How do I "fix" scuffed corfams?

[MIKE]

Leather Luster is the devil.    If you value your soul, you won't touch that stuff and instead stick to a tin of Kiwi or Lincoln.

[Hawk200]

I have never done it, but people I know or have talked to online have had universally negative comments about it...

The people I know that had issues with it didn't prep the shoe properly. One guy I knew didn't even strip the shoe polish before he applied Leather Luster.

You can polish shoes wrong, and you can put Leather Luster on wrong. Everyone I knew that spoke badly of it didn't apply it properly. Not everyone has had negative results.

Think of this: If it was so overwhelmingly troublesome, do you really think they'd still be selling the stuff? Something that has poor press rarely makes it too far.

When it comes to new people in a uniform, they should be learning to shine shoes first. They shouldn't be worried about shortcuts for a while.

[SJFedor]

Leather luster will flake and peel off after a while. Spit shine, its the only way...

If it flaked and peeled on you, you did it wrong. I had a pair for that never did that in almost ten years. At the four year mark, I sanded them a bit, and applied another coat.

Flake and peel means that the shoe wasn't stripped properly. Leather Luster is little more than a latex paint. Paint won't stick to surfaces that aren't properly prepped.

It's an alternative to shining, but it really takes several days to do it right. I know of many cops that treat their leather belts and belt cases with it. It does work, but you have to do it right.

My boots I wear w/ my BDUs are done in leather luster, have been for 2 years, and I've yet to have any form of problem. The big key is, like he said, doing the prep work, and getting ALL the factory polish off. Took me close to 8 hours to get them all stripped down.

[Hawk200]

My boots I wear w/ my BDUs are done in leather luster, have been for 2 years, and I've yet to have any form of problem. The big key is, like he said, doing the prep work, and getting ALL the factory polish off. Took me close to 8 hours to get them all stripped down.

I'm glad someone else here has a positive experience. It can get irritating to read "Well, everyone I know has had problems with it." So much of the negative talk about Leather Luster is usually: "Well, I heard...."

Use it right, and it's good stuff. Do it wrong, and it ain't too much different than trying to get a shine using crayons. (Don't ask.)

[DC]

My boots I wear w/ my BDUs are done in leather luster, have been for 2 years, and I've yet to have any form of problem. The big key is, like he said, doing the prep work, and getting ALL the factory polish off. Took me close to 8 hours to get them all stripped down.

Use it right, and it's good stuff. Do it wrong, and it ain't too much different than trying to get a shine using crayons. (Don't ask.)

Sorry, I have to ask! Before this the worst thing I had heard of was painting an entire shoe in edge dressing  ...

[Hawk200]

Sorry, I have to ask! Before this the worst thing I had heard of was painting an entire shoe in edge dressing  ...

Seen the edge dressing shine before. Some people think that it's the same as Leather Luster, but it ain't by a long shot.

Guess I'll explain on the crayon thing, since I was dumb enough to put that in there.

Was in a previous wing at a SAR-EX one fine Saturday morning. Walked outside, and noted a cadet taking a lighter to his boots, running the flame across the tops. He noticed me watching him, and said that his shine had gotten dull. I smelled the melted wax, and said that it smelled like crayons.

Apparently, he couldn't get any Kiwi, and thought wax was wax and some melted Crayola would shine just fine. I looked at him with a Spock eyebrow, and said, "You're kidding, right?" He said he wasn't. I shook my head and walked away. Some things are too stupid to make up. Don't know what happened to him, but at times I'm not sure I want to.

[DC]

Sorry, I have to ask! Before this the worst thing I had heard of was painting an entire shoe in edge dressing  ...

Seen the edge dressing shine before. Some people think that it's the same as Leather Luster, but it ain't by a long shot.

Guess I'll explain on the crayon thing, since I was dumb enough to put that in there.

Was in a previous wing at a SAR-EX one fine Saturday morning. Walked outside, and noted a cadet taking a lighter to his boots, running the flame across the tops. He noticed me watching him, and said that his shine had gotten dull. I smelled the melted wax, and said that it smelled like crayons.

Apparently, he couldn't get any Kiwi, and thought wax was wax and some melted Crayola would shine just fine. I looked at him with a Spock eyebrow, and said, "You're kidding, right?" He said he wasn't. I shook my head and walked away. Some things are too stupid to make up. Don't know what happened to him, but at times I'm not sure I want to.

The edge dressing looked good for a few weeks, then it started to dull, then it started to look like total crap... Then the shoe was totally ruined. Then the cadet's very unhappy parents had to buy him new shoes.

[Hawk200]

The edge dressing looked good for a few weeks, then it started to dull, then it started to look like total crap... Then the shoe was totally ruined. Then the cadet's very unhappy parents had to buy him new shoes.

I'm surprised he got a few weeks out of them. Then again, he only wore them, what? Twice, maybe? And that stuff doesn't come off easily at all. It's great on the soles, but not on leather.

[DC]

The edge dressing looked good for a few weeks, then it started to dull, then it started to look like total crap... Then the shoe was totally ruined. Then the cadet's very unhappy parents had to buy him new shoes.

I'm surprised he got a few weeks out of them. Then again, he only wore them, what? Twice, maybe? And that stuff doesn't come off easily at all. It's great on the soles, but not on leather.

Two or three times for three or four hours each...

[Gunner C]

I have two sets of leather low quarters that are older than most people on this board.  They still look great and are comfortable.  They keep a shine and look better than chlorofams, corframs, or corfams. 

Buy one pair of leather shoes and save money in the long run.  Properly cared for they last forever and are good for your footsies.

GC

[SarDragon]

SARDragon is inbound hot to this thread.

There is this stuff but it doesn't work.  Buy some leather shoes.

Apologies for not checking in earlier, but I was out of town for a week, and just got loose on the posts I missed while gone.

Most of what I would say has already been said.

"Corfam" - big "C" cuz it's a trademark, although apparently abandoned by Dupont.

IMHO, they are not worth the cost for the life you get out of them. They scratch/scar easily, and there are no good/easy coverups. WIWOAD, wearing them every day as an instructor, I managed to get about an 18 month life out of them, and they were inspection ready for only the first 6 months or so. BTW, back then the leather shoes were cheaper.

Today, the leather shoes are more expensive, but still have a longer potential life, particularly for cadets who are harder on shoes than SMs. I haven't worn Corfams since I retired from the Navy, and don't miss them. They were certainly less comfortable than the leather ones that replaced them.

My recommendation - buy leather and take care of them.

YMMV.

[Grumpy]

Dave, you were out of town without checking me.  I've obviously lost control. Hope you had a good trip. 

RE Corfams:  I agree; they don't breath, they squeak when you walk in them, and they just plain hurt your feet.  Why Uncle Sam stopped selling leather oxfords in the exchanges is beyond me.  Give me a good pair of leather shoes and with a good spit shine, I can make them look like corfam.

I say again, corfams hurt, as in damage, your feet.

[addo1]

  I tossed mine a long time ago for some good leather shoes, but when I did have mine they got scuffed and I jound that a liquid "honor guard" shine would make them look better.  You have to be careful to spread it evenly, though, as you will get bubbles if you don't.  I think you can get it at Army Navy or any store like that.

[hatentx]

I have to agree and disagree with most every one.  I find no real difference between shining or Corfam.  It really is what you plan on doing with them I think.  I know that I have a pair of boots that I have a great spit shine on them and they were great to wear to work daily and the such.  I had a pair of Boot that I put Leather Luster on them.  Yes it took a long time and a few tries to get them right but in the end I still have no issues with them, I wear them for things were I need to look pretty although I have never heard any real issues with wearing them daily. 

On the Oxfords, I have owned both.  Again I would put the same principle into them.  If I am going to be wearing them and have the chance of messing them up wear the leather.  If not and I want to look pretty then on go the Corfams.

I knew a guy back in AIT that actually took a high gloss black spray paint to his boots.  I thought he was nuts when I watched him do it but after a week of applying a really slow and good coats to the boots they were the shiniest books I have ever seen in my life.  I have not gotten brave enough for that yet.

[SarDragon]

I would say more st00pid than brave. One of leather's pluses is that it is porous, and breathes. Painting leather destroys that porosity, and will eventually ruin the leather by degrading the flexibility. BTDT.

I could start a museum if I had all the ruined footwear that I, and others I know, have ruined using the various "tricks" touted above. That's a crap-game I no longer endorse nor play in.

[rightstuffpilot]

So has anyone actually used Bates Poromeric Cleaner?  What were the results?

[SarDragon]

It works OK. Bought it once to try it out. It wasn't any better than any of the other methods I used, so I saved my money for another donut or two.

[rightstuffpilot]

A good solid plan it sounds like.  I half expected to get it and discover it smells and works just like Windex.

[SarDragon]

Smell - don't recall. Similarity to Windex in cleaning efficiency - close. I usually opt for cheap and/or easy.

YMMV.

[PHall]

So has anyone actually used Bates Poromeric Cleaner?  What were the results?

It will clean the surface without damaging it.

It will NOT fix scratches in the material. Once the surface of the material is damaged, it's damaged.

I use the stuff on my Bates Corfams using a microfiber cloth and it keeps them clean and shiny.