boots - Page 2

the C&J chuckkas look awesome. not usually a fan of desert boots but I really dig those. I agree that the Loake chelseas are probably the most bang for buck.

Sysdoc, maybe you can tell me about your shoe shine method. I couldn't find any posts with it. Thanks.

Peter

It was lost with the recent crash

I can give you my adapted version, though I'd definitely love to see Sysdoc's full explanation reposted:

After cleaning/stripping/whatever else, apply a thin layer of polish all over the shoe/boot. Allow to cure for a good amount of time, maybe an hour, maybe overnight. Buff to a shine. On the toes and heel counter area (the stiffened, smoother areas of the shoe), you can do the mirror shine. Get some polish on a cotton face pad, the kind that look like a tufted pillow. Pour a little bit of water in the lid of the polish tin. Tap the pad into the water. Wipe the pad in a circular motion on the shoe's toe. Get more polish, and a little bit of water, wiping in a small circle, repeat until you feel it suddenly smoothe out in the area you're working (you will know when you try it). Move on to the next area until you have covered the whole toe and the heel counters. It can take a while the first time since you are making a solid layer of smoothed out wax polish. Once the area is thoroughly smoothed over with polish, stop and allow it to cure overnight, or as long as you can wait. Then use a soft cloth to very gently buff the shoe to a brilliant shine. I use one of the flannel shoe bags that came with my CT boots - turn the bag inside out, put my hand in it and use it to gently smoothe over the toe and heel counter. You don't want to use a brisk or strong motion on this, because you want to maintain the layer of polish. Let me know if you have any questions.

Edit: this is the kind of pad:

Thanks again, I'm gonna order it today. I wear US 10.5, so I'm gonna order a US 10 like you said.

So it's wax polish, not shoe cream. Got it. Did you use a specific color wax or was it neutral?

Always colored wax. I used Kiwi Light brown and Lincoln dark brown and marine cordovan. If you do the strip down with acetone, you might want to use some shoe cream first before the wax. If I did it again I would probably use cream because the acetone does seem to dry out the leather some. If you do use cream be careful with the color because it will probably soak in and stay relatively permanently. Don't use a color that is extremely different from the boots' original color, because it could turn out blotchy.

Good luck!

We really need to organize a step by step guide for this with pictures.

Sysdoc said he was working on a video guide to antiquing/polishing. I'm still waiting for that.

That would be incredibly good. Can't wait! Btw, your processing of these Loake is starting to slowly chip away at my resistance to chelseas. I may end up with some soon, lol. Edit: Opinions on these suede brogued chukka boots? http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/product.as...ProCode=MBTCHY

I like those, but I'm not a huge fan of suede in general. I was considering the leather versions of the same before when CT had those.

I ordered the last black one I think but sent it back (looked nice but I had a sudden increase in bills and had overdone it with shoes that month). Cannot say I do not regret it.

Well, the Loake branded versions are still available, for a little more £, at Pediwear. £108 ex VAT:

http://www.pediwear.co.uk/detail.php?stock_ID=223

Thanks again, J.

Are the CT boots calf or the corrected grain variety?

They are not calf, but the leather is, if corrected-grain (not sure), at least not the type that is plastic coated and doesn't absorb polish. Some of the color came out with acetone and it absorbed a lot of polish when I fixed them up. It's actually quite good leather, IMO. Comparable to AE I'd say.