Just wondering what product is best to use on your shoes to get that patent-leather look. Right now I am using Kiwi liquid polish, but I don't get the glossy look so many other guys do. Any suggestions?

It's called a spit shine. It takes some work but it is worth it. Can't just paint it on.

If you want to get that look, suggest you do the following: First, use paste polish and lots of elbow grease (and a good shoe brush) to get a quality shine on your shoes. Then use Griffin liquid polish to get the high gloss shine. Kiwi is a waste of time.

You can get Griffin from the eReferee Mall under basketball accessories. Remember that the best way to care for your shoes is to only use paste wax after every use. The use of the liquid wax will give you the high gloss shine, but it will also make the leather more brittle and shorten the life of the shoe.

Well there is always Leather Luster. I have used it and found it to be a very good product. Never had a problem with it making my shoes brittle or cracking. There is another product that can be purchased from a military PX I think it's called Spit Shine......Tried it last year....work pretty good.........I spent 5 years in the Military "spit shining" my boot and don't really want to spend my time in civilian life doing the same. :)

Hi there Ron...(this is DJ)...actually that stuff is called SHAPE-UP, and you can also order it from The Officials Choice company...that's the only place outside of a PX I have found it...

Matt,

Ron is correct. Leather Luster is just about the best thing going for basketball shoes. You can order it from their web site or you can send your shoes to them and they'll do them for you. Here's the web address.

http://www.leatherluster.com/

If you're not interested in Leather Luster, try this.

1 - Strip your shoes using finger nail polish remover.
2 - Use Kiwi Leather Dye and let it dry.
3 - Use a black leather polish paste and apply a liberal amount to the shoes.
4 - Using a cigarette or grill lighter, melt the polish into the shoe leather. Just avoid the rubber soles.
5 - Buff them with a sprinkle of water and polishing cloth.
6 - Just touch them up with the paste polish once a week.

If that's too much work, KIWI make a polish called Honor guard that gives the best shine of any of their products. But it does tend to crack eventually and has to be stripped and re-applied.

Hopefully, something here helps!

Tony

I have also tried with some success using some of the leather care car products such as Armorall or Turtle Wax for leather products. After applying a paste wax and buffing my shoes, I spray on one of these products and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes and then I polish it out with a soft cloth. This also gives it a high gloss shine.

I just got in a new product from purchase official supply, it is called Magic Shine. It comes in a large aresol spray can. It works on all colors. I just applied it to my Run-n-ref shoes and they turned out great. You need to have a good base of polish first, I used kiwi black liquid then the Magic Shine. It costs $5 per can and can be ordered from http://www.calltheobvious.com, Basketball accessories. It has the same luster as Leather Luster but without all the stripping required for LL. Stock #SH-MS Magic Shine Shoe Spray. I think you will like it.

Jerry,

I hate to tell you this but in a couple of months you're shoes will look terrible. Magic Shine is absolutely horrible for peeling and cracking. I speak from experience.

Tony

I personally am not an advocate of really shiny shoes. I think it falls under the catagory of not being noticed. I just use kiwi paste and buff it out. Plenty of shine and protection without the cracking and peeling. But...for those of you who really want shiny, a company call The Officials Choice has a shoe that is almost patent leather. It requires no polishing. They brought a pair to show us at our interpretation meeting. Too shiny for my tastes but many ofthe guys really liked them. Their phone number is
1-800-480-4477.

Her's another uniform question.

Pants...Pleats or no pleats?

Have fun - -suppref

NO PLEATS!!! I think they look baggy & sloppy. They make thin guys look not-so-thin and make heavier guys look, well, heavier-than-that.

Just my little opinion...

Re: shoes. I use Leather Luster on my shoes and love it. I put about 5-6 very thin coats on (drying them completely between coats). Before each game, I give them a spray with Pledge furn. polish, wipe away any scuff marks, and I'm ready to go in 15 seconds. A good application of LL has lasted me from 2-2 1/2 seasons with only minor peeling just now beginning to show where the shoe bends.

dk

I agree, use the paste wax & elbow grease, your shine
will be fine. As for pleats: Up until this year, no
pleats. This year, pleats!

Hey Dave, do you really use shoes for 2 1/2 years?

Hey Dave, do you really use shoes for 2 1/2 years? [/B][/QUOTE]

Sure. I use them ONLY for "in season" games. I don't work summer ball - unless it is a clinic. I work about 65-70 games per year, don't do rec leagues anymore, so they tend to hold up.

Now back when I was working 200+ games per year, I was going thru shoes like toilet paper.....

dk

Just joined in and was interested in the topic. I've not used to many different types of polish, but the best thing I've used is paint. I used model car paint and gloss on my run-n-refs and it worked great. I'm looking for something different though.

I've used Shape-Up and they look great. My concern with such things is that it should prevent or limit how much the shoes breath. I don't think regular paste wax does that.

I've been told to use a mix of Fortune 2000 (Formula 2000?) and paste wax, several coats, buffed out in between. Have not yet looked for that product, but it is suppose to be available in shoe stores.

BTW, our association <u>requires</u> the high-gloss look.

[Edited by Richard Ogg on Nov 9th, 2000 at 08:41 AM]

SHOE SHINE
 

If you have not heard of Leather Luster it is the best thing on the market.You can apply it yourself,or you can send it to them and they will apply it for you, Here in my area I have a small business where I do referee shoes and I only use leather luster.But you MUST make sure the shoes or boots are leather or it will no go on correct.If you need more information regarding this product please e-mail me.

LOVE AND RESPECT

An artist at work
 

Painter,
Do you use the Hi-gloss, Hi-Temp or Flat Black?
mick

A product some of the guys in the military use is KIWI "Honor Guard" it is a nice polish and looks good. I will be using it this year and can give a full report later.

Good Luck

Don,

Kiwi Honor Guard does give a first class shine but it will crack and peel. It's okay if you need a fast temporary shine but you're going to have to strip the shoes once it starts peeling.

Tony

Tony, thanks for the "tip" i end up buying a new pair of shoes every year, so a stripping job would not bother me.

Thanks Again,

Mick; the paint I use has been a hi-gloss paint. You can find it in the model car section. Next time you go to a Wal-Mart, go pick up a can. On the back it has several things you can use it on including leather.

Has anyone tried to leather luster the new balance 608's? I don't want to order it, if it is not going to work. The local officials store stopped carrying it because it would not work on the Whistles; too little leather, too much synthetic.

Looks like Converse got me again.

I thought you were jokin'
 

vhslref,
I never woulda thunk it, cuz it really sounds brittle.
Thanks.
mick

Brian,
The shoes that you tried the leather luster was the new Converse All- Star Whistles; Right or Wrong? If right let me know because I just ordered some and I don't won't to waste money.

I personally did not try it on the whistles. A local referee owns his own referee equipment store and used to sell Leather Luster, but stopped because no one could get the stuff to dry on the whistles. I guess LL told him it was because there is not enough real leather in it.

Brian,

I'm on my second pair of Whistles and have not had any trouble at all with Leather Luster drying. One important thing to remember is not to use it on the edges of the soles. It will be very sticky and appear to not have dried. But this part of the shoe is rubber and you should use Kiwi Edge Dressing.

The worst thing that you can do with any polishing process is get in a hurry and begin the next step before the previous step is complete. To use Leather Luster properly takes 3 to 4 days. But it's well worth it.

Tony

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BktBallRef

Quote:

[i] ... One important thing to remember is not to use it on the edges of the soles. It will be very sticky and appear to not have dried. But this part of the shoe is rubber and you should use Kiwi Edge Dressing. The worst thing that you can do with any polishing process is get in a hurry and begin the next step before the previous step is complete. To use Leather Luster properly takes 3 to 4 days. But it's well worth it. Tony

Tony, I agree...you must take your time, be patient while letting LL dry. I DO use LL on the rubber edge of the soles, and have not had a problem.

My drying technique (don't know if this is endoresed by the LL folks, but it works for me): My clothes dryer came with a rack that sets in place inside the drum. I simply put the wet shoes on the rack, fire up the dryer, and presto!, dry, SHINY shoes.

I dry them this way between each of about 4 or 5 thin coats of LL. The shoes look great, and scuff marks are cleaned up with a spray of Pledge and a quick wipe of a rag...

dk