Shining shoes as therapy

[Matt O]

Yes...it’s a zen activity...focusing on the perfection of a single thing in a single moment of time.

I have also found shaving with straight razors and writing with my fountains pens to also be zen activities...everything else filters out!

Vr

Matt

 

[Beakerz]

Shining my shoes is very therapeutic. So is ironing my clothes.

100% agree - nothing like setting the perfect crease in a pair of pants.

Shining oxfords or parade boots are up there too, as is shaving

 

[Rusty Blade]

100% agree - nothing like setting the perfect crease in a pair of pants.

Shining oxfords or parade boots are up there too, as is shaving

Shaving holds a special place for me. My life can be pretty hectic at times and it has all the usual stressors. Shaving every morning is my daily therapy. Shining shoes is my weekly therapy. Ironing clothes is weekly as well. I guess I just need a lot of therapy.

 

[Whilliam]

I used to love to shine my shoes when I wore shoes that needed to be shined. Very relaxing. Even more so I liked getting a shoe shine from someone who really knew what they were doing. I equate the relaxing feeling of getting a shoe shine to that of sitting in a barbers chair.

+1

 

[Whilliam]

Ironing my dress shirts is also great therapy. Very relaxing.

Forgot about ironing my shirts. Used to do that in college, usually right before dates. Took the edge off things. I'd use enough spray starch so the damn things would just about stand up by themselves.

 

[KW Driver]

shoes yes. honing yes, shaving, riding... any number of things zen me.

ironing never did

 

[John Rose]

My dad always did his own shoes and boots, but he but he did at least teach me how.
He would let me polish the brass on his Army uniform, when they were still brass.
Remember these?

I still like polishing brass or silverware.

 

[EL SOFA]

Yes, I feel the same. And what about getting shoes repaired with a nice new heel and leather soles? Shoe repairs are hard to find anymore but worth it.

 

[eelhc]

We really should have a best practices section.

A new pair of shoes should immediately get a nice, liberal coat of conditioner and polish with a mirror shine to them. That initial protective coat of polish is really important to protecting the shoes and making them last. An added benefit is that it'll make it so much easier to put a subsequent mirror shine on them.

I recently ran into this... Leave it up to the Japanese to perfect even the most humble of tasks. Enjoy!

 

[Polarbeard]

My first training officer in the army used to say that he couldn't care less about our boots as long as he could see the mirror image of himself when looking at them. He didn't mean it as a joke. Now nearly 30 years after leaving the service I still take pride in the shine of my shoes and I do notice the condition of other men's shoes.
Polishing shoes is relaxing and a well dressed, clean shaved, fit man with well polished boots usually has the upper hand in any situation.

 

[EL SOFA]

We really should have a best practices section.

A new pair of shoes should immediately get a nice, liberal coat of conditioner and polish with a mirror shine to them. That initial protective coat of polish is really important to protecting the shoes and making them last. An added benefit is that it'll make it so much easier to put a subsequent mirror shine on them.

I recently ran into this... Leave it up to the Japanese to perfect even the most humble of tasks. Enjoy!

13:14 is the money shot. The rest is just teasing us!!

 

[Marco]

Shining my shoes is very therapeutic. So is ironing my clothes.

I totally agree with that, Sir! I love to shine my shoes and I equally love to hand wash and iron my tailored shirts.

 

[TinyTim]

I totally agree with that, Sir! I love to shine my shoes and I equally love to hand wash and iron my tailored shirts.

Marco--I'm interested to learn how you hand wash your shirts? I've never done this, but am interested in trying it out. I use the delicate cycle when washing most clothing, then hang to dry or give clothing a brief cycle in the dryer before hanging. This gives clothes a longer life.

 

[Marco]

Marco--I'm interested to learn how you hand wash your shirts? I've never done this, but am interested in trying it out. I use the delicate cycle when washing most clothing, then hang to dry or give clothing a brief cycle in the dryer before hanging. This gives clothes a longer life.

Tim, the process is very simple. Here below is a list of what I use:

1. A basin that can contain roughly 10 liters of water (or at least 2 US gallons).
2. A quality white bar of soap for laundry.
3. A quality liquid soap for delicate clothes (wool, silk, cotton, etc).

The process:

1. I fill the basin with COLD tap water.
2. I wet the areas of the shirt that need more attention (collar, cuffs and any other spot with particular dirt) and rub upon these areas the white bar of soap. Let's call this a "pre-treatment".
3. I put the liquid soap in the basin and mix with water using my hand.
4. I put the shirt in and make a series of "up and down" movements to wash it well.
5. I leave the shirt in for 10/15 minutes.
6. I rinse the soap off completely with clean cold water.
7. I hang the shirt to dry when it's still wet (this helps during the ironing stage).
8. I iron the shirt.

It seems long, but it isn't.

I hope this may help.

 

[John Rose]

I recently ran into this... Leave it up to the Japanese to perfect even the most humble of tasks. Enjoy!

I noticed that when he put the laces back in he made them a mirror image of each other, when you look at the diagonals and how they go over or under as they cross underneath.
Nice.

Although I prefer "Train Track" lacing, for single colour laces.

 

[EL SOFA]

I noticed that when he put the laces back in he made them a mirror image of each other, when you look at the diagonals and how they go over or under as they cross underneath.
Nice.

Although I prefer "Train Track" lacing, for single colour laces.

Interesting observation. And I've never see that train track style..

 

[razorboi]

Gentlemen:
Please come to my place. A veritable Zen-topia awaits you!
I've plenty of shoes and boots in want of the excessive polishing and mirror-like gloss you are yearning to provide.
Shirts await your focused, attentive cleansing and ironing, promising the inward bliss presently absent in your lives.
In particular, a specialist in trouser creasing is urgently sought. I demand perfection and can be a cruel and pitiless taskmaster...if you so wish.
And honing? Why I could put two or three of you to work straight away on my collection!
Yes, clean and refill my fountain pens, wind my watches, polish my silverware... I should start a list!
And gardening? Who amongst you seeks inner peace through gardening?
Successful candidates will align their chakras, achieve nirvana and set their souls free through meditative, contemplative, and spiritually satisfying labour...and experience the sense of higher consciousness that can only come from a job well and perfectly done.

 

[eelhc]

Gentlemen:
Please come to my place. A veritable Zen-topia awaits you!
I've plenty of shoes and boots in want of the excessive polishing and mirror-like gloss you are yearning to provide.
Shirts await your focused, attentive cleansing and ironing, promising the inward bliss presently absent in your lives.
In particular, a specialist in trouser creasing is urgently sought. I demand perfection and can be a cruel and pitiless taskmaster...if you so wish.
And honing? Why I could put two or three of you to work straight away on my collection!
Yes, clean and refill my fountain pens, wind my watches, polish my silverware... I should start a list!
And gardening? Who amongst you seeks inner peace through gardening?
Successful candidates will align their chakras, achieve nirvana and set their souls free through meditative, contemplative, and spiritually satisfying labour...and experience the sense of higher consciousness that can only come from a job well and perfectly done.

Ahhh... But you do realize that we do these things in part because we are are shallow egotists who are not beyond demonstrating our superiority over our friends and neighbors.

Yes... I am that guy who puts down an extra strip or two of ferterlizer on my lawn borders so there's greater contrast between my lawn and my neighbors.

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

 

[EL SOFA]

Gentlemen:
Please come to my place. A veritable Zen-topia awaits you!
I've plenty of shoes and boots in want of the excessive polishing and mirror-like gloss you are yearning to provide.
Shirts await your focused, attentive cleansing and ironing, promising the inward bliss presently absent in your lives.
In particular, a specialist in trouser creasing is urgently sought. I demand perfection and can be a cruel and pitiless taskmaster...if you so wish.
And honing? Why I could put two or three of you to work straight away on my collection!
Yes, clean and refill my fountain pens, wind my watches, polish my silverware... I should start a list!
And gardening? Who amongst you seeks inner peace through gardening?
Successful candidates will align their chakras, achieve nirvana and set their souls free through meditative, contemplative, and spiritually satisfying labour...and experience the sense of higher consciousness that can only come from a job well and perfectly done.

Sounds great but what's the catch!!?? You have all of these tasks for us to perform? Sadly this seems too good to be true and I'm going to have to call b s.
Lololol

 

[razorboi]

Sounds great but what's the catch!!?? You have all of these tasks for us to perform? Sadly this seems too good to be true and I'm going to have to call b s.
Lololol

What? You mock me? You dare to call my bluff?
There is no catch. Indeed, I have all this work to allocate...and more besides!
Why, I've been patiently wringing my hands in silence as I wait for my post to attract an unwitting moth such as yourself, err... I mean, a pilgrim seeking enlightenment.
I've at least a dozen shoes and boots, nearly fifty long-sleeved shirts, and half as many short-sleeved ones, pleated trousers numbering roughly two-score, two silverware sets, one a service for eight, the other for six, and at least two dozen fountain pens.
Admittedly, I've only a few open-razors to hone, but honers are a dime-a-dozen anyway. And we all know that 98% of straight-razor owners never shave with them. They just like to hone them, step back, admire their handiwork...and of course, fuss about all the rare and expensive coticules, pastes, strops and other arcane tools they employ at their dedicated work-benches, to set and maintain those trophy-worthy edges! To their credit though, they do at least cut a single hanging hair with each blade that they sharpen.
Perhaps you fear that these tasks can be quickly accomplished and your spiritual bliss will be short-lived?
I've thought of that, and I promise, that before your chakras wander, I will move you over to the gardening team, whose work, apparently, is never done!