I swear you’re the Bob Ross of shoe shining

I love shining shoes and boots. It's very therapeutic and satisfying. Who else thinks so?

i really like this guy; he knows his stuff, but what's refreshing is he is so humble.

There's something so simple yet incredibly gratifying in shining your nice pair of shoes. It's really about the simple things in life, oh man. I might sound a bit entitled but I'm actually pretty poor in conventional standards (although I don't feel poor) but most people waste so much money on buying cheap shoes every year... shoes that break down within a year due to poor quality and a lack of maintenance. If you invest in a decent pair online, which today, costs not more than twice the amount of a cheap pair from the store you end up wearing them for years if you take good care of them. Every so many years you have them resoled, or better yet, put on a sole protector and simply have that replaced (much cheaper!) and in the long run you end up actually saving money, you look better and you have that gratifying sense when you take good care of them! Furthermore: it costs a lot of resources to make shoes and an animal was sacrificed for it. So the respectable thing to do is to invest in a quality pair and take good care! Good for the animals, good for the planet, good for your looks and you help out the craftsmen and -women! And best of all: you don't have to part with that pair of shoes you grew so attached to over the years!

Preston, I am so happy to have found your channel. I recently purchased a pair of pre-owned AE MacNeil long wingtips for my son. He is special needs and is graduating high school in December. After watching your videos, I feel I can competently and confidently shine those shoes for his ceremony, and teach him to shine them for his future. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I can't stop looking at how well groomed your nails are. Love from the Scottish Highlands💕

Thanks for bringing up memories. As kids, My brother (RIP) and I used to shine shoes and would do/followed the same steps you do on your videos. We would have have different color wax for each shoe color (black, Brown, almond, light brown) and would use different brushes for each color shoe. We achieved the “mirror toe” shine by using a special cloth and would strike it using both hand. The customers appreciated the cloth shine process the most because it’s unique popping sound and the squeaking sound on the shining toe. For the sole, we used shoe paint sold only to adults but we would get away due to our profession.

Man you have educated me to why I should shine my shoes new or old. Thank you

What I love about this is your timing of each step!

Preston, you got me hooked up shining my shoes. Also noticed that your prices on these products are really competitive, I’m placing an order soon. Thanks for all the videos, they are dummy proof and I hope it helps everyone to prep, restore and maintain their shoes. Great job!

This guy is a beast of fine shoe care and restoration. Articulate, well presented, and watch him go knuckles down to bring a pair back to life.

I really like your choice if music....very classy, and relaxing. 👍

I washed and conditioned my Docs twice a day for the first two weeks, really helped break them in nicely. They're coming up 2 years old now and they still look brand new!

The cream really enriches the color, and adds depth to the finish appearance. The videos are informative and entertaining. Thank you.

Cheers to you and Kirby on your most recent video. I could only wish to have some of your talents in your creative talents. You are very passionate and seem to be very humbled. You mentioned that when people ask you what you do for a living you are hesitant to tell them you shine shoes. To the contrary you have so much to offer as a self employed business owner (CEO). You are in charge of your own destiny something many people don’t have the opportunity to do so. Stand tall my friend when asked because you can. Cheers !

I just luv ur work. The patience really pays off. The process is very soothing for me. Thanks for sharing ur master pieces.

Excellent vid. The shoes out of the box looked fine, but as soon as you've shined them you can see the patina develop from the wax polish and they look so much better... so much so, that they now originally looked dull by comparison.

Excellent work... I actually shined my safety work boots using your method and they came out great... I am hoping to buy some Allen Edmonds and give them that mirror look. It's not very common here in Houston Texas to see that mirror shine. shine...

Thankyou, thanks to you i have now shined my 'cheap work boots'. So nice to now have a Face for the velvet smooth and 'shiny' voice.

I'm learning so much from your videos! I recently got into men's shoes so this is perfect!

I never thought about this! I have a new pair of boots that will get a polish later today.

Looking forward to the mirror shine! For me, I took a break and came back a few days later. That made all the difference. Also putting the wax about halfway up the cap and working it toward the toe helped a lot.

I have always polished new shoes and boots before wearing them. My spit shine mix is two parts water and one part 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. BTW, I wear western style boots, and shine them pretty much the same way you do oxfords. All conditioners, creme and wax polishes I apply with my bare fingers. This results in the thin layers necessary for a great spit shine; the brush is spray dampened with the spit shine mix. I apply only neutral colored leather lotion to the shafts. Final buffing is with a dry worn out pantyhose, which gets rid of any matte film that may result, particularly if Lincoln polish is used (my choice). I always wash my hands when changing polish colors. Now we can have elegant boots as well. Thank you for presenting some new ideas. And, yes, I am a veteran and thank you for your opening thanks to those of us who have served.

Glad to see the longer videos! Great job!

Hi Preston! What a delightful video to watch and listen to 👌. I loooooved the background soothing guitar 😍. And I also enjoyed the face-to-face introduction, it adds even more friendliness to your already friendly toned video 😊.

You can create the magic to love shoes😍 #shineyourshoes

Thank you for been Patriot and shoe expert, I will learn from you.

Great video Preston, can’t wait till tomorrow video. Thanks for sharing.

When you said : "be really careful when you open doors" I just had a Vietnam like flash back to the day I had a very important job interview and I just wore my best shoes ( I thought they are good back then )... walked in front of the building and opened the huge metal door. The sharp metal corner ripped of the whole cap of the shoe I walked into the building like a Hobo :D since that day: "always move your feet along the opening movement of a door"

Bro great vid. Also, loved the vid with Kirby Allison! Glad you showed the #thriftcommunity some love!

I don't know how well I did in the service, but I really do enjoy the process of developing and maintaining a mirror shine now.

Oustanding! Nice to see you using some of the gifts from Kirby. Definitely have to ask Steve make me a pair of those shoe trees too! 😆 Best regards Pres.

Great video ...first time watcher , I saw your cameo on Kirby’s channel ,I will watch the rest of your videos . Keep up the great work

I've had the opposite experience with Bick 4. Where Reno would leave a residue on my hands and on top of the leather, Bick 4 would absorb virtually completely into the shoe without needing to wait a few minutes.

I wish you all the best, sir! Learned so much from this channel.

You are a true craftsman...bravo!

Fancy but down to earth shoe guy! So helpful!

Great calm voice and a wonderful instructor- I am a woman who enjoys learning how to care for leather shoes, leather clothing and accessories. I think I will also use your method on my husband's shoes as my Valentine's gift to him.

I agree! Polish up the shoes & boots before you where them. Thanks for the tips!

Man these are beautiful!!! Of course they look 1000% better once you finished them!!!!

That cream polish really woke up that leather to a whole different level.. night and day😎

Hi it’s so nice to be able to put a face to your voice. I really enjoy your videos and tips on looking after shoes, and since purchasing my first pair of Barker shoes I am constantly cleaning and nourish them with Saphire products. I live in the UK and generally purchase English made shoes eg Barker and Loakes but I would love to get some Alan Evans made shoes i believe that they are an American brand. You just can’t beat a clean and shiny pair of shoes they say so much about the person who’s wearing them. Keep the videos coming.

Another great video brother! Sweet diver you got there!!

Former marine here...consider using Barbasol Shave cream with lanolin to strip the leather first. There is always a thin protective coating of leather during shipping. I like to apply with a boars hair brush then follow with saddle soap to replenish what you've stripped. "Spit Shining"/ mirror shining is a very long process...using an old tshirt or cotton "tighty-whities" can help cut the time. Good Job.

I remember shining my boots during my first enlistment in the Army before they transitioned to the suede ones. Our drill sergeants taught us a basic mirror shine, but nothing like this. You could always tell the quality of soldier by their uniform, and shined boots stood out a mile away. We would be in the barracks with lighters melting Kiwi and using mop and glow on the toes lmao. good thing that leather wasn't high end. When we get punished in basic or did something too good, they would wait until we were in the field and all of our shined boots got tied in bundles and they would beat the floors with them, scuffing the floors and boots. then we had to clean and polish the boots and floors all over again lol

Preston, I build layers of pate de lux aboout 5-7 then hit it with a wax and alternate between pat de luxe and the wax about 5 more times with water and get a mirror shine in much quicker time. Also hope you picked up Kirbys shoe shine cloth it works really well.

You're awesome. Thanks for posting this!

Love your videos ! They are great, I watch them before I go to sleep and my girl always makes fun of me for it. You should think about selling your own cleaning kits. I would definitely buy it because your work is amazing! Just and idea, keep up the great work !

Thanks again bro. Awesome educational video and amazing shining skills.

Really enjoy your work. Thanks for sharing and going to the effort.

This was excellent, thanks!,...and nice watch!

Very thorough explanation! Thank you!😊

Preston, I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Each one is a treat. Please make a video on how you lace your shoes. I have seen several videos on the technique, but, I find the process confusing at best. Thank you. John

...it's what my Dad taught me, and to never wear shoes two days in a row

You are a shoe wizard... Loves your shines...

Oh geez. Now I'm paranoid about the walnut Allen Edmonds I ordered. I shall follow your advice now for sure.

Good stuff I’ve never done a mirror shine on my shoes gonna try it going forward though!

Well hello Mr. Soto! 😊 Enjoyed this video and the shoes really look beautiful. Looking forward to the uncut video of the mirror shine.

lovely shoes Preston and nice job..

Your channel is a blessing! Your content made me in love with shining my shoes. Much love from Pakistan ❤️ P.S When are you gonna upload the one hour long complete mirror shine turorial? Please upload it

I believe in everything you said because I found out the hard way. I have a brand new pair of a Ace Mark wingtips in curio. Took them out of the box to look at them when I first got them and inadvertently got something on them. I didn't realize it until I wanted to wear them about 2 weeks later. Whatever got on them lifted the patina. I used shoe cream to blend the spot in the best I could. It's unnoticeable now but I got a feeling I'm going to do something different with them in the future. From the information I've learned from you I'm thinking of burnishing the toes because that's where the blemish is. As soon as I get the nerve I'm going to go for it.

You are the Evel Knievel of shoe shining!

Great video! Next time you do a brand new pair, would love to see you do just one shoe and side-by-side comparisons after each step

I remember the first time I used renoveteur on one of my cheaper pairs of leather boots. All the creased up leather just relaxed almost immediately. Using that combined with keeping them in shoe trees has been amazing and made them look and feel like higher quality boots. I know Saphir is expensive and the alternatives will give you decent results, but damn I just can’t fault any Saphir product I’ve used.

I have learned a great deal from this video.

I totally agree with you. I have always polished ( spit and polish ) new shoes before wearing them. It's reasonable for me to say shoes are a passion that I'm able to collect. So many shoes or a Porsche? 😂😎

I always put a ton of polish on new shoes. Put them on in the evening watching tv. ...about 2hrs. Take them off, next day polish them as usual. They will never be uncomfortable. Works for me!

My final coat is actually old fashioned Johnson's paste wax. it works well, especially if you put on two or three coats.

Always great videos thank you! Question… Are there certain applications where you would use pigs hair brush over horse hair brush and vice a versa?

Beautiful shoes!

I also shine new shoes, think it softens them up a little little bit as well witch is good when you will wear them.

Rocking the Babish look, love it!

Best channel to watch while in college.👌

I'm 19 I don't even have fancy shoes to wear but this video is so relaxing

I have used a toothpick to remove excess cream or wax from the broguing.

Beautiful work

Excellent. Thank you.

When you seen someone brush the shoe like this man did, you know they’re in the know.

Another vet. Got a new pair of shoes. Stripped them, polished, and waxed them. Even put them in the refrigerator. They look beautiful. Wish you were there thirty years ago.

Great video. It was also great seeing you on Kirby Allison. Question: Do you generally brush and condition the sole as well?

Fantastic job of shining a beautiful pair of shoes. Use a blunt toothpick to clean brogue holes that are clogged. Love your channel. Take care.

You do awesome work your an artist….🎉

👍I agree with you. I have no idea why I’m obsessed with good shoes and caring for shoes. I’m a woman and I like taking care of my shoes (and the shoes of people I love). 💞

Loved to watch you channel, I been using sapphire products as you're, and go the same shoe too. Loved my strand walnut and black park avenue. Thanks for the video. God bless,

Preston “big ole head” Soto! Miss our elementary days in computer class! Glad to see you doing well

Ever since i started watching your videos i shine My shoes. But not good as you thought haha thank you

Thank you!! I really have learned a lot from you!

I had wax and polish on my tan shoes and the pickle juice are through everything. I used dark brown to patina the toes to blend in the stain .

When I get to the bottom few chunks of shoe wax I’ve had good luck putting the tin in the oven on like 170 or so and the wax resettles on the bottom of tin for easier use. Usually only takes a couple minutes.

Hi, awesome video! I know it's good to have different brushes for colours, but should I use separate brush for cleaning and other for polishing?

Great video Preston! Time to create an Amazon agreement so you can send people to your links and add profit for your great service offering. Thank you for “Letting your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven”.

Thank you very much. you are doing a great job and keep going. Big Like!

Very helpful video, thank you. I just bought a new pair of Cheaney loafers (I’m an Englishman living in England) &I think I overdid it with the Saphir Renovateur before the wax as the creases in use are really showing far earlier than they normally would. I’m wondering whether I ought to start all over again with Renomat & be more mean with the Renovateur & subsequent wax. Difficult to know what to do to solve the problem.

Epic Job

Wow! Nice job!

Those are beautiful shoes.

Very cool. Thank you! Subscribed, 1st time watcher

Just got into shoes recently because of you, and love this new interest! I have a question, I wonder do you put polish cream on the second polish (given that we already put wax on top)?

Maravilloso 👌🏻

thank you for this video!! enjoyed it very much! just a question: do you use a separate brush for black/dark shoes? or can I use my horsehair brush (i sadly don't have a kirby allison pig hair brush) for all my shoes (black, dark brown, lighter brown)?