[roelly83]

Gentlemen

I have a pair of beautiful Barker monks that I have tried several times to get a mirror shine on the toe cap and to no avail. I understand this is a skill that takes practice. I am using Saphir Pate de Luxe and for some reason the product just seems to seep into the leather and turn the toe cap into soggy cardboard texture. When I try to polish it, its almost slightly course to rub and feels like im rubbing to cloths together. Gosh I hope that makes sense.

The kicker is, I use the exact polish on my Loake oxfords and they shine up beautifully with minimal effort.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[triklops55]

Gentlemen

I have a pair of beautiful Barker monks that I have tried several times to get a mirror shine on the toe cap and to no avail. I understand this is a skill that takes practice. I am using Saphir Pate de Luxe and for some reason the product just seems to seep into the leather and turn the toe cap into soggy cardboard texture. When I try to polish it, its almost slightly course to rub and feels like im rubbing to cloths together. Gosh I hope that makes sense.

The kicker is, I use the exact polish on my Loake oxfords and they shine up beautifully with minimal effort.

What am I doing wrong?

You have to use water and really thin layers of polish. Add a little bit of polish, then a little bit of water to the polishing rag, apply the polish to the shoe with a light tough in a circular motion, and repeat until you get the desired shine.

 

[the oddfellow]

As said above add small amount of polish then a bit of water or spit, a minimum of 15 to 20 layers before you start getting the shine , then buff off with a old pair of womens tights

 

[eagle2250]

Get yourself a tin of Kiwi and then follow the advice offered in the post above, by the oddfellow. There simply are no shortcuts!

 

[TerryM]

As said above add small amount of polish then a bit of water or spit, a minimum of 15 to 20 layers before you start getting the shine , then buff off with a old pair of womens tights

You can find a pair of old woman's tights at any nursing home.

 

[Flanderian]

You can find a pair of old woman's tights at any nursing home.

But how do you get them off!? :icon_scratch:

irate:

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

Join the Navy!

 

[ItalianStyle]

What am I doing wrong?

Are you sure they are not suede?

 

[127.72 MHz]

Join the Navy!

I did in fact learn too shine my boondockers in the Navy.

 

[StephenRG]

I wonder whether that pair may simply be possessed by an evil spirit that prevents a shine - call it a Matt Demon. I had a pair of black shoes from Oliver Sweeney from the early 90s that would not take a shine regardless of what I did to them. I gave up after a while.

 

[Flanderian]

I did in fact learn too shine my boondockers in the Navy.

From my days in Air Force basic I seem to recall 4 methods being explored -

1. The Civilian Method - Apply Kiwi to boot with fingers and use any available rag to buff it up.

2. The Traditional Military Spit Shine - Take Kiwi tin, one each type. Open. Fill cap with water. Dip rag in water and, then Kiwi, rub into boot toe. Repeat until you can tell if you need a shave.

3. The Advanced Military Spit Shine - No spit, no s**t! Open Kiwi. Get out your Zippo. Melt kiwi, and drip onto toe of boot. (Note: If you set fire to your can of Kiwi, it's sad. If you set fire to yourself, you go on sick call, then your TI kicks your ***. If you set fire to the whole d*** barracks, just run!!! )

4. The Glo-coat Method - Apply Johnson's Glo-coat liberally to your boots. When they dry, they will look like black mirrors. A day later, they will look like broken black mirrors. By the end of the week, they will fall apart. Then your TI kicks your *** and sends you to the disciplinary squadron for being a dumb ***.

 

[eagle2250]

You can find a pair of old woman's tights at any nursing home.

But how do you get them off!? :icon_scratch:

irate:

Join the Navy!

:icon_scratch::icon_scratch::icon_scratch::icon_scratch: :amazing:

 

[Howard]

Lately I've been wiping my shoes down with soap and a washcloth just to give it that shiny look, I don't feel the need to polish my shoes if I'm not going anywhere special.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I did in fact learn too shine my boondockers in the Navy.

Yep. They issue you two pairs so gnarly it's unbelievable, one regular, one high top, and by the time you leave boot camp they look like patent.

 

[127.72 MHz]

Yep. The issue you two pairs so gnarly it's unbelievable, one regular, one high top, and by the time you leave boot camp they look like patent.

I still have my lows with trees wrapped in the old thick sweat socks I left them in over thirty years ago.

I grew up the son of a career naval aviator and a hitch as an enlisted man gave me a different perspective. I am happy that I did it and honest enough to admit that I was happy when it was over.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I still have my lows with trees wrapped in the old thick sweat socks I left them in over thirty years ago.

I grew up the son of a career naval aviator and a hitch as an enlisted man gave me a different perspective. I am happy that I did it and honest enough to admit that I was happy when it was over.

I have kept not a single thing. My dad and my granddad were both career Navy. I enlisted in 1967 and was enrolled in the ROC program. I got a medical discharge for sports injuries in 1971. I love the Navy as it once existed. Now they don't even have to wear leather shoes! Not very Trad!