Edward Green Shoes

[alden]

At least, many shoemakers say that they do not get enough high quality leather anymore these days...

Yes, it's as hard as finding good quality cloth.

Tony Gaziano used to tell me that when he was at EG, his main challenge was finding decent quality leather. That was what, a dozen years ago or more?

Cheers

[pur_sang]

I did a series of videos with a master shoe polisher on Vimeo. They are still there and they will teach you how to maintain your shoes.

https://vimeo.com/7877812

In fact, I have seen it a long time ago, and many others, but I still don't seem to achieve the results, hence now I leave it to the experts. I don't know what it is, skill, patience? Maybe it's time to give it another shot! Thank you Michael as always.

[alden]

pur_sang

I have had a few great shoe connoisseurs teach me over the years and it is best to see someone actually go through the process. Here are a few tips I have learned that make things easier:

Always wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth and let them sit for a few minutes to dry before you begin to work on them.

Your shoes will need shoe cream every six months or so depending on how much and how hard you wear them. Shoe cream is applied with a "firm" hand. Massage the cream into the leather a little at a time with firm pressure. Rub it in and press hard. Let the shoe sit for half an hour and then work it over with a good brush. I use a shoe polishing mit (glove) but a good horsehair brush is great.

Shoe wax is applied with a "light" hand. You will need some lukewarm water, good quality wax, and a polishing cloth (usually supplied with new EG shoes.) Touch the cloth to the water just a bit and then to the wax, then gently move the cloth over the shoe. Use only a very little amount of wax and a little bit of pressure. The cloth should glide over the shoe and not press into it. For every four times you apply wax to your cloth, dip the cloth into your water. Cover the entire shoe with wax, let it sit for half an hour and then brush.

As far as spit polishing goes, I know how to do it and do it very well, but I don't.

And I find the excessive darkening of the toe of a shoe from too much spit polish to be unsophisticated to the point of being crass. Don't do it. If you insist, then spit polish the toe only to the point that it has a very slightly darker shade of color as compared to the rest of the shoe. The difference in color should be almost imperceptible.

Good luck. If you have any questions, write me.

By the way I should thank my Grandfather, a sweet old man named Claude who worked at my favorite Paris shop thirty years ago, Tony Gaziano and Pierre-Paul-Marie Hofflin of Talon Rouge for all they taught me.

Cheers

[pur_sang]

Thank you Michael, I promise you and myself to give this another go, let's see whether I have improved in following instructions with age.

[alden]

Thank you Michael, I promise you and myself to give this another go, let's see whether I have improved in following instructions with age.

Don't let it be a chore. Wait for a good rainy day. Turn on some good music. Get all your supplies organized and have fun doing it...its actually relaxing. And when you are done your shoes and boots look great.

I recently did necessary regular maintenance on my trumpet at home for the first time. I read a ton of information, got a bunch of instructions, had all the necessary tools, oils, cleaners, brushes, swabs etc. The first time was a bit daunting in my imagination but it turned out to be a breeze, mainly due to three things: good preparation, organization and attitude.

Cheers

[troutonthefly]

Don't let it be a chore. Wait for a good rainy day. Turn on some good music. Get all your supplies organized and have fun doing it...its actually relaxing. And when you are done your shoes and boots look great.

I recently did necessary regular maintenance on my trumpet at home for the first time. I read a ton of information, got a bunch of instructions, had all the necessary tools, oils, cleaners, brushes, swabs etc. The first time was a bit daunting in my imagination but it turned out to be a breeze, mainly due to three things: good preparation, organization and attitude.

Cheers

Great advice, Michael. Interesting how those tasks we once viewed as chores are now something we look forward to. In my younger years, eating at home was akin to putting gas in the car, get the fuel in and get going again. Today, cooking is a pleasure and I lose myself in the details of preparation, ingredients, and presentation. And after I return from a hunt, and the pheasant are hanging in the shed, I look forward to that warm hour in my little room off the boiler in the basement, cleaning and lubricating both barrels, oiling the stock, and preparing my gun for the next hunt.

Cheers!

[rjman]

Having learned that Edward Green was offering a couple of Veldtschoen models again I caved and ordered the Galway Veldtschoen boot - it's marvelous and demonstrates why Green, to me, is the best British ready-to-wear shoemaker: classic and elegant proportions and design, substance, quality construction.

[Concordia]

Now, if we could only persuade them to put the Russia Calf next to Utah in their books.

[ggreen]

Veldtschoen is an interesting form of construction. It's similar to what Italians call Norvegese. Because the upper is turned outward it does provide a barrier against water entering the shoe. However, both methods of construction compromise the fundamental purpose of welted construction. That is, that upper is attached only to the welt and the welt, which is made of tougher leather and is capable of withstanding restitching, is attached to the sole. Galaway boot does have substantial ridgeway sole and a very healthy toe spring, so talking about resoling maybe is a purely theoretical exercise.

Greg

[rjman]

Veldtschoen is an interesting form of construction. It's similar to what Italians call Norvegese. Because the upper is turned outward it does provide a barrier against water entering the shoe. However, both methods of construction compromise the fundamental purpose of welted construction. That is, that upper is attached only to the welt and the welt, which is made of tougher leather and is capable of withstanding restitching, is attached to the sole. Galaway boot does have substantial ridgeway sole and a very healthy toe spring, so talking about resoling maybe is a purely theoretical exercise.

Greg

Thank you for this explanation - I had read somewhere else that Veldtschoen construction reduced the number of times a shoe can be resoled. I suppose I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, as I like to say. I also suspect that Green's own resoling service might involve more refurbishment that could extend the number of possible resolings. I had a pair of Goodyear-welted Dainite-soled EG Shannon boots resoled for the first time after 12 years last year, so I'm sure the issue will arise sometime...

Concordia, I suspect that Utah calf is easier to wear and more flexible than Russian reindeer. That said, back in the 1980s EG did make a few shoes in true Russia calf (not the reindeer, but birch-tanned calf). Someone's supposedly making that sort of leather again, of course with hatch graining like the shipwreck reindeer since the term has gotten muddled. The EG willow grain leathers were wonderful, I wish they'd do them again.

[alden]

If any of you love Edward Green shoes and wear an 11UK, let me know. I am thinning down my large collection and have some beauties from the "golden age" of EG...

llclothclub@yahoo.com

[rodes]

Michael, I would take your offer, if only that were my size.

[Rob O]

If any of you love Edward Green shoes and wear an 11UK, let me know. I am thinning down my large collection and have some beauties from the "golden age" of EG...

llclothclub@yahoo.com

I’m interested please Michael.

[pur_sang]

If any of you love Edward Green shoes and wear an 11UK, let me know. I am thinning down my large collection and have some beauties from the "golden age" of EG...

llclothclub@yahoo.com

It's funny how we are, after accumulation, we then strive to keep it simple. Once upon a time, I had one pair of shoes, now I have probably 50+ pairs, and it gives me a headache everytime I look at it.

[pur_sang]

Thank you Michael, I promise you and myself to give this another go, let's see whether I have improved in following instructions with age.

Don't let it be a chore. Wait for a good rainy day. Turn on some good music. Get all your supplies organized and have fun doing it...its actually relaxing. And when you are done your shoes and boots look great.

I recently did necessary regular maintenance on my trumpet at home for the first time. I read a ton of information, got a bunch of instructions, had all the necessary tools, oils, cleaners, brushes, swabs etc. The first time was a bit daunting in my imagination but it turned out to be a breeze, mainly due to three things: good preparation, organization and attitude.

Cheers

As promised, I followed your instructions and gave it another shot at trying to learn this craft. I think it seemed to have worked nicely. I still have no idea how to get that mirror shine, but for now, I'm happy with the results. Thank you Michael.