Jason Jessee x Sea Glow restoration pt.3 (final outcome)

Jan 13 11 under Recent Pickups!, Reviews | Comments Off

So on day 3, I had a full day of sunshine, with not a cloud in the sky. This day saw the most dramatic change, and I think I am going to call it quits here. I honestly don’t think I can get it any whiter, due to the aging of the rubber. I keep trying to compare it to the other shoe, which is in brand new condition still. If not held up to the other pair, I don’t think anyone would notice, especially after these get a little dirty from wearing them. Perhaps, I can try to age the other pair? Naw, I better not! After the jump, I will list all of the final shots I took, in all different types of lighting, to show the difference in whiteness. In some lights, it stands out more, but in direct sunlight, you can hardly tell. What do you think?

In indoors natural tungsten light:

In outdoor fluorescent light at night time:

In outdoor natural sunlight (the way I take most of my pics)

Jason Jessee x Sea Glow restoration pt.2

Jan 13 11 under Recent Pickups!, Reviews | Comments Off

Day 2:

So after a few days of Sea Glow treatment, there was a noticeable difference in the shade of white on the soles. This stuff really works, and keep in mind, this pair looked worse than a pair of vintage “Made in USA” vans, so those of you who collect vintage Vans, this stuff may help revive the white color in the soles, and condition the rubber. Application is very easy with a paintbrush, or small applicator brush, about 1/2″ wide. Sea Glow doesn’t dry up, and will stay wet, even left overnight, but for good measure, keep reapplying every hour or two. Overcast, or cloudy days are no good for this stuff either. It needs direct sun, preferably all day.

Beginning of day 2:

End of day 2:

Jason Jessee x Sea Glow restoration pt.1

Jan 10 11 under Recent Pickups!, Reviews | Comments Off

So a few weeks ago I posted up my Syndicate x Jason Jessee 003 Sk8-Hi’s that had some severe yellowing from being on display at FCLA, under their lights display, and most likely from direct exposure to sunlight and air over a long period of time. The Vans are located near the front of the door by the way, at this location. Anyways, I finally got around to picking up some Sea Glow, and I’ve seen this stuff work its magic a number of times, through various write-ups over on Jordan restoration threads, and well, this was my last resort. I’ve already cleaned them up the best I could, and removed most surface oxidation via Jason Markk, the best sneaker cleaner on the market. SoCal native, too! What’s up man?! The application is simple, but per the instructions (and toxic odor), be cautious, and use gloves with this stuff. I first decided to mask off my shoe, cause I am not meticulous with applying things, but I am very mechanical, and this is the easiest method for me. I first used their scotch-gard pad to apply the soap-like solution, and a paper towel, also per their instructions, but I feel that after a few wipe downs, and scrubs with the scouring pad, it’s probably easiest to reapply with a paintbrush. Keep reapplying as you let the shoe sit out in the sun. It doesn’t dry up, but it doesn’t look really wet either. The sun and the Sea Glow really do work together. Do it on a bright day. I also set it on a yellow microfiber towel, and the color also helps reflect some of that light on to the Sea Glow treated soles, and I covered the rest of the shoe from the sunlight, since I obviously know what damage it can do! After the jump, you can see all of the pics, in the order that they were took. At the end of the day, when the sun went down, and the white balance wouldn’t be affected so much, I took comparison shots again, with the unharmed pair right beside it. It’s already looking good, and I am crossing my finger, I can get it even better! Wish me luck.

Click here for the first post, where I had just cleaned them up, but before the Sea Glow treatment.

Syndicate x Jason Jesse Sk8-Hi restoration?

Dec 21 10 under Recent Pickups! | Comments Off

I picked these up from Flight Club Los Angeles over the weekend, after first trying to pick them up the weekend before, but they were unable to find the pair that was on display, just the shoe that was in the box. I left my info, and they said they were gonna call me when they figured out where it was. So sometime during the week, sure enough I got a call, but with some bad news. The shoe that was missing was “maad yellowed”. I was kinda sad, because this is a personal grail for me, as well as a lot of other Vans collectors out there, and on top of that, you can’t walk around with one brand new shoe, and one that looks yellowed! These were in my size, and were completely deadstock. Plus, they came with the extra accessories, including the dope steel shank plate insoles! After the initial shock, I thought about it, and decided to purchase them anyways. I’ve seen many Jordan collectors repair oxidized soles, and I figured since this is vulcanized rubber, it’s much more harder to mess it up. I’ve started cleaning them up a bit, with Jason Markk, and surprisingly, it took off the “surface layer” of oxidation, and lightened up a bit. At least, on the sidewall it did. I’m not looking forward to the toe-cap at all. My next step is to get my hands on some seaglow, and try that out. After all this rain, hopefully I can get a few good sunny days to test it out with. Maybe even a lightbox method, we’ll see. Stay tuned for new progress, as I work on these babies! You might ask why the hell did I buy these? Well, cause I got them for less than what I paid for a used pair of sz10.5s which I was hoping I could fit without insoles, but they were just way too small. By the way, I will be selling those ones, so email me or contact me on the forums, if you are interested. Enjoy a few pics after the jump, of the comparison shots, and first steps of progress. Also, what’s the moral of the story? Don’t price your kicks so high, in consignment shops, that they’ll never sale! I am sometimes guilty of that too.

Who likes stickers?

Oct 30 10 under Recent Pickups! | Comments Off

Hot off the presses, my first small batch of stickers. I only have 50 for right now, so they will go fast. I wanted to test them out, before deciding on ordering more. I didn’t order the thickest vinyl they offfered, but these are rated outdoor quality stickers. They are about 5″ across, at the longest part, and I took some pics with a quarter, and a lighter for reference. If you want one, just let me know via the forum thread HERE, and I’ll let you know if I have any left, thanks!

size reference pics after the jump

Mid Skool 77 CA Hiker (review)

Oct 22 10 under California, Recent Pickups! | Comments Off

It’s time for another up close and personal review! This time, we bring to you the Mid Skool 77 Hiker from the California collection. We’ve already previewed these earlier this month, so this post will be more aimed at the details. First off, this shoe has an obvious outdoor theme to it with it’s boot shape, brass colored D-ring lace eyelets, and the reversed, waffle-patterned sole. The black nubuck suede is treated with Scotchgard, which makes cleaning easier, and helps resist most oil and water spills. Plus it keeps the leather looking good longer. The insoles are made up of Ortholite insoles, which provide long lasting cushioning, moisture wicking capabilities, air flow for a cool foot, and are odor and fungus inhibiting. The soles are really nice, and the next time you see these in stores, try them on for fun, and you’ll see for yourself what I’m talking about. The light brown contrasting colors, along with the round black leather laces, make this an easy shoe to wear with almost anything, so it definitely has a place in your shoe lineup. Take a look at these up close macro pics, and enjoy!

more pics after the jump

Vans Customs “106” Review

Oct 14 10 under Customs, Recent Pickups! | Comments Off

My first pair of Vans 106 customs has came in, and I’m stoked. The materials are your standard Vans canvas, thin insole, and vulcanized sole, but let’s be honest, this is more about the awesomeness of being able to create something all your own. Your colors. Your blocking. Your style. I chose to go the olive green route, mainly because I don’t have many pairs of olive green shoes, and the colorway is starting to come back into style. I’ve always been a fan of the earth tone era, of the early 2000’s, when brands like Triple 5 Soul, LRG, and Mixwell were holding it down, with some dope color combos. I sat the 106 on top of a black sole, because I wanted to wear test these shoes, being that it was my first pair of 106 customs, and as you all know, the common white vulcanized sole will start to look beat after about 30 minutes of wear. OK, I might be exaggerating a little, but not by much! I finished these off with red laces, a proper contrast to the military olive that covers these nicely. You can order yours from Vans here.

more detailed pics after the jump

Pickups: DJ Guamstyles’ Sample Syndicate Olson V-79 “S”

Sep 29 10 under Recent Pickups!, Samples, Syndicate | Comments Off

The Vans info has been a little slow lately, so you know what that means! Time for another feature on an OTWS fam’s recent pickup. This week, it’s something that I came across recently. I’ve seen them before, but never paid much attention to them. They’re a sample pair of Syndicate V-79 “S” shoes, which was part of the Steve Olson pack from the 008 Syndicate series. This pair is not very well known, but it should’ve been released if you ask me. It has a black and gray checkerboard pattern, that is covered in a nylon mesh netting, so that you can still make out the said pattern. These have a black toecap, compared to the white that was on the released version, and there is a snakeskin strip on the heel, in the same material found on the HUF snakeskin Chukka. These are unreleased samples, which means they are indeed a rare find! What do you think of these? Should Vans have released this pair alongside the others in the Olson series?

more pics after the jump

Vans Vault Era LX DRI-technology (Review)

Sep 23 10 under Recent Pickups!, Vault | Comments Off

I recently picked up a few new Vault releases that haven’t had a lot of attention, but I feel they deserve it. One release in particular, being the Era LX with DRI technology. A scotchguard material designed to wicke moisture away, and keep dry. Being that we’re coming up on Winter, these are a great choice for your seasonal lineup. Notice the smooth suede that was utilized in these. Top-notch. The colorways seen here are looking clean as well, in a gray tone that has been given the name “Sedona Sage”, as well as a black colorway, without a fancy name. Just “black”. The inside is lined with the DRI material, for the entire padded insole, tongue-backing, and rear portion of the shoe. The collar is done up in a soft black suede, so you don’t get a blister when you wear your no-show socks. Fitment is true to size, to slightly loose. Two laces are provided, and I’ve taken pics of different combinations for you all, including swapping between the sets that originally came with them. I personally think the purple goes well with the gray, and the black on black, with slight blue accents in them. Follow the jump for more pics!

more pics after the jump

Supreme Half Cab Fall 2010 (personal pics)

Sep 17 10 under Collaborations, Recent Pickups!, Supreme | Comments Off

I stopped by Supreme yesterday, to check out the new Fall lineup, and after some short decision making, I decided that the grey half cab would be the pair going home with me. These personal pics should help in your own decision making on whether to cop these or not. Sorry, I only have the grey for reference, but the materials are once again top notch, and the newly used brown outsoles are pretty nice, except for the heel tab which is now flat. Sorry, it’s a purist thing! These tend to fit more snug than past releases, and for the maroon pair, they look lighter in person, than the press pics. Not sure if that’s good or bad for most of you! Enjoy the small review. -Guamstyles