To help you get the best use of your leather handmade shoes you need to follow all of the guidance that is given here. Leather is organic and it needs to be treated and cared for as follows.
‘Bedding-In’
The foot bed consists of 3 layers of leather, insole 2mm, upper sole 2.5mm and a midsole 3mm = total 7.5mm foot bed of leather and this all sits on top of the hard wearing studded rubber outsole. When fully settled the wear points darken as they are shaped by your body weight through the bones of your feet as each footbed molds to your unique shape. When you put these shoes on your feet, push your heel back into the heel cup fully before tying the laces.
Fully bedded in shoes that have been made to fit your feet (instead of your feet being squeezed to fit the shoes) will give many years of supreme comfort. These shoes, when new, should be worn for less than an hour at a time (start with mid weight socks) until each footbed has molded itself to your foot. When shoes and feet have become accustomed to each other (i.e. bedded) - they can be worn for an entire day. All bedding-in should be done in dry conditions. Everyones feet get bigger by the end of the day so make sure the bedding in (wearing and walking) process is done at various times of the day. Note - this is why I measure feet in the afternoons only.
Recommended storage.
If not on your feet - then your cedar wood shoe trees are inside them and they’re inside the protective cotton bags and these bags are in the leather box. Look after your Celtic Shoes and you’ll get many years of enjoyment.
Cleaning and Polishing.
Keeping your shoes clean will extend their life improving their appearance. The wax polish protects the leather from water damage and nurtures the leather, keeping it soft.
First - remove the insoles, the laces and then any visible dirt and dust by brushing the leather with the large horsehair brush. Fitting the shoe tree - insert the toe end first, then fit the heel and hold the heel of the shoe tree back as you push the toe part fully into the shoe. Ensure the leather is clean and dry and apply a thin coating of wax polish all around the shoe with a cloth and rub it in well. You can hold the shoe by the OgamNua tab (with your name inscribed on it) so you can easily apply wax and then polish the shoe. Rotation friction heats the wax into the leather. Let it dry in and then with the small horsehair brush and gentle brushing - get a shine up. The heat of the brush strokes assists the wax polish to get into the leather keeping it supple. Apply a second (not so thin) coat of wax polish. Rub in circles and let it dry fully overnight. Using a dry cloth that has some polish on it - dip in water and begin to circular polish the waxed leather. You’ll see water run off the leather because you have activated the magic of wax. Gently rub up the leather surface until a high gloss shine appears. Remove trees and refit the laces and insoles. With age, the surface of these shoes will darken and develop character.
Sudden ‘wet’ conditions...
It happens... do not try to dry wet shoes by a heater or hair dryer as this will unduly age the leather and eventually make the leather crack. Wipe clean with soft dry cloth. Remove the laces and insoles, stuff each shoe with newspapers and leave to air-dry. Never use direct heat. When drying can be seen - remove the paper and fit the shoe trees. Lay both shoes on their sides. The leather also needs time to dry and recover after each wearing. Fitting the shoe trees after each wearing maintains the shape for the shoes to dry out to. The natural perspiration of your feet will wick away into the natural veg-tan leather and disappear fully with shoe tree use. The natural leather used means these shoes are fully hypo-allergenic. If your shoes get very wet, make sure they are fully dry before you apply polish. If your shoes are polished regularly - they will be water resistant.
Shoe Care
This info is also on the card that accompanies each pair of hand made shoes in a leather shoebox with laces, two cotton shoe bags, a pair of cedar wood shoe trees, large and small horsehair brush, a tin of wax polish and a polishing cloth.
