Frequently Asked Questions

Products

We are always happy to assist you in any way possible when trying to match your shoe color to a shoe cream or wax. Allen Edmonds and Thursday Boots are two of the most popular brands that we always receive questions about. We hope our recommendations help. ***Please note that our recommendations are based only on ONLINE pictures and we DO NOT promise that our recommendations will be an exact match. PRIOR TO USING YOUR PRODUCT, please make sure it is the color you want. IF NOT, please return the product prior to using.

ALLEN EDMONDS:

- Brown Finish - Saphir Dark Brown or Parisian Brown / Tobacco Brown for a lighter hue

- Oxblood Finish - Saphir Hermes Red or Mahogany

- Walnut Finish - Saphir Light Brown

- Dark Chili Finish - Saphir Tobacco

- Midnight Blue - Saphir Marine Blue

THURSDAY BOOTS: (often two-toned in color, and Saphir doesn't always have an exact match)

- Natural - Saphir Neutral

- Old English - Saphir Tobacco OR Saphir Parisian Brown (for a darker hue)

- Brandy - Saphir Medium Brown (will give more of a brownish hue) OR Saphir Cognac (will give more of a burnt orange/red hue). Saphir Parisian Brown for the toes/heels

- Brown - Saphir Bordeaux

- Terracotta - Saphir Medium Brown SUEDE RENOVATEUR SPRAY (**NOT CREAM)

- Whiskey - Saphir Medium Brown

All of our Saphir conditioners are top quality products, so you don't have to worry about applying any lower tier ingredients onto your leathers. **DO NOT use any of these conditioners on SUEDE/NUBUCK!

Saphir Renovateur is known amongst shoe aficionado's as one of the best leather conditioners in the world. Some call it "liquid gold". **Be careful using this product on dyed patinas, as it can sometimes remove the dye.

Saphir Leather Lotion is very similar to Renovateur, but it has more of a liquid consistency. This product can be used on shoes, but it is also a great product for larger leather products such as bags, due to liquid consistency.

Universal Cream is a great all-around conditioner. It doesn't have the amount of natural conditioning agents and oils as the Renovateur or Leather Lotion, but it always gets the job done. It is a staple around our shop, and we've used it for years on customers shoes.

Nappa Balm is specially designed to be used on delicate leathers. It contains no solvents or waxes and will not alter the original leather finish. Ideal for luxury bags, luggage, wallets, as well as nappa and vachetta leathers.

Two products we always recommend to our customers is a conditioner and a product to protect the leather. Many leathers on new shoes have been sitting in tanneries or on the shelves for months before purchase, causing the leathers to loose hydration. We always recommend conditioning the leather on new shoes within the first few wears (primarily smooth leathers, such as calfskin). We also recommend protecting ALL new shoes. Whether your shoes are calfskin dress shoes, athletic sneakers, or suede boots/shoes, it's important to apply either a wax (smooth leathers or waxed suede ONLY) or weatherproofing spray in order to prevent any damage to the shoes.

If you're looking for a product that will keep the color of the shoe, as well as color in any scratches or scuffs, we recommend a shoe cream (ex: Saphir Pommadier Cream)

SnoSeal, Saphir Everest Dubbin, and a weatherproofing spray (Saphir Invulner or Tarrago Nano Protector) are all great products for protecting from wet/snowy conditions.  

SnoSeal (beeswax based) and Everest Dubbin (vegetable oil based) are both outstanding products for giving optimal protection from snow and water. We recommend one of these products for hiking boots and work boots that are always in water, snow, mud, etc.  

Saphir Invulner and Tarrago Nano Protector are both weatherproofing sprays that are geared toward dress shoes/boots, sneakers, and everyday footwear. They do not waterproof the shoe, but they do a great job of repelling water, dirt, oil, etc.  

For higher-end dress shoes/boots, we recommend the Saphir Invulner spray. For sneakers and casual, less expensive footwear, we recommend the Tarrago Nano Protector.

No. ALL shoes/boots should have some type of protection, but it does not have to be wax. We generally recommend wax only for smooth leathers, such as calfskin. Instead of wax, you could also choose to apply a weatherproofing spray.

When dealing with waxed suede shoes/boots, we recommend SnoSeal or Otter Wax.

Recrafting

Yes, we accept shoes from all over the world.  Please visit our Shoe Recrafting tab on our website menu. 

Due to the high volume of shoes received via mail, we only accept orders through our website and shoes mailed.  Our shop is not set up to process transactions. 

Due to the construction differences between most women's and men's shoes, we only accept women's shoes after first contacting Potter & Sons. 

No. Sorry, at this time, we only offer this service (basic polish) if accompanied with a sole/heel replacement order. 

Unfortunately, no.  Technically, many shoes "can" be resoled, but they may not be made to be resoled.  We only service shoes that were made to be recrafted. 

Once you have made your selection and go through the check out process, you will select your preferred method of return shipping.  Shipping your shoes to our location is up to you.  Shoes should be mailed to Potter & Sons, 101 North James M. Campbell Blvd. #18, Columbia, TN 38401. 

No, sorry, we are not a full service cobbler.  Due to the large amount of work we receive, we have to limit the amount of services we offer.  Our focus is refurbishing shoes with new soles and heels.  If your uppers require stitching, gluing or hardware replacement, we recommend having this done from your local cobbler.  

No, sorry, we do not dye or change a shoes original color.  Different leathers take dyes differently. 

Our average turnaround time is 6 weeks from the date we receive them.  

Our turnaround is 6 weeks from the date your shoes/boots arrive. You should receive an email letting you know we have received them. Once completed, you will receive an email letting you know they have been shipped with a tracking number. Please allow the allotted time before inquiring.

The process for sending in shoes/boots may be found at Recrafting .    

All of our sole leathers are European pit tanned. They each use natural, but different ingredients in their tanning processes and source their hides from different regions. The pit tanning process takes much longer to produce the finished sole bend. Good things are worth waiting for!!

Yes, all recrafting prices are for both shoes.

Yes, if you order both, you will have your entire order shipped back to you at the same time. If you would like to receive your products sooner than you shoes, please make two separate orders.  

Shoe & Boot Brand Recommendations

There are a lot of high-quality brands out there, but these are just some of the brands that we recommend...

  • $200 - $400  
    • Shoes: Beckett Simonon, Meermin, Allen Edmonds, J. Fitzpatrick, Cobbler Union, TLB Mallorca, Grant Stone
    • Boots: Thursday Boots, Tecova, Red Wing, Parkhurst, White's Boots
  • $400 - $600
    • Shoes: Carmina, TLB Mallorca (Artista Collection)
    • Boots: Nicks Boots