Hello, I have a collection of high end dress shoes that are made up with calfskin, and some with shell cordovan. I want to be able to keep the vamp, where they flex from cracking over time. In the past I have spent good money on shoes only to find them cracking after a couple of years. I want to delay this for as long as possible. I generally don't wear my good shoes in the rain, however sometimes it is inevitable. When they get wet what kind of cleaning should be done to get the dirt and water spots off? How should they be conditioned afterwards? What kind of general conditioning should be done on them and how frequently?

From reading though this forum this is what I interpret:

IF they get wet and water spots, let them dry naturally and use Clean 3.8, then Rinse 3.0 followed by Hydrator 3.3 and Fatliquor 5.0.

For general maintenance Hydrator 3.3, followed by Fatliquor 5.0

Is this correct?

A couple of more specific questions:

1. Are your products natural?
2. What are the ingredients? Do you have MSDS sheets for them?
3. Is it really necessary to use both Clean 3.8 and Rinse 3.0?
4. Is it really necessary to use both Hydrator 3.3 and Fatliquor 5.0?
5.This study says a ph of a substance of around 3 is damaging to leather, why do you advocate the use of cleaners with a ph of around 3?
http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jre...n4p559_A2b.pdf
6. My shoes have a "crust" finish, where the dyes were applied by the shoemaker with no other kind of top coat other than wax polish, are your products still suitable for this type of finish?
7. Can I polish over your treatments with wax shoe polish?

Thank you for taking the time to read through my essay!