TREATING PATENT LEATHER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 807, 30 October 1929, Page 5

TREATING PATENT LEATHER

SIMPLE RENOVATIONS PRESERVING THE SHOES If your patent leather shoes have t racked, wash them with milk, then gently rub in a few drops of warm olive oil, and leave them in an airy place to dry. Now take 4oz of gum shellac, break it into tiny pieces, put it into a pint bottle, and just cover with alcohol, shaking well several times during the day. When dissolved, put in a piece of camphor about the size of a la.rgo gooseberry, shake thoroughly, add half an ounce of lampblack, and shake again. If the alcohol is good, the solids will be dissolved in two days. When applying this patent varnish to your shoes, shake the bottle thoroughly, pour two or three teaspoonfuls into a saucer, and use on a small brush. See that the surface of the leather is clean and dry before the now dressing is put on. and it will give a gloss equal to new, and till up all cracks. The advantage of this preparation lies in the fact that it does not strike into the leather and make it ha.rd, but remains on the surface. To clean renovated patent leather shoes, use fine white shoe cream, and polish with chamois leather. When cleaning, remember to warm the shoes slighlty by breathing upon them and rubbing them gently with the palms of the hands. This renders Them pliable, and is a special safer guard against cracking. Vanishing cream is less perceptible on the skin if it is tinted a slight flesh colour instead of being used white. You can easily do this yourself by adding a few drops of cochineal, drop by drop, and stirring them well into the cream. Use very little, as only it faint pink tinge is wanted, and see that the cream is tinted evenly all over.