Leather Forever

Hey!

It’s best to start with a cleaning process, and then condition, and then polish.

The cleaning process will lift up the old cream polish, and the Lanolin in saddle soap also has some conditioning properties. Conditioning on top of polish is not ideal, as the polish prevents the conditioner soaking into the leather.

A light non-greasy crème conditioner is best if you intend to polish afterwards.

There’s a big difference between cream polish and wax polish. They are for different purposes, parts of the boot, and types of leather, and the application is different.

Which one to use depends on the leather and construction of your boot. (Check out my #bootblack tag for my response to an ask where I cover ‘triage - how to decide what product to use’ for more info)

Cream polish can be applied a lot like conditioner, simply apply with fingers or rag and buff out with a brush. It typically doesn’t need to be built up in layers, and won’t give a high shine.

Wax polish is applied in small amounts and then buffed out, then shined with water and a cotton rag, and buffed again. Using heat from your hands/breath/friction helps to smooth it out. Repeat as desired for a higher shine.

Cream polish is flexible, wax polish is not. Wax polish is only malleable while you’re working it - and if you apply it to a part of the boot that flexes when you walk, it will flake and crack as it’s worn.

If you think about a pair of classic Doc Martens, I’d only apply a coat of hard wax polish on the tip of the toe and the heel counter. I’d then use my buffing brush to carry tiny amounts of polish to other parts of the boot. I’d use cream polish everywhere that flexes, and then buff all over and finish by shining up the wax polish on the toe and heel.

Hope this helps!

Hey!

I am sorry for your loss. This sounds like a beautiful and meaningful piece of leather and I hope it will serve you for many years to come.

It sounds like the finish or the top layer of leather might have rubbed off in the places where the leather is dry and rough.

I would suggest burnishing the area, which basically means using a burnishing product and pressure and friction to knit the leather fibres back together.

You can use a little bit of heavy leather conditioner, like a Dubbin, on the area. Or a little bit of burnishing cream. Give it a few minutes to soak in.

And then, while the product is still tacky, take a burnishing tool (you can buy wooden/bone/plastic burnishing tools or use something else hard and smooth like the back of a teaspoon).

Start slow with a little pressure to rub the tool back and forth over the rough spot and once the rough bits are starting to smooth down, you can use a bit more speed and pressure.

The area may still be a bit duller than the rest, so you can use a little cream polish to restore some lustre.

I hope this helps! I may have misunderstood the issue you’re having, so if you’d like to send me a pic I might be able to make more specific recommendations.