In a previous blog I extolled the virtues of Valenki, moulded Russian felt boots. Mine have served me exceedingly well this winter, particularly as the snow flurries of London melted to slush. The felt provides superb traction, and is also the soling material of choice for many fly fishermen and for the rather less genteel pasttime of canyoning.

Wet felt provides a superbly suitable ‘grip’ for wader soles and for those that choose to spend their spare time hopping through pebbled river beds (see boots below). Wet felt also holds body heat far more successfully than rubber soles and dries remarkably quickly.

My fascination with felt was further increased with a curious find in the archives of the Northampton Footwear Museum. I came across the below shoe, complete with its felt sole and layered felt heel. It was labeled ‘magazine’ shoe, and has a very distinct hand stitched arrow on the toe.

I have drawn a blank so far on its origins or purpose, and am hoping one of our blog readers may be able to shed some light. As you can see, the upper is in mid-brown grain leather and sadly the sock has been removed, so no makers details are available. All information gratefully appreciated….

I recently took the plunge and bought my first pair of hand-painted shoes on an Italian last at Lodger. Due to the beautiful, deep patina, I assumed that a neutral polish would be the best choice. To keep the painstaking efforts into painting the shoes visible to the world, right?

Wrong. Luckily I had aired my views to store manager Clement. He explained to me that this is a common misconception and that using neutral polish can actually damage hand painted shoes.

The best way to demonstrate this would be to use the polish on a brand new pair. The effect would be small, but the sylvette would be coloured by the process. Every time you polish hand-painted shoes, a little bit of the paint is removed. Granted, you will get a wonderful shine, but over time the shoes will appear less vibrant in colour.

The shoes I had opted for were rosso diablo whole cuts. So I immediately asked for a dark red or cherry polish to accompany the shoes. Wrong again. Clement helpfully explained that a dark brown would be best to bring out the patina of the shoes. It is easy to forget that the layers of polish are so thin that they very subtly add to the colour of the shoe.

The colour of the slab of polish in the tin doesn’t necessarily have to match the colour of the leather perfectly. I guess I should have re-read my article on colour theory before going into the store…

I have since spoken to friends who swear by neutral polish for their shoes. I get the impression that this was more out of laziness than choice – one tin for all their shoes. One guy gave me an honest critique. He said that neutral polish does seem to “dry out” quicker on some of his shoes and that he has to apply quite a lot of water and extra polish.

He also noted that neutral polish dries white in the small cracks and folds on his shoes. It also collects in the broguing. I am going to buy some to see if this is the case and investigate which leathers neutral polish is more likely to dry out.

But something tells me I will be sticking to multiple tins of coloured polishes and creams regardless. Even if I could use the space they take up in my new apartment. (Yes, it is THAT small…)

A lucky group of Lodger customers and friends enjoyed exposure to a different type of craftsmanship recently at a special Highland Park whisky tasting.

Gerry Tosh of Highland Park visited Lodger from Orkney to explain the whisky-making process and guide the group through different ages of the eponymous single malt whisky – rated “the best spirit in the world” by critic Paul Pacult.

Starting with the 12-year-old, Gerry outlined the importance of peat smoke (so critical is it that the distillery harvests its own peat and uses three different types to extract just the flavour it wants) and selecting the right sherry casks for maturing the whisky.  It can then wait for 40 years or more before the distillery decides it’s ready.  But a little is lost in evaporation every year, making the older whisky ever more exclusive and expensive.

Moving from 12 years to 15, 18, 25 and finally 40 the whisky grows in complexity and depth of flavour. Just like a Lodger whole-cut, Highland Park’s secret is in almost obsessive attention to detail; meticulous quality control and a willingness to respect tradition whilst challenging convention.

The tasting included something on the history and geography of Orkney; the correct glassware to employ; the tricks of tasting (never swirl a glass of whisky, apparently) and the importance of biscuits. Nearly two hours later several bottles were empty and guests were considerably the wiser.

Read more about the distillery at  www.highlandpark.co.uk

Words by Ian Buxton/Photography by Andy Barnham

It is salt season. That time of the year when you can’t help but get your shoes wet. The water seeps into the leather and then retreats to leave crusty salt marks on your uppers.

Thankfully, I haven’t been caught out yet. Either the weather has been kind on days that I’m wearing smart shoes, or I have had my galoshes on.

However, last week my girlfriend and I walked through the slushy pathways of Central Park. Later that afternoon I noticed the salt marks and took a photo for you all to see. I got more than a few funny looks as I knelt down to snap the boots, but it was worth it because it reminded me to look into how to deal with the problem further.

So, when the weather turns suddenly, you forget your galoshes or your feet get too sweaty in the summer and you end up with salt ridges, here is what you do.

Dry your shoes as per usual (on their side and with shoes trees in), but do not leave them for days. As soon as they are dry to the touch, go into the kitchen and grab some vinegar off the shelf. Make a half water, half vinegar solution and dab it onto the salt ridge with a cloth.

The vinegar will help dissolve the ridge, which would be a permanent feature of your shoes without treatment. Naturally, the leather will darken as the solution is absorbed. This is nothing to worry about, but if you are cautious, try on an older / cheaper / blacker pair the first time. Alternatively, use a clearer vinegar than malt. You really don’t have to worry though.

Keep working the solution into the ridge until it dissolves leaving a smooth surface. Wipe the shoes down with a different cloth and leave the shoes to dry. Then polish like mad.

If you have saddle soap, I would advise you to use it before the polishing stage of the process. This is not essential, just a good excuse to give your shoes a deep clean after they have been attacked by the elements.

Back to last week. My calls for us to go into McDonald’s to find some vinegar I could make a solution for fell on deaf ears. Apparently that isn’t a good way to spend your time on a visit to New York.

“I’ll probably just chuck them out any way, they’re old” she said.

Proof positive that the Sex and the City-fuelled clichés that ladies love shoes more than men are wrong. It is true that more women like buying shoes, but the men that enjoy buying shoes look after them better.

I am ashamed to admit it, but I often get lazy when it comes to polishing my shoes. I rarely unlace them to polish around the eyelets.

In a moment of guilt last week, I unlaced three pairs of shoes and gave them a thorough polish. Nourishing cream et al.

As I relaced them, my eye was drawn to the elegant lines, shapes and design around the eyelets. My immediate thought was that it is such a shame that this part of the shoe is so often covered by trousers.

When it comes to trouser length, I have a natural aversion to short cuts. This is probably because of the childhood screams of “JACK UPS” every time a pupil outgrew their trousers at my primary school.

I have been in New York a month now and I have noticed that most businessmen like their suit trousers even baggier than me. So their laces are covered too. (Incidentally, I prefer the back of my suit trousers to just touch the floor when I am standing barefoot – a good measure for alterations.)

However, when it comes to casual trousers, male New Yorkers favour shorter turn-ups. And for jeans, they are shorter still. Admittedly, the latter are predominantly favoured by those wearing Chelsea boots. It is far too cold around the ankles at the moment for anything else.

But seeing shorter trousers and jeans has reinforced the elegance of showing the vamp, laces and top of the shoe in general.

As I write this, I’m looking down at the developing hole in my jeans where my keys rub. I need a new pair. And rather than grabbing my size and hoping they fit at home as per usual, I will try short cuts or longer ones that can turn up.

I think I’m old enough to brave the “JACK UP” bellows now… Although the phrase probably has a different definition over here. Everything else seems to.