[232524]

Looking to get my first patent leather shoes, or other type of leather with mirror shine finish.

I don’t mind getting patent leather as these will be hsed exclusively with evening dress, but have some concerns about breathability (I will be getting traditional patent leather not modern plastic) & creasing etc.

Are there any altwrnative leathers like shell cordovan or else that are also breathable & easier to care for that has a mirror shine finish?

the only thing I won’t budge on is that I be able to get a mirror shine look, so I thought id ask & see if there are alternatives to shine up regular leather & see if that can be accomplished, before purchasing this.
Thanks

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

Looking to get my first patent leather shoes, or other type of leather with mirror shine finish.

I don't mind getting patent leather as these will be hsed exclusively with evening dress, but have some concerns about breathability (I will be getting traditional patent leather not modern plastic) & creasing etc.

Are there any altwrnative leathers like shell cordovan or else that are also breathable & easier to care for that has a mirror shine finish?

the only thing I won't budge on is that I be able to get a mirror shine look, so I thought id ask & see if there are alternatives to shine up regular leather & see if that can be accomplished, before purchasing this.
Thanks

You can put a mirror shine on most anything. In the Navy we were given very low grade leather shoes and soon had them shining brilliantly. Very little polish, a little spit, and a bazilion small turns of an old tee shirt.

 

[232524]

You can put a mirror shine on most anything. In the Navy we were given very low grade leather shoes and soon had them shining brilliantly. Very little polish, a little spit, and a bazilion small turns of an old tee shirt.

All the YouTube videos I've seen only seem to put the shine only on the toe cap, foregoing the rest of the shoe? Why is this?

 

[eagle2250]

All the YouTube videos I've seen only seem to put the shine only on the toe cap, foregoing the rest of the shoe? Why is this?

Many You Tubers get lazy when making their videos. It take more work to shine the entire shoe! Having spit shined my shoes for 30+ years, Im almost an expert at the process. It can be time consuming, but relaxing, almost Zen like!

 

[232524]

Many You Tubers get lazy when making their videos. It take more work to shine the entire shoe! Having spit shined my shoes for 30+ years, Im almost an expert at the process. It can be time consuming, but relaxing, almost Zen like!

I thought the reason was that the mirror shine wax cracks when applied to the flexible creasing parts of the shoe?

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I thought the reason was that the mirror shine wax cracks when applied to the flexible creasing parts of the shoe?

I never had a cracking issue, but if you use too much Kiwi it will melt in hot sun and the guy next to you will fail inspection because that was what he did.

 

[eagle2250]

I thought the reason was that the mirror shine wax cracks when applied to the flexible creasing parts of the shoe?

As the polish builds up, what you describe can happen. When it does, it is time to strip the built up wax off the shoes and start over again!

 

[Flanderian]

You can put a mirror shine on most anything. In the Navy we were given very low grade leather shoes and soon had them shining brilliantly. Very little polish, a little spit, and a bazilion small turns of an old tee shirt.

One guy in basic found a short cut.

Worked great!! :happy: Until his boots fell apart. 😭

 

[drpeter]

Looking to get my first patent leather shoes, or other type of leather with mirror shine finish.

I don't mind getting patent leather as these will be hsed exclusively with evening dress, but have some concerns about breathability (I will be getting traditional patent leather not modern plastic) & creasing etc.

Are there any altwrnative leathers like shell cordovan or else that are also breathable & easier to care for that has a mirror shine finish?

the only thing I won't budge on is that I be able to get a mirror shine look, so I thought id ask & see if there are alternatives to shine up regular leather & see if that can be accomplished, before purchasing this.
Thanks

Shell cordovan is actually not a leather but a membrane, and its properties are somewhat different from standard calfskin or other similar forms of leather. As far as I know, a mirror shine is rarely used on shell cordovan shoes, but if you must, then there is Saphir Mirror Gloss, which Kirby Allison of The Hanger Project recommends.

For me personally, mirror shines are associated with national (military) service days in India, where such shines were required for your kit to be impeccable during turnout inspection. Along with Blancoed webbing belts and Brassoed belt buckles and hardware on those belts. Not sure if the US military had similar items. Makes me nostalgic -- memories of dawn breaking over the hills as we drank sweet, milky tea, piping hot, from large mugs before setting out from camp on early morning route marches.

 

[Oviatt]

Mirror Gloss is great stuff, once you get used to using it.....

 

[Flanderian]

Shell cordovan is actually not a leather but a membrane, and its properties are somewhat different from standard calfskin or other similar forms of leather. As far as I know, a mirror shine is rarely used on shell cordovan shoes, but if you must, then there is Saphir Mirror Gloss, which Kirby Allison of The Hanger Project recommends.

For me personally, mirror shines are associated with national (military) service days in India, where such shines were required for your kit to be impeccable during turnout inspection. Along with Blancoed webbing belts and Brassoed belt buckles and hardware on those belts. Not sure if the US military had similar items. Makes me nostalgic -- memories of dawn breaking over the hills as we drank sweet, milky tea, piping hot, from large mugs before setting out from camp on early morning route marches.

Spit and polish was very much part of my early military experience before descending into the USAFSS. Brasso was truly miraculous stuff, though our uniforms being rather dull confined its use to door nobs and such. Metal was white and matt finished, but shoes and the brim of our service caps were mirror bright. The test of a proper shoe shine was being able to stand erect and judge whether you needed a shave from the reflection in your shoe shine.

Ran into a more recent fellow Air Force vet several years ago, and the main footwear in training now is roughout, and requires little maintenance, and uniform requirements in general were more forgiving. Though as an Air Force sniper I guess he had other things to worry about. They didn't let us play with such toys.

 

[drpeter]

The test of a proper shoe shine was being able to stand erect and judge whether you needed a shave from the reflection in your shoe shine.

I can't avoid mentioning my story, now that you have mentioned this, Flanderian. If anyone is offended by the one off-colour word I am about to use, please accept my apologies in advance.

The uniform in our paramilitary unit consisted of khaki shirt and shorts, military style, plus berets and knee-length stockings with brown boots. At one of the kit inspection line-ups during parade, the drill sergeant barked at one fellow whose shoes were barely shined, let alone having a mirror shine in the toecaps. He demanded that the shoes be redone right after parade, and the lad had better do it right. This poor devil made the mistake of asking the drill sergeant how much of a shine he should put on the toecaps. The sergeant leaned close to the chap's face and said, in a low, menacing voice: "I want you to shine those shoes so that I can see your balls reflected in them!" Point made and understood, I imagine.