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TAKING GOOD CARE: SHELL CORDOVAN

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Welcome to Taking Good Care. A new series of videos on WiShoeguy where we explore how to take care of your shoes. Let me be clear. I do NOT sell any shoe care products, and i'm not going to say that Saphir is better than Lincoln or Kiwi (well let's not get crazy) but I will share what i'm doing to care for my shoes and special care where it's required. This will not be released on a regular basis, it will be on an as needed basis (but i'll probably do a few in short order because i'm quite behind on cleaning up a few shoes).
Today's episode is geared towards a very special shoe making material, shell cordovan. While i explain briefly in the video what shell cordovan is, it's a type of horse hide, but not the skin. it's a membrane under the rump. Each horse produces 2 shells (right and left). Each shell produces about 1 pair of shoes (unless they're small).
My history with shell cordovan dates back to 2004, when i picked up my first pair of Allen Edmonds Leeds. This was before my exposure to any shoe care products outside of direct from Allen Edmonds and i found their cordovan cream very sticky and difficult to use. In retrospect i simply used way too much! Unfortunately i figured i didn't really like shell and while i included those #8 PTBs (#8 is Horween's color name for burgundy & PTB is a plain toe blucher, usually referring to a wholecut blucher like the Alden 990 in the video). It was 2010 before I approached shell again and it was after i had learned that i was using too much product. I bought a pair of semi brogues and loafers and i was hooked. For 6 years i had 3 pairs of shell in regular rotation. In 2017 I learned about Saphir, Colonil and VSC. Over the last couple years I also learned about using Pure Polish for shell. There is another option out there as well, Tanner's Blend, by the folks at Ashland Leather. It's one I've never tried.
Today we're looking at using colored and neutral saphir cordovan cream, using Pure Polish cleaner / conditioner, and using VSC (Venetian Shoe Cream). I actually share in the video testing a new product on a shoe to see if it works (and FAIL). I then use a different treatment on each shoe and use Pure Polish WRC on the three shoes to finish off.
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Here is my overall sizing guide, inspired by the Skoaktiebolaget sizing guide.
@wishoeguy Sizing Chart
Maison Corthay Pullman 11D (narrow)
Gordon JimJun Soft Sq Toe WS 9.5UK
Bodileys BOD205 9.5UK
Cheaney 205 9.5 UK
Cheaney 12508 9.5 UK
Cru NonPareil 10.5EE per feetszr app.
The Armoury Haijime 9.5UK
Altan Senzo 10.5
Altan summer loafer with strap 9 (yes really)
Skolyx Adelaide Hector 10
Skolyx LWB Ben 9.5
Hephaestus L25 46
Hephaestus A1 45
Fugashin 9.5UK
CNES 44
John Lobb 10UK
Stefano Bemer TX 44.5 PdP
Bontoni 202 44 PdP
Vass new Peter 44 PdP
Vass u 44 PdP
Meermin Rui UK10
Meermin Hiro UK10
Meermin HOK UK9.5
Meermin Elton UK10
Allen Edmonds 65 US11D
Allen Edmonds 511 US11D
Allen Edmonds 108 US11D
Allen Edmonds 64 US11D
Allen Edmonds 606 US11D
Allen Edmonds 1757 US11D
Allen Edmonds 1943 US11D
Allen Edmonds 97 US11D
Alden Barrie 11D US
Alden Aberdeen 11E US
Crockett and Jones 336 UK 10E
Crockett and Jones 325 UK10E
Crockett and Jones 378 UK10E
Crockett and Jones 348 UK10E
Crockett and Jones 341 UK10E
Loake Capital UK9.5F
Loake Tower UK9.5F
Loake River UK9.5F
Loake Bullet UK9.5F
Vass U UK10 / 44 (a little tight)
Vass New Peter UK10 / 44
Heinrich Dinkelacker Buda UK9.5G
Heinrich Dinkelacker Luzern UK9.5G
TLB Mallorca Picasso UK10
TLB Mallorca Goya UK10
TLB Oliver UK10
TLB Bryan UK10
Carmina Rain UK10
Carmina Oscar UK10
Carmina Forest UK10
Carmina Simpson UK10.5
Löf and Tung T UK10
Enzo Bonafe 74945 UK10
Enzo Bonafe 946 UK 10
Alden Barrie US11D
Alden Aberdeen US11E
Barker 464 UK9.5F
Alfred Sargent 109 UK10
Alfred Sargent 724 UK9.5
Carlos Santos 57 UK9.5
Carlos Santos 234 UK9.5
Carlos Santos CS2 UK9.5
Amblier AM18 UK10
Paolo Scafora R UK10
Paolo Scafora Door UK10
Yeossal Branca UK10
Yeossal BX7 UK10
Cobbler Union 312 9.5UK
TLB Picasso 10UK
TLB Bryan 10UK
TLB Goya 10UK
TLB Oliver 10UK
Edward Green 389 10UK
Edward Green 202 10UK
Gaziano & Girling TG73 10 UK
Gaziano & Girling MH71 10 UK
Foster &Son ALM 10FUK
Foster & Son 83 10EUK
George Cleverley 348 10UK
Oct Tenth Huang 10UK (has high instep. Asked for thicker sole which wasn’t enough).
Paraboot Griff UK10
Mezlan 110 US11M
Church’s Natural UK10G
Church’s Castoro UK10F
J Fitzpatrick NGT UK10.5E (will size down to 10 in future)
J Fitzpatrick LPB UK9.5E
Barbanerra Gaucho UK10 too loose
Sons of Henrey Contemporary Almond 10F
Trickers 2298 UK10F
Trickers 6143 UK9.5F
Bruno Magli 92B UK10/44/US11
Eve’s and Gray UK10 (no last listed)
A Meccariellio Hawksbill UK10.5 / 44.5 roomy
A Meccariello B 03 UK9.5 too tight
A Meccariello Chisel 2 9.5F perfect
A Meccariello soft square 9.5E perfect.
Herring Lakenhurst 10F

Опубликовано:

14 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 20

@baberoot1998 7 месяцев назад

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 2 года назад

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

@Alandale45 Год назад

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 2 года назад

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 2 года назад

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 10 месяцев назад

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 9 месяцев назад

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 2 года назад

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 9 месяцев назад

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 3 года назад

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

@wishoeguy 3 года назад

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 3 года назад

Yeah damn they look nice

@wishoeguy 3 года назад

Thanks

@Tarka1 3 года назад

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 3 года назад

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 3 года назад

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 2 года назад

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.

@briansanchez1740 3 года назад

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

@ardentdfender4116 2 года назад

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 2 года назад

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.