Shining waterproof shoes
February 11, 2011 11:21 PM Subscribe
How do I shine "waterproof" leather shoes?
I have some Rockport shoes a lot like these. They're claimed to be waterproof, and it seems like there's some kind of coating on the leather. This is actually the third or fourth pair of similar shoes I've had. I usually wear them on rainy days when I don't want to ruin my nice shoes. After a month or two of wear (even without rain), the leather starts getting scuffed up, and the shoes eventually start looking pretty bad -- normally at this point I'd pull out some shoe polish and shine them. But the waterproof coating, whatever it is, doesn't seem like something I should be putting shoe polish directly on. In the past, that's when I've retired the pair of shoes to secondary duty, to be worn on really nasty weather days. But it seems like a waste of an otherwise good shoe.
Is it possible to shine these shoes at all? Can I strip the coating somehow to get to the normal leather? I don't particularly care about losing the waterproofing, but I'd like to still be able to wear the shoes and have them look nice. The sole and all the other parts are still in great shape.
I did at one time contact the manufacturer and asked this question, but I didn't really get any useful information back.
I have some Rockport shoes a lot like these. They're claimed to be waterproof, and it seems like there's some kind of coating on the leather. This is actually the third or fourth pair of similar shoes I've had. I usually wear them on rainy days when I don't want to ruin my nice shoes. After a month or two of wear (even without rain), the leather starts getting scuffed up, and the shoes eventually start looking pretty bad -- normally at this point I'd pull out some shoe polish and shine them. But the waterproof coating, whatever it is, doesn't seem like something I should be putting shoe polish directly on. In the past, that's when I've retired the pair of shoes to secondary duty, to be worn on really nasty weather days. But it seems like a waste of an otherwise good shoe.
Is it possible to shine these shoes at all? Can I strip the coating somehow to get to the normal leather? I don't particularly care about losing the waterproofing, but I'd like to still be able to wear the shoes and have them look nice. The sole and all the other parts are still in great shape.
I did at one time contact the manufacturer and asked this question, but I didn't really get any useful information back.
I suspect you're dealing with something along the lines of the "corrected grain leather" explained here, plus some extra special synthetic coating. I don't know of anything you can do about it, sorry, maybe someone else has a solution.
posted by crabintheocean at 12:46 AM on February 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by crabintheocean at 12:46 AM on February 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
If theres a clear coating on the shoes, just use a clear polish.
posted by wongcorgi at 1:04 AM on February 12, 2011
posted by wongcorgi at 1:04 AM on February 12, 2011
I have a couple of pairs of Rockports that are constructed very similarly to yours.
I use STP Son of a Gun to make them look new.
I also use it on my glossy black dress shoes,and any other leather product I want to rejuvenate. I have a few pairs of 10 year old shoes and none of them have suffered by using this stuff. I don't even own any shoe polish.
posted by imjustsaying at 3:39 AM on February 12, 2011
I use STP Son of a Gun to make them look new.
I also use it on my glossy black dress shoes,and any other leather product I want to rejuvenate. I have a few pairs of 10 year old shoes and none of them have suffered by using this stuff. I don't even own any shoe polish.
posted by imjustsaying at 3:39 AM on February 12, 2011
Real dubbin won't allow a shine. It'll just end up a sticky hiking-boot finish, like mink oil. Sno-Seal does allow a good shine if you melt it to liquid then apply it carefully. If you want to go all-out, Parade Gloss on top of a Sno-Seal finish will get you close to a military shine, but it's a lot of work to get there.
posted by scruss at 5:11 AM on February 12, 2011
posted by scruss at 5:11 AM on February 12, 2011
Pulled off some random sales site:
"Rockport's Hydro-Shield construction - a combination of waterproof leather, seam sealing, a waterproof insole board and nonwicking laces"
So in other words it's the leather that's waterproof (probably through a special tanning process of after-tanning treatment) and not the outer layer; the seams are specially treated; there's a membrane of some sort between the sole and the inside of the shoe; and the laces are in some wicked manner special. I'd say, just polish those shoes, like any other.
posted by Namlit at 7:09 AM on February 12, 2011
"Rockport's Hydro-Shield construction - a combination of waterproof leather, seam sealing, a waterproof insole board and nonwicking laces"
So in other words it's the leather that's waterproof (probably through a special tanning process of after-tanning treatment) and not the outer layer; the seams are specially treated; there's a membrane of some sort between the sole and the inside of the shoe; and the laces are in some wicked manner special. I'd say, just polish those shoes, like any other.
posted by Namlit at 7:09 AM on February 12, 2011
Don't use Dubbin! It doesn't shine, it's sitcky and will attract dirt. Just clean your shoes, shine them and put a waterproof protector on them. I have done this on all my winter boots and all weather shoes for years. Weatherproof spray can be found at any cobbler or most shoe stores.
posted by Gor-ella at 11:03 AM on February 14, 2011
posted by Gor-ella at 11:03 AM on February 14, 2011
I found a product called SKUFF during a web search. I was trying to find something that would protect from the disgusting things that land on my nursing shoes. I ordered the gloss version and it came with towlettes to clean the shoes before I applied it. The product is clear and really gave them a nice clean sheen and was easy to put on. It's been two weeks now, I don't have any more black scuffs appearing and and the shoes just wipe off without scrubbing! I love it! The trouble with most of the white polishes is that I wanted the shoes kept clean and not covered up with white paint. I just put it on my black dress shoes and WOW, what a beautiful shine. They look new again! I'll let you know if it holds up!
posted by valderah at 3:27 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by valderah at 3:27 PM on September 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Dubbin!
Dubbin?
posted by KirkpatrickMac at 12:01 AM on February 12, 2011