The “Dry Spot” Problem when Mirror Shining. How to fix a common yet FRUSTRATING issue when shining. 

As a Serving member of the Armed forces, i thank you as you have just saved me from a "Rescrub" on my next inspection. I fought with one of my shoes for 3hrs before i saw this video, i've been polishing my shoes to a mirror shine for years but never had this issue until now. i tried waxing, leather treatments (softeners and moisturisers), stripped the polish back twice (ended up puting on over 70 layer's of polish overall!) and after all that i still had a large dry spot. You've earned a subscriber today and i will be instructing my lads to follow this video when they have issues with boots and shoes.

Me, never planning on mirror shining: ah yes, the video ive been looking for.

I’m a new cadet and was shining my boots when I came across the same problem. I appreciate the video.

You’re the hero we need, Preston. I started watching your channel just a few weeks back. It’s been an addiction. I received my pair of Meermin copper 101440s in copper today. I immediately got to work with the brush, crème universelle, 1909, pate de luxe, and - ultimately - the neutral mirror gloss. A dark spot developed on the toe. It sure looked like I’d somehow distressed the calf. Instead of panic setting in, I recalled this video. Three rounds with the hairdryer with a little buffing in between and the blemish was nearly gone. 30 minutes later working the mirror gloss back in, I have a shine about 50% as good as that at the end of this vid (that’s a massive win for this absolute novice)with zero evidence the blemish was ever there. It’s all down to you and your excellent content. Bravo, Sir! The finger and palm trick worked wonders, too. I slowly rebuilt a couple dozen layers of gloss that way, the extra friction heat really helping, before finishing off the last few layers with the shirt scrap two finger wrap. I need some crème polish in light brown for these, some oiled leather crème for my Captains (see your CXL video), and -what the hell, I’ll take a welt brush too… order placed on EO.com. Thank you, Preston. This 48 year old novice is in your debt. Cheers.

This was a lifesaver. I fought 2 pair of boots for several days without being able to get rid of the 'dry spot'. Not understanding they needed to dry out. Drove me crazy until I found this vid. Put the heat gun on them for a few seconds and started over. Now they look fantastic. Thank you.

For years I have used an old nylon stocking for final polish. As a stocking is used, it accumulates a bit of was, giving an even better shine. The trick is to hold the shoe between your knees, and RAPIDLY stoke back and forth with the stocking held in two hands. It will build some heat, and will polish that wax to a hard finish. I even carry one, along with a clean brush, in my car for quick touchups in the field.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I was frustrated why I got this spot that just won't shine. And now I know why and how to solve my problem. Amazing video!

So a dry spot is actually a wet spot. Awesome content as usual mate.

This is by far the best I have seen from you Preston. Great job brother.

I'm not sure how shoe shining and cobbling got into my rotation, but it's really sparked a irl interest.

Where were you when I was in the military, without the internet, and trying to mirror shine my Combat boots? LOL, thank you. I have caused the spots on my shoes and was not sure how to get rid of them. I appreciate you and your skills.

Thank you for making this video, I've been watching your video for a year. And I just spent my entire afternoon trying to get rid of it then I think of your video that I watch two weeks ago. Then I solved it in 30 minute and that's your credit.

Fabulous mirror shine been using my fingers for decades,and you are right you cannot do this if excess moisture is present in the leather.

Thanks for all the helpful tips. I recently followed your guide to mirror shine and it came out pretty well for a first time.

So I found breathing hot (not blowing) and a lot of brushing always got them out for me. Same with cracked mirror shines. When you said heat gun at 1000° I thought I was crazy, but you showing the friction method calmed me down.

Thank you for this I thought I had ruined my favorite Steve Madden shoes, the shine came back and is brilliant! Thank You!!!

Learned this in a much more crude and highly-pressured manner (instead of a heat gun we exposed the shoes to open flame) 16 years ago. This definitely helped educate me on the why. Good stuff. The use of a mix of alcohol and water on the final buff is interesting, though. In my experience, using alcohol was a bit of a cheat which led to a shine that very very quickly dulled.

You’re a hero.. my shine looked good but if you put a torch on it.. it was really patchy.. I followed these steps and now it’s all one deep shine ✨.. I used a hair dryer and a scotchbrite a few times now it’s looking sweet

Wow! had set my own pair aside for some weeks because of this. Didn't know what to do with this problem.. literally took me 5 minutes of this video and 5 minutes work on my shoe before the problem was solved!! thank you!!

Congratulations on the 200k Preston! I always love watching your stuff and have learned a lot

Mate, I must say I have learned a lot about mirror shining my shoes from you and Kirby, and I’m glad you keep helping us fans to achieve a better technique. P. S: I would really love it if you could make a review on Prada shoes (the Mexican-Spanish brand).

Thank you for explaining the cause of the problem. I now know how to take care of it! Thanks! Your videos are fantastic

When I learned to dance my dance shoes were patent leather. My dad was old school & taught me of taking care of your shoes. I have always polished my work shoes & I have seen people in Armani Suits but wearing scuffed up dirty shoes. You can always learn something new & today I have learned that something new. As a former Army Officer we were trained on how to polish our black leather boots. When our army went to the Brown boots we rejoiced as the spit & polish we once needed was a thing of the past. I still shine my shoes every week for work as I wear a suit.

Fantastic video - a pleasant surprise when I opened RU-vid just now. Thanks for the great tutorials! I'm about 75% of the way there, with my mirror shine - I thought it was fine, but the shoes in this video are truly a step above/beyond. Thanks again!

Recently, it took me 3 DAYS(my worst shining experience) to get rid of a dry spot, but it was probably due to my extreem impatience, constantly trying to fix it, and not letting the shoe dry properly.

Very much appreciated for this video. Just started wanting to get a mirror shine on my shoes and made the dry spot.

Im very impressed! Ive mixed olive oil, beeswax, turpentine, and a few drops oil of lavender to make a pattent polish and got quite good at boot polishing; but your method seems simpler and you dont have to have pattent le a ther to start with. You make it look so easy.Ive got the shoe shine bug again! Thank you! Most greatful!😅😅

Amazing, thank you for your videos. They are so inspiring. Just put a mirrorshine on my shoes and it worked out brilliant. Keep on, I love watching.

The deeper property you are referring to when talking about when adding the navy to black is common. The same thing can be said with a true midnight blue suit or tuxedo. In some light, the midnight blue can look darker than a true black suit or tux. In some cases, you won't be able to tell its not black unless you have a side by side of the two. Buy yes, black with bits of navy does look darker and I do think that looks good.

Ha, I had this happen! Never knew WHY not what to do to fix it. So glad you're my personal coach.

I learned my mirror shine while in the USAF. I miss polishing my boots and dress shoes, so sometimes, I'll pull out a pair and do my polishing while watching TV or listening to music. Yes, I still have my second pair that I bought. I had them resoled. They look great. BTW, instead of a heat gun, we used lighters or matches. Got to be careful not to burn the boot toes with too much heat.

Such an amazing mirror shine! Great work!

Thanks for this - I usually have no problem attaining a very good to mirror shine - except yesterday when one (!) of a new pair of oxblood brogues gave me this problem. I can confirm it really stands out. Now I know the issue, I'll let it dry then build up the layers dry.

Great video! I’m sure someone already made a similar remark, but I learned that method under extreme duress in South Carolina in the summer of 1987 from a very loud, very muscular, vulgar man who punished me mercilessly if my shine was not perfect. In fact, my friends and I used to carry a nylon in our pockets for touch-ups throughout the day. The way you wear your polishing rag and your technique are perfect 👍🏾

I know this is an older post but I wanted to thank you for this tip! While I wasn't shining a pair of Bruno Magli's or Carmina's, I was struggling with my new Danner boots for work. A few passes with the hair dryer and boom! The one grainy, dull boot takes a shine!

Thank you for this! I’m going to start with 20 min in the sun, and then a day or so on the shelf. Didn’t know the source of this problem.

Happy belated birthday Preston. Beautiful shine !

DAY-UM! I wish you and You Tube had been around in 1976 when I joined the Marines! I would have not only passed inspection in Boot Camp, but would have made my Drill Instructors hold me in such high regard I would have been promoted to Sergeant upon recruit graduation.

Great topic Preston. Very helpful...Congrats on achieving 200K subscribers!

Really great video. I've always wondered what this was and this explained it perfectly, gave a solution, and some other helpful tips. Thanks so much

This literally happened to me today. Thank you!

I just used my wife’s hair dryer and it worked perfect! Thanks for the tip!

I have been doing this kind of work for years now and still am learning something new from your videos each time! Many thanks.

My father (he was a navy chief) would burn his brown uniform dress oxfords with his zippo lighter. It probably had the same affect as using a heat gun.

I love that mirror shine... My TRG cream polish from my cobbler has blue undertones.. and now I know why!

All I can say is “WOW” awesome work

The 'Dry Spot' finally happened to me, thanks a lot for this video !

That was a really good, informative and useful video. Thank you.

You are literally the best shoe shiner on the planet

Excellent video and channel to an almost lost art if it weren't for gentlemen like you, thank YOU.

I honestly don't even know why I'm watching this but this is some wholesome content👌🏽

Bling!Bling! Love the Shine! Good content

Honestly a lifesaver, thanks, worked a charm.

What a big help many thanks for all your help

Wow that's amazing thank you for taking the time to show your technique

Gonna try this again, wish me luck

Thank You! I've been battling this!

unreal, that mirror shine, it's patent leather like, this guy's on that Japanese guy's level, masterfully done. I've learned one valuable lesson, I'm not getting a good mirror shine because it takes a lot more buffing than what I've been doing.

So satisfying to watch.

I always have dry spots on my carlos santos shoes. After watching your video, problem solved!

Wow. I needed this class in boot camp in 1985!

Thank you my polish on my boots started cracking around the toecap area after a long parade haven’t come across this till now thanks

Beautiful work!

I also had similar experience and i managed to solve it using hair dryer too (I watched older vids). I think my problem was using neutral coloured hard wax for mirror shine, after applying multiple layers, it left small little off coloured spots which resemble discolouration. Its the light reflecting in different angles that caused the "discolouration". I now use the same colour cream polish to create multiple layers and then the last couple layer with the neutral coloured hard wax. Works really well.

Beautiful shine bro, I miss getting mine like that back in the military days.

Thanks, you help me solve the problem. I was going to buy shoe cream to fix stripped off finish. Luckily I click you clip by chance.

Great video with practical learning for us!. Thanks

THANK GOD FOR THIS CHANNEL!! IT WORKED! THANK YOU! 🙏

Excellent video, Preston! Do you have videos on repairing scuffs in the mirror shine? Sometimes I don't have time to redo the mirror shine completely and just need it to look presentable.

I just wanted to say thank you this video saved me a lot of heart ache... I have went through the law enforcement academy and have to be going through again... I started shining my duty boots and ended up with that dry spot... Did what you said even bought the wax you use and they are the shiniest I have ever gotten my boots... Thank you...

Thanks, as the other day I was having the same problem and it drove me nuts.

Outstanding work!!!!!

I have been using navy blue for years and gives a deep profound black shining ❤❤❤❤

Outstanding and great advice.

Great job. Thank you for sharing. Watching from Southern California

Thanks for this video. I have this problem with a pair of Alan edmonds and didn’t know what it was or how to fix it.

Wow you are really an artist

Gotta save this in case I encounter it again. Thanks for the tips.

Thank you! This is really insightful.

Great video. Can you put on conditioner/leather lotion if you've already polished the shoe? Would it penetrate the wax to condition the leather?

I'll start by saying that I learned how to mirror shine from you. Not to brag but I've gotten good at it... Like really good! That said, I've never been close to having a shoe look this good. Maybe that navy blue is were it's at.

Thank you for this vid. Needed that.

Thank you, I've learned a lot of mirror shine from your channel. I have one question that wether the IPA in water is a critical element in shinning. Thank you for replying !

This happened to me a while back and I thought I had ruined my brand new shoes! I managed to build up a shine regardless, just very carefully and making sure I didn't overdo it. Now I know what the problem was and can address it in the future. Thanks!

I'm not sure but might've hit this issue on a new pair, and funnily enough I did wonder if it was a moisture issue. So great video, much appreciated

Excellent work Sir. Thanks for sharing..✝

I just inherited a beautiful pair of Dress Pradas. Very little wear on them but have been sitting unprotected on a rack for quite some time. Because of the lack of care they have cracked some what in the area directly behind the toe box. I saddle soaped and conditioned them as my initial step and then laid down a base of Saphir's shoe cream. The shoes began to look much better and many of the cracks disappeared. Once I began to work on the toe box I I quickly began to get results before hitting that dreaded "dry spot" problem that you addressed in your video. I tried a number of thing to remedy the problem with unsatisfactory results and began to freak out a bit. Watching your video has calmed me down a bit, and I look forward to retackling the issue. If you have any tips on dealing with those cracks I mentioned earlier, I would be much appreciative. Thanks.

Great information, thank you.

I love your videos!! One question I have, why do my boots start to show hundreds of cracks across it? Thanks in advance 👍

Thank you for saving my day.

Hi, thanks for this video. Federico from Italy 💜

When I was in the forces we used a candle and a spoon to remove bumps and such. just heat the spoon over the candle and apply to the shoe or boot.

Thank you for this video! I’ve had this problem a few times!

HI Preston. Greeting from Malaysia. Thanks for the tips. Have got the same problem with my Meermin recently, and was worried if it is irreversible. Luckily not. Besides, may I ask why I used to notice small line crack, especially at the edge of my mirror shine area? The tiny lines were visible even I have not wear my shoes after the shining. Thanks in advance for helping answer.

Happy birthday, Preston!

10:09 - would love to see you doing a video shining black shoes with burgundy and dark green wax to see what the difference is compared to navy and black!

and youtube makes another surprise recommendation that has me hooked.

Good tips sir very interesting an it's very help full great keep it up 👍🏻

My goodness that looks magnificent! What can you do for silver leather shoes?

That’s awesome!!!