I have this one Alden cordovan shoe that simply refuses to cooperate. It’s new (just had the pair for two months), and this one started out getting some unsightly, broader creases, as opposed to the soft rolls that I’ve come to expect from cordovan. I hit it with a very, very slight coat of Saphir Pate de Luxe, and let it dry overnight before brushing. However, even after letting it sit overnight, and despite my vigorous brushing, it still felt sticky to the touch, and looked dull.
The situation has only gotten worse from there. I’ve repeatedly given it some hard brushing sessions, to no avail. My thinking then turned to “maybe I’ve put too much product on it, and I need to strip it.” So then I hit it with some Saphir Reno Cleaner (not Reno’mat) and let it dry for twenty minutes before giving them a light coat of Saphir cordovan cream. Once again, I let it dry overnight before vigorously brushing in the morning.
The problem is… it’s still sticky. If I drag my fingernail across certain places (the sides of the shoe, mostly), it leaves a mark, as if there’s still a coat of crap on them. I’m at my wits’ end, here, as I’ve never had a pair of cordovan shoes give me so much difficultly. Practically my entire closet is cordovan, and all I’ve ever had to do was wipe them down with a damp rag, brush, and buff—I usually don’t even touch VSC or other products.
Please advise—I’ve become so frustrated that I’m very close to scrubbing it with a hard nail brush and some saddle soap.