The London Lounge

What is this best way to go about protecting new shoes from scratches? I have seen many mentions of oil treatments before polishing; is this necessary/worthwhile? If so, what products would you recommend? Thanks

The best way to protect new shoes is first to feed the leather with shoe cream, then apply a mirror shine. The wax will protect the shoes from some scuffing, water, and other dirts. Saphir make good polishes.

Anonymous wrote:The best way to protect new shoes is first to feed the leather with shoe cream, then apply a mirror shine. The wax will protect the shoes from some scuffing, water, and other dirts. Saphir make good polishes.

I would like to know if Saphir has a website. Have not been able to locate it.

Kind regards,
DonB

Anonymous wrote:I would like to know if Saphir has a website. Have not been able to locate it.

http://www.avel.fr/fr/default.htm

Click on top left "voyage"

Apart from treating the uppers, how about treating the sole?

All of my leather soled shoes soak through to my feet even when walking on the slightest damp pavement.... quite a predicament.

Should soles be treated with silicon or such?

Anonymous wrote:Apart from treating the uppers, how about treating the sole?

All of my leather soled shoes soak through to my feet even when walking on the slightest damp pavement.... quite a predicament.

Should soles be treated with silicon or such?

I'd like to hear the answer to that one too. I've encountered the same problem. And it happens to my favorite pair of shoes. --RT

Does everyone's good, leather soled shoes soak up water, wetting the feet?

That's been my experience as well.....

After you have worn the shoes outdoors several times, the soles will have acquired a slightly glazed appearance. At this stage the soles will be rather less permeable to water but not waterproof. It is best to avoid using the shoes in the wet prior to this as the soles will wear rapidly. I ruined many pairs of shoes before I was given this advice.

yea, i was curious as what the english folk do as regards to shoes for rainy days. do you guys buy a stock of shoes which are leather soled and rubber soled? i presume if leather soled become wet, it could take quite a while to dry out.

yeah, i was curious as what the english folk do as regards to shoes for rainy days. do you guys buy a stock of shoes which are leather soled and rubber soled? i presume if leather soled become wet, it could take quite a while to dry out.

I've found that of shoes bought in the last few years, even when worn in quite a bit, still transmit the wet straight through the sole and to my feet.

And so I go around with damp socks all day long.

Miserable.

I now try to avoid wearing leather soled shoes on rainy days, but rather wear rubber bottomed shoes along the lines of what the Italians, Tods for example, make.

But that is all very impractical in a rainy town like London; you want to wear your dress shoes there, and so, you just have to suffer wet feet, no matter how good looking and expensive your shoes are. Every pair of EGs I've worn have this problem; no matter how long I have been wearing them or how worn in they are.

Amazing ,really, as you'd expect theBritish to do something about leaky soles!

I don't even know if leaky soles is common to all leather soled shoes....what's been your experience ?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to know if Saphir has a website. Have not been able to locate it.

http://www.avel.fr/fr/default.htm

Click on top left "voyage"

Or via Mr . Bolten
http://pbolten.free.fr/essais/home.html

(send him an email for your order....)

A fellow member passed this site on to me:
http://www.francos.com/items/index.asp? ... =Men/Shoes

I've since picked up some Saphir supplies.

DDM

Lattanzi has very specific instructions in his booklet. I'll try to find it.

Yes, let's hear what Lattanzi has to say. The English shoes are giving me a hard time.