Show us your SHOES !!!

[Hagwood]

Snagged another pair recently of the BIG John Lobb. I have only polished them for 4 hours with many hours to go over the next few weeks, but so far so good.




I am always chasing the perfect shine. I haven't reached it yet, but l think l will soon. I've ordered special high shine `boot black' products with special acidic polish water, and I am going to get special 180's cotton fabric from Alumo (finest cotton in the world) and l am going to freeze my special polish water and go for the finest shoo shine i've ever done. I've done 20 hour shines numerous times to try and get that perfection, but l still haven't made it to the top when it comes to brilliant world class shines, but lam going to give it my best shot and go all out with nothing but the best water, cloth and polish products and l am going to polish and polish and polish until those shoos shine like diamonds.

Wow, you are going all out on the shine ! I’ve tried numerous times for a mirror shine and just can’t quite get there. Please Keep us informed of your results and techniques.

 

[tropicalbob]

My first attempt at replacing my own heels on some AE Stirlings. Tired of spending $50 at the Cobbler every time I turn around, and I go through heels like crazy riding the motorcycle. Ordered the Vibram mini lugs online and used E6000 glue and a brad nailer.

Turned out pretty good I think, and about $4.00 when buying the vibrams in qty. Going to try some shoes next.

View attachment 191724

View attachment 191725

View attachment 191726

Really beautiful job.

 

[tropicalbob]

Snagged another pair recently of the BIG John Lobb. I have only polished them for 4 hours with many hours to go over the next few weeks, but so far so good.




I am always chasing the perfect shine. I haven't reached it yet, but l think l will soon. I've ordered special high shine `boot black' products with special acidic polish water, and I am going to get special 180's cotton fabric from Alumo (finest cotton in the world) and l am going to freeze my special polish water and go for the finest shoo shine i've ever done. I've done 20 hour shines numerous times to try and get that perfection, but l still haven't made it to the top when it comes to brilliant world class shines, but lam going to give it my best shot and go all out with nothing but the best water, cloth and polish products and l am going to polish and polish and polish until those shoos shine like diamonds.

Just curious: how, exactly, will you know when you get there?

 

[Michael A]

I picked up these Florsheim 15" boots the other day.
IMG_8292 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8316 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8348 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Extremely soft calf. I believe they were made in 1970.

Michael

 

[Rmccamey]

What kind of boots do you have, Tim. Are those your riding boots?

My first attempt at replacing my own heels on some AE Stirlings. Tired of spending $50 at the Cobbler every time I turn around, and I go through heels like crazy riding the motorcycle. Ordered the Vibram mini lugs online and used E6000 glue and a brad nailer.

Turned out pretty good I think, and about $4.00 when buying the vibrams in qty. Going to try some shoes next.

View attachment 191724

View attachment 191725

View attachment 191726

 

[Hagwood]

What kind of boots do you have, Tim. Are those your riding boots?

I do ride in that pair when I need a little dressier pair. Those are Allen Edmonds Stirling boots in a black chromexcel leather and Vibram sole. I also have a pair in natural chromexcel and a pair of Allen Edmonds Longbranch in calf. I’m a wingtip guy, LOL.

I also have some Tony Lama smooth ostrich with vibram soles that I ride in.

Now that I did the heels on these, I think I can carry it over to dress shoes or other boots. Fun little project and saves some money.

 

[Hagwood]

I picked up these Florsheim 15" boots the other day.
IMG_8292 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8316 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8348 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Extremely soft calf. I believe they were made in 1970.

Michael

Very cool ! What kind of soles are on those ?

 

[Michael A]

Very cool ! What kind of soles are on those ?

Single leather sole with Goodyear welt
IMG_8380 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8378 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Looks like a plastic heel with a rubber and leather topper nailed on. Had cleats at one time it seems.
IMG_8379 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Interesting, to me at least, sort of dress boot. I'll need to get a rubber top laid onto the sole if I'm going to be wearing them often.

Michael

 

[Hagwood]

Single leather sole with Goodyear welt
IMG_8380 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8378 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Looks like a plastic heel with a rubber and leather topper nailed on. Had cleats at one time it seems.
IMG_8379 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Interesting, to me at least, sort of dress boot. I'll need to get a rubber top laid onto the sole if I'm going to be wearing them often.

Michael

Nice. It does seem like a dress boot, but you could definitely at least put a rubber top lift heel on it. Looks like someone had a heel guard on the combination heel.

If you feel like a little DIY let me know and I'll give you the lowdown on how I did mine. You can order the Vibram lug heels or Goodyear Neolite for a dress boot or shoe from Amazon.

 

[Michael A]

Thanks for the offer of knowledge. I may decide to do it myself, unless I decide to get up to my Mom's for Christmas. I had a shoemaker up there do my flight boots and I think it only cost about twice what the sole tops cost. And he did a very nice job of it. I do have quite a few other shoes that I might be interested in doing that to, as well. So I suppose I should bite the bullet one of these days and try it out.

Thanks,
Michael

Nice. It does seem like a dress boot, but you could definitely at least put a rubber top lift heel on it. Looks like someone had a heel guard on the combination heel.

If you feel like a little DIY let me know and I'll give you the lowdown on how I did mine. You can order the Vibram lug heels or Goodyear Neolite for a dress boot or shoe from Amazon.

 

[Rmccamey]

Nocona bull hide are my boots for riding.

I do ride in that pair when I need a little dressier pair. Those are Allen Edmonds Stirling boots in a black chromexcel leather and Vibram sole. I also have a pair in natural chromexcel and a pair of Allen Edmonds Longbranch in calf. I’m a wingtip guy, LOL.

I also have some Tony Lama smooth ostrich with vibram soles that I ride in.

Now that I did the heels on these, I think I can carry it over to dress shoes or other boots. Fun little project and saves some money.

 

[Dlaniger]

I picked up these Florsheim 15" boots the other day.
IMG_8292 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8316 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
IMG_8348 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Extremely soft calf. I believe they were made in 1970.

Michael

WOW pretty slick, Michael. You sure can find them. You don’t see many Florsheim boots. Very nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dlaniger]

I picked up these beauties this morning and I think they are off the chain. From Bontoni, Oxford's in green and mustard.

View attachment 193343 View attachment 193344

Yes, indeed off the chain. They are beautiful!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael A]

WOW pretty slick, Michael. You sure can find them. You don’t see many Florsheim boots. Very nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Reggie. These came from the closet of the owner of my favorite vintage store. He said he bought them used 25 years ago and had only worn them a couple of times. I'm hoping to get a bit more wear than that on them.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Dlaniger]

Snagged another pair recently of the BIG John Lobb. I have only polished them for 4 hours with many hours to go over the next few weeks, but so far so good.




I am always chasing the perfect shine. I haven't reached it yet, but l think l will soon. I've ordered special high shine `boot black' products with special acidic polish water, and I am going to get special 180's cotton fabric from Alumo (finest cotton in the world) and l am going to freeze my special polish water and go for the finest shoo shine i've ever done. I've done 20 hour shines numerous times to try and get that perfection, but l still haven't made it to the top when it comes to brilliant world class shines, but lam going to give it my best shot and go all out with nothing but the best water, cloth and polish products and l am going to polish and polish and polish until those shoos shine like diamonds.

Fantastic Blue John Lobbs. They look great. Let us know when you have perfected the perfect shine. You certainly are on your way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LuvMyMan]

Snagged another pair recently of the BIG John Lobb. I have only polished them for 4 hours with many hours to go over the next few weeks, but so far so good.




I am always chasing the perfect shine. I haven't reached it yet, but l think l will soon. I've ordered special high shine `boot black' products with special acidic polish water, and I am going to get special 180's cotton fabric from Alumo (finest cotton in the world) and l am going to freeze my special polish water and go for the finest shoo shine i've ever done. I've done 20 hour shines numerous times to try and get that perfection, but l still haven't made it to the top when it comes to brilliant world class shines, but lam going to give it my best shot and go all out with nothing but the best water, cloth and polish products and l am going to polish and polish and polish until those shoos shine like diamonds.

Hello been a while since posting here. Nothing wrong with technology regarding shoe care. When I shine a shoe for a mirror shine, I start with a few days of conditioner, letting it really soak in and then spending the time to wipe off the surface with a old cotton t shirt. Next I use a thick layer of delicate cream and leave it over night. Next after rubbing the delicate cream off, (the cream gives the polish a platform to sit on rather then a base platform of being "ruff" and "porous".) then a thick application of the color wax polish, let it dry for overnight before touching it. Why? Hardness/resistance! Working on that polish with a cold water cotton ball that has almost all the water squeezed out for use on the surface of the shoe, making small tight swirls. This creates the "links" in the polish to happen, as that is how polish works, even floor polish on a floor. After you get one or two applications of wax polish with the color, you then can switch over to a clear polish and use the same method, squeezed out cold water on a cotton ball, and those twisty tight little swirls. You know when the polish gets that harder glazed over mirror to start, you can keep adding light applications of the clear and then build a bit of layers for that depth looking mirror shine you are seeking. It takes some time to get the knack for this, but once you do you will see it is not all that hard to do. And because you have layers applied, it makes it easy to do any touch up if you wear the shoes and they get a slight "touch" on anything that has damaged the surface of the shine. I avoid the apron area of shoes in having too much shine, as the polish will just crack up when worn, but most other areas you can mirror up like crazy. Just my experience in shoes as being shown by my late Husband.

 

[GHT]

Working on that polish with a cold water cotton ball that has almost all the water squeezed out for use on the surface of the shoe, making small tight swirls. This creates the "links" in the polish to happen, as that is how polish works, even floor polish on a floor.

Cindy, you've just answered an age old conundrum for me. British squaddies (soldiers) would get a mirror shine to their boots by a method known as, 'Spit & Polish.' They would spit a small amount of saliva into the lid of the polish can, then using the method that you have explained, rub both a dab of saliva mixed with a smear of polish, onto the boot in a circular motion, painstakingly slowly, but as they did, the resulting shine would be incredible. It had to be, there would be a Sgt. Major's inspection to pass.

 

[casechopper]

Just got a new pair of Red Wing Irish Setter Sport Chukkas in Black Klondike leather.

These are one of the nicest pairs of Red Wings I've ever handled. The leather lining, the clicking and just the finish in general seems like a much nicer boot than most of the Red Wings I've bought in the past. I wonder whether some of these Made for Asia boots are done to a higher standard or if I just got lucky with this pair.

 

[tropicalbob]

Cindy, you've just answered an age old conundrum for me. British squaddies (soldiers) would get a mirror shine to their boots by a method known as, 'Spit & Polish.' They would spit a small amount of saliva into the lid of the polish can, then using the method that you have explained, rub both a dab of saliva mixed with a smear of polish, onto the boot in a circular motion, painstakingly slowly, but as they did, the resulting shine would be incredible. It had to be, there would be a Sgt. Major's inspection to pass.

That's exactly how my father, a WWII Marine, taught me to shine my shoes. A few years ago I started watching some of the many instructional videos on Youtube, but I finally had to admit that the "Spit & Polish" was the best.

 

[tropicalbob]

Hello been a while since posting here. Nothing wrong with technology regarding shoe care. When I shine a shoe for a mirror shine, I start with a few days of conditioner, letting it really soak in and then spending the time to wipe off the surface with a old cotton t shirt. Next I use a thick layer of delicate cream and leave it over night. Next after rubbing the delicate cream off, (the cream gives the polish a platform to sit on rather then a base platform of being "ruff" and "porous".) then a thick application of the color wax polish, let it dry for overnight before touching it. Why? Hardness/resistance! Working on that polish with a cold water cotton ball that has almost all the water squeezed out for use on the surface of the shoe, making small tight swirls. This creates the "links" in the polish to happen, as that is how polish works, even floor polish on a floor. After you get one or two applications of wax polish with the color, you then can switch over to a clear polish and use the same method, squeezed out cold water on a cotton ball, and those twisty tight little swirls. You know when the polish gets that harder glazed over mirror to start, you can keep adding light applications of the clear and then build a bit of layers for that depth looking mirror shine you are seeking. It takes some time to get the knack for this, but once you do you will see it is not all that hard to do. And because you have layers applied, it makes it easy to do any touch up if you wear the shoes and they get a slight "touch" on anything that has damaged the surface of the shine. I avoid the apron area of shoes in having too much shine, as the polish will just crack up when worn, but most other areas you can mirror up like crazy. Just my experience in shoes as being shown by my late Husband.

Hi, Cindy. Nice to hear from you.