Shoe care

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walker

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I don't know much about clothing but might be able to contribute a little here when it comes to shoes. As a student I had a weekend job at a high-end shoe shop for several years where I picked up a few things.

I made this video on spit-shining a shoe a couple of months ago and posted it on SF but I might as well post it here too. Will be making others focussing on cordovan, shoe care in general and re-finishing shoes in the near future.

 
So the spit it's just a few drops. If I use water it should be a like one drop, right?
 
crat how would you care for boots?

I have a problem with my boots - I want to hard wear them, but since I have VERY few footwear options, I also want them to look nice so I can double duty them. With my Wolverine 1000 mile's and my Alden Indy's, I've tried polishing them using Saphir, but I either end up with too much polish or not enough and it doesn't provide a protectant.
 
Well, they're a step above workwear boots IMO, and I'm not actually using them for work. Which is why I want them to look purty. I do have and use Obenaufs though. My LLBean Iron Works Kathadins.
 
crat said:
1000m and Indy are work boots to me, but ymmv ofc. Which leathers? Pics?
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Standard 1000 miles and Indy's. And, yes, they're basically work boots. I'm just trying to bulletproof the colors so they go to shit much slower.

Everything's in storage so I don't have pics at the moment. But there's nothing special about them. The standard Indy color and the Black and Brown 1000 miles. Only ones available in my width.
 
I did this yesterday and my shoes are shining a lot. Me like! :)
 
I don't like my shoes to shine...but really I have no idea what I'm doing. The products I have are:

Saphir Creme Surfine - Light Brown
Saphir Creme Surfine - Brown
La Cordonnerie Anglaise Shoe Cream - Cordovan
Collonil Supreme Creme De Luxe - Neutral
Kiwi - Black (I wear black shoes maybe once a month, if that, and decent shoe care products are at least double the price here in Korea)

So I basically have no idea what I'm doing. Up until recently I just went to a shoe shiner. At first I just used the Collonil. I recently started using the other products but really have no idea what I'm looking for. I think I tried (my Korean is pretty terrible) for mostly products that aren't polish but are cream? Just something to nourish the leather and occasionally to return a bit of the color?

uhhh....yeah...I have no idea what I'm doing.

edit: What do the colored polish/creams do that the colorless (collonil) doesn't?
 
I always use a conditioner/cleaner before each shine to get rid off the old polish buildup/dirty/wax. I usually apply two layers of polish/cream with about 1 hour between each application. Though I have never had success with spit shine yet.
 
Erm....what is the difference between polish, wax, and cream?

And is my heavy use (twice a month on several shoes) of the colorless Collonil Supreme Creme De Luxe (and is this a cream or a polish? Same thing?) going to lead to build up?
 
I think wax waterproofs more...but it also makes it harder for the leather to breath/be nourished
 
Chorn said:
I think wax waterproofs more...but it also makes it harder for the leather to breath/be nourished
Click to expand...

I think that is correct. Cream/polish fills the pores of the leather as oppose to wax which forms a protected layer over the leather.
 
I've found that in brushing, higher friction is more effective than greater force. Moving more quickly across the surface of the shoe with the bristles will do more for shine than pressing hard on the leather, to "dig in" so to speak.
 
I have read somewhere that if you take a lighter and bring the flame close to the surface, it creates the same effect as more friction would.
 
I am not sure though if the flame would do any damage to the leather. I have never tried this method.
 
I've seen others try it; you essentially run the flame over the surface - no contact, just essentially brushing the flame across the leather.
 
Well I also read to light up my parade gloss wax before putting it on the shoe. I have Zippos and the flame is uncontrollable at best. Can't imagine trying to light my shoes on fire. I don't have the glossy finishes you folks have on here but it's better than 90% of the men out there which is good enough for me.

There are shoe polish stands where I work but the vast majority are staffed with young women. I'm misogynist or something but I can't really see myself having shoes polished by women - plus the position they're in below me makes me feel uncomfortable.
 
It's not trying to burn them, just literally passing the flame once over the toebox. Really quick, barely any contact.
 
Fwiffo said:
There are shoe polish stands where I work but the vast majority are staffed with young women. I'm misogynist or something but I can't really see myself having shoes polished by women - plus the position they're in below me makes me feel uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

One of a few perfect occasions to have an excused boner. Other being doing the coughing test in the presence of a hot NP or doctor.
 
Harveybirdman said:
The vast majority of women have no idea what they're doing. Watch this video and look at how the girl shines the loafers with tassels. Unbelievable.
Click to expand...

But you will see her boobays wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah! Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah! :megusta-1:
 
How do pebble grains, like the ones below which I am considering purchasing at some point, crease vs regular calfskin? And while these wouldn't work with a suit, they probably would work with odd jackets/trousers, yeah?

shoes_fall_2012_wingtip_pebblegrain_cognac_1_1024x1024.jpg
 
Sell me on them. I'm already partially there. Someone take it home.
 
If I have caked on polish that is flaking off, how can I strip that stuff? We're talking the ubiquitous black Allen Edmonds Park Avenue here.
 
Seems like they would be hard wearing. I think I have pretty much anything else I need, though no suede. I live in a very wet and very grimy city, which I hear pebble grain is good for. Cordovan might be a higher priority, but it's also significantly more expensive. I want to want these, but I also want to make sure I want these (so feel free to sell me on anything else ^_^). These would be my first non-AE shoes (they are from Howard Yount). As is, I have 2 cliftons (black, walnut), 3 PA (black, brown, maroon), haight (brown), neumok (brown), and mcallister (brown)

I'm entirely lacking in wholecuts, split toes, loafers, and monk straps...but I'm in no rush to fill those gaps.
 
I just saw Crat's tumblr... men the stuff he can do with the shoes... I need to learn how to do that!
 
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