Shell Cordovan

Shell Cordovan Shoe Care Guide

Cordovan leather has a very high oil content compared to other leathers. This means that using the right products to take care of Cordovan is extremely important and crucial to prevent any unwanted damages to it. Use the Saphir Médaille d’Or Cordovan that has been specially formulated for Cordovan leather to prevent the leather from drying out.

Step 1: Brush off dust

Brush off any superficial dust on your shoes using a horsehair brush. The sturdiness and flexibility of the horsehair’s bristles allows easy dusting on the edges of the shoe, where most dust and dirt accumulates. Hold the brush firmly and brush in a ‘back-and-forth’ motion.

Step 2: Smoothen out the creases

After cleaning the shoes, you can either use a deer polishing bone or an ebony stick to smoothen out and expand the creases on the cordovan shoes.

Hold the polishing bone with both your hands as shown in the picture and roll it through the creases along the vamps on the shoe. Apply moderate to firm pressure in order to push those creases out.

Step 3: Apply Renovateur Cream

Use the Renovateur Cream to gently clean and nourish the leather in order to prepare the skin to readily accept the polish. This cream will enable the pores of the leather to be dilated in order to increase the penetration of the Cordovan Cream.

With a cotton cloth and a tiny amount of the Renovateur Creme, massage the product into the leather using small circular motions. When the cream stops spreading, add more cream and repeat this process on the entire shoe, making sure to focus on the vamp areas along the creases of your shoes.

Step 4: Apply Cordovan Cream

The Cordovan Cream that is specially formulated by Saphir contains neats-foot oil, which is the same kind of oil used at the tannery to achieve the high oil content of Cordovan. This helps to maintain the suppleness and sheen of the leather.

With a cotton cloth and a tiny amount of the Cordovan Cream, massage the product into the leather using small circular motions. When the cream stops spreading, add more cream and repeat this process on the entire shoe, focusing on the vamp areas along the creases of your shoes.

Step 5: Building the base layer

Take a tiny amount of wax such that it thinly covers your fingertips. Spread and blend the wax onto the toe cap and heel areas using small circular motions to spread the wax evenly. When the wax on your finger is used up, add wax again. The key is to keep applying the layers in small amounts and not in huge chunks to avoid making the layers uneven. Keep layering until the polished areas becomes smooth.

Step 6: Mirror Gloss

You can also mix and apply the Mirror Gloss with the Pate de Luxe wax polish. The Mirror Gloss contains a higher concentration of hard waxes which hastens drying between successive coats. This allows you to produce a high gloss finish more quickly and effortlessly.

Step 7: Wax, Cloth & Water

The next step after establishing the base layer is to use a polishing cloth with water to apply more layers of wax.

Wrap a polishing cloth tightly around your first two fingers and smoothen out any wrinkles on it. Dampen the cloth slightly with a water dispenser and apply a tiny amount of wax polish onto the cloth. Spread the wax using small circular motions. When the cloth is no longer damp or the wax on the cloth has been used up, moisten the cloth or add wax as required.

Step 8: Brush With a Goat Hair Brush

Brushing with a Goat Hair Brush helps to spread the oil all over the shoes, adding gradation and a natural shine to them.

Dampen the brush with a little water using a water dispenser. Pat off excess moisture on the brush using the palm of your hand. Brush with some pressure on the entire shoe except the toe and heel area to make the shine uniform across the entire shoe.

Step 9: Finish off the Glacage

The final step of the shoe shining process is to smoothen out the surface of the wax layer and remove any faint traces with just water.

Dampen a clean part of the cotton cloth using the water dispenser and apply small strokes with pressure onto the shined areas. Take note that the stroke movement should be vertical to the shoe instead of circular motions when finishing.

Step 10: Protect & Waterproof

Shake the can of Super Invulner Spray before use. Spray it about 30cm away from the bag in a well-ventilated area. Take note to not over-saturate the bag. Allow the bag to rest and dry completely for at least 30 minutes.