Proper leather shoes

They are dull. I’m trying to get a bit of a shine. I’ll try and take pics later

Pics are not great but they may show the dull finish.

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Looks like a naff coating. Give em a scrub with saddle soap

I’ll give that a go, thanks. At £225, I am remarkably annoyed by these shoes. They were replacements from Barker following a 6 month long battle when the first pair turned a Odd colour (stained). Barker replaced them with a pair of shoes which difffered in colour. I didn’t notice under the shop lights but in natural light there was a big difference between the two shoes. Then the shop queried if I had done something with them.

Found this, they're having a sale too. Not that many sizes left though. Also no idea of shipping costs outside Sweden...

https://humanscales.se

Cheers. Is it the Saphir Renovator stuff you'd recommend for it or something else?

I've not used the Saphir stuff, but it's meant to be great; I think mine is just a pot of cobbler's cream I got from Timpsons.

Once upon a time, the cobbler’s cream from Timpsons was available in large tubs for staff. According to all the guys I know there it is no longer on the stock sheet to order. Gutting as it is magical. I have used it for years on lots of leather to good effect and little remorse. It goes a long way so a small pot will last.

Mum had a decades old dried up satchel that showed similar blooming. I believe that I used saddle soap, and then some Carr’s leather oil. It is sticky messy stuff so I’d definitely try with cobbler’s cream first, before trying Carr’s.

Cheers. I'll pop into Timpsons and pick up some of their cobbler's cream to start with.

Anyone ever had a pair of Kleman? Saw them at jacket required in the week and look nicely put together. All made in France.

https://kleman-france.com/en/43-padror

Look good value v paraboots @Tenderloin youn swear by paraboots Don’t you?

Couple of ebay parcels arrived today. Old Grenson gazelle shoes in great nick (£30) and some slightly eccentric campers.

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Yup I love Paraboots - I have seen the Klemans mentioned before and positively but I would like to see them in the flesh. For that price probably worth a punt?!

Anyone want a pair of Loake Lifestyle brogues in grey suede for £20?

They've had very little wear mainly around the office as they are too wide for my feet, size 9.5 but I would say nearer a 10 in reality.

They have what Loake call the 'cemented rubber sole'. I only wore them with an insole.

Lewisham collection.

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Half a size too big for me I think @mustardbeak , sorry.

In other news I'm in the shoe equivalent of "fixie discoverery phase of 2007" I think. Got some shoe trees today, made of beech apparently. I'm sure that's frowned upon and should have been some other type of wood. Also bought a couple of brushes for polishing, waxing etc. which may or may not have been made from some sort of animal hair.

Wood species isn't that important.

I read somewhere that the reason for cedar is actually an American thing as its a cheap wood in North America. It's "drying properties" were a later marketing addition.

Shoe brushes for the leather should be horse hair and boar/pig hair for the sole or bit in between the sole and upper.

Aliexpress is a good source. I got a shit looking one and then reshaped the handle and refinished it. It looks quite post now.

The little round ones like this are the most practical for application

and for off, just the biggest softest one you can find.

As above. Just remember what brush is for what colour, and what purpose. You want to use soft brushes for high polish shoes to avoid scratches, but you need a relatively firm bristle on the brush that you use solely for scrubbing dirt off.

I have different brushes:
Cleaning - brush off dried mud/debris
Apply polish (often this is actually a fine cotton rack or kitchen paper)
Buff

Those are all particular to the colour of the shoe - I don’t mix black and brown brushes. High polish dress shoes have a softer brush than brogued/durable shoes.

I do however use the same super large super soft brush for final buff polish, because it shouldn’t pick up any actual polish. If a brush is picking up polish then there is too much on the shoe, or you are brushing too hard.

Them campers

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Need some reccomendations everybody - A proper leather shoe that has a wide toe box, but isn't wide-fit... Oxfords, derbys, don't mind, Monkstraps, half toe's, brogues etc.

I've got reasonably normal feet through the midfoot and ankle just have a wide forefoot, most wide fit shoes are "high volume" so are really loose around the back.

I've got some Meermins in the hiro last, some normal and some wide-fit, the former are tight around the toe box, and the latter loose around the midfoot and ankle. Also have some chippewa boots which have a much rounder toe and are fine, though did have a break in period. Clarks desert boots are great for me mind

Help lufguss!

Cheers, yeah they looked and felt nice. A little more utilitarian than paraboots, don’t like the sole as much either.

Some good deals to be had here, but beware customs charges

https://cavour.co/product-category/shoes/

Sounds like we have similar feet. I've found Church's to be really comfy, and Grenson. Also Red Wing if you want a chunkier look

Looking for some proper leather walking boots. Nothing technical required, just winter walks either to the pub or potentially a bit further afield. Prefer NOT goretex lined.

considering:
Lundhag Tanner
https://www.alpinetrek.co.uk/lundhags-tanner-boot-sneakers/
Lowa Patrol
https://www.lowamilitaryboots.com/lowa-task-force-military-boots/lowa-patrol-boot
(cambrelle lining - dunno if that is less sweaty than gore tex?)
Scarpa Delta leather
https://www.countryside.co.uk/scarpa/mens-delta-leather-boot
Scarpa website now only lists the gtx version but some stockists still list the leather lined one.

Anything else to look at?

Meindl.

I was going to say they're a lot cheaper than the options you posted...but I checked what they cost now.... and realised that I bought mine in 2006.

But overall I'd say if it's just country walks and you're not carrying weight, any boots you find comfortable with decent soles and a water proof lip(?) - ie that rubberised edge on the LOWA Patrol Boots. TBH they're far from flashy and look technical, but the karrimor' s you get on sale at Black's are perfectly good.

Some of the Hanwag offerings look decent (Grunten seems to fit the bill for leather lining, but maybe a bit hefty). I’m looking at similar at the moment. Or Altberg?