Show us your SHOES !!!

[LuvMyMan]

Thank you! I snapped them up for a quite good price at ebay.

I have been looking for something just like those but of course for myself and my Husband as well. Hard to find really decent vintage leather athletic shoes even on eBay!

 

[belfastboy]

I have been using Lincoln waxes & Lexol cleaners/conditioners for most of my adult life. Luckily I have not had to explore the world of reconditioning as I, like you, wax my shoes regularly even if not worn. I have shoes 30+ years old that still present as new.
I use cedar shoe trees. Not sure if it is a good thing but I have a closet full of boots and shoes that will outlast me. When I pass someone can hold one hell of a garage sale!

I will order some Saphir products just to try something different in the search for the perfect spit shine.
Thank you, I really appreciate you sharing your wonderful knowledge

 

[Mormonopoly]

I've been seriously slacking in posting my new acquisitions over the last couple of months. I've got six new pairs to get posted, so I'll start with these 1980s/90s Johnston & Murphy Handmade Crocodile wingtips. These were posted here a while back when they had an asking price of $2,000. Well, I kept watching them and the seller kept lowering the price, and I ended up getting them for less than a new pair of Allen Edmonds.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I've been seriously slacking in posting my new acquisitions over the last couple of months. I've got six new pairs to get posted, so I'll start with these 1980s/90s Johnston & Murphy Handmade Crocodile wingtips. These were posted here a while back when they had an asking price of $2,000. Well, I kept watching them and the seller kept lowering the price, and I ended up getting them for less than a new pair of Allen Edmonds.

Those are super nice! Saphir Reptan them! How are they fitting? The size was mostly the reason I did not snag them up for Daniel, as you know yes the seller did slowly lower the price. Alligator or Croc shoes do not do well if they need to be stretched as it makes the "plates" of the skin literally POP loose. Just thought I would make mention of that to you.

There is not a sharper pair of Alligator for sale anywhere in my opinion that look nicer than this pair. That one eBay seller over in Germany has a brown pair of Stetsons for sale for about $1,400.00 but they actually look slightly beat up already.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I have been using Lincoln waxes & Lexol cleaners/conditioners for most of my adult life. Luckily I have not had to explore the world of reconditioning as I, like you, wax my shoes regularly even if not worn. I have shoes 30+ years old that still present as new.
I use cedar shoe trees. Not sure if it is a good thing but I have a closet full of boots and shoes that will outlast me. When I pass someone can hold one hell of a garage sale!

I will order some Saphir products just to try something different in the search for the perfect spit shine.
Thank you, I really appreciate you sharing your wonderful knowledge

Yes indeed...the use of shoe trees helps so much! I have used Lincoln wax, good for base colors of brown or black and for a decent shine.

The shine of a pair of shoes....some good help here for you. The wax has to "sit" on somewhat a hard surface of already applied wax. You need to have a few thick coats that have sat long enough to do that. Then grab a cotton ball. Open your finish wax tin/can and have it sit next to the shoes. Cold water soak the cotton ball...place it in the lid of the can of wax....buff the shoes with a clean clothe and then squeeze out the cotton ball into the lid, get extra water out of it, dab it on the wax just get a slight amount of wax in it, grab the cotton ball so that the dab of wax is almost on a tip of the material held tight and made a bit smaller in size due to how you hold it...then use that small tip on the leather, rub in a tight and fast swirling motion but do not apply much pressure downwards. Work it in a tight circle motion and eventually extend the pattern of movement over a larger area. Keep using a dab of wax but do not add any water unless the cotton starts to let you know it is too dry. Light dabs of wax and swirling it will eventually show up on the leather, you will see swirls...that lets you know you are doing it right. Eventually you will feel the "drag" on the cotton ball and see the swirls can be blended as you get closer to being done. You may have to repeat the process and maybe add some of the water on the cotton ball between coats of a shine. You'll get the hang of it and once you do...you will see nothing comes close to the deep looking shine you have from this process as compared to using a rag twisted around the finger as others show on videos of how to shine a shoe. The cotton ball being somewhat damp, reacts to the wax and lets it "link" itself up in a layer and smooths it out much better than a soft clothe rag. There is turpentine in the Saphir tin of wax, it helps melt the wax smoother than conventional waxes.

Caution. Too much water in the cotton ball, will rub the surface of the leather and not allow a swirling shine to happen. You have to keep the cotton ball squeezed out of water.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I've been seriously slacking in posting my new acquisitions over the last couple of months. I've got six new pairs to get posted, so I'll start with these 1980s/90s Johnston & Murphy Handmade Crocodile wingtips. These were posted here a while back when they had an asking price of $2,000. Well, I kept watching them and the seller kept lowering the price, and I ended up getting them for less than a new pair of Allen Edmonds.

Check out my latest picture posted in my Merchant Vendor listing Shoe House doctor, and see the sole protector picture (red sole protector) you should put something like that on these to keep them from wear! If you need any tips for how to do it, let me know...or you can have me do them for you...I am sure the soles of those alligator shoes will benefit from having some nice protection very much!

 

[LuvMyMan]

I have been using Lincoln waxes & Lexol cleaners/conditioners for most of my adult life. Luckily I have not had to explore the world of reconditioning as I, like you, wax my shoes regularly even if not worn. I have shoes 30+ years old that still present as new.
I use cedar shoe trees. Not sure if it is a good thing but I have a closet full of boots and shoes that will outlast me. When I pass someone can hold one hell of a garage sale!

I will order some Saphir products just to try something different in the search for the perfect spit shine.
Thank you, I really appreciate you sharing your wonderful knowledge

I wanted to tell you the lexol conditioner that is thin is not too bad to use. Far better than nothing. I have used it a few time at the beginning of soaking some shoes that I know will take a ton of Caddy to apply just to stretch out how much Caddy I will eventually use.

Also some vintage experts desire a more original and unmolested look to the leather and so they desire to leave the surface of vintage shoes with not much shine to them. The caddy or bick-1 conditioner will leave the finish look of leather with a "matt" finish rather than a shine finish. I have to admit some vintage shoes do look better not being a mirror finish on them.

 

[Mormonopoly]

Thanks very much! For an A width, they really are not super tight. They fit snug, but won't need any stretching. I'll definitely have to get a sole protector on them before wearing, as I doubt J&M does resoling for the handmades anymore.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thanks very much! For an A width, they really are not super tight. They fit snug, but won't need any stretching. I'll definitely have to get a sole protector on them before wearing, as I doubt J&M does resoling for the handmades anymore.

I will PM you with information and instructions for what you need to prep the soles and what to use glue/adhesive and product of the sole protectors. You will love the way the sole protectors I use feel and how they grip well.

 

[Mormonopoly]

Here's another new pair. 1940s/early 50s Florsheim Ventilated Spectators. These have a lightly pebble grained leather which I haven't seen used on ventilated specs before. I got super lucky and got these for only $28.

 

[Mormonopoly]

Next up is this pair of 1930s/40s Winthrop Spectators. I got the best deal of my life when I found these on Ebay labeled as "funky 70s shoes" for $15.

 

[Rudie]

Please say you don't wear a size 10.5.

 

[Mormonopoly]

You're in luck, these are all 11.5/12.

 

[BobHufford]

You're in luck, these are all 11.5/12.

Guess I'm out of luck ... that is my size.

Congrats on the incredible finds!

 

[gamez32]

You're in luck, these are all 11.5/12.

Great finds! If the spectators are a size 12 and you ever want to sell them, then I'll take them off your hands.

 

[Rudie]

You're in luck, these are all 11.5/12.

That eases my heart. My honest congratulations for some incredible finds, then.

 

[Mormonopoly]

Thanks to all. I must give a huge thank you to LuvMyMan for the wonderful deal on these 1940s FootJoy blue and gray spectators. I absolutely love these and am so happy to have them!

 

[LuvMyMan]

All super beautiful shoes.....lucky you!

 

[Mormonopoly]

Here's another new pair: 1940's Nunn Bush. They appear to have been tried on, but otherwise look deadstock.

 

[Jordon]

Just a stock photo, but I love wearing my Ted Baker Jamfros when I get dressed up. I do have some Italian brown leather shoes and another pair of cheap Bass saddle/light brown leather shoes...but these are comfy(rubber sole) and are always fresh!