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My recent purchase from Herring included a small booklet extolling their footwear. Entirely appropriate IMHO, and it also included some detailed generic recommendations for care. Here they are, along with my personal experience where I feel relevant.
- New shoes should initially be worn for no more than two or three hours at a time.
I agree.
- Only when your shoes and feet have become accustomed to each other should they be worn for a whole day.
Agreed.
- Try to wear your shoes in dry conditions for the first few occasions. Avoid getting your shoes extremely wet. Should this occur, allow your shoes to dry naturally on shoe trees and lay the shoes on their sides rather than on their soles. Never use direct heat to speed up the drying process.
Knew some of that, but not wearing them in wet conditions is new information in which I can see the wisdom.
- Always use a shoehorn when putting on your shoes, whether they are slip-ons, buckled or lace-ups. Otherwise the back of the shoe will be weakened.
Absolutely!
- Do not wear the same shoes on two consecutive days. The leather needs time to dry and recover after each wear.
Yes, I find at least 3 days between wearings optimal.
- Shoe trees should be used after each wear to maintain the shape of the shoe and help them to dry out.
Yes. But I've found that after being on the trees for 3 days, they can actually be removed without affecting the benefit. I do this simply to reuse them in other shoes, but there's no reason they can't remain tree'ed until the next wearing if that's what you prefer.
- You can wipe your shoes down and apply a quality cream or wax polish after every wear to feed the leather and prevent cracking, even if the shoes do not appear to have lost any of their original shine.
This is conventional British and American advice, but the one thing with which I strongly disagree. I typically only use shoe cream, and that infrequently. I have shoes over 30 years old, and they're not dried out, and not cracked. Conversely, I once used wax after each wearing, and this truly did seem to dry out the leather, so that after a few years, they looked as if they might be 30 years old!
- Avoid unsuitable additions to either sole or heel, such as stick on soles. These can affect the balance, comfort and life of your shoes and may void any manufacturer's warranty.
I have no experience with this, but I know some here have done so, and feel it's very beneficial. Not to dispute that, but I sense there may be a kernel of wisdom in this recommendation.
- Repair your shoes in good time by using a reputable cobbler. The majority of our shoes can also be returned to the factory for a full repair on the original last. This is the best way to gain the most from your top quality shoe.
Amen.
- New shoes should initially be worn for no more than two or three hours at a time.
I agree.
- Only when your shoes and feet have become accustomed to each other should they be worn for a whole day.
Agreed.
- Try to wear your shoes in dry conditions for the first few occasions. Avoid getting your shoes extremely wet. Should this occur, allow your shoes to dry naturally on shoe trees and lay the shoes on their sides rather than on their soles. Never use direct heat to speed up the drying process.
Knew some of that, but not wearing them in wet conditions is new information in which I can see the wisdom.
- Always use a shoehorn when putting on your shoes, whether they are slip-ons, buckled or lace-ups. Otherwise the back of the shoe will be weakened.
Absolutely!
- Do not wear the same shoes on two consecutive days. The leather needs time to dry and recover after each wear.
Yes, I find at least 3 days between wearings optimal.
- Shoe trees should be used after each wear to maintain the shape of the shoe and help them to dry out.
Yes. But I've found that after being on the trees for 3 days, they can actually be removed without affecting the benefit. I do this simply to reuse them in other shoes, but there's no reason they can't remain tree'ed until the next wearing if that's what you prefer.
- You can wipe your shoes down and apply a quality cream or wax polish after every wear to feed the leather and prevent cracking, even if the shoes do not appear to have lost any of their original shine.
This is conventional British and American advice, but the one thing with which I strongly disagree. I typically only use shoe cream, and that infrequently. I have shoes over 30 years old, and they're not dried out, and not cracked. Conversely, I once used wax after each wearing, and this truly did seem to dry out the leather, so that after a few years, they looked as if they might be 30 years old!
- Avoid unsuitable additions to either sole or heel, such as stick on soles. These can affect the balance, comfort and life of your shoes and may void any manufacturer's warranty.
I have no experience with this, but I know some here have done so, and feel it's very beneficial. Not to dispute that, but I sense there may be a kernel of wisdom in this recommendation.
- Repair your shoes in good time by using a reputable cobbler. The majority of our shoes can also be returned to the factory for a full repair on the original last. This is the best way to gain the most from your top quality shoe.
Amen.
