Put This On

Go Easy on the Wax

I recently bought a new pair of Crockett and Jones Belgraves from a seller I found online. I was able to get them at a nice discount, but when they arrived, they had thin white creases in certain parts of the leather. I figured the leather must have been just dry, so I treated it with some conditioner. Even after a few treatments, however, they didn’t go away. In fact, when I worn them around a bit, awful white lines would appear wherever the leather would bend. 

Then it occurred to me - the seller must have caked on a bunch of neutral shoe polish wax. He didn’t know how to properly shine shoes. The result is something like the picture you see above, even though the shoes were new. 

The best way to get rid of heavy wax build-up is to use Lexol leather cleaner. “Mixed” solutions such as Allen Edmonds conditioner and cleaner won’t be enough (though they’re still good for regular maintenance). If the build-up is especially bad, you might even have to run your fingernail over the stitches and around the pinking (the zig zag detailing). That’s what I found myself doing last night for about an hour.

The problem with having so much wax build-up is that it not only creates ugly creases (particularly if you use a neutral wax), but it also prevents the leather from absorbing any conditioner, which means it will eventually dry out. To avoid this, go easy on the wax, and every once in a while, use some Lexol leather cleaner to wipe away any build-up. Remember that a little wax goes a long, long way.

Or, if you prefer, just stick to cream polish. You won’t get as much protection from the elements, or perhaps even as high of a shine, but at least your shoes will never look like the ones above. 

Q and Answer: Episode 2 Followups

Amar writes: Where can I get some of the shoe care items (like polish and conditioner) that you show in the video?  Also, where can I get the different types of brushes you used? I have a cloth for buffing/polishing and I’m wary of taking a brush to the fine leather instead.  Finally, I have one pair of shoe trees but 4 pairs of shoes on rotation. Does this mean I should get an additional 3 pairs of shoe trees, one for each shoe? Or is one fine to use after wearing a pair?

That’s a lot of questions, Amar.  Luckily, they’re pretty easy to answer.

Any shoe repair shop will have a wide range of colors and types of shoe polish, leather cleaner and conditioner.  If for some reason you live in a place with no shoe repair shops (underwater city?), there’s usually a pretty fully stocked shoe section in any large grocery store or pharmacy.  You can also order online from any number of shops, though shipping charges can be as much as the cost of the item being shipped.  The usual brands are Kiwi and Meltonian, and while some have fancier preferences, I don’t see much difference.  Brushes can be found in the same places - usually a grocery store will have one dauber and one larger brush, while a shoe repair store may have a few more choices.  They certainly won’t harm your leather.

Good shoes should be stored with shoe trees in them at all times.  You can buy shoe trees at most decent shoe stores or department stores, or at closet shops like The Container Store or Bed, Bath & Beyond.  At full retail, they usually run about $15 or $20 a pair.  They sometimes pop up for a discounted price at Costco, as well.  If you live near a Nordstrom Rack, they always sell discounted cedar shoe trees that are of very good quality for about $10 a pair.  I buy most of my trees at thrift stores and estate sales - usually they don’t cost more than about $4 a pair that way.