LOAKE APPRECIATION THREAD

[BillP]



I'm getting fond of my burgundy Strands. Do you think it reasonable to wear them with summer trousers/jeans?

I also really enjoy my burgundy Strands. Jeans don't seem appropriate for these shoes but I wear them with nice khakis.

By the way, what color shoe polish do you use on these?

 

[wurger]

I wear burgundy shoes with jeans and chinos all the time.

 

[Munky]

Thank you, gents. Billp, I use Loake's burgunday cream and wax on my Strands. Although I have a box full of various,polishes and conditioners, it occurred to me that the Loake products would be an exact colour match. I also use their Tan cream and polish on my Chesters. Both the creams and the waxes are available on Amazon.They seem to do as good a job as anything else.

 

[Roger la Rock]

Hyde boots for the Tasmanian Winter.

 

[Munky]

My OCD is catching up with me. I noted, above, that I use colour-matched creams and waxes for my Loake's. Although I have lots of Saphir pots, Collonil products, Lexol and so on, I plan to keep to my 'manufacturer only' approach to shoe care. I suspect it will be possible to do this with makes other than Loakes.

I use the shoe boxes that came with the shoes to store - in each - a large horsehair brush to use before applying product - to clean the shoes (and to do a quick brushing before putting them on), a separate brush to buff up, afterwards and a large Selvyt cloth to add an extra shine. This compulsion will mean that I end up with lots of boxes but also that my shoes should stay true to colour. I plan to alternate between 'cream' and 'wax' for the shoes, on a not too frequent a basis. I will also use Renovator about twice a year, whatever the colour of the shoes. It has been my experience that it is almost impossible to use too little Renovator and - in time - I might drop it.

All is not wasted with the 'Saphir/Collonil' box. I recently changed a pair of horrible light tan shoes into something much darker, with considerable success, using various grades of brown polish. This should be seen as an outlier, though and not part of the general plan. Oh and my Loake's Chester box contains a tube of dark brown edge dressing, as the double sole tends to get scuffed easily. This needs a steady hand.
That goes some way to address my need to organise...now I will just go and wash my hands!

 

[00Schneider]

Hey guys, I have a question regarding Saphir MDO and Pommdier. I bought Loake Strands in Mahogany and Aldwychs in Dark Brown.
For the Strands I can obviously use the Mahogany color, but what about the Aldwychs? Dark brown seems a bit too dark, although they are called dark brown. Any suggestions? Cheers

 

[Munky]

Hey guys, I have a question regarding Saphir MDO and Pommdier. I bought Loake Strands in Mahogany and Aldwychs in Dark Brown.
For the Strands I can obviously use the Mahogany color, but what about the Aldwychs? Dark brown seems a bit too dark, although they are called dark brown. Any suggestions? Cheers

I thought I covered this, a bit, in my post, above...Loakes offer their own coloured polishes and waxes.

 

[Odradek]



Hyde boots for the Tasmanian Winter.

Looking good. I've seen a few very nice photos of the Hyde boots online, but when I see them in a shop they somehow don't look as good as I'd expected. Maybe they just need a good polish.

Would like to hear some reports on how the Hyde boots work out. Had planned to get a pair before next water, but might go for the Pimlico instead.

 

[00Schneider]

I thought I covered this, a bit, in my post, above...Loakes offer their own coloured polishes and waxes.

Ok, but I guess the Saphir products are much better than those. And Loake doesn't seem to have any kind of cream like the Pommadier cream.

 

[Munky]

What makes you assume that Saphir products are much better? Perhaps, Loakes also know something about shoe care. As for your second point, Loakes do have creams as well as wax polishes. Having used a range of Saphir products, I have come to the conclusion that using a shoe manufacturer's own creams/waxes is generally a good idea. The shoe companies obviously don't make those products but they certainly have confidence in them or they wouldn't put them on the market.

 

[alexSF]



What makes you assume that Saphir products are much better? Perhaps, Loakes also know something about shoe care. As for your second point, Loakes do have creams as well as wax polishes. Having used a range of Saphir products, I have come to the conclusion that using a shoe manufacturer's own creams/waxes is generally a good idea. The shoe companies obviously don't make those products but they certainly have confidence in them or they wouldn't put them on the market. 

This doesn't have sense at all, except in the case they offer a shade identical to the shoes.
(But who really wants to mantain their shoes with the same colour as new without a little patina and character?)

Company branded products are simply re-branded products marked-up, in the case of Loake surely cheap ones like Kiwi etc, and certainly Saphir, Burgol etc. for the top tier shoe brands.

Talking of Loake, their leathers generally have unattractive uniformity and look lifeless when brand new, so mixing darker color polish it's pretty usefull.

This because for example a C&J, EG etc, "Dark Brown" started as mid brown and it's hand-coloured to a darker tone, resulting in a deep colour.
Loake Dark Brown start as dark brown, and factory burnishing doesn't change it at all, it's pretty toneless and lifeless when new.

with Loake shoes I recommend a similar or lighter shade in the overall uppers, and a darker shade in toe/heel and stitiching areas, to enhance the tone and contrast.

 

[MTB-85]

Quote: Originally Posted by Odradek
Finally the weather is starting to look like May.
After a winter in their box, I'm wearing my Loake Asquiths today.

I absolutely LOVE mine as well!!!

 

[Roger la Rock]

Loake dark brown is not very dark as you can see in my photo. I find Saphir medium brown a good match, with dark brown for the toes and heels.

I'm still wearing the Hydes in. Will report back when they have had some wear. Interestingly they have a single Dainite sole with no midsole, so they are very flexible in the sole. Every other pair of shoes I have on Dainite have a midsole. From pictures it looks as though Loake do this on their dress shoes, but have a midsole on their country styles. I'm guessing they make them without a midsole to keep the appearance trim.

 

[alexSF]



Loake dark brown is not very dark as you can see in my photo. I find Saphir medium brown a good match, with dark brown for the toes and heels.

I'm still wearing the Hydes in. Will report back when they have had some wear. Interestingly they have a single Dainite sole with no midsole, so they are very flexible in the sole. Every other pair of shoes I have on Dainite have a midsole. From pictures it looks as though Loake do this on their dress shoes, but have a midsole on their country styles. I'm guessing they make them without a midsole to keep the appearance trim.

Yes your Hyde are lighter than usual, Loake dark brown car vary a bit, from mid brown to dark brown, my Cannons are far darker than yours,
but the difference its in the hides itself not in the finishing as could happen with other makers.

I really like the Hyde but the lack of midsole it's a deal breaker for me, really dislike that details from the first time I saw them, I found the sole too thin

 

[md2010]



Finally the weather is starting to look like May.
After a winter in their box, I'm wearing my Loake Asquiths today.

Nice . Gilt was selling them for $149 plus 15% -30% off depending of what voucher you have. Didn't look good on their website at that time . Looks better when you wear it