What should I do with these 'project shoes'? Spectators?

[Gin&Tonics]

Those are fantastic! Excellent work! I bet you're glad you went with the specs now aren't you?

 

[splintercellsz]

Awesome job!!

 

[Jamesbeat]

I anticipate a Conversion Corral for shoes will spring up from this thread.

That would be cool, I had fun doing this and I'm going to keep my eye open for other bargain shoes to mess around with.
I bet there are a good few pairs of white cap toes and wingtips languishing in thrift stores that nobody wants because of the color...

The hard part for me was not the dyeing, but getting the tan parts right.
Everything I put on them made the leather too dark, and then I had the problem with removing the mink oil.

Actually dyeing the shoes took about half an hour from start to finish, and I'd strongly encourage anyone considering such a project to go for it.

The important part is in the prep.
You have to remove every single bit of coating from the leather, otherwise the dye will just sit on the surface and not penetrate into the leather.
If it's just sitting on the surface of the coating, it will come off really easily and make a mess.
You have to scrub the leather with the solvents until it's down to bare leather.
The leather will take on a dry, matte appearance, and may not be the same color as it was originally because the surface coatings containing the color will be gone.
You can test this by swabbing the leather with alcohol (99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol).
If the alcohol soaks in immediately, the leather is ready to accept the dye.

As long as you do it properly and take care with preparation, the actual dyeing part goes really fast. I used an artist's paintbrush rather than the supplied dauber so I could apply the dye accurately.

 

[nice hat dude!]

Real nice job on the shoes,if you knew me that's a big compliment as I really don't care for brown shoes.Why I have no idea maybe cause I'm color blind?Just have never really cared for them.

 

[Jamesbeat]

Funnily enough, I don't really like brown shoes either!

It is for that reason that I never bought a pair of brown shoes and probably never would have at full price.

Before the 'acetone incident', they were in very good condition and they fit me well, so I didn't want to pass them up considering the low sticker price despite the fact that I couldn't see myself wearing them much.

Now I've made them into spectators I like them much more, and I'm now looking for excuses to wear my brown shoes!

 

[nice hat dude!]

Funnily enough, I don't really like brown shoes either!

It is for that reason that I never bought a pair of brown shoes and probably never would have at full price.

Before the 'acetone incident', they were in very good condition and they fit me well, so I didn't want to pass them up considering the low sticker price despite the fact that I couldn't see myself wearing them much.

Now I've made them into spectators I like them much more, and I'm now looking for excuses to wear my brown shoes!

Works out great,if your married you just tell the Mrs.that you have buy new clothes to match your shoes,they don't understand buying a new hat but they sure will understand that, again real nice job on the shoes.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I own maybe 25 pairs of brown shoes or boots, but as I seem to be in the same company that brown just does not appeal as much as other colors for foot ware.

After your shoes have been dyed and worn a period of time, and you have polished them with either the wax polish or a cream, that will seal the leather up some enough that you can be safe to use mink oil or any other conditioner right on them. I have used a top coat on a few pairs of shoes that I used some white shoe coloring on, to seal it up. I am not so sure it worked as well as just leaving the dye alone and waiting for the dye to cure a bit and then applying some cream polish to?

I agree with what has been posted here, we should have a thread and have all this moved to "shoe conversion"! Perhaps a bartender reading this can do that for us? I hope so!!!

I find it really nice to be able to rework shoes and have them look better. Sharing information on this is very helpful to know. I have learned so much about hats and leather since being on the Fedora Lounge, seems the spirit of being willing to take the challenge to craft things at home, gives me at least the courage to do so. Not everything I have attempted to do works for me, but to learn what NOT to do always helps me find a way to do what will work!

And look at the expertise some have here on the lounge with regards to shoes and boots! Geez, some fellows have shoes from the turn of the century 1900's and post pictures and know the history of when the shoes were made and who made them. Museum knowledge there....it motivates me to study into what vintage shoes I own and to find out as much as I can about them as well. The same holds true with all clothing items, be it a hat, shirt, tie, socks, suits, you name it. Someone here is always going to educate the rest of us, and I am very thankful to be able to enjoy it by simply being "here"!

Your shoes look really great! Good job! Thanks for the pictures, too!

 

[nice hat dude!]

I own maybe 25 pairs of brown shoes or boots, but as I seem to be in the same company that brown just does not appeal as much as other colors for foot ware.

After your shoes have been dyed and worn a period of time, and you have polished them with either the wax polish or a cream, that will seal the leather up some enough that you can be safe to use mink oil or any other conditioner right on them. I have used a top coat on a few pairs of shoes that I used some white shoe coloring on, to seal it up. I am not so sure it worked as well as just leaving the dye alone and waiting for the dye to cure a bit and then applying some cream polish to?

I agree with what has been posted here, we should have a thread and have all this moved to "shoe conversion"! Perhaps a bartender reading this can do that for us? I hope so!!!

I find it really nice to be able to rework shoes and have them look better. Sharing information on this is very helpful to know. I have learned so much about hats and leather since being on the Fedora Lounge, seems the spirit of being willing to take the challenge to craft things at home, gives me at least the courage to do so. Not everything I have attempted to do works for me, but to learn what NOT to do always helps me find a way to do what will work!

Your shoes look really great! Good job! Thanks for the pictures, too!

Reminds me of a quote"When you're trying somethin new the fewer people that know about it the better"

 

[Jamesbeat]

Reminds me of a quote"When you're trying somethin new the fewer people that know about it the better"

Yes indeed!
I would have kept this quiet until I had finished had I not been sure of the outcome of the dye job
Of course, I scuppered myself somewhat with the whole mink oil problem, but it turned out alright in the end, so no egg on my face

 

[nice hat dude!]

Yes indeed!
I would have kept this quiet until I had finished had I not been sure of the outcome of the dye job
Of course, I scuppered myself somewhat with the whole mink oil problem, but it turned out alright in the end, so no egg on my face

It was actually posted to LMH2 but I'm glad it all worked out for you.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

It was actually posted to LMH2 but I'm glad it all worked out for you.

You are correct in many ways, but then you know, sharing at times sure is a way to learn even when we do make a boo boo on something we are doing. Geez I recall thinking I could work a hat with ease with a professional hat stretcher, those machines that are electric and the entire hat is shoved over....I found out I was not ready to mess with my hats yet, and made a mess of one nice hat...if I would have came to ask for some direction I may have not ruined a nice hat. I respect what you state however. It just is great to see things being done as a progressive work. The two tone shoes look very nice. Nice job done on them.

 

[Jamesbeat]

Yes I know, I was just agreeing with the sentiment.
If I hadn't been at least 90% sure the dye would work I would have done it and then made a thread about it if it worked

 

[nice hat dude!]

You are correct in many ways, but then you know, sharing at times sure is a way to learn even when we do make a boo boo on something we are doing. Geez I recall thinking I could work a hat with ease with a professional hat stretcher, those machines that are electric and the entire hat is shoved over....I found out I was not ready to mess with my hats yet, and made a mess of one nice hat...if I would have came to ask for some direction I may have not ruined a nice hat. I respect what you state however. It just is great to see things being done as a progressive work. The two tone shoes look very nice. Nice job done on them.

LMH2 it was just a quote from a book,not meant as anything in particular if I couldn't ask for help I still would be trying to figure out the G chord on my guitar(haha)