Allen Edmond's Walnut...Which Polish?

[beachape]

Hello, I'm wondering what polish/shoe care products to use for allen edmonds walnut fifth avenue shoes. I wasn't sure if I could use brown...or tan...or what... The allen edmonds site didn't seem to provide any guidance. They only offer the "walnut" color in their squeeze polish in a tube...with sponge applicator...doesn't seem like the stuff you'd want to put on your shoes. I use kiwi wax and meltonian cream for my other shoes. Seems to work fine.

I'm looking for the following
1) Cream Polish
2) Wax Polish
3) Edge Dressing

Please specify brand and color.

Oh another question: Do I buy 30" or 33" laces (I want a few spares)

Thanks!

 

[mretzloff]

I would not use the Kiwi on the Allen Edmonds. The alcohol in it may dry the leather out. Have you contacted their customers service department? They are usually very helpful.

 

[Austin]

I would not use the Kiwi on the Allen Edmonds. The alcohol in it may dry the leather out. Have you contacted their customers service department? They are usually very helpful.

Good advice Matthew. When I have an odd color, I usually use a neutral color wax. If you use a darker color, your shoe will appear darker.

 

[beachape]

I've just sent them an email. If not kiwi, then what about lincoln wax? I imagine that they will just suggest that I use some of their products, which is helpful as long as I know which of their products to use. However, I imagine some of the more common products (lincoln, kiwi, or meltonian) would work just as well. I'm just curious which ones are best to use. Maybe someone has some good ideas.

Also do you think Feiblings Sole and Edge (Brown) would work for these?

I'll let you guys know what customer service says if/when they get back to my email.

 

[doublebucklemonk]

I'm looking for the following
1) Cream Polish
2) Wax Polish
3) Edge Dressing

Please specify brand and color.

Oh another question: Do I buy 30" or 33" laces (I want a few spares)

Thanks!

The Allen Edmonds Premium Shoe Polish in the squeeze tube is actually really good stuff and I use it quite a bit.

For Black, Dark Brown, and Burgundy I use Meltonian Cream and Lincoln Wax.
For AE Walnut and Chili, I use AE Premium Polish (Cream) and Lincoln Neutral Wax. Lincoln also makes a "Mahogany" wax that might work, but I have never bothered to chase it down.

I only use edge dressing on black shoes. However, AE chili might work well, though it will be a touch red compared to the walnut.

 

[Rivguy]

I would not use the Kiwi on the Allen Edmonds. The alcohol in it may dry the leather out. Have you contacted their customers service department? They are usually very helpful.

Good advice. I have used the AE polish in the squeeze tube for many years and have found it to be an excellent product. If you think about it, a premium shoe manufacturer like AE is not going to sell an inferior product to care for their shoes. I would use it with confidence. You will find it to be an easy product to use as well.

Cheers,

Doug

 

[ducatisteve]

Definitely use the Allen Edmonds polish! I have used it on various shoes and have always gotten fantastic results (a few of my AE's have gone through two rebuilds and the leather is still going strong).

 

[beachape]

Well I guess I'll have to order some of their premium polish in walnut. Originally I thought it was some sort of instant polish because of the whole sponge applicator. It seems by your replies that it is a cream polish with a sponge. So I'll probably pick up the premium polish in walnut and then some lincoln wax neutral polish.

First I need to make sure I'll acually get the shoes I ordered them from allen edmonds because of the sale but it looks like they are backordered and most online sites are out of them. Are the fifth avenues being discontinued? If so I may never recieve them. I'll give them a call when i have time.

 

[ctguy]

How do you like your Fifth Ave shoes? What clothing attire do you usually pair those with?

I was trying on a bunch of Cole Haan's a few weekends ago and they just didn't fit right on me.

 

[beachape]

I actually haven't received them yet. I tried on a pair in the store and enjoyed them. I just recently ordered them because they're currently having a sale. They are on back order. I ordered a pair of black and walnut. Black I got for $209 on amazon, and walnut I got for $229 from allen edmonds online. Both are brand new, not seconds.

I was originally planning on picking up a pair of park avenues in black and the fifth avenue in walnut, but I decided to go for the fifth avenues in both simply because of the good price. They are essentially the same shoe with a little extra broguing. I thought that the black fifth aves they would still be classy enough and not too ornate to pair with a suit. What do you think?

 

[beachape]

So I called Allen Edmonds today to ask about the polish. They suggested that I use their "Premium Polish" in walnut that comes in the tube with the sponge applicator. The lady on the phone indicated that this is an "all in one" polish and did not recommend following up with a coat of neutral wax polish. I guess I'll have to give it a whirl. She indicated that it contained conditioner, wax, and cream polish components.

They don't recommend using other brand's polish and she said the closest cream polish would be "light brown." While the lady was quite nice, I wonder how much of their "premium polish" is advertising/ brand loyalty. The cream seems a bit expensive, at 9 bucks a tube, hope the amount is more than say meltonian.

I guess I'll have to decide between following up the walnut "premium polish" with neutral, light brown, or maybe mahogany lincoln wax. If anyone knows a good wax color, please let me know. A couple people have suggested neutral, but I've also heard that neutral leaves a white residue, particularly in cracks that can be bothersome.

Thanks

 

[Doc4]

Oh another question: Do I buy 30" or 33" laces (I want a few spares)

Thanks!

Once you get your shoes, see what you think of the laces that come with them. Too long or short? Just right? Take them out and measure them, and buy backups accordingly.

So I called Allen Edmonds today to ask about the polish. They suggested that I use their "Premium Polish" in walnut that comes in the tube with the sponge applicator. The lady on the phone indicated that this is an "all in one" polish and did not recommend following up with a coat of neutral wax polish. I guess I'll have to give it a whirl. She indicated that it contained conditioner, wax, and cream polish components.

They don't recommend using other brand's polish and she said the closest cream polish would be "light brown." While the lady was quite nice, I wonder how much of their "premium polish" is advertising/ brand loyalty. The cream seems a bit expensive, at 9 bucks a tube, hope the amount is more than say meltonian.

I guess I'll have to decide between following up the walnut "premium polish" with neutral, light brown, or maybe mahogany lincoln wax. If anyone knows a good wax color, please let me know. A couple people have suggested neutral, but I've also heard that neutral leaves a white residue, particularly in cracks that can be bothersome.

Thanks

My suspicion is that "ours is the best, and it's 3-in-1" is a bit of the company line, rather than actual fact. I've often heard that Saphir is the shoe polish line that all others aspire to, and once I use up my current supply of other stuff I'll try it out. But AEs are far from "the best shoes in the world" and I have no doubt they can do no better with shoe polish.

An exact match of the colour is not needed, so long as it's close. If you go a bit darker you'll gradually darken the shoe, and if you go a bit lighter you'll gradually lighten the shoe. I've used clear/neutral from time to time, and sometimes it leaves a white residue, but to be honest the residue is there because I did a half-@$$ed job of polishing, and if I did the same poor job with a coloured product I'd get the same residure it'd just be harder to see since it'd be the same colour as the shoe leather.