I watch Gene Kelly in that clip and think to myself, "I wonder if Gene waterproofed his shoes before that scene". I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to shoe care.
I like the all of the creams and polishes and cleaners and old t-shirts and daubers and horsehair brushes and, oh, see what I mean. I like the end result best of all; the shine on the toe of my cognac balmorals, the greasy, coal-black of my loggers, the slight burnish of black on my cherry three-eyes, and most of all, the beads of water signifying the impenetrable barrier I have bestowed upon my beloved collection of footwear with the appropriate waterproofer. All of them get it really, the waterproofing, even those whose scuffed and marred appearance I cherish and wish to preserve, the patinated character alluding to the type of affair I have with a given pair. None are spared.
Ideally, I like to begin the process fresh out of the box. I begin with a damp rag, wiping the shoe, coaxing the pores in the leather to open, readying them for the flood of protective water-based polymers from the jar of Nikwax with which I will saturate the surface. Satisfied with my liberal application, I wipe off the excess and wait for them to dry, sometimes. Sometimes I don't. You don't need to really, they're waterproof as soon as you've soaked them with Nikwax (the waterproofing following the journey through the leather that the water before it took,) the tiny, hydrophobic, polymers clinging to the fiber and cell structure within.
And now, the moment I've been waiting for... the squirt bottle! I know, I know, it is a bit silly, but the results always impress. Even the casual observer will emit an unplanned ooh or ahh. You don't need a squirt bottle, you could just flick the finished product with your dampened fingers, but... I pointed out my nerdiness earlier, did I not? Either way, you'll be impressed, your footwear will be protected from the elements, and you'll have fun watching the transformative process. I suspect you'll soon be scouring the closets of friends and relatives looking for more footwear to waterproof, not that I do that...
Follow along in the photos below to see the amazing transformation of a pair of Fidjis - in all their handmade-in-Portugal, vegetable-tanned-leather, glory - into a pair of incredibly water and stain resistant resistant footwear ready for any weather Seattle can throw its way. The front shoe in each photo is treated, the rear shoe is not. You'll notice the slightest bit of darkening of the treated shoe, a modest price to pay for the level of protection you receive in return.
Nikwax is available in formulations for smooth leather, nubuck and suede, and fabric and leather combinations, as well as general purpose waterproofing for bags and apparel.
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