• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Restoration Of Old Faithfuls

Nexus6

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
729
Reaction score
5
Dack's
Made In Canada
Won't see that anymore,
since they have not been made in canada since 1996.

Found these at the Salvation Army.
$8 ...got them to reduce it to $5 considering the decrepidness of them.

I examined the shoes carefully.
They are double-soled and almost indestructable.
Very litle wear actually...previous owner was only sloppy with the polish.
The uppers were suprisingly soft...no cracks in the leather,
so I thought, why not....let's see if I can bring them back to life..


Basically my procedure is:

Pre-Stage.....putting on Ben-Hur or any other 4hr movie...

Then...

1) Lung-ripping Acetone on old rag to remove old polish. (2hrs..with oxygen breaks)

2) New Shoe Dye (Black) (1.2 hr)

3) Leather Lotion to restore suppleness....2 applications...2 hours

4) Vacuum Inside & apply Vodka with old terrycloth sock inside to sanitize & freshen

5) New polish (Creme-Meltonian)

6) Let Dry 1/2 hr

7) Brush

8) New Laces

9) Buff with soft flannel cloth

10) Back in the shoe trees to 'rest & re-shape'

Voila.

I only do this as a hobby.
How did I do?
 

Reggs

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
6,219
Reaction score
698
Is the vodka common? I've never heard of that before.
 

Steve B.

Go Spurs Go
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
10,286
Reaction score
134
PFG
 

Nexus6

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
729
Reaction score
5
Well the Vodka thing I may have invented
It's certainly more fragrant than Isopropol Alcohol.
it gives off a new shoe kind of scent.

I would >never< use the Vodka on the upper outsides tho.
It'll take polish off
 

Philip1978

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2007
Messages
3,710
Reaction score
13
Holy crap that's awesome. Amazing job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

ManofKent

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2008
Messages
8,665
Reaction score
20,963
Looks a really good job
 

fritzl

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
12,266
Reaction score
268
i liked the original colour better, but well done.

invest in better laces.
 

FidelCashflow

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
4,304
Reaction score
48
Those are some impressive results. That's something to brag about.
 

XenoX101

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
4,606
Reaction score
20
I'm a purist, I like all the imperfections and blemishes that come with a worn shoe, its a signature of the wearer as well. But you did a great job fixing them up, they look very sharp, I like the diamondness of the last (without being a pointed toe).
 

youngScholar

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2008
Messages
538
Reaction score
3
Very well done.
 

whiteslashasian

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
9,913
Reaction score
1,477
That is impressive. I plan on doing the same to a couple pairs I have laying around that definitely need some sprucing up. I'm thinking of going with a nice dark brown though.

Congrats on a job well done!
 

awxg

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
410
Reaction score
2
Although I wish you had kept the original color, it was nicely done.
 

flipster

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
175
Reaction score
20
Nice! Why did you decide to dye them black?
 

Ich_Dien

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
6,762
Reaction score
1,448
Get some thinner laces and they'll look spectacular.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,148
Messages
10,578,755
Members
223,876
Latest member
vocalkeny
Top