Shoe polish: thoughts, fun facts, questions

[gsmacleod]

I spent many hours polishing my parade boots to a mirror shine; my father taught me and although I spent lots of time doing polishing, I was never able to achieve his level of mastery.

As I did some drill instruction through my time in the military I always had a pair of parade boots highly shined and ready to go. I also attended many mess dinners I also had a highly shined pair of oxfords for those occasions and when not on parade.

Since leaving the military, I have one pair of highly shined oxfords (and maybe parade boots somewhere) but my other shoes are kept clean and buffed. Certainly not sloppy but a little polish and a buffing brush usually keeps them good for daily wear.

Shane

[Queenslander]

I had never owned a pair of brown leather shoes or boots until a couple of years ago, having required black boots in Corrections and the Police. Now with several pairs in differing shades of brown I do something similar to the black polish on brown, but use different tones of brown polish. This gives a real depth (not sure if patina is the right word) and character to the leather that I find very appealing. Incidentally my oldest son joined the Australian Navy Cadets last year and his PO advised against Kiwi Parade Gloss for spit polishing, and to use the regular Kiwi black.

[Blaidd]

..........his PO advised against Kiwi Parade Gloss for spit polishing, and to use the regular Kiwi black.

I think I have also said similar elsewhere - it leaves a strange mist'! Good advice for your son.

[Benning Boy]

A good hand using diaper cloth and spit with basic kiwi black can out shine parade gloss any day of the week. Going over a spit shine with Johnson's glow coat liquid floor polish will amplify the shine several times.

[Farmer Jones]

When I started my military service our Warrant Officer taught us to use a hot spoon to melt the wax into the boot. This worked very well and I have continued to do so. Polishing boots and cleaning my tobacco pipes because a sort of quiet contemplative thing to do. I like to lay everything out on a table, sit comfortably and work away in silence.

[Tobus]

Funny that you revived this thread today, of all days. I happened to be wearing my brown jump boots with my kilt today, and had given them a quick brush and spit shine on the toe cap/heel before dashing off to run errands. As I was conversing with a fellow at a shop (former Navy man), he stopped in the middle of a sentence to compliment the shine on my boots. Nice to know there are people out there who still appreciate a decent polish job.

[KMCMICHAEL]

Regarding using different color polish, I have some light tan shoes that I was unable to really fix the scuff marks on so I used darker brown polish on the toe. It looks pretty good to me.
I have some full brogue brown shoes that I often wear with a kilt but my sporran (chosen by my wife)is black. I am considering applying some black polish to the toes and heels, sort of a subtle spectator I would probably us the Safir cream polish as it is touted to have more pigment.

I do like your brown jump boots and had a pair once. I do not think that the flex part of the shoe looks good with a mirror shine. And preferred your first effort.

[Allan Thomson]

I've tried that, but didn't have a good result.

Suprised, works well for me, my Father & Brother. Depends on the cobbler though...

[ShaunMaxwell]

Suprised, works well for me, my Father & Brother. Depends on the cobbler though...

I suspect you're correct... And that your cobbler is better than mine!

SM

[Jock Scot]

Regarding using different color polish, I have some light tan shoes that I was unable to really fix the scuff marks on so I used darker brown polish on the toe. It looks pretty good to me.
I have some full brogue brown shoes that I often wear with a kilt but my sporran (chosen by my wife)is black. I am considering applying some black polish to the toes and heels, sort of a subtle spectator I would probably us the Safir cream polish as it is touted to have more pigment.

I do like your brown jump boots and had a pair once. I do not think that the flex part of the shoe looks good with a mirror shine. And preferred your first effort.

There is nothing wrong with brown shoes----not so sure about light tan shoes with the kilt though --- and a black sporran, or vice versa, in a casual setting if thats what you wish.