Home Presidential Shoe Shine Guide

Saphir Presidential Shine

The Saphir "Presidential Shine" is a thorough shoeshine regimen that
we recommend two to three times a year. With it, you completely strip
off old finishes, thereby removing all waxes (natural or unnatural) and
dirt that may have accumulated through wear. This prepares the
leather to receive deep and total nourishment from Saphir's Medaille
d'Or shoe polishes and completely rebuilds the protective wax finish.
This is the most thorough shine -- think of it as "spring cleaning" -- and
will completely renew the finish and patina of your shoes.
We also recommend this as the first shine for anyone transitioning to
an all-Saphir shoeshine routine. It is important that the silicones and
resins of cheap polishes be removed to allow the nutrients in Saphir
polish to penetrate and to prevent the leather from suffocating (which
can cause the leather to crack).
Total Time: approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour
Process Overview: Process Overview:
1. Saphir Reno'Mat Leather Cleaner
Products Products
Saphir RENOMAT
Saphir MDO Dubbin
Graisse
Saphir MDO Renovateur
Saphir MDO Pommadier
Cream Polish
Saphir MDO Pate de Lux
Wax Polish
Tools Tools
Shoeshine Carpet
Large Horsehair Brush
Cotton Chamois (2)
LCA Lambswool Mitt
(optional)
Shoe Care Guide
Saphir Shoe Polish
Overview
Overview of Different
Leathers and Their
Getting Started With
Saphir
Basic Shoe Care Guide
How to Shine a New
Pair of Shoes
Presidential Shoe
Shine Guide
How to Clean Suede
Shoes
Daily Shoe Care For
Calfskin
Daily Shoe Care for
Suede
Saphir Renovateur
Medaille dOr
How to Clean Patent
Leather
Polishing Shell
Cordovan
When to Replace Soles
A powerful cleaner that effectively removes silicone, resin, and
dirt buildup from smooth leather, preparing it to receive total and
deep nourishment.
2. Saphir Medaille d'Or Dubbin Graisse
Containing 15% natural animal oils, Dubbin Graisse provides
deep, penetrating nourishment to leather that is essential to
prevent cracking caused by dryness and to maintain softness
and flexibility. Allow two days for the nutrients to be fully
absorbed before applying additional polish.
3. Saphir Medaille d'Or Renovateur
This mink-oil based cleaner and conditioner contains no waxes
and provides essential nourishment to smooth leathers.
4. Saphir Medaille d'Or Pommadier Cream Polish
Saphirs MDO Cream Polish contains both a high concentration
of nutrients, pigments, and waxes. It is best used to build the
base of any finish. As part of the Presidential Shine, we
recommend applying at least three successive coats to build up
the base finish.
5. Saphir Medaille d'Or Pate de Lux Wax Polish
Saphirs MDO Wax Polish provides the final coats of wax to bring
up a high-gloss shine and to further protect and waterproof the
leather. We always recommend using the wax polish as the last
step of any shoeshine regimen.
1. Saphir Reno'Mat Leather Cleaner
Shoe Antiquing: The
New Old
High Gloss vs. Matte
Patina
How to Repair
Scratched Shoes
Saphirs RenoMat is a powerful cleaner for smooth leathers that
removes all accumulated buildup of silicone, resins, and dirt,
thereby restoring smooth leather to its natural state. By removing
any silicone from lesser-quality polishes and accumulated dirt,
you prepare your shoes to receive deep, penetrating
nourishment from Saphirs Medaille dOr products. This is an
essential step to be performed two to three times a year.
Note: Renomat will completely remove all layers of polish, fully
exposing the original leather. On high-quality leathers, the
original finish should remain unaltered. However, on some more
delicate or cheap finishes, it is possible to completely remove the
original finish of the shoes. We always recommend first testing
the Reno'Mat on a small, hidden portion of your shoe first. If you
have any doubts, either skip this step or substitute Saphir
Nettoyant Cleaning Soap. it is essential the at the protective
layer of wax (the finish) be restored properly.
Step 1: Gently brush your shoes with a horsehair brush to
remove anything on the surface.
Step 2: Using a cotton chamois, apply the RENOMAT as shown.
Then, work the RENOMAT into the leather in small, circular
motions, focusing on small areas of the shoe. Since you are
removing all prior polish and dirt, rub liberally, reapplying
RENOMAT as needed.
Step 3: Once you have worked all the way around the shoe and
touched up any spots that require particular attention, take a
clean part of the chamois and buff all remaining residue off of the
shoe.
2. Saphir Medaille d'Or Dubbin Graisse
Saphirs Medaille dOr Graisse or Dubbin is a traditional
grease containing 15% natural animal oil. It provides powerful,
deep nourishment to smooth leathers that is essential to prevent
cracking caused by dryness. Its special formula allows it to
penetrate deep into the leather, producing an almost immediate
difference in softness, flexibility, and nourishment. We
recommend it as part of a semi-annual regimen because of how
saturating the Dubbin can be, one must allow two days for the
leather to fully absorb the nutrients before a polish can be
applied.
The most important areas requiring Grassie are the vamp and
sides, as illustrated in the below illustration. The Graisse should
be applied lightly to the blue area and more-lightly to the grey
area; less is more. Apply the Graisse with a cotton chamois in
small, circular motions. You will notice the leather darken almost
immediately as it becomes saturated with the nutrients of the
Graisse. This is normal.
IMPORTANT: Less is more with the Dubbin.
If you apply too much, it can take up to a week for one's shoes to
dry.
Apply very lightly until you gain a feel for the product.
Once completed, allow the leather to fully absorb the nutrients
for two days. Because the leather is fully saturated when the
Grassie is first applied, it will not take a polish until it dries. It is
important to note the Graisse will neither change the color of
your shoes nor leave a greasy finish. Once dried, your leather
will be fully re-nourished and ready to take normal shoe polish.
3. Saphir Medaille d'Or Renovatur
Sahpirs Medaille dOr Renovateur is arguably the companys
best-known and most-popular product. This mink-oil based
cleaner and conditioner contains no waxes and penetrates deep
into leather pours to both clean and condition. Here, we use it as
the base before applying pigmented polish.
The Renovateur is a tremendously versatile product. We
recommend it be used regularly, either as the base of a polishing
regimen, or alone between polishing to provide nourishment to
leather.
Step 1: Gently brush the shoes with a horsehair brush to remove
anything from the surface.
Step 2: Using a cotton chamois, apply a light coat of the Saphir
Renovateur (less is more - consider daubing it out of the lid to
help control the quantity) in small, circular motions. Massage the
Renovateur into the leather. Apply to small sections at a time.
Step 3: After allowing the Renovateur to dry for approximately
three minutes, gently buff with a horsehair brush to remove any
buildup from the surface.
4. Saphir Medaille d'Or Pommadier Cream Polish
Saphirs Medaille dOr Pommadier Cream Polish contains a high
concentration of nutrients (for general leather health and to
prevent cracking), pigments (to reestablish the color saturation of
the finish), and waxes (to provide a protective layer). After
stripping the previous finish with RENOMAT, we recommend
applying three successive coats to rebuild the protective wax
finish. After using the RENOMAT, one coat is insufficient and will
leave the leather vulnerable.
Step 1: Test a small area of a hidden portion of the shoe to
determine which color is best. Below, you can see me testing
both the Light Brown #03 and Medium Brown #37 polishes. I
decided to use the Medium Brown #37.
Note: if you were ever to apply a polish that is too dark and
leaves an undesirable finish, the RENOMAT can be effectively
used to remove it.
Step 2: Using a cotton chamois, apply a light coat of the Saphir
Pommadier Cream (less is more - consider daubing it out of the
lid to help control the quantity) in small, circular motions. Apply to
small sections at a time until the entire shoe is covered.
Step 3: After allowing the polish to dry for approximately three
minutes, gently buff with a horsehair brush to remove any
surface buildup. To help control the shoe, it might be helpful to
place the shoe in your lap, using the Shoeshine Matt to help
protect your clothing.
Step 4: Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until three to four coats of wax
have been applied.
Note: The thick finish will also allow the patina your shoes to be
easily restored by simply rebuffing instead of re-polishing. You
will find that the quality of the Saphir MDO polish is very resilient
and quite robust. It is important that an adequately thick finish be
built up after having used the RENOMAT. On more routine
polishing, one coat of Cream Polish and one coat of Wax Polish
should be sufficient.
5. Saphir Medaille dOr Pate de Lux Wax Polish
As the last step, Saphir Medaille dOr Pate de Lux Wax Polish
provides the final coat of wax to bring up a high-gloss shine and
to water proof the shoes. By now, we have build up the finish
with three to five layers of cream and wax polish, thereby
providing a generous protective finish against scuffs and water.
Step 1: Using a cotton chamois, apply a light coat of the Saphir
Pate de Lux Wax Polish (less is more - consider daubing it out of
the lid to help control the quantity) in small, circular motions.
Apply to small sections at a time until the entire shoe is covered.
Step 2: After allowing the polish to dry for approximately three
minutes, gently buff with a horsehair brush to remove any
surface buildup. To help control the shoe, it might be helpful to
place the shoe in your lap, using the Shoeshine Matt to help
protect your clothing.
Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until two to three coats of wax
polish have been applied.
Step 4: To bring up a high gloss shine, apply an additional coat
of Pate de Lux Wax Polish with a little bit of water. Here, I have
added a little water to the lid of the wax polishing tin.
Alternatively, you can use one of our 3 oz spray bottles.
Traditionally, this treatment is reserved exclusively for the toe box
(foremost portion of the shoe).
Step 5: Using one of our 3 oz Spray Bottles, spray a clean cotton
chamois (one or two sprays should be plenty) so that it is slightly
damp (not wet). Use a clean cotton chamois reserved exclusively
for buffing. Fold it in half so that one side is reserved for black /
darker shoes and the other for brown / lighter shoes. Securing
your shoes in your lap, buff the toebox. The heat generated from
the friction helps "glass" the wax polish, thereby creating the
high-gloss shine that people are sure to notice. Repeat using
with a second or third coat, if necessary.
This Presidential Shine regimen will completely renew your shoes,
removing any old polish and reestablishing a protective wax coat with
sufficient thickness to last months. The multiple wax layers from the
cream and wax polishes creates a thick finish that allows the patina to
easily be restored by buffing with a cotton chamois or, even better, a
Lambswool Shoeshine Mitt. In addition to producing a beautiful, deep
patina, the layers of wax protect the leather from the elements and
scuffing.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email Kirby Allison
at kirbya [at] hangerproject [dot com].
Presidential Shine FAQ Presidential Shine FAQ
Q: "With dubbin, do I need to buff it off after two days of drying, or
should I immediately apply Renovateur? Also, if I follow your
Presidential Shoe Shine, do I need to buff the RenoMat off before
applying dubbin?"
I would lightly wipe the Saphir Reno'Mat off with a slightly
damp chamois. Our spray bottle is perfect to make sure you
do not wet it too much just one spray should deliver
sufficient water. The purpose is to only wipe off any residual
not to dampen the shoe. Leather should still be dry when
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done.
As for the Saphir Dubbin it would probably be most
prudent to lightly buff off any extra off with a brush 5 to 10
minutes after first applying. Then allow the shoe to
completely absorb the dubbin over a few days until dry (until
the natural color of the leather has returned). You will get a
feel for this after doing it once or twice. Remember, less is
more with the Dubbin.
Then, after it's dry, there should not be anything to brush off.
Just directly apply the Renovateur as normal and resume
where you left off with the Presidential Shine!

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