir renovateur and the saphir pollish to my shoes? I have shoes which i wear often and shoes which i wear only once a year. Thank you and looking forward to more videos

I have a question about Allen Edmonds bench welt shoes. I see “bench welt” printed on my strand’s outsole and pretty much every pair on Allen Edmonds website. Are they a cheaper version of Goodyear welt? Thanks in advance

Good day! I was wondering what kind of products you recommend on quilon leather, specifically Dr. Martens quilon leather?

Hi Kirby, do you have any suggestions to how renovate and condition leather belts and small leather accessories?? There is any proper products or just the same? Thank you, I'm always following your video.

Could you please help me find a genuine shoe care product that could restore the nice original leather smell along with conditioning the boots (leather). Thanks

Can you do a video on leather sneakers which you don't want a glossy finish and instead a matte finish.

Hello, what creme is the equivalent of MdO Renovateur from Beaute de Cuir line of products? Thank you in advance!

This might be a nonsensical question, but I am curious if you ever use any of these products on watch straps. I applied some saphir renovateur on a leather watch strap, but later realized that I do not know much about the product outside of using it on my shoes. Unlike shoes, your watch strap is in constant contact with your skin. From. What I read there are some petroleum based products in its formula. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for something that is in constant contact with skin?

Good day Kirby, I have a pair of new soft tumbled leather shoes that a light cream color. I want to treat and take care of them to ensure longevity, however, I am worried about changing the color with a treatment or being unable to match the color with polish. Can you recommend a balm or treatment that will work in my scenario? Thanks in advance!

I have some Paul Evans Oxblood Monk Strap shoes. They have the darker cap toe design. They are in need of some serious conditioning. I’ve been hesitant to use the Saphir Mink Oil product because I don’t want to permanently change the color (darken) of my shoes. What do you think?

Hi Kirby, went to your website and saw rejuvenate but 2 different types. Which type do you recommend. Mink or Macadamia?

Can these products be used together?? Example on a leather jacket.

What does it mean if the Renovator leaves a sticky residue even after buffing? I've used it on several bags and Renovator worked beautifully except for one bag even though I cleaned it first. I love this product so I'm wondering what do you recommend I do with the sticky residue? A deeper cleaning, a different product? I'm not sure what type of leather it is or what has been used on it previously but all 3 bags I'm working on now are the same vintage Coach leather bags, plain black leather.

all three need to be applied?

Would you condition all leather products (jacket, belt, gloves, bag)? If yes, how often would you do it and would you use the same products?

Can I use Saphir Shoe Cream instead of Renovateur? I've read these two products' instruction, they both have nourishing nutrients, both soften and condition the shoe. only thing I've found that they vary in is the pigmentation, cause shoe cream has mild pigments in order to renovate shoe's color.

Which one should I use to clean & condition my crocodile shoes

Hi, I have a pair of boots that has mold growing on leather insole. It's not serious, just few black spot, but I'd like to know what's the best way to treat. Thank you!

Not sure if it is normal, but I was conditioning my shoes and notice the dye of the shoe coming off. I was wondering if this is normal? If not, how can I fix it/ prevent it from rubbing off further?