Renovateur By Saphir - Has anyone use this?

[eelhc]

Check out The Elegant Oxford YouTube channel. The guy can put an an amazing shin on shoes using Saphir products. Akin to putting an incredible edge o a straight edge razor!

He compares the low cost Walmart stuff to Saphir here.

He does a great job. I can achieve the same shine he gets with Saphir using Kiwi. Not knocking Saphir products but I personally have not found a compelling reason to pay more.... or more correctly I'm avoiding developing yet another acquisition disorder.

 

[Basil]

I have a couple of the saphir products. I found the colours match closest to the ones on my boots and my wife’s shoes too.

 

[captp]

I think Saphir is overhyped; not over rated, it's excellent stuff; I have the Renovateur, and several of their cream polishes and 2 of their wax polishes. I get an excellent shine, but my old shoe shine guy gets as good or better shine using Lincoln (he's probably in his 80s, and has a lot more experience than I at shining shoes. The $80 or so I spent on the Saphir has paid for itself in 4 shines.
I'll be comparing Saphir Renovateur to Venetian Shoe Cream (it's biggest competitor, I believe) on a pair of all leather winter boots that I have not done anything to in at least 15 years. One boot with Saphir, One with Venetian. I'll take before and after pics and post them here. My prediction is that there will be little difference between the two.

 

[The Knize]

I look forward to your comparison review, captp. To be clear, when I talk about Saphir, I am talking about the Medaille D'or 1925 versions. I had tried other Saphir products that are less expensive and they did not seem like anything special.

 

[captp]

I look forward to your comparison review, captp. To be clear, when I talk about Saphir, I am talking about the Medaille D'or 1925 versions. I had tried other Saphir products that are less expensive and they did not seem like anything special.

Actually, Rob, I'm using the lower line of Saphir cream and wax polishes, not the Medaille D'or. Too cheap to go totally upscale on this. But what I have is quite good. The top line would need at least another 5 or 6 shines to break even. The winter boots I have won't take a shine (at least I don't think they will), I'm only going for the conditioning differences between the Saphir and Venetian.
It will be at least a month 'til I get off my lazy butt to do it.

 

[Basil]

I think Saphir is overhyped; not over rated, it's excellent stuff; I have the Renovateur, and several of their cream polishes and 2 of their wax polishes. I get an excellent shine, but my old shoe shine guy gets as good or better shine using Lincoln (he's probably in his 80s, and has a lot more experience than I at shining shoes. The $80 or so I spent on the Saphir has paid for itself in 4 shines.
I'll be comparing Saphir Renovateur to Venetian Shoe Cream (it's biggest competitor, I believe) on a pair of all leather winter boots that I have not done anything to in at least 15 years. One boot with Saphir, One with Venetian. I'll take before and after pics and post them here. My prediction is that there will be little difference between the two.

Interested in your results. I have both of these creams too but have never done a face off like this. Interested to hear your thoughts on them, I find the finish they leave is similar but you can tell the difference.

 

[captp]

This is what I'll be working with.

They'll get a good brushing, then saddle soap. I'll take Pics after saddle soap, and again after conditioners

 

[The Knize]

Now I am all the more interested!

 

[captp]

Can you tell which boot got saddle soaped?

Using a badger.

 

[paintflinger]

My guess is that the Saphir boot comes out darker and a tiny bit shinier than the VSC.

I've got and use both. Need to pick up Bick 4 to compare to my lexol.

 

[The Knize]

We aren't comparing saddle soap to Saphir or anything, right? The boot on the left is looking "nourished."

The boot on the right reminds me of a relatively high-end landscape guy we used to use, who would come by my then house and in looking at my landscaping would say "feels dry to me." When i look at that boot on the right, it feels dry to me.

 

[captp]

Only showing what just a saddle soaping can do for a boot. The boot on the right hasn't been soaped yet (well, it has been now, but I took the pic before I did the second boot)
I might wipe them down with a damp rag to remove any residual soap, let them dry well, then condition one boot with Saphir & one with Venetian.
The leather on both boots was very dry, mainly in the toe area; the uppers were in relatively good condition, but I cleaned them anyway.

 

[captp]

Before conditioning

After two applications of conditioner. I may go for a 3rd. Saphir Renovateur on one boot, Venetion Shoe Cream on the other. I stand by my original prediction, not much difference. Can you tell which is which?

The main advantage of the Saphir is that it smells really pleasant. Not that the Venetian smells bad; it's pretty neutral.

 

[The Knize]

Can you tell which is which?

You are putting me to the test! I have never used the Venetian so I do not know what it looks like applied. I guess for that matter, I have not often used the Saphir lower iine version rather than the Md'O version. Not to copy paintflinger's comment from earlier, but if you were using the Md'O I would say the one on the left as it seems darker, shinier, and more moist. (If they stay darker, I am not sure darker is a good thing!) Smoother perhaps. The color more evenly blended. The toe of the boot on the right seems to have some rough spots, still.

They do not feel as dry anymore.

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

He compares the low cost Walmart stuff to Saphir here.

He does a great job. I can achieve the same shine he gets with Saphir using Kiwi. Not knocking Saphir products but I personally have not found a compelling reason to pay more.... or more correctly I'm avoiding developing yet another acquisition disorder.

I don’t know what you pay for your shoes. I would not use Kiwi on anything. You will eventually ruin your shoes. I purchased Alden and Allen Edmonds back before Allen Edmonds got purchased and quality went to hell. Why would you purchase high dollar shoes and use a crappy polish on them. I use the Saphir line of shoe care products and I, along with others think it’s the best on the planet. I’m 74 years old and been doing this for a long time. There’s other quality products out there for shoes. Please don’t use the Walmart crap and kiwi. The Saphir Renovateur is the best leather conditioner out there. I use it on my razor strops. It cost around $20 something but you’ll never use it up. I hope you listen to this old man’s advice.

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

I picked up a bottle of Renovateur on a whim and am trying to figure out the best for it. Has anyone used this or have had any suceess?

Saphir Renovateur - http://www.hangerproject.com/saphir-renovateur.html

I’ve used it for a long time. Best leather conditioner out there. I use it on my razor strops and have for a long time. You didn’t make a bad purchase.

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

Ok, so does anyone have experience using this on other leather goods, such as a briefcase or wallet?

I put it on all my leather goods. Been using for 30 plus years.

 

[The Knize]

It cost around $20 something but you’ll never use it up.

I agree it is wonderful stuff and can be used very sparingly to good effect so that the usual sized jar lasts a very long time. I have not been using it for 30 years--good on you for being such an earlier adopter!--but I have gone through multiple jars of it over the years. It is a reasonable value and an excellent product.

 

[Doc4]

I don’t know what you pay for your shoes. I would not use Kiwi on anything. You will eventually ruin your shoes. I purchased Alden and Allen Edmonds back before Allen Edmonds got purchased and quality went to hell. Why would you purchase high dollar shoes and use a crappy polish on them. I use the Saphir line of shoe care products and I, along with others think it’s the best on the planet. I’m 74 years old and been doing this for a long time. There’s other quality products out there for shoes. Please don’t use the Walmart crap and kiwi. The Saphir Renovateur is the best leather conditioner out there. I use it on my razor strops. It cost around $20 something but you’ll never use it up. I hope you listen to this old man’s advice.

I’ve used it for a long time. Best leather conditioner out there. I use it on my razor strops and have for a long time. You didn’t make a bad purchase.

I put it on all my leather goods. Been using for 30 plus years.

If you use the "+Quote" button rather than the "Reply" button you can do "multi-quotes" and respond to multiple posts at once. That seems far easier to me.

 

[Basil]

Been using it on my Alden indy boots and it’s awesome.