Gentleman's Essentials - Shoe Care and Polishing Technique

[Mottern Man]

Well I must throw in a disclaimer, everything I am going to say is not gospel by any means but it should be enough to put you on the way to a better shoe shine. For me I have been wearing the same Government Issued shoes from Boot Camp for 10 years and they don’t look a day over 30.

First things first, buy a good quality shoe. You can put a nice paint job on a car but that doesn’t mean the engine will last.

Get some supplies, Polish/Wax, Horsehair Brush, Polish Application Brush, Buffing Cloth, Cotton Rag, and Saddle Soap/Mink and/or Neatsfoot Oils

What I use
- Kiwi Shoe Polish Kit available at any drug store. No need to spend a grip on fancy stuff when this works just fine but throw away the polish (I am not a fan of Kiwi).
- Lincoln Polish
- Old white cotton T-Shirt (Rag).

Here are the steps for a good polish.

1. Warm shoes; Run them under some hot tap water just enough to warm the leather, DO NOT SOAK. Buff dry with your rag, this will also clean your shoes too.
2. Put a small amount of polish on applicator brush and apply to shoes in circular motion, pay extra attention to the heel and the toe.
3. Let polish sit on shoes for a few minutes. Preferably under a lamp to keep warm.
4. Brush the shoe with the Horse Hair Brush in a side-to-side motion; really put some elbow grease in it. Make sure you get entire shoe, once again paying attention the heel and toe.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 4.
6. Put shoe on.
7. Take buffing cloth and run it over the shoe in a brisk back and forth motion, until shine. By now you should know what spots to pay attention.

If you have some extra time on your hands go for the spit shine. After you do the steps listed above continue with these steps.

1. Take that old cotton T-Shirt/Rag and wrap it around you middle and index fingers.
2. Put a little polish on, then dip in water (don’t need to use spit)
3. Rub in a circular motion, a haze will form but don’t worry. Keep going until you can see yourself in them.
4. Buff to finish.

** You could just spit shine the toe area and it will look real sharp…

No edge dressing needed (I don’t like it because it is messy and dose not look right), just shine the edge along with the shoe itself.

Shining brand new shoes will take you longer then an older pair will but don’t be discouraged. After two or so shines you will be amazed at how well they will take it.

When you are not wearing your shoes put them on a Shoe Tree or in a Shoe Box until you do. Take care of them and they will take care of you.

Shoe shining is a messy task so lay down some newspaper. You don’t want to dirty the surface you are polishing on. Be sure not to over shine or the polish will crack.

Lastly, apply Mink Oil, Neatsfoot Oil, or Saddle Soap to the shoes (as directed) once and a while. It will remove the excess polish and condition the leather.

If all else fails give up two bits to MTSSB and watch a pro in action.

And that’s the way it is… enjoy!

[Jim]

Bravo Wil!

[thirdeye]

Will, excellent job, I better get started because my shoes look like..:9898:

[Thunder]

Have you ever tried igniting the Kiwi polish in the tin prior to applying to the shoe? I don't know where I got this tip from but igniting the polish liquifies and warms it and after snuffing it out the liquified polish soaks nicely into the pores of the leather. As I recall it shines up quite nicely but it's a technique I have not used in a long time. Always afraid I'd burn down the house. Your method much safer and one I use routinely:-)

Disclaimer: If anyone tries this, do so at your own risk. I will not be held responsible for anyone playing with fire.

[Bobtrumpet]

Edit: First of all, very good post with sound fundamentals. Thank you. (sorry I forgot this the first time around)

Have you ever tried igniting the Kiwi polish in the tin prior to applying to the shoe?

I used this method for a while. It works the first few times, but after that it seems you burn too much oil out of the polish.

I think it was in the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman," but I won't swear to it. Not sure if that's where I first saw it, or if someone in college introduced me to the technique.

I always preferred Meltonian Shoe Cream to Kiwi - it's more of a paste than a wax, and seemed to condition the leather better while still giving an nice shine. Never tired Lincoln.

[blantyre]

I usually polish darker brown shoes with black polish - after a few applications, this gives a very nice patina bit does not change the overall color very much.

[Suzuki]

Great post.

The importance of a well-shined pair of shoes cannot be over-stated. Unless you are rich enough to get away with the casually rumpled look or a professor, you need shined shoes.

I see so many young professionals in my work place who splash out for fancy suits, ties, shirts, pocket squares, but who regularly turn up in shoes that look like they've been polished with a brick. Scuffed up/dirty shoes ruin the whole outfit - I actually keep a small shoe shine kit in my office just in case of an emergency.

Beyond helping you look professional, women notice this sort of stuff.

The only additions I'll make are:

1) Use a small amount of polish - more polish will only make the buffing stage longer/harder and won't yield good results. Two light coats of polished (buffing in between) are better than one heavy coat of polish.

2) When buffing with your horsehair brush, I find that speed is better than pressure.

3) While a cotton rag will work just fine for the final buffing stage, I find that a pair of nylons works even better.

Once you have the right gear, shining your shoes only takes 5 minutes and is well worth the effort.

Thanks for a great tutorial!

[JBHoren]

... shoes that look like they've been polished with a brick.

Back in the Vietnam-Era Army, the full phrase was "polished with a brick and a Hershey bar!"

[DeaconKC]

To save your hands from having the dyes in the polish stain your fingers, cheap latex gloves will be a huge time saver. I too, love the Meltonian creams, but they are rough on the digits.
Thanks for a very well written tutorial!

[Mottern Man]

Lighting the polish I think makes it too runny and harder to apply. It may also just ruin the polish or shoe.

Nylons? I never even thought of that...

[David in Boston]

Great post.

My only point is I'm not a big fan of KIWI shoe polish. It may have worked in the USAF but not now.

I now use Meltonian, Boot & Shoe Cream Polish. It not only give a good shine it also helps conditions the leather.

David

[perry]

I've only ever used Kiwi. Never really dawned on me that there may be other brands that are better. Maybe I'll try another brand with my next Amazon order or something.

I can put a good shine on a pair of shoes, but I'm such a perfectionist about it that I find that I buy shoes that don't need shined for my everyday business casual wardrobe. Nubuck type stuff. I haul computers around our corporate campus -- can be a bit rough on nicer shoes at times.. Do wear my shined shoes every other week or so.

I've never used an applicator brush.. just the handy t-shirt. Worth buying?

I was taught to use witch hazel instead of water for spit shining. Anyone else tried that? Not sure what the thinking was behind it, but a few dots of spit seem to do the trick just as well.

[htownmmm]

Have you ever tried igniting the Kiwi polish in the tin prior to applying to the shoe? I don't know where I got this tip from but igniting the polish liquifies and warms it and after snuffing it out the liquified polish soaks nicely into the pores of the leather. As I recall it shines up quite nicely but it's a technique I have not used in a long time. Always afraid I'd burn down the house. Your method much safer and one I use routinely:-)

Disclaimer: If anyone tries this, do so at your own risk. I will not be held responsible for anyone playing with fire.

It does shine up nicely, but best used with kiwi polishes. We use to do it in the barracks all the time. I currently use meltonian polishes(lots and lots of colors!) which are more of a cream than polish.


marty

[Sue]

This is a great post. Poorly taken care of shoes are quite noticable esp. if the Gent is in a suit.

Reminds me of Saturday night when I was a kid. Mom spreading newspapers on the kitchen table was our cue to bring our shoes to the table. She and Dad put polish on each of us kids shoes and their own for Church and the week. They both used the brush but it was Dad who put the finishing buffing rag to them. We didn't have much but we each had a pair of shiny leather shoes. We were expected to keep them clean and shiny for the week.
Sue

[iron maiden]

Kiwi isn't bad...it's just that Lincoln is SOOOOOO much better.

[Clockwork John]

This is a great post. Poorly taken care of shoes are quite noticable esp. if the Gent is in a suit.

Or a kilt. Scuffed shoes are very noticable with a kilt.

Even though I wear boots most of the time, I try to shine them periodically. It keeps them looking good, and it protects the leather too.

Great post!

[royalcrown]

Lighting the polish I think makes it too runny and harder to apply. It may also just ruin the polish or shoe.

Yep. Shoe polish is pretty much an emulsion of stuff that don’t mix one of which is naphtha which is pretty volatile and evaporates quickly when left open to air (like when you spread it across your shoe and rub vigorously) or when you light it on fire. You can get good results doing this but they will not last anywhere near as long or look as good as Doc method. The only thing melting your shoe polish does is make the rest of your polish useless over time.

As far as Kiwi goes, I started with Kiwi back when I was in high school and changed over to Lincoln. Don’t get me wrong it will get the job done but I find it goes on too thick if you are going for a high gloss finish. Just after boot camp got my shoes polished by one of the shoeshine gents at Chicago O’hara on my way back from boot camp and was turned on to Lincoln after seeing the results. It takes a bit longer to get a nice shine from Lincoln as it goes on thinner but it is also makes a more durable and “harder” shine. To use Doc’s analogy of the paint job again, you don’t paint by slapping a thick coat on, you build with thin layers. It’s no different with show polish.

Additionally, you can get away with just polishing the toe box…. if you’re a chump


Great guide Doc, the only think I do differently is I don’t bother with a dauber and just use the cloth to apply and the brush to buff. It takes a while but I found out you can get a high gloss shine with just those steps and it wears a bit harder. I remember a Senior Chief who said he only used the dauber to do his shoes (apply and buff) but I haven’t been that patient to test this out.

[Mottern Man]

As far as Kiwi goes, I started with Kiwi back when I was in high school and changed over to Lincoln. Don’t get me wrong it will get the job done but I find it goes on too thick if you are going for a high gloss finish. Just after boot camp got my shoes polished by one of the shoeshine gents at Chicago O’hara on my way back from boot camp and was turned on to Lincoln after seeing the results. to test this out.

My exact same story.

[Jacbowron]

It takes a bit longer to get a nice shine from Lincoln as it goes on thinner but it is also makes a more durable and “harder” shine.

Additionally, you can get away with just polishing the toe box…. if you’re a chump

Lincoln is a harder wax than Kiwi. I find that for the same sized tins of each, the Lincoln lasts way longer. I go through about 1 tin of Lincoln a year, and usually have to buy a new tin because it has dried out rather than getting to the bottom. With Kiwi I had to buy a new tin every couple of months because I simply ran out of polish. (I'm in the Air Force and detest corframs) Usually I shine my shoes 2 times a week, and my boots once.

After the first couple of applications of wax rubbed in with a horsehair brush, I never use anything but a wet cotton ball to apply the polish. With my shoes I polish the entire shoe, with my combat boots I just shine the toe box. No point in spending much time when I'm going to be running through mud with them anyway.

On the subject of burning shoe polish:
I tried this when I was in basic, and just like most people have been saying it ruins the wax. You can get away with it for a while, but eventually it messes up the chemistry of the wax and you end up with wax that won't shine properly. I do melt my Lincoln wax occasionally though. It has a tendency to crack and turn into chunks in the tin. After a while the chunks break up and it is difficult to get wax onto a cotton ball. I'll take my can of wax and put it on the stove, and heat it up in order to melt the wax back into a single piece. This works really well, but you have to keep the lid over the wax (not sealed, but covering it). Sometimes the bottom heats up quicker than the top or some steam develops in an air pocket and blows the hot wax all over the place, including onto you and whatever you are wearing.

[ECOSSE]

The only thing I would add to this thread is that if you feel uncomfortable, or don't have room in your sink, to wet your shoes under the faucet, use a spray bottle. A few friends who were caddies at a nice country club showed me that trick. Just do a quick spray on either side of the shoe before applying the polish. Water for sure helps make a better shine.