• 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.

Shoe care

HitMan009

Senior Member
Joined
May 23, 2003
Messages
700
Reaction score
5
Everyone,

I would like to know what everyone's opinion of what shoe creams, wax polish, oils etc... are the best for each particular leather. Mentioning that, I went looking for a tin of KIWI wax polish for shoes I use when it rains. I was surprised by the lack of the brand KIWI in most stores. Most were brands I never heard of. In this thread, I would like to know what brands are best in terms price/performance, which are best regardless of price, etc. I think this thread would serve everyone here who is an avid fan of shoes. Also, there is are numerous tutorials on how to polish shoes. They are all good and dandy but if someone can describe his own method for cleaning and polishing shoes, creating a finished product, it would be great.

Thanks in Advance.....
 

Internyet

Active Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
I figured this would be a good time to threadjack, and ask, how do you store your shoe care products? I was deliciously eyeing the "executive shoeshine kit" at www.shoeshinekit.com -- but it's no longer available. My old box was shoddily made, and falling apart -- any recommendations on a good storage method? I don't have much space here, and my beat-up kit looks pretty bad next to my shoe rack.
 

Internyet

Active Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
I've actually seen (well, drooled at is probably a more appropriate expresion) that box several times. I was thinking something, uh.... cheaper
smile.gif
 

AlanC

Minister of Trad
Joined
Nov 7, 2003
Messages
7,805
Reaction score
97
As for the Alden box, I've wondered if it wouldn't be cheaper to find a skilled woodworker and have him build you one. You can do an awful lot with that kind of money.
 

My View

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2003
Messages
107
Reaction score
0
Since we are on the topic of shoe care, does anyone out there really follow the instructions of shoemakers to "not to wear a new (unworn) pair of shoes for more than 4 hours as the shoes need to adapt itself to the feet of the wearer"?

I personally find it impractical because if it's a pair of work shoes, how can I possibly wear it for less than 4 hours?

(I do know for a fact that "practicality" is not a top priority for many forum members here...)

Also, do you guys give your new (unworn) shoes a coat of polish - as advised by some shoemakers - before wearing them for the first time?
 

bengal-stripe

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
4,621
Reaction score
1,280
"not to wear a new (unworn) pair of shoes for more than 4 hours as the shoes need to adapt itself to the feet of the wearer"?
Well I think that recommendation is more for your protection than to protect the shoes. Fancy, wearing a brand-new pair and after two hours they begin to hurt, after four hours they become a pain in the ****, ahem, on the foot und you can't take them off until you come home after eight or nine hours.

Hence the recommendation to begin by wearing them round the house or for relatively short time spans. This doesn't mean they have to taken off after four hours, it just means you have the opportunity to take them off, should the need arise.

Yes, give them a coat of polish, it will not do any harm and it might protect you from a nasty stain on your brand-new shoes.
 

Featured Sponsor

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

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,174
Messages
10,579,196
Members
223,888
Latest member
LisaAtkinsu
Top