High Shine

[xman]

Here I set all decked out in my formal wear (such as it is) and ready for Burns Night dinner and since I have a few minutes before I catch a cab I thought Id, run this by you all.

I've been shining my own shoes since my days in the army cadets and I have been spit shining them in all that time. In all that time I only met one person who was able to get a better shine than I (equal I have seen, but better, just one). He told me that one reason I was unable to get a better shine was that it was my practice to have a cup of tea (I take it clear) while polishing my boots. Something about the tannins perhaps. It has always made me wonder whether that is true or any other small detail which can help provide the best shine.

I should state that I use Kiwi polish and no other, a proper shoe polish cloth and my own saliva and breath. The breath adds minute amounts of moisture to the shoe and polish as it is coming to a finish. I wrap the cloth around my index finger, dip it in the polish and draw small circles with the finger on the shoe, spitting and breathing as needed until I get a good shine. I do not burn the polish as some say should be done. I aways found it messy and the people I knew who did do it didn't get as good a shine as I did.

Does anybody have any pearls of wisdom about shoe shining and tea drinking or anything else which would be enlightening?

[Highlander31]

That's the same way I have been polishing my shoes for the some 48 years now. I usually have a glass of water nearby while polishing.

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

I put a small amount of white vinegar on my rag before the polish. Trick picked up as an Air Cadet..friends still ask me to polish their shoes!
Sara

[tulloch]

Only difference here is I buff with a nylon stocking.

[Tobus]

I've read from several sources that spit should not be used because saliva contains compounds that are meant to break down food, and will act in a detrimental fashion to the polish. So I just use filtered water when polishing my shoes. I keep a small bowl nearby and apply a few drops as needed. I would think that the tannins in tea would be, as you surmised, detrimental as well.

Breathing on the surface should be OK, though, since it's just moisture with no saliva component.

[Arnot]

When I did my "spit" shining (22 years US Army), I didn't actually use spit. I started by putting a decent brush shine on the boot/shoe using Kiwi. When I started the spit shine I used cold water and a piece of old t-shirt or cotton diaper. The last thing I did was put a coat or two of neutral Kiwi on the boot/shoe. This worked exyremely well for me as I never pulled much guard after being inspected.

Another thing, a good spit shine can be maintained for quite a while with minimal maintainance as long as one stays out of the mud, etc. Sometimes I would be short on time so I would just buff my boots using the damp towel from my shower. The shine always came back up rather nicely.

[Woot22]

I used a similar method back in my Army days. I found water to be far better than saliva and cold water to work better than room temp. Also I started to put two drops of alcohol in the water as well. An old sergeant told me to and it seemed to work just a bit better then cold water alone. But just a drop or two of alcohol nothing more. Also I used the top of my Kiwi can to hold the water.

Having said all that I spent 8 years in the Army and had to shine my boots everyday before 0900 work call formation. And everyday my boots would get all messed up working on the birds. So after shining boots every weekday for 8 years I can assure you I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever shine a pair of shoes or boots again for the rest of my life.

[eagle43172]

I've used all the mentioned methods and also begun under a hot water tap, and burned in the polish with a cigarette lighter. For me the best method is shine with an initial brushing, then rub w/ cold water in the beginning, with the final pass using my breath. Then buff with a pair of nylons stuffed with a t shirt. (I base coat with Kiwi and final coat with Lincoln Wax).
Dave

[thescot]

I never allowed a brush to touch my boots! the D.I. said that the bristles would leave small scratches, and I believed him. My own method was similar to Woot22's; cool water--sometimes warm if the boots were especially dirty or scuffed--but I only used alcohol on rare occassions and when there was plenty of polish on the boots. The alcohol will dry out the leather if it gets into the leather itself, as will saliva. At least, that's what I've been told. I never burned the polish, but I had shoes that looked a lot like patent leather, at least in the dark. Mine werenever the shiniest, perhaps, but the shine would last, even if scuffed a little.

I always use a soft, cotton cloth around my index and middle finger, something like a handkerchief or a sock or a diaper. Dip into the water in the Kiwi lid, dip in the polish, and apply. Breathing will add a bit of moisture as you rub in small circles.

There are two important things to remember:

1. lay on the polish so that eventually, you are polishing the polish. This must be done in thin layers over time; there is no short cut to a rich, long-lasting shine. You can do it several times a day, but it needs to be done in very thin layers. And

2. be sure to wear the boots or shoes regularly while laying on the polish. Otherwise, it will crack and leave a real mess where the leather creases. One guy in our platoon did just that, and it caused quite a ruckus with the DIs.

One more important trick--when the shoes/boots are brand new, saddle soap them first to get the stuff that comes from the factory off the leather. Then the polish will be going on to the leather from the start and not on to the stuff--whatever it is. We used regular bar soap in bootcamp to get that faux shine off our shoes before we started putting on the shine.

In the Corps, we had to bring the brims of our barracks covers up to a highly polished shine from a pebble grain beginning, and, believe me, it teaches patience. I've been out of uniform over 30 years now, but I can still polish shoes that will pass muster.

[creagdhubh]

As a former active-duty Marine, I have done a wee bit of polishing in my day. I find the best method, is the simplest. I use Kiwi black polish, Kiwi Saddle soap, a smooth cloth, a horsehair brush, and edge (sole) dressing, on my leather shoes. I use the saddle soap to clean and protect the leather, then apply the polish with the smooth cloth - in a circular motion, then use the horsehair brush to buff the shoes. I will conclude by using another smooth cloth to give the shoes a very high shine, then apply the edge dressing to the shoes to give them a shine (and to 'clean' up) as well. Simple is always best!

Cheers,