Polishing brogues??

[Thunderbolt]

If you are sure they are not patent, you want to strip off all that old wax. Once that's done, recondition the leather, and start your spitshine anew. I use a mixture of one part water, one part ammonia, and half part denatured alcohol. I don't believe this will harm the lacquer if it is patent but you may want to try a small patch on the inside of the arch.

As for hobs and so forth...hey, it's up to you. It's more environmentally gentle but it's certainly noisier.

Cool. I've always used just rubbing alcohol, that seems to woek ok. But I'll give your formula a try.

I know alcohol tends to strip all the oils out of the leather too. Should I treat it with something before starting to polish? Something to help preserve the leather?

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Sepp Dietrich was a general in the Waffen SS, and one day when hopping out of a tank he slipped on the steel hull, fell, and seriously broke his arm. In 1967 I came into possession of a pair of Dietrich's jackboots. The iron hobnails had been replaced with rubber ones! Obviously the general had learned his lesson. A few years later I saw a pair of Lord Mountbatten's white Navy oxfords, complete with rubber cleats set into the leather soles to prevent slipping on the decks of HMs ships. Yes, for those of you who haven't experienced it, leather soles when wet can be as slippery as ice.

In 1974 I had a bit of a fall coming down some marble stairs that were damp after a bit of rain. The heels of my riding boots were held on (I guess) by a bunch of small nails, I lost traction, and ended up bouncing down a half dozen stairs on my rump. Needless to say, this was not the best day's riding I'd ever had!

My take on hob nails, and heel and toe plates, is that they aren't worth the risk.

[Bugbear]

That reminds me of back when I worked as a musician at country western bars. Every so often someone would use dancing wax and by the end of the evening people were flopping on the floor with their boots in the air.

Ah, those were the days.

[Nanook]

Ted,

I don't know precisely what old patent leather was made of but I've been in this business for 35+ years and for most of that time "patent" leather has been a rough, poor quality leather with a plastic (vinyl?) top.

While real patent leather is not cheap material, nearly all military "patent" leather shoes--- and most so-called patent dress shoes--- these days are not leather but synthetic (Corfam). These "parade shoes" are made to be cheap, robust and look OK at a distance. I've never been a fan of true patent leather--- although I do have a patent leather sporran and belt as the regimental style that was--- but it can have a unique look. Properly polished high grade leather shoes--- the vast major of leather shoes sold including nearly ALL the highland brogues are cheap corrected grain imports--- can have a shine to rival patent leather but it takes significant effort and some skill.
To polish patent leather? To clean one uses a bit of water and soap and to finish off the common wives' methods are milk or petroleum jelly. Commercial products often use silicone oil.

[Bugbear]

Yes, as a matter of fact, the shoes I bought for my kilt outfit are "cheap" shoes. The soles aren't even leather; although, they are not thick Frankenstein soles. I have come across much "cheaper" shoes, and even that fake leather stuff... These were in my budget range, and will have to serv both my kilt and trouser outfits.

I'm still looking for a black pair of shoes... and they will also have to be for the kilt and trouser use while fitting into my budget. The polishing issue is a big deal to me because the cost of having them polished can quickly add up to more than the value of the shoe if I'm not careful. So, even though they are "cheap" shoes, I have to treat them as if they were high quality shoes.

[BoldHighlander]

My take on hob nails, and heel and toe plates, is that they aren't worth the risk.

The only time I'd wear such is reenacting ACW or Rev War periods -- helps one gain traction on wet turf in all leather shoes, otherwise I'd have to agree.

Not only that, if you have to walk any great distance over pavement/concrete, not only are they a bit "slippery" & noisy, but will beat your feet to death.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

I looked up the history of why Kiwi polish was named after the bird... It had to do with the inventor's wife of course. Never mind.

Shucks, and here I've always thought it was so named because it was made o' kiwi poop (the bird, not the NZers you sickos!)

kidding...

[Bugbear]

Shucks, and here I've always thought it was so named because it was made o' kiwi poop (the bird, not the NZers you sickos!)

kidding...

Oh, so now my "cheap" shoes are really polished with bird poop! Well, what else would they be polished with!

Yes, yes, yes, I know; the kiwi birds were just sitting in the shoe trees, and that is how it happened.

And, yes I know, most of my shoe trees are "cheap" plastic shoe trees. I put a cotton sock with a sprig of rosemary from my garden over the shoe tree when I put them in my shoes.

Pesky little birds...

[Carolina Kiltman]

Until he died in the early 70's I used to get shoes from a Mexican bootmaker, a truly gifted man when it came to leather work. When I bought my first pair of shoes from him in the early 50's his instructions were once each week, to use saddle soap to clean them, then use any of the commercial paste polishes, Kiwi, Griffin, etc. Also to alternate wearings, one pair one day, another pair the next.

I followed his instructions religiously (The two pairs of shoes cost me almost half of my month's pay as an Ensign). That pair lasted nearly 15 years. Lots of resoles and new heels, though.

I have never owned patent leather shoes however.

[Thunderbolt]

Good shoes have always been important to me. I hate bad shoes.

Especially when I was in the military, good boots were our trasportation and most likely meant our comfort and survival.

I have a hard time finding good shoes now. Most are cheap and fall apart in just a few months, not to mention horribly uncomfortable.

Anyone have any good recommendations for good shoes/boots? I'm on my feet most of the day and need another couple of good pair. I need work/utility shoes.


T.