Caring for high-end dress shoes

[patrickBOOTH]

Hi Roger, I've been really pleased with taking care of my shoes using this system. I'm still insure how frequently I should be hydrating and fatliquoring. Should it be monthly? Bi weekly? Quarterly? I'm not sure how fast the fats and oils stay in the fibers until they evaporate. If I don't have a regular routine I fear I'll forget and have damage done and it's too late for them.

Also, shell cordovan is a stuffed leather, is it advise able to use my tried and true coconut conditioner on them along with the hydrator, Fatliquor routine? Thank you!

[Roger Koh]

>>> Should it be monthly? Bi weekly? Quarterly?

I would think Quarterly may be more practical, however it depends on how much each application one used.
The wearer will notice the different if the leather becomes too stiff or tight is a sign that hydrating > fatliquoring system will help to stretch and relax it.
A more precise determination is to weight them or having a moisture meter to do the reading when dry.


>>> Also, shell cordovan is a stuffed leather, is it advise able to use my tried and true coconut conditioner on them along with the hydrator, Fatliquor routine?

What do you mean is a “stuffed” leather?

You may put aside your coconut conditioner for some other usage.
Coconut conditioner is not in anyway used in a modern tannery, Fatliquor-5.0 an ionic negative (-ve) charged fat, oil and water is – fat plumps the leather for fullness, oil lubricates for suppleness and water evaporates that leaves the leather for leather natural transpiration for wearing comfort – less sweaty feet. Coconut oil for shoes will have more sweaty feet!

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

[patrickBOOTH]

My stuffed, I mean that is the tanneries term for it. "hot stuffed". Horween has a definition chart here: http://horween.com/leathers/definitions/ Essentially unrefined oils are impregnated into it along with emulsified oils.

[Roger Koh]

Stuffing oils are non-ionic charged oils - stuff-in may also leaks out.

Clogs or seal the inter-fibrillary spaces - more sweaty feet - darkening effect too on light colored leathers.

Good if you could show some pictures for reference otherwise it may makes no sense why coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil) is so good for whatever reason.

[patrickBOOTH]

Pictures of the shoes? Here's one pair of the cordovan shoes. Just simple black shoes. I pretty much focus any treatment on where the shoe flexes.



Also, what's the difference between coconut oil lubricating the interfibrilary spaces and the emulsion of Fatliquor? I know that the Fatliquor hydrogen bonds, but it also evaporates, whereas coconut oil has strong oxidative resistance. I fail to see why other than getting sweaty feet coconut oil being a "bad" conditioner.

[Roger Koh]

>>> I fail to see why other than getting sweaty feet coconut oil being a "bad" conditioner.

You fail to see because it is "black".

It is call "appearance" and you may have to test it out on light colored shoes to appreciate the difference.

[patrickBOOTH]

But if it's serving the same purpose (filling interfibrilary spaces) and doesn't oxidize fast how is that bad, other than for sweaty feet and appearance purposes?