Leather Shoe Care Help

Hello all,

I recently bought my first pair of decent leather shoes and am having problems with general care. There's so much varying information to be found so I decided I'd find a forum and post so that hopefully someone could help me.

Here's a breakdown: I bought these shoes, then took them to what seemed to be a high end shoe store to ask about how to take care of them. The guy sold me cedar shoetrees, a "traditional dressing for waxy leathers" which is a white cream, a decent cloth to apply the cream, and a general spray to protect them. When I asked about shoe polish, he said that it was a waxy leather and the the cream was all that was needed, and showed me how when he ran his finger on the inside of the shoe, the outside changed to a lighter color. Thus, he said, demonstrating that it is a waxy leather.

So I applied the cream and spray and they were looking pretty good at this point. I then wore them when I went out on New Year's Eve and in the morning noticed a few stains on them from the night. So I used water and a sponge and washed the spots out. Which from what I've been seeing was probably the first mistake, since there seems to be cleaners that one should use instead. Well, that left some unpolished looking smudges which I then proceeded to apply the cream to, thinking it would return to its original state. But instead it just looked worse. After that, I used the sponge and water again and a bit of hand soap to go over the front, because I figured maybe I just didn't clean them very well. Well now the entire shiny coat is gone and it looks rather terrible.

I took them to a shoemaker today, and he tried applying a wax, then a brown polish of some kind, but neither did a thing. He just proceeded to tell me that there was nothing else he could do. But from what I've heard leather is pretty strong and I can't imagine something like soap and water permanently ruining the shoes.


So right now, I have that cream and some clear leather dressing/wax - the stuff the guy put on at the store today.

Here are pics: http://imgur.com/gCZEZz6&OqQTlMT&EDS...SLGX&2zUALRp#0

First three are before the incident showing before and after I first applied the cream. Second three are after the incident after washing the shoe again and applying the wax, hoping it would fix the situation. I left a part of the shoe below the tongue untouched after washing, so you could see what it looks like with nothing applied.



Please let me know what I've done wrong, what I need to do to fix this, and anything else that's glaringly obvious that I need to learn about basic leather shoe care based on this story and the pics. I would greatly appreciate any help I could get as I am living abroad right now in a small town where I don't speak the language well enough to tell the situation as detailed as I have here.

Best regards,

Matt

Leather cleaning and restoration first priority is leather identification otherwise we can't restore back to the original, so I have help post the pictures here for better view.

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Attachment 2429


#2
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>>> When I asked about shoe polish, he said that it was a waxy leather and the cream was all that was needed, and showed me how when he ran his finger on the inside of the shoe, the outside changed to a lighter color. Thus, he said, demonstrating that it is a waxy leather.

From description of testing above and pictures this is identified, as ”Aniline Wax Pull-up” leather is the industry terminology.

Description of Aniline Wax Pull-Up Leathers:
Wax pull-up leathers derive its color from dyestuff and effect wax that gives the leather a lively distressed look. When this leather is pulled, stretched or scratched, the waxes dissipate characteristically and become lighter in those areas. Sunlight and stretching through high wear areas are two main indications that the infused wax needs replenishing. As this, effect wax behaves just like the primary fatliquor they do diminish through ageing and will need periodic replenishing. Besides contributing to the color intensity, it improves in water shedding effect. Effect wax when applied to the leather penetrates while some coagulates as fine crystal and remains on the surface. The dried surface white powdery deposits are then heat activated and when they melt, they coat the surface with a glossy sheen. Additional gloss is done with Adhesor-73 > AnilineTop-21G over the waxy sheen for additional protection.


>>> Here's a breakdown: I bought these shoes, then took them to what seemed to be a high end shoe store to ask about how to take care of them. The guy sold me cedar shoetrees, a "traditional dressing for waxy leathers" which is a white cream, a decent cloth to apply the cream, and a general spray to protect them.

If the leather is first identified as “Aniline Wax Pull-Up” rather than “waxy leather”. Then a pull-up effect such as Leather Doctor® Wax Effect-8.6 should be on the right track in the first place. Such product or equivalent is design for aniline wax pull-up leather types. This is a pH 8.6 water based emulsion for rejuvenating wax pull-up effect diminished through usage, ageing or cleaning.


>>> So I applied the cream and spray and they were looking pretty good at this point. I then wore them when I went out on New Year's Eve and in the morning noticed a few stains on them from the night. So I used water and a sponge and washed the spots out. Which from what I've been seeing was probably the first mistake, since there seems to be cleaners that one should use instead.

Leather protein fiber originated from skins or hides are amphoteric material, while its leather constituents or chemistry imputed to convert them into imperishable leather, like tanning agent and the fatliquor that soften it for practical usage and the dyestuff that colors it for aesthetic are non-amphoteric. Amphoteric materials are pH sensitive thus even water at average pH of 7 above the pH neutral or pI of leather averages 4 will cause the braking of hydrogen bond between the protein fiber and its leather constituents. The cleaning pH above average 4 will cause the ionic positive (+ve) charged protein fiber to shift ionic negative (-ve) that will repels the leather constituents ionic negative (-ve), just like magnet “like poles repel” and the leather denature and revert to rawhide in extreme cases. Always check the pH value of cleaner used; a leather-safe should be in the range of pH 3 to pH 5. To return the leather to its healthy pH chemistry integrity a low pH 2.0 is used like Acidifier-2.0 to protonate the protein fiber ionic more positive for a stronger ionic attraction between the protein fiber and the leather constituents.


>>> Well, that left some unpolished looking smudges which I then proceeded to apply the cream to, thinking it would return to its original state. But instead it just looked worse. After that, I used the sponge and water again and a bit of hand soap to go over the front, because I figured maybe I just didn't clean them very well. Well now the entire shiny coat is gone and it looks rather terrible.

Creams that contain oils may dissolve the wax that makes the appearance looks worse. Hand soap is usually alkaline in nature and it leaves a scum, just we see in basin and bath tubs. A good residue free leather-safe cleaner should able to clean a window or any computer screen without leaving any streaks should be the benchmark for an organic material like leathers. The shine coat is restored by Wax Effect-8.6, that both penetrates the leather to impart the pull-up effect and also leave fine wax crystals on the surface when dry. These fine white crystals coatings are activated with a hot hair dryer to a natural shine. This is done on a periodic care cycle, however in this restorative effort additional shine with Adhesor-73 > AnilineTop-21G follows for extra protection.


>>> I took them to a shoemaker today, and he tried applying a wax, then a brown polish of some kind, but neither did a thing. He just proceeded to tell me that there was nothing else he could do.

A wax pull-up leather requires Wax Effect-8.6 conditioner both into the structure for pull-up effect and deposit on the surface to produce the natural sheen. Polish kills the natural appearance of the leather. Color if desired is done with Anilne-21


>>> But from what I've heard leather is pretty strong and I can't imagine something like soap and water permanently ruining the shoes.

Leather is pretty strong averages tensile strength averages 2000psi, industrial usage may require higher up to 6000psi. When leather dries of its fatliquor, its strength falls corresponding and below 1800psi elongation, split and tear appears at stitches. The biblical Samson rely his physical strength from his long hair. Leather rely its tensile strength from fatliquor (fat, oil and water). Averages healthy leather moisture content is up to 14% and more is stronger and softer.


>>> Please let me know what I've done wrong, what I need to do to fix this, and anything else that's glaringly obvious that I need to learn about basic leather shoe care based on this story and the pics.


This Aniline (A.w) Leather Problem Solving Guide is used as reference that matches your leather type. We can further go through the steps when you have the kit at hand. http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-Aw6.tc/Detail

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com


Attachment 2431
Kit Aw6.tc is recommended to restore the leather back to its original appearance.


Attachment 2432
Leather Doctor Kit Aw6.tc – Aniline Wax Pull-up Leather Topcoat Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Aw6.tc, aniline wax pull-up leather topcoat refinishing kit is designed for after degreasing in a holistic approach. Most penetrated stains from the head and hands that show a darkening effect have its topcoat probably deteriorated by the oil, grease and sweat. Deteriorated topcoat removed during the degreasing process is refinished with AnilineTop-21G after wax effect rejuvenated. Removing penetrated soiling contamination starts with Degreaser-2.2, a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that emulsifies the greasy contamination, controls dye bleeding and charging the protein fiber ionic positive for strengthening the attraction between the ionic negative tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. Deflocculated and suspended soiling is towel extracted, thereafter rinse and pH balanced with Acidifier-2.0 to prevent the leather from reverting to rawhide. When leather feels sticky or slimy it is a sign of leather denaturing, a squeaky feel when wet is a sign of a healthy leather. Hydrator-3.3 relaxes stiff leathers and removes surface tension free from surface blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fat and oil is replenished with Fatliquor-5.0 to rejuvenate the leather for the desired suppleness when dry. Wax Effect-8.6 rejuvenates the structural wax pull-up effect and coagulates a cloudy waxy coating on the surface to be heat activated into the characteristic glossy sheen. Protector-D+ enhances a non-stick draggy-feel to shield against sticky soiling, besides healing and concealing lightening scuff and abrasion marks. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline wax pull-up leathers topcoat refinishing system.


A complete stripping of unwanted polishes, redyeing and additional protective shine, Kit Aw7.cl is recommended instead with Red-Brown as the color of choice http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-Aw7.cl/Detail


Attachment 2433
Leather Doctor Kit Aw7.cl – Aniline Wax Pull-up Leather Dye Refinishing Kit

Leather Doctor® Kit Aw7.cl, aniline wax pull-up leather dye refinishing kit is designed for dyestuff and topcoat refinishing after degreasing in a holistic approach. Most severely penetrated, prolonged and neglected stains from the bare head and hands that show a darkening effect with a sticky feel have its topcoat and dyestuff probably deteriorated by the oil, grease and sweat. When the stain feels sticky, it is a sign of leather denaturing and reverting to rawhide from breaking of bonds with the tanning agent. When sign of color is transfer to a white towel, it indicates that the dyestuff has also break bonds with the protein fiber. When leather is stiff or show signs of whitish residue migrating, it shows that the fatliquor is breaking bonds as well with the protein fiber. The main component of the leather protein fiber is amphoteric while the other constituents are not; shifting of the pH mainly caused from sweat to alkalinity affects the pH imbalance. To revert from denaturing into rawhide prior to topcoat refinishing, contaminated alkaline soiling is removed with Degreaser-2.2, a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that emulsifies greasy contamination besides controlling dye bleeding and charging the protein fiber ionic positive for strengthening the attraction between the ionic negative tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. Deflocculated and suspended soiling is towel extracted, thereafter rinse and pH balanced with Acidifier-2.0 to prevent the leather from reverting to rawhide. When leather feels sticky or slimy it is a sign of leather denaturing, a squeaky feel when wet is a sign of healthy leather. Hydrator-3.3 relaxes stiff leathers and removes surface tension free from surface blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fat and oil is replenished with Fatliquor-5.0 to rejuvenate the leather for the desired suppleness when dry. Wax Effect-8.6 rejuvenates the structural wax pull-up effect and coagulates a cloudy waxy coating on the surface to be heat activated into the characteristic glossy sheen. Protector-D+ enhances a non-stick draggy-feel to shield against sticky soiling, besides healing and concealing lightening scuff and abrasion marks. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline wax pull-up leathers topcoat and dyestuff refinishing system.