What goes right into a bespoke shoeshine? Anders Sundström, a world-renowned shoeshiner, demonstrates his abilities on my sneakers whereas revealing the philosophy, precision, and care required for a very customized shine.
Video Transcript [Lightly Edited for Clarity]:
Raphael: Anders Sundström is probably one of many most interesting shoeshiners on the planet. The issue for me is that he lives in Sweden, and I infrequently get there. So, after I was in London, and I had the possibility to fulfill him at Arterton, on the Princes Arcade, I simply needed to get a shoeshine from him. Anders, good to fulfill you.
Anders: It was nice, yeah. So, immediately, we’re gonna restore a pair of sneakers for you.
Raphael: Sounds nice. I imply, they’ve by no means been polished. That is the unique Baker leather-based, like, manufacturing facility end worn. I feel we made the sneakers in 2020.
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: And yeah, that is gonna be their—
Anders: Two years for not sprucing—disgrace on you.
Raphael: Oh, 4 years.
Anders: Oh, sorry, 4 years.
Raphael: 4 years, 4 years. So, it’s the inaugural polish of those sneakers.
Anders: However they’re in actually good situation, although.
Raphael: It’s as a result of, you realize, I’ve a big, like, shoe closet, so I don’t put on the identical sneakers so much.
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: However I discovered that after I journey, I like these sneakers as a result of I do know I can put on all of them day, each day. They’re like a workhorse. And you realize, the Baker leather-based, proper? It’s very thick.
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: So, it’s like, it’s a shoe that’s meant to be worn.
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: And also you noticed, like, we added toe spring.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: The thought was we wished it—a shoe that was not a present shoe. Generally, once you go to the world championships—like, you have been the primary world champion—
Anders: In Sweden, yeah.
Raphael: …shoeshiner in latest historical past. However typically, what you see there, it’s simply—it’s artwork.
Anders: It’s extra artwork than practicality, after all. Yeah.
Raphael: So, I wished us to be a shoe that was going to be worn—a workhorse.
Anders: Properly, then consolation is clearly key. And, such as you … I see you’ve gotten a wider foot, and thus a wider final, so it appears to suit rather well, I feel. However in the case of shoeshining, what we’re going to do first is simply to get them in a great precondition earlier than we add the froth stuff—the shine. First, we have to make it possible for this leather-based, although sturdy, has all of the vitamins it must proceed for an extra 4 years.
Raphael: Yeah, as a result of I, you realize, I was actually into shoe shining. It’s—you dry issues out, proper? And on the time, there wasn’t an excessive amount of on-line useful resource studying and stuff. So, I, you realize, I put, like, the laborious wax on right here, and you then get all of the cracks—the leather-based cracks.
And, much like you, I began shopping for used sneakers. , so I had, like, outdated Church’s sneakers, they usually have been already outdated after I obtained them. After which I had them for some time. And you then get—you realize, they appear to be, typically, Prince Charles’s sneakers. You’ve seen these, proper? The place there’s, like, the leather-based coming off and stuff. So, sure, I don’t need that to occur.
Anders: No.
Raphael: And I’m actually curious to study from you immediately.
Anders: Completely. So, first off, I’m simply gonna strip off the laces right here.
Raphael: Okay.
Anders: Usually, I do advocate to make it possible for they’re off as a result of we don’t need shoe care throughout the laces right here, they usually’re gonna—
Raphael: Having to take off the shoe if it’s—
Anders: Yeah, yeah…
Raphael: Can we take it off?
Anders: Let’s see how far we get if we run right into a bother right here.
Raphael: Properly, additionally, once you polish it with the shoelaces on, they get stained. Properly, and you then additionally don’t get to all of the cracks right here.
Anders: So, first off, these are made with wax. So, so that they want wax as nicely. However the issue is once you put—making use of the product, they’re on, you’ll be able to’t actually attain all of the locations such as you stated, and particularly the tongue.
Raphael: Sure.
Anders: Typical place that folks neglect.
Raphael: You even see it on new sneakers typically, you realize, after they have the patina.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: The tongue is—it seems very completely different, as a result of it’s nonetheless, like, within the crust state.
Anders: Precisely. However a great shoeshiner, he places vitality into the components of your shoe. Even the components the place you don’t see, as a result of most individuals take a look at the toes, like, that is the way you outline a great shine. No, no, no… It’s—you want to check out the internal a part of the shoe.
That is … normally forgotten—beneath the only real, the only real edge. These are the components that normally individuals neglect, however are as very important because the higher, as a result of not solely—it’s the entire look of the shoe that can matter in the case of notion.
Is shoeshining a giant factor in Sweden?
Raphael: Is shoeshining a giant factor in Sweden?
Anders: It has change into fairly, I might say. Most individuals are inclined to their sneakers extra. I’ve been lectured by Polish those who Swedish individuals are horrible, which is partly appropriate. However within the fan base of gentleman’s vogue, I might say that most individuals really do are inclined to their sneakers.
Raphael: How about, you realize, like, precise shoe stands, like, like this?
Anders: In public, it doesn’t exist.
Raphael: Identical in Germany—it doesn’t exist. Within the U.S., you realize, you go to the airport and stuff, you see it. You go downtown, you see it.
Anders: Yeah, I’ve seen it in Frankfurt. I feel it was a shoe shiner in an airport, however not within the—it’s actually unhappy as a result of it’s a very good occupation. So, what we’re going to do first is simply take away extra grime. Once more, like I stated, they’re in fairly good situation as it’s. However the issue is, it’s not right here—it’s within the welt. , loads of grime will get into the welt. So, we’re going to make use of a wild boar brush. This particular brush may be very coarse.
Raphael: It’s very stiff and coarse. It’s only a thicker hair.
Anders: Very thick. And the final concept right here is that it will assist us to brush off that extra grime earlier than we begin utilizing the improbable chemistry that we’re gonna run into. This clearly doesn’t add any shine—it simply removes grime. A very good factor simply to have, you realize, inside once you get house—simply brush off, particularly across the welt, as a result of it’s a lot simpler to get it off when it’s simply caught. So, once you brush off utilizing the wild boar brush, you simply want to ensure to do a easy brush-off on the higher after which go across the welt. As a result of it will assist to take away the components the place you’re gonna have a little bit of trickiness.
Raphael: So, do you get in right here as nicely?
Anders: Yeah, so these as nicely. You attempt to attain in a bit.
Raphael: Like, again right here, yeah.
Anders: That’s the identical. Since you do get loads of mud, and if you happen to’re a perfectionist—some individuals are—you begin to have a look at the small particulars, they usually matter in the case of ending a shoe. And I might say that you’ll pace up getting old if you happen to collect up loads of grime. So, you need it clear and neat. So, right here, we simply take away—you go across the welt. You see, I focus so much across the sole. And that is simply—that is normally the place we find yourself with loads of mud and grime, typically. So, we simply go spin round and simply clear it off.
So, that is clearly, like I stated, we haven’t added a little bit of shine, however simply eliminated extra. Now, you do have some stains nonetheless, like right here. So, right here, we need to use one thing that loosens it up. And so, we’re gonna use a selected foam product that I made, which is the Reviving Cream. So, it is a joyful little mistake the place we wished to simply see how far we will get in the case of cleansing and nourishing, and simply skip shine, skip waterproofing.
That is simply—we tried and simply performed round, and this type of got here out, which is a improbable half. There are related others, however the place we simply need to begin to dissolve outdated waxes and pigmentation to get a strong, good state.
Raphael: A very good basis.
Anders: Basis, good, precisely. So, it will simply assist to take away extra.
Anders: And likewise add all of the oils and waxes which are wanted for sustainability, so the sneakers preserve that delicate flexibility.
Raphael: That’s a great trick. Like, I assumed possibly a toothbrush, however this works too.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: Now, you realize, I noticed, like, this model is Paul Brunngård, and your identify is Anders.
Anders: Anders Sundström.
Raphael: However you talked about “we.” Inform me extra about that.
Anders: So, Paul Brunngård is the proprietor of Brunngård Group, which is a normal shoe care. And what we wished with PB was that we wished to create a model based within the pure ardour of shoe care, however giving the trendy twist that hasn’t been seen in shoe look after fairly a while.
Raphael: Attention-grabbing. So, did, like, Paul method you? Was it like, did the Shoe Shining World Championship have something to do with that?
Anders: Oh, yeah. So, Brunngård really is among the sponsors of the Shoe Shining Championship in Sweden. And there, I met Paul. And I requested him—he requested me, “Anders, we need to make the most effective shoe care on the planet.” It’s like, certain, honest sufficient. I can do it however underneath one situation—no compromise. And he stated sure.
Raphael: Did he know what he signed up for?
Anders: No, he didn’t know what he signed up for. So, that’s my essential narrative after I’ve designed each product—that we didn’t need to compromise when it got here to creating every thing from scratch, which is the guts of this particular model.
Raphael: So, it’s all about uncompromising high quality. Now, you realize, simply because you’ll be able to shine sneakers nicely doesn’t imply you perceive the chemistry. I imply, it’s one a part of it, proper? Like, you, you know the way to make use of the product. How did you handle that half?
Anders: Properly, I’m an engineer, so I took a little bit of a distinct method. I began with the drafting board and researched every thing there’s to learn about really formulating the merchandise. I took it on like a typical engineer viewpoint—problem-solving. And clearly, like I stated, I’ve carried out a little bit of shoeshining by means of my days, so I do know what works and doesn’t work, and the place different merchandise are good and never good.
Raphael: So, you had the sector expertise, yeah. And you then’re an engineer, you’re tenacious, and you probably did the analysis. I imply, it’s much like me. I went to legislation college, proper? And I hated legislation. However it’s—I discovered that if in case you have a ardour and also you’re an issue solver, you’ll be able to determine loads of issues out. And, you realize, it’s like coaching by doing.
Some individuals name it the real-world MBA—you realize, don’t go to high school, simply begin the enterprise, and also you’ll study greater than if you happen to really go to high school. So, it’s a distinct method to the entire thing. And, I imply, there isn’t even like—you would have gotten a chemistry diploma, however it’s not like there’s a shoe-polishing chemistry diploma or something like that.
Anders: Proper. So, once you’re formulating the chemistry, it’s essential to keep in mind a number of components—not simply mixing completely different components. It’s not a lotion. It’s a—
Raphael: However I see you—you realize, you’re making use of the cream now in your hand first, in your palm, with the concept that it doesn’t get blotchy, proper? You don’t need to blob. You need it extra evenly unfold out in your material.
Anders: Typical mistake individuals make. So, once you apply any product—it doesn’t must be my model, it’s simply any sort of chemical product—on every leather-based, if in case you have a concentrated dot of cream or wax and also you apply it on the leather-based, you’re going to have a excessive focus of solvents penetrating into the leather-based. To resolve this, what we do is apply it on the palm or a lid or what have you ever. And also you simply pull it into a skinny layer, and including skinny layers above one another creates a barrier, which implies that you could apply extra repeatedly. So, it’s a small, good trick for any product.
Raphael: So, if in case you have delicate pores and skin, would you advocate doing that, or are the merchandise light sufficient that it must be fantastic?
Anders: It must be fantastic. I imply, if you happen to’re apprehensive, simply use gloves—like polyester or artificial gloves. Most individuals—there are professionals who spit-shine utilizing fingers, which is okay. I imply—
Raphael: They usually do all of it day, each day, they usually’re fantastic, so it must be fantastic.
Anders: Received it. It’s fantastic. I imply, clearly, it’s chemistry. You all the time must take that under consideration if you happen to’re uncovered to an excessive amount of.
Raphael: Certain.
Anders: Yeah. So, now we’ve utilized the Reviving Cream. And my normal advice is it must be allowed to set. This can take a while. However for this case, what we’ll do is—we’ll now need to add pigmentation.
It is a cream with pigmentation. Now, what you even have in a cream, like a polish cream, is that you’ve more durable waxes for a excessive shine, and also you even have waterproofing from these waxes. So, a cream—a correct cream—provides a wide range of various factors like waterproofing, pigmentation, shine, and nourishment. So, it’s normally a multifunctional product.
Raphael: So, formula-wise, you realize, pigment-wise, have you ever discovered you’ll be able to have an excessive amount of pigment?
Anders: Oh yeah. I’ve seen loads of clients that overapply pigmentation and thus smash the gorgeous construction of full-grain leather-based, which is absolutely unhappy as a result of the patina and the construction of the leather-based type of give the identification to the shoe. So, typically, I might advocate—
Raphael: After which, for a patina, sometimes, you want the decrease layer to be lighter in colour and the higher layers to be darker. That method, you get this museum impact, and also you look into the leather-based, so to talk. So, with an excessive amount of pigmentation, it’s not going to work. What a few black shoe? I might guess on a black shoe—pigmentation—
Anders: Properly, black sneakers are usually not as delicate because you don’t actually—you’ll be able to simply add pigmentation. You don’t have the difficulty. The issue is that if you happen to add an excessive amount of, you’ll be able to nonetheless smash the feel of the wax and leather-based itself. So, it’s all about, you realize, getting a little bit of stability.
Raphael: Yeah. And these are the sorts of issues that you determine by really doing it. Like, you don’t must weigh it or get the amount. If you happen to do it a number of instances, I feel you’ll be able to determine it out.
Anders: So, after I apply cream—now, it is a typically darkish shoe—I might apply extra, however what I do is simply dab a little bit of finger, and you then simply do a fast polish. So, it’s pretty clear. I don’t give excessive focus, and the cream or waxes, or no matter product you’re employed with, are contained in the textile and fiber construction. So, you repeatedly add extra with out overapplying. Now, this shoe, clearly, didn’t want loads of new pigmentation. It was in pretty good situation because it was, however for this case, we simply need to add—oh, and don’t neglect, you’ve gotten loads of put on on the tongue. So—
Raphael: , the fascinating half is—after I obtained the leather-based, I additionally obtained a number of cuttings as a result of I had a belt made out of it. And I observed that the leather-based, simply by sitting—it’s not—the wax is pulled out of the leather-based, and also you get this white, hazy impact.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: However, you realize, it have to be a pure a part of the leather-based as a result of the unworn leather-based that was simply laying on the shelf exhibited that impact. And really, the leather-based on the shelf seemed a lot hazier than the tongue. So, it’s simply part of this leather-based—it’s this Baker leather-based. It’s the sort of imitation Russian hatch grain, and I particularly wished a more recent leather-based. I didn’t need one thing authentic, outdated, as a result of I’ve seen outdated sneakers, and, you realize, they dry out, and I wished a shoe that will final.
Anders: The hazing you’re speaking about—it’s not likely an issue, however so long as you simply apply a little bit of product like a cream or a polish, it’s going to type of assist to dissolve it. The Reviving Cream is improbable at doing this as a result of it actually dissolves the waxes and creates this even layer. Now, we’re working with the inventive cream, which is extra targeted on getting all of the completely different components that you just want.
Raphael: So, one factor I observed—you realize, you’ve gotten this bottle right here, which is 150 milliliters, however the different ones are simply 30 milliliters.
Anders: Yeah. So, the polish is 30 milliliters, and the cream is 50.
Raphael: Why?
Anders: As a result of the most important mistake with polishes is that you just don’t really need to shine that always, which implies they sit within the battle room a bit too lengthy, they usually harden an excessive amount of, and also you simply must throw them away.
Raphael: Oh, so mainly, over time, shoe polish degrades. Is that proper?
Anders: Sure. All the pieces—as a result of as quickly as you open it, you begin to lose solvents, and it begins to shrink. Ultimately, it cracks and will get too laborious as a result of the operate of a wax polish—particularly wax polish—is that it must have each the solvents to assist retain delicate utility in addition to penetration. And the evaporation of solvents additionally has a operate in attaining a excessive shine.
Raphael: So, actually, shopping for the 100-milliliter laborious wax shoe polishes is nice if you happen to’re a shoeshiner and do that professionally each day.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: However for the at-home fanatic, it’s overkill, and your product goes unhealthy, and also you would possibly find yourself utilizing a product that’s already previous its peak.
Anders: Sure. Since you clearly all the time need to be at the place the product is at its finest.
Raphael: Is there a distinction between the softer pigmented emulsions and the laborious wax paste, or do they each go off on the identical charge?
Anders: No, so the factor about wax polish is that it solely consists of wax and solvents. That’s the primary a part of a wax polish, and the solvent evaporates quick—particularly if a great wax polish makes use of solvents that evaporate rapidly.
Anders: Why we would like pace in evaporation is definitely for settling the wax quick and drawing vitality from temperature, thus rushing up wax solidification and making a quicker layer buildup.
Raphael: So, why do we want a solvent within the first place?
Anders: A number of causes. The unique motive was that we need to apply wax, however wax is tough. So, we add solvents to maintain it delicate. That’s why I’ve, for instance, waxes and oils, which, after all, nourish the leather-based but in addition create a very nice shine. So, I’m going to point out you one necessary a part of the shoe care routine. Now, we’ve utilized a reviving cream and inventive cream on the higher of the shoe.
Raphael: And what colour did you employ?
Anders: A mahogany in your—mahogany-like, yeah. So, the rule there’s that if you wish to preserve the colour, use the identical or lighter. It’s all the time okay to make use of a lighter colour. If you wish to change the colour barely, use darker—simply to pressure it to alter.
Raphael: So, don’t fear that the colour matches precisely, as a result of it most likely received’t?
Anders: No.
Raphael: However you simply take a look at the—
Anders: Really, even when it matches once you maintain it aspect by aspect, it’s going to be completely different as quickly as you apply it. So, it’s nearly including small quantities. And really, if you happen to put on sneakers correctly, you don’t want so as to add loads of pigmentation typically. One of the necessary components that folks neglect is the only real edge. Now, the only real edge for the higher is what the shoe is for the swimsuit.
If you happen to fail to put on correct sneakers for a correct swimsuit, it type of fails—identical with the only real edge. If you happen to repair the higher however not the only real edge, it’s not going to look very nice. So, what we’re going to do now’s restore the only real edge as nicely. Step one in that is including pigmentation, and that is normally what you see within the entrance of the toe. It is a lot of damage.
Raphael: Sure.
Anders: Plenty of put on. Totally pure—not an issue. You should use dyes. I don’t advocate utilizing dyes as a result of it seems very nice once you’re carried out however doesn’t look good once you stroll and use the sneakers. A cream provides pigmentation that’s extra pure—
Raphael: And sturdy persistently.
Anders: And it’s straightforward to revive. So—
Raphael: However you see these sneakers—think about how outdated they’re and it’s the primary time they’re polished. There’s not a lot put on on the tip, and it’s due to the toe spring of the shoe. That was the thought. I feel if in case you have a shoe like a Gaziano & Girling shoe, which has a little bit of an extended toe field—an extended final—you’ll see extra put on.
It seems actually cool once you take the photograph. I feel all of the Parisian shoemakers—you realize, Dimitri Gomez—there’s all the time no toe spring, and it seems very nice. However I wished one thing that was extra geared in the direction of sporting them, not photographing them.
Anders: And don’t neglect that it’s extra pure to stroll in. So, it’s for consolation. Not all sneakers are comfy. Clearly, Gaziano & Girling do very comfy sneakers, however— With the only real edge, we don’t want to fret about dabbing alternatively. So, we merely simply apply the cream like so, and it will assist to simply restore the colour. Like so—that is solely step one. A cool trick, by the way in which, when you’ve gotten sneakers the place you put on the tip of the toe, you’ll be able to simply add a little bit of black or darkish brown beneath.
Raphael: Yep.
Anders: This can make it in order that once you take a look at it from above, it’s going to look extra sq., which seems extra correct—extra new, which is the purpose right here. And we’ll simply repeatedly apply the cream till we cowl the entire sole edge with the cream. And don’t neglect the heel. Sometimes, if you happen to’re doing this, it’s important to apply it on the heel as nicely.
Raphael: So now, once you do all the process for somebody in a comparatively fast method, how lengthy does that take you?
Anders: Is determined by the ambition. So, if we’re going to do a quickie, we will do it in 10 minutes.
Raphael: Good.
Anders: Then we’re tremendous quick—and possibly I don’t speak.
Raphael: 80/20—greatest bang for the buck.
Anders: Yeah, precisely. However you then simply add cream. The issue with each shoe care routine is that what we would like is time. If you happen to do it at house, it’s by no means an issue as a result of you’ll be able to apply it and proceed the subsequent day. However for this stage, after we’re doing it, now we have to use a little bit of pace. So, we apply the cream on each sneakers. You’ve obtained to be a bit cautious since you don’t need extra to rub off on the—
Raphael: The welt half.
Anders: Yeah, welt.
Raphael: As a result of typically, once you go away stuff there, it builds up. Ideally, I all the time use a toothbrush to sort of get it out. Is that too harsh due to the bristles?
Anders: No, you should use a toothbrush to get it out, which is okay. It simply needs to be a bit light as a result of, I imply, it’s plastic. Plastic is tough, so it may possibly scratch. I might use the wild boar brush, for instance. It’s environment friendly at cleansing and a bit extra light than plastic.
Raphael: It’s fascinating as a result of I do know within the shaving world, historically, you had Badger and Tremendous Badger brushes, which have been the cream of the crop. However lately, you’ve gotten much more artificial brushes that work rather well. However by way of shoe sprucing, you swear by pure animal hair.
Anders: Undoubtedly. By all means. I haven’t used a single artificial brush with the identical outcomes to this point. I’m open—Till the day I’m incorrect. So, first off, by simply making use of cream, this may be carried out in a single minute. It seems a lot neater—extra prefer it’s new.
There’s a strategy to pressure it in—a strategy to lengthen the road. That is the place we’ve created a type of sole edge iron. It is a enjoyable little software. I do know actual shoemakers have actual sole edge irons. That is type of an ideal at-home sort of product.
Raphael: And the sting iron—it typically has a form on it too, and it’s heated up with hearth. So, it’s not one thing most individuals would do at house. It is a model you created that you could simply use at house.
Anders: Yeah, so the thought is that we need to compress the waxes, oils, and pigmentation into the fiber of the leather-based. The fantastic thing about it’s that not solely will you get a easy floor, however it’s going to even be shiny. Like I instructed you, once you put on a leather-based sole, that is nonetheless the within of the leather-based. It’ll put on fairly quick. You’ll get an uneven floor, and it’ll begin to lose that sq. form as a result of it’s sq.. By repeatedly utilizing this, you’ll be able to retain that sq. form.
Raphael: Like a 90-degree angle form.
Anders: Precisely. Precisely. Tremendous choosy—I do know I’m—however it seems a lot nicer once you’ve carried out it. You’ll be able to even apply it to the heel as nicely. If we simply do that, we will add it on the sting right here. Clearly, these are components of the shoe that must be resoled and reheeled, however you’ll be able to lengthen the looks of those components—positively the lifetime.
Raphael: Now, once you do it at house, you may as well take the shoe off and lay it flat like this, proper?
Anders: Oh, yeah.
Raphael: Push down.
Anders: After I do it myself, I’ve it like this, and I consider somebody I’m irritated by, after which I’m going nuts. So, strain—you don’t must be shy. You don’t must go all Schwarzenegger on it, however correct strain is nice. An inexpensive method—it’s not pretty much as good—is you’ll be able to take a spoon and warmth it up.
However it doesn’t work in addition to this as a result of this creates friction and warmth whereas compressing. Once you get that tremendous neat shine, you need to polish it off, clearly. However that is simply the pre-state to get a easy, good floor. If you wish to do it correctly, do okay on the higher, however be certain to do one thing on the only real edge.
Raphael: Attention-grabbing. Yeah, since you stated oftentimes that’s the half that’s extra uncared for.
Anders: At all times uncared for. For me, I’ve gone to focusing extra on the only real than the higher. You are able to do conditioning on the higher fairly quick, and you then’re carried out. All of it will depend on time, clearly. So now, we’ve squared off the only real edge, and we’ve squared off right here on the heel. So it’s smoother.
Raphael: Yeah.
Anders: Simply neat.
Raphael: What concerning the waist space, which is often just a little extra spherical? You don’t contact that?
Anders: You’ll be able to if you happen to want. That is untouched in the mean time. So, you don’t must—however you’ll be able to.
Raphael: If it’s in that form?
Anders: Yeah. So, if you happen to stroll so much in water, the leather-based will begin to change into virtually like suede as a result of it’s nonetheless the within of the leather-based—this half. So, it’s going to separate up, and it’s essential to compress the fibers into that strong construction. These have a extra curved form, so that you might need to work a bit on the angle as you progress it. However the most typical half is the toe. Additionally, if you would like, you’ll be able to add cream beneath the forefront of the shoe.
Like I stated, this helps retain the view once you take a look at it from the aspect. Once you apply a cream, it’s important to wait a bit longer. It has to—the solvents and the water must evaporate. It takes a bit extra time. However for this case, we will simply brush it off first with a horsehair brush. A horsehair brush would use horse tail hair. It’s good as a result of it’s strong sufficient to take away extra, which is normally what you’re going to have with loads of lotions.
However it’s additionally going to buff as much as a reasonably good extent. The buffing with sprucing brushes—that’s what we’re going to make use of subsequent. It provides a little bit of shine, clearly. However for a excessive shine, we need to use the sprucing brushes. And you may really transfer all the way down to the only real edge right here as nicely, simply to brush off the surplus product. Now bear in mind, if you happen to’re lazy and also you need to do as little as attainable—which some individuals do—you’ll be able to at this stage really be completed. As a result of if I take a water droplet, it’s going to run proper off as a result of we did use a correct shoe cream.
There are some shoe lotions that don’t actually present any waterproofing, which is absolutely unhappy as a result of it’s a—it’s a little bit of a sophisticated product. Since you really need to combine water—some water with a few of the waxes who want emulsification in the way in which. So, now we’ve utilized cream on the higher and the only real edge.
Pigmentation-wise, we’re all carried out. What we need to do now’s add additional waterproofing and shine. And to do that, we need to use a polish, which is good. It doesn’t present loads of nourishment. It does present a little bit of beeswax.
Raphael: Wax and solvents.
Anders: Wax and solvents, precisely.
Raphael: What wax do you employ? Is it like a mix of waxes?
Anders: It’s all the time a mix as a result of you’ve gotten—you would use pure beeswax, however it doesn’t. That beeswax may be very sticky, and it does present sort of a uninteresting shine. Nevertheless, it’s extraordinarily necessary within the formulation as a result of it creates a wax mix that’s secure. You additionally must create a wax gel with the intention to use some Ozokerite or different mineral waxes. For instance, you would additionally use vegetable choices as nicely.
Raphael: Carnauba is—
Anders: Carnauba is a really laborious wax, which is aimed for making a excessive shine. And this is identical with Montan waxes. The issue with, for instance, Montan waxes—that is what you’re going to see within the spit shine—is that when you’ve gotten an excessive amount of of the—for instance, Montan wax, it tends to shrink.
Once you apply the wax on the shoe, it takes a little bit of time and it shrinks. And what occurs to one thing that’s laborious and brittle and shrinks? It cracks. So, we attempt to keep away from that in our spit shine. So first, after we apply a polish, we apply a skinny layer.
Raphael: By fingers? So, you simply, like, rotate round twice after which sort of, with just a little little bit of strain—possibly present individuals how a lot you’re really having on the finger once you’re carried out.
Anders: You should use—apply it both on a finger—a skinny layer. Bear in mind, all the time skinny layers in the case of making use of wax. And Elegant Wax is so appropriate for use on the entire shoe. You don’t have to fret concerning the creases. Clearly, you would spit shine with it, however what we’re going to make use of for spit shining is a selected product that’s aimed for pace and shine.
Raphael: , typically once you work with, you realize, colognes—
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: You’ll be able to depend on pure and synthetic components, proper? With the pure components, after all, they’re pure, however you’ve gotten a a lot larger fluctuation. , possibly this 12 months it rained so much. Perhaps this 12 months it was actually dry. And due to that, you realize, the pure components will scent completely different and be completely different. Do you search for extra, you realize, man-made waxes or pure waxes, or does it not matter a lot?
Do you search for extra, you realize, man-made waxes or pure waxes, or does it not matter a lot?
Anders: A lot of the man-made waxes are fossil-based or coal-based. Montan waxes additionally crack, for instance. Mineral waxes that folks use—these are primarily based on coal. They’ve some properties which are excellent, however the issue is, for instance, they do have—for instance, like, Ozokerite—to generally tend to shrink, which might trigger loads of points once you apply it.
So, it’s all about discovering a stability between some—you’re going to get the most effective properties of all of the completely different wax parts and get it right into a secure—as a result of that’s the issue. It is advisable to get a secure wax gel that solidifies throughout manufacturing to a secure—and that isn’t grainy. I’ve seen loads of poor waxes which are grainy, and that is sometimes due to a cooling course of that isn’t correctly made for these particular waxes. And we apply it right here on the entire shoe. And, after all, don’t neglect the heel, the toe.
Raphael: Yeah, once you do it your self, it’s straightforward to simply put your shoe within the again. Once you’re sitting like this, you don’t see the again very simply. By yourself, you simply apply it.
Anders: You simply transfer it round.
Raphael: Precisely—it’s tremendous straightforward.
Anders: Once you do shining like this, normally what it’s important to do is focus extra on this space. And knowledgeable shiner is aware of the right way to work each methods, however it’s extra of a problem to get behind the heel. So that is simply—you’ll be able to colorize—you don’t must. You should use a impartial one. You should use a pigmented one.
Raphael: And so, you additionally apply this throughout?
Anders: So since it is a barely softer wax, it’s actually designed for use quick. So if in case you have too laborious wax, it’s going to be laborious to use, and it’s going to be tough to work with. And you’ll have points with the vamp, for instance, the place now we have creases. So that is—you would, like I stated, spit shine with it. No drawback. However if you wish to spit shine rather well, actually quick, you need to use merchandise which are aimed for this.
And there are different manufacturers that use more durable ends of the waxes of their portfolio, simply to get a stability. However for this case— I’ve clients that do want to spit shine with the Elegant Wax. It’s all about desire. There’s no—there’s really no a technique that’s appropriate. There are solely good and unhealthy outcomes. That’s my concept in life in the case of shoe shining as a result of there’s an extended vastitude of various options to good outcomes.
Raphael: Properly, and possibly typically somebody desires a spit-shine tip, and possibly typically somebody doesn’t. That’s okay.
Anders: Precisely. So now I’ve—I’ve utilized the wax. And as I stated, a perfect shoe shining simply permits time to dry as a result of it will enable the wax to settle, which signifies that my subsequent part—
Raphael: How lengthy would you say?
Anders: If you happen to apply wax, a minimal of 10 minutes—that’s ultimate. You don’t must, however ideally, no less than 10 minutes.
Raphael: However you may as well go away it for a day, or is that too lengthy?
Anders: Undoubtedly. No, you would go away it for a day. It’s only a matter of what your—what you’ve gotten.
Raphael: One factor that I used to do at this stage is, fairly than ready, I might put my sneakers within the freezer.
Anders: Humorous you say that. I play with temperature. We’re going to return to that as a result of that’s a really fascinating half. On the subject of spit shining, temperature is among the most necessary components of getting pace into your routine. Most individuals assume you simply use faucet water. No—no. Chilly water and heat water provides you with vastly completely different outcomes.
Each are good, however good at various things. Chilly water will pace up solidification, and it is possible for you to to construct layers quick. Nevertheless, constructing layers quick and getting a very neat and clear shine are two various things. In order that’s why we would like heat water on the finish and chilly water at first.
So you should use ice water for shining when constructing layers. After which, what you’ll do is simply add, for instance, heat water. And heat water with, for instance, some isopropanol or some alcohol, simply to hurry up solidification even additional. As a result of there’s a chemistry to what really occurs once you begin spit shining. There are extra sophisticated issues underneath the hood.
However now, once you simply apply wax and brush it off, it’s not as sophisticated. You’ll pace up solidification, however the shine won’t be as clear, which is clearly what I—
Raphael: See, so it’s like, are you going for pace, or are you going for perfection, so to talk?
Anders: So that you begin with pace and finish with perfection. That’s the place you get an ideal pace. So now I’ve utilized wax to the heel. I’ve utilized wax to the only real edge as nicely. And by this stage—and in addition, it is a good trick—by making use of first on the higher, after which I do the only real edge; this provides a little bit of time for the wax on the higher to settle, so I can concentrate on actually getting a pleasant shine right here with out leaving it on the aspect.
So, even with wax, we will use the only real edge to get that neat, very nice, easy floor. It’s not shiny but. It’s okay. It’s not gonna be. This can simply pressure the floor to be very easy.
Raphael: Seal.
Anders: Precisely. So, after we spit shine it, it goes to tremendous gloss, which is what I like. Proper. So now we’ve utilized wax to the higher and the only real edge. What we need to do now’s simply get an okay shine. And what we’re going to make use of now’s the yak hair brush. There are two several types of sprucing brushes: they’re goat they usually’re yak, which I might say are the most typical ones.
Anders: The factor about yak—
Raphael: What’s a yak?
Anders: Yak is a Mongolian yak. It’s a type of cow-ish animal that’s native to Mongolia and has very large fur, so it’s appropriate for prime up within the mountains. And the hair on the stomach of the beast is tremendous, tremendous skinny and tremendous delicate. Now—
Raphael: That’s what retains it insulated. It’s like with beaver, for instance—the fantastic underhair, proper?
Anders: Sure. And it’s the identical with goat hair. If you wish to use the most effective goat hair, you need to use the stomach hair.
Raphael: Have you ever ever tried beaver?
Anders: I’ve not tried beaver. That’s a brand new one. That’s going to my subsequent— I feel individuals are going to be a bit— I feel it’s going to be a bit sketchy. I don’t know. Enjoyable factor, I’ll look into it. However yak and goat—so, goat is thicker. It’s tremendous delicate, however it’s barely thicker, which implies you get rigidity and might brush it off. However it’s not going to be dense sufficient to get that compression of the waxes right into a strong, good shine. In order that’s why we would like the center to be yak and the sting to be goat for an ideal sprucing brush.
Raphael: In any other case, if all the brush is goat, it’s an issue.
Anders: Yeah. You’ll be able to really use a 100% goat hair brush, however it’s good for, let’s say, you come house and simply need to brush off your shoe for a great shine.
Raphael: And you may see right here, it is a correct brush. It’s like two levels. So, if you happen to take this factor off right here, you’ll see that the hair goes from right here and down right here. So, it’s actually in there. It’s not simply glued in there however tied down and held in place. You can even see the angle of the comb. It goes down right here after which angles extra out, and you then’ll see the identical on this one right here— which is the hallmark of a great high quality brush.
Anders: Now, we performed round with it—not solely to make it in walnut, which was enjoyable—but in addition by including magnets and different options like that.
Raphael: Yeah, you have been promoting it in a field, proper? And so the field has magnets, so it simply stays in place. Yeah, sort of just a little design element.
Anders: Yeah, precisely. So, the yak hair brush is ideal for including a excessive shine. And right here now we have a brand new yak hair brush, and we simply brush off. By simply utilizing the comb, we will get fairly a neat shine. You should use it on the only real edge. You should use it on the entire higher. I might advocate focusing so much on the creases right here as a result of that is the place you need the thinnest layer attainable.
Raphael: Just like the vamp right here? Yeah. As a result of if it’s too thick, as you’re rolling or strolling along with your foot, you’ll get creases there.
Anders: Precisely.
Raphael: And with loads of wax buildup, you’ll see that it’ll crack.
Anders: So, first off, do not forget that simply doing this—
Raphael: How a lot strain are you making use of?
Anders: The strain doesn’t come from downward—it’s from this, or—
Raphael: Hitting it on the aspect.
Anders: So the tech—
Raphael: Ah, obtained it. Okay.
Anders: That’s why we would like this angle. So, we need to hit it after which compress. As a result of when it’s up right here, there’s no strain, and right here is compression. So what occurs is it forces the wax to put in an ideal, strong, skinny layer with a excessive shine. Because of this yak is much superior to any hair I’ve seen to this point. Though it’s delicate, it’s not solely a matter of softness—it’s a matter of density and the way compact the entire brush bristle is ultimately.
Raphael: Yeah, so that you need a actually tightly packed set of hairs, not one thing that’s very free.
Anders: So clearly, what you’ve gotten now—and that is type of—regardless that we had a pleasing dialog and put loads of time into the sneakers, you are able to do this in 5 to 10 minutes with only a polish to get very nice outcomes.
You don’t must put loads of vitality into shoe shining. I do know it’s a trouble for most individuals, however it doesn’t must take loads of time. Shoe shining is definitely one of many best and least time-consuming routines if you would like it to be that method.
So now they’re clear. Now they’re barely shiny. What we’re going to do now’s begin to polish with the wax polish. You should use the Elegant Wax. You should use a tough or delicate wax. It doesn’t actually matter, however if you happen to use a more durable one, it is going to be quicker to construct layers, and you will get extra shine. That’s why we need to use the spit shine.
Raphael: As a result of the purpose is to have a number of layers. The extra layers you’ve gotten, the deeper the shine will seem, after which you are able to do a spit polish. Is that proper?
Anders: Spit shine, which is an outdated phrase for including wax layers to create a very excessive shine. Not solely do it’s essential to construct—the issue with waxes is that if in case you have wax and put a wax polish on prime of it, it’s simply going to begin to dissolve the wax beneath. That’s why we need to construct, first off, skinny layers on prime of one another. This manner, these will solidify quicker. If you happen to apply a thick layer—
Raphael: The solvent can’t escape.
Anders: Precisely.
Raphael: The place is it gonna go? I imply, it doesn’t go anyplace within the tin can, so it clearly— And that’s why you need the solvent to evaporate rapidly.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: So that you don’t have to attend an excessive amount of between the layers. I get it.
Anders: Not just for pace, however because it evaporates—when something evaporates, it’s going to want vitality. And it’s going to attract vitality from the wax, lower the temperature barely, and make the wax solidify quicker by evaporating quicker. Because of this we need to have particular sorts of solvents, like turpentine, that work quick and dissolve the wax effectively.
And for these new to spit shining, by no means apply a wax, spit shine, or something laborious wax on the creases. I do know you realize this, however for some that don’t—if you happen to apply a tough wax on the creases, you’re going to run into points like cracking.
Raphael: And it may possibly additionally, like I discovered, dry out that space, after which the leather-based is extra more likely to be compromised.
Anders: It’s actually fascinating. Once you apply the wax, if in case you have a skinny layer, we begin off with a skinny layer. You’ll be able to simply apply a number of new layers with out it penetrating into the leather-based. So, it’s type of a security barrier once you work with waxes. Because of this I all the time advocate beginning with a skinny layer. And we simply add like this. You should use a material—it’s not an issue to make use of a material to use. I might advocate utilizing fingers as a result of it’s quicker.
Raphael: How laborious are you pushing?
Anders: I’d say fairly laborious after I apply the preliminary levels as a result of it’s laborious. I imply, the more durable you push, the extra—extra it softens. Now, you’ll be able to’t apply laborious. As a result of as quickly because the solvents evaporate, what’s going to occur is it’s going to be, to start with, uninteresting, and second of all, the friction goes to be tremendous excessive. So, if you happen to apply strain right here, you’re going to tear it off. As quickly as you’re feeling any friction, you both apply water or a brand new wax. Oops, sorry.
Raphael: Yeah, I positively felt that resistance there.
Anders: Yeah.
Raphael: In order quickly as you’re feeling it’s sticky and grippy, that’s when it’s essential to add extra wax, so to talk.
Anders: Sure.
Raphael: Since you need it to be—then the solvent has already labored, and also you don’t need to take off what you already placed on.
Anders: Precisely. What you are able to do, mistake-wise, is that you just apply wax, and also you’re too gradual. Even if you happen to construct up a spit shine, if you happen to’re too gradual so as to add water or extra wax, you would tear all of it off. It’s going to look actually horrible. Clearly, you’ll be able to redo it, however it’s a matter of, like I stated, pace. So, you’d prefer to keep away from that typical mistake. And so, now we’ve utilized wax right here on the only real edge as nicely as a result of we need to polish that up as nicely. That is going to look even higher through the use of the sprucing.
Then, by sprucing with wax, it’s going to look a lot better than utilizing a dye—if you happen to do it correctly. You could possibly additionally add it to the heel. It’s a bit tough to spit shine from right here. Actual shoeshiner professionals know the right way to do it nicely.
Raphael: Yeah. I imply, mainly, when you’ve gotten a shoe, the laborious wax works nicely in areas which are laborious in your shoe. So, if in case you have a shoe that has no heel cap and no toe cap, it’s going to be just a little more durable. Now, with bespoke sneakers or customized sneakers, oftentimes there’s loads of reinforcement all through all the shoe. Like if you happen to contact right here or right here, there’s reinforcements in there. So, you would even apply it there if you happen to wished to as a result of it’s fairly laborious.
Anders: Undoubtedly, it’s laborious, however there’s nonetheless—so there’s additionally a gradient to it. So, for the toe, I might spit shine, excessive shine right here, after which gradiently lower it as you come to the vamp.
Raphael: So, you don’t have that all-or-nothing.
Anders: Precisely. As a result of, once more, it’s all about stability. You need a excessive shine, however you’ll be able to’t shine every thing, so it’s essential to stability it.
Raphael: Yeah. So, you’ve gotten probably the most excessive shine right here, after which it tapers off. It’s like a fade once you get a haircut, proper?
Anders: Precisely.
Raphael: You could possibly have a Peaky Blinders haircut the place it’s, like, same-nothing, after which lengthy hair—or you’ll be able to fade it.
Anders: A very good software for that is really to make use of the yak hair brush. So, once you’re completed, I’m going to point out you that, even when we spit shine the toe, we’re going to make use of the yak hair brush right here, and simply barely over the sting, so you continue to get that good gradient of excessive shine to a—nonetheless a shine, however much less so.
It’s a bit detail-y. As you’ve seen, I to this point haven’t used any water, which is intentional. So, initially, we wish to keep away from utilizing an excessive amount of water as a result of we need to keep away from water stains. Water—if you happen to get water into the fiber construction, you’ll by no means be capable to spit-shine it. There’s no method. It must be dry.
A typical concern you would run into with a pair of sneakers that you just run round with within the rain is that you could get a moist spot, which is a spot the place you’ll be able to’t spit shine, sometimes. So now we’ve utilized the wax, and what I might do if I had the time is simply put them right here, wait until the subsequent day or two, after which apply extra layers.
Raphael: Or, might I put it within the freezer at this stage?
Anders: I’ve tried this, and it really works, sure. However, I imply, you’re going to must sleep on the couch as a result of your spouse goes to actually kill you.
Raphael: Perhaps you simply get a separate freezer in your sneakers.
Anders: “Oh, honey, I’m going to go purchase a freezer.” “Ah, now we have one.” “No, it’s for my sneakers.” Now, it’s going to be necessary that we don’t over-apply. We placed on the material after which rub it barely so we don’t have an excessive amount of. Then I’m going to begin to polish. Since it is a hatch grain or a selected grain kind, you’ve obtained to be a bit cautious.
Raphael: As a result of you’ve gotten valleys and you’ve got peaks.
Anders: So that would trigger a possible drawback. I—
Raphael: As a result of the peaks would mainly—you rub it off there, after which within the valley there’s an excessive amount of wax, proper?
Anders: There’s the indifference between the completely different components of the leather-based. And you may as well see me leaping from toe to toe. That is additionally intentional as a result of time, in the case of spit shining, it’s all about time. I’m permitting the wax to settle in between the jumps. So, that signifies that it’s going to be quicker ultimately. Clearly, I’ve to do each sneakers, so the pair goes to take quicker, however the single shoe goes to take barely longer.
The very best spit shine is made two to 3 days after you really begin spit shining. You’ve obtained to provide it a while. So now I really feel okay. I wish to add a little bit of chilly water. Then I simply dab a little bit of wax, and as quickly as I really feel a little bit of friction, I simply add a drip of water and proceed to shine.
Raphael: Yeah, actually only one little drip.
Anders: You’ll be able to all the time simply apply a little bit of breath.
Raphael: Sure.
Anders: It’s all the time good. And breath is scorching. Breath is scorching. Scorching, we imply, for ending off. At this stage—
Raphael: I all the time did that. Yeah, the breath was all the time—even, proper? And it’s not an excessive amount of, you realize that for certain.
Anders: By no means an excessive amount of. So, sometimes, the difficulty you’re going to run into is that it’s important to be a bit extra cautious when spit-shining a grainy construction. So, I might say apply barely much less strain as a result of it’s legitimate in its ups and downs. So, you’ve obtained to be barely extra cautious and in addition positively be extra cautious with water. You need to apply as little as attainable to keep away from any points that you could run into.
And also you’re beginning to get a launch when the wax begins to get a shine. It normally comes fairly quick—when it goes from uninteresting to shiny. Now, we’re solely utilizing water and wax. So, now you’ll be able to see that we’re beginning to get that shine. It is because the spit shine that we made is particularly quick for spit shining with out utilizing excessive contents of Montan waxes, for instance, which makes it brittle and, I might say, barely tough to work with.
Raphael: You’ll be able to already see, you realize, the peaks of the leather-based are shinier than the valleys, however it’s additionally a cool distinction.
Anders: Yeah, however if you happen to take a look at the toe the place you stretch—as a result of once you final them, the toe sort of removes, you realize, the valleys.
Raphael: As a result of it’s a very steep angle—it’s like greater than 90 levels. And so, there’s loads of strain once you pull these uppers over the leather-based. And, for instance, you may as well see—if you happen to take a look at these diamonds, for instance, proper? On the uppers, all of them have the identical form. However as you stretch them, you’ll be able to see they get completely different in form relying on how the final is pulled. They change into, like, you realize—they only get stretched.
Anders: Properly, that’s the factor about leather-based. That’s the fantastic thing about leather-based. It’s a dwelling materials. It’s nonetheless—
Raphael: And it adapts to its form, proper? As a result of once you get it from the tannery, it’s two-dimensional, and you then make it bear in mind the form of the final. Both by means of moist lasting—you are able to do dry lasting—however it’s a fairly cool materials, if you consider it.
Anders: Correct high quality leather-based is gorgeous. That’s why I do love leather-based sneakers.
Raphael: However with material, you want a number of layers and stitch it collectively to get that very same impact.
Anders: So, what we will do now’s bounce to the opposite shoe, which is all uninteresting as a result of we haven’t actually polished it. A skinny layer simply to—what’s necessary now’s this has allowed to dry for an extended time.
Now, we simply apply wax to start out dissolving a bit so it’s easy. After which we begin to use the water. To this point, we’ve solely used chilly water. This isn’t ultimate for a excessive shine. It’s good for constructing layers. To this point, our purpose is just to construct layers.
The tremendous neat end—that’s the place we need to use the new. A standard mistake is to make use of the identical water bottle or water glass for the entire process. Attempt to use completely different temperatures and see the gorgeous impact of it.
Raphael: So, if I take advantage of scorching water—
Anders: It’s not going to be cooking scorching. I imply, it’s not going to be boiling scorching.
Raphael: I imply, you’ve gotten to have the ability to contact it, proper? However heat to the contact.
Anders: Undoubtedly heat to the contact. I attempt to use one thing like 40 to 50 levels. 50 is kind of scorching, however as quickly as you are taking a drop and transfer it, you’ve misplaced loads of temperature.
Raphael: So, 40 levels to 50 is Celsius.
Anders: Oh, yeah.
Raphael: That’s 104 to 122 Fahrenheit.
Anders: So, additionally attempt to get near the only real edge as nicely. The entire space there—since that is high quality leather-based—you will get a very nice shine fairly quick, which is superior.
Raphael: Oh, actually? So, once you say high quality, do you imply, you realize, aniline-dyed? No pigmentation?
Anders: No, in the case of leather-based and shining, the leather-based high quality makes a giant distinction. It’s about grain dimension, it’s about construction, and the way nicely the leather-based absorbs the waxes.
Raphael: I see. So yeah, pigmentation wouldn’t soak up the waxes and due to this fact not be pretty much as good. Or, I imply, you would have just a little little bit of pigmentation, possibly. Or, like… yeah.
Anders: It’s about the kind of leather-based and the way it’s tanned. That’s an entire completely different story. Tanning is a really sophisticated process, clearly, because you’re creating—
Raphael: So now you’re including the water within the sole edge, too.
Anders: Precisely. It is because we need to keep away from utilizing dyes and nonetheless get a very excessive shine on the only real edge. Though, like I stated, it’s not tremendous crucial. That is extra of the enjoyable perks that I do love to do. And now we will’t use the only real edge anymore—that’s going to take away the shine. However through the use of it at first, we get a very easy floor, after which the sprucing is absolutely quick and will get a excessive shine.
Raphael: Yeah, and the material you employ right here—it’s cotton, proper? You need 100% cotton.
Anders: I need to use 100% cotton.
Raphael: And also you don’t need a material, like a shirt material, as a result of that’s solely versatile in a single dimension. You need one thing that is sort of a knit.
Anders: On the subject of sprucing cloths, individuals have completely different views on it. I can’t say that there’s one reality to it, however I do advocate utilizing a barely versatile textile as a result of probably the most necessary components once you spit shine is not any creases on the fingers. You probably have small creases like this, you’re going to smash the spit shine. So, it must be neat. And thus, a slight little bit of stretch is necessary.
Raphael: So, you’ve gotten full management of the strain over your fingers. You probably have creases, you’ve gotten strain variations, and that’s why—
Anders: Sure. So, that’s one side of it. The opposite side is, clearly, the breathability—that’s additionally probably the most necessary components concerning the material. As a result of, like I stated, the solvents must evaporate, the wax must penetrate into the leather-based, and in addition be capable to be secure within the material fiber construction of the material.
So, you sort of want to seek out the stability there to get the proper high quality. Some individuals do want shirt materials—I do know that. Personally, I don’t. Some individuals do. So, it’s essential to discover your method—what works for you, in a method. So now I’m utilizing the sprucing brush—the yak hair brush—barely. I’m a bit extra cautious now as a result of if I do an excessive amount of on the toe, I’m going to type of smash it. However you then simply apply like so, simply to scrub it up a bit, particularly since you’ve gotten that particular construction.
So, you’re going to achieve into the fiber construction. Then we’re going to use extra layers, however then we’re going to start out utilizing scorching water. You don’t want a lot—I imply, tremendous, tremendous little—however now we’re going to make use of the spit shining approach. Identical approach, however utilizing heat water.
There’s yet one more sophisticated strategy to do it, and that’s by including isopropanol alcohol. It’s barely extra sophisticated, however let’s simply do the nice and cozy water. After which we use a lot much less wax. At this stage, little or no. You begin by including a bit—like a breath—after which tremendous skinny.
Raphael: So, you’re decreasing the quantity of wax.
Anders: Sure. It’s only one dab, actually. At this stage, we really don’t need to construct layers. What we solely need to do is get it tremendous clear. So, we use little or no wax. The issue with little wax is it’s essential to be fairly fast with water as a result of the solidification comes fairly quick.
And once more, now I’m—probably the most harmful half at this stage is friction. So, I’m very, very cautious. I apply a lot much less pressure with my finger. Like so—
Raphael: You simply contact gently.
Anders: Sure. And through the use of the nice and cozy water, we will get a a lot, a lot neater shine. The shine is sharper.
Raphael: Do it’s important to regulate your sprucing approach for grain leathers or issues like alligator?
Anders: Sure. So, in the case of grain leathers, like I stated, it’s essential to apply barely much less strain. I might say what you would find yourself with is—if you happen to add an excessive amount of water, it goes into the valleys and will get into the leather-based. After which you’ve gotten the water spots, after which it’s ruined. You sort of must redo every thing.
On the subject of alligator, it’s barely completely different as a result of the leather-based isn’t as breathable as, for instance, a field calf. Which implies it’s important to wait barely longer, I might say, for the solvent to evaporate. It’s the identical with the lotions. You sort of let it penetrate into the leather-based—it takes a bit extra time.
Raphael: Yeah. Ostrich might be additionally laborious.
Anders: Yeah. However loads of the reptile and exotics are a bit tough. Not not possible in any method. You simply want to regulate the approach barely.
Raphael: What about fish leather-based?
Anders: I can actually say I’ve by no means polished fish leather-based. I’ve polished loads of various things—kangaroo, that’s enjoyable. I’ve polished—however by no means fish.
Raphael: Yeah. I imply, there’s salmon. There’s—you are able to do, I feel, you realize, issues like stingray.
Anders: Stingray, however that’s not likely one thing you polish as a result of it’s extra skeleton than—
Raphael: Sure, it’s. It’s. However actually, the skeleton is so laborious that once you sew it, you’ll be able to’t sew it in a straight line.
Anders: No, precisely. So, one trick could possibly be balancing between left and proper. As a result of once you begin, you normally begin on one aspect and bounce to the subsequent. One drawback is that one shoe could possibly be left to set and dry for an extended time, which implies it’s going to be—
Raphael: Look completely different.
Anders: Barely completely different as a result of it’s going to have a a lot better shine on it. So, you sort of must stability that off ultimately and just remember to attempt to use the identical quantity. It’s going to really feel such as you apply much less on the later shoe or the later half as a result of this goes a lot better. Since I began with this, it’s been allowed a little bit of time to relaxation, which simply provides it a a lot quicker utility and a lot better shine.
Raphael: Do you employ a timer typically?
Anders: I by no means use a timer. I all the time use visible issues like sight, scent. I take advantage of finger friction. Sense. I attempt to use all of the senses—the ears. The ears are good for figuring out, “Oh, I want water,” or, “Oh, I want wax,” as a result of you’ll be able to hear a shine.
Raphael: So, what do you hear?
Anders: Scratches.
Raphael: Scratches. So, as quickly as you hear scratches, you add water.
Anders: So, after I polish now, you’ll be able to’t hear something of the motion. But when I’m too early with sprucing and I haven’t constructed sufficient layers, you’re going to listen to virtually like a rough construction. You’ll be able to hear the coarse construction, which ripples and destroys the wax polish.
So now we’re simply ending it off to get a excessive, neat shine. What you are able to do now’s simply apply extra if you wish to, or go away it as it’s. Don’t neglect to repair the only real edge as nicely.
So that you get that neat shine as nicely on the only real edge. It’s going to look new. It’s going to appear to be you used dyes, however you really haven’t used dyes. So, it’s far more secure, longevity-wise. Implausible.
Raphael: So, when, you realize, typically you spit polish and also you exit at a celebration, driving your automobile, and also you step outdoors and see—oh, it’s a giant ga. What do you do?
Anders: I’m sorry. If you happen to get a scratch—
Raphael: You have got a giant gouge, you realize. You’ll be able to see it’s like you’ve gotten all of the shine, after which you’ve gotten one space the place—no wax. You simply touched one thing.
Anders: That’s the fantastic thing about a correct spit shine. It goes actually quick. You simply restore it.
Raphael: Do it’s important to take it off?
Anders: Nope.
Raphael: And you may simply—
Anders: You’ll be able to restore it. You simply have to make use of barely extra solvents or isopropanol, I might say. Then apply repeatedly. So, after I’m carried out, I all the time take the yak hair brush once more to ensure I’ve a gradient of shine—between the excessive shine to the lesser shine. After which we do like this round the entire shoe. It’s okay. So now it’s an entire new shoe.
Raphael: Voila! Glorious!
Anders: I might add one factor, although. If you happen to take away a shoe, I can present you one factor that I typically do. So, it is a fiddleback. Implausible craftsmanship. What you are able to do, only for the enjoyable of it, is spit shine the waist. This creates a very nice characteristic that, clearly, nobody goes to see it. However you’re going to know that it’s perfected.
Raphael: And also you see, like, that is referred to as a fiddleback waist. And I had Amara instructed her, “Are you able to make it so it seems like an outdated violin?” I feel she did a great job, you realize—like, you see violins that appear to be that.
Anders: Sure, it’s a improbable piece of workmanship. And simply to respect the craftsmanship of the fiddleback, I apply a little bit of polish.
Raphael: Do you ever polish this half in any respect, or by no means?
Anders: No. You could possibly do it, however the issue is that you just’re going to want to get into it. So, I might use an utility brush with wax and simply get in there. That is positively a component that you could’t see. That is positively a component the place you would possibly simply be a bit extra… lazy, let’s say. However that is really, I might advocate simply including a little bit of wax right here.
Raphael: All proper.
Anders: As a result of it nonetheless extends the gorgeous a part of the craftsmanship.
Raphael: Present us the way it’s carried out.
Anders: Okay, so we’d simply—one necessary half is making use of skinny layers of wax.
Raphael: Barely lighter in colour, or is that this darker?
Anders: It’s barely darker. It’s a dose of darkish brown now. It’s as a result of I need to add a little bit of pigment. I need to add it simply round right here, simply to get a definition. You have got some water stains, and they are often managed with a cleaner. So, this half is especially as a result of I need to add a bit of additional pigmentation. Then we use—we will use a lighter colour. We’ve a medium brown, so it’s barely lighter.
At this stage, you will be lazy and simply use the yak hair brush, and that will look one thing like this. You are taking the yak hair brush and polish, and you then get a very nice shine simply through the use of it as a result of this leather-based is so compact. So, it will get very nice.
Raphael: Yeah, it’s high-density. It’s sole leather-based, proper?
Anders: Precisely.
Raphael: However take a look at that—it was actually fast, and it’s like, yeah, the violin may be very shiny sometimes due to the varnish. On this space—you would most likely really use a varnish.
Anders: You could possibly. So, what I might do is, for instance, I might add a bit of additional shine by simply dabbing right here.
Raphael: Do you ever—you realize, I used to typically put within the remaining layers—it doesn’t matter what the colour was, I might use a transparent wax. Impartial within the newest layers. As a result of I all the time appreciated—I felt like that “look into the shoe” was good. Is that one thing you ever do?
Anders: The factor is, if you happen to add a really skinny, like—the layers I added ultimately—it’s so skinny, I imply, the pigmentation doesn’t actually give any impact.
Raphael: Yeah.
Anders: So, it doesn’t actually matter if you happen to do it impartial or with pigmentation.
Raphael: And if you happen to would simply do impartial all alongside for the toe, for instance?
Anders: I used a darkish brown for this shoe. Often, I need to add a little bit of pigment as a result of it provides a little bit of depth to the shine. You could possibly use a impartial, after all, or you would use black—it’s quite common. So, what you see now goes actually quick, and it’s tremendous shiny. It’s actually like somebody put a lacquer on there. That is the fantastic thing about high quality soles—you’ll be able to really make it look improbable.
Raphael: It’s nicer than edge-painted or simply painted in a single colour with a dye.
Anders: There we go. Tremendous shiny. Let’s simply—if you happen to examine, that is simply super-fast work. You’ll be able to see.
Raphael: Very good. Very seen.
Anders: Let me repair this one as nicely.
Raphael: I’ll go away them like this and see by the tip of the day which one’s higher. Thanks a lot, Anders.
Anders: Thanks very a lot.
Raphael: It was superior.
Anders: Yeah, hope you benefit from the shine.
Raphael: I’ll. I’ll. Have a look at that. Lovely.
Have you ever ever experimented with shoe shine strategies at house? Inform us about your outcomes or challenges within the feedback beneath!
