Shoe shining help

[aimn]

Ok all of you masters of the shoe shine. What is the correct procedure for shining your shoes. I wipe them off, put the black paste polish on them, let it dry, buff it off with soft cotton, use a brush to shine it better.
I am wondering, it seems like I need to take off all of the old polish, seems to be building up. Are you supposed to do that? Any tricks to getting your shoes really shiney? I heard something about using a lighter?You military guys must know?

 

[GrassClipper]

I do it pretty much the same way as you. I never bothered scraping the old polish off, maybe I should? In fact, my shoes need polishing but I haven't had time. I think I will bust out the polishing kit tonight.

 

[bunker]

Pretty much same as you, only I would only put on new polish about once a month. If you get really good with the brush like I was you can damn near shine a shoe with no polish at all!

Try just using the brush when they start to look dull instead of caking more polish on, always worked for me.

 

[cipher00]

The "lighter" thing works like this: lite the paste (be careful, here) and blow it out quickly. This softens the paste and gets rid of some of the wax. Then, use an old cotton t-shirt wrapped tightly around your index and middle finger two slowly work the polish into the shoe or boot. Repeat until very shiny. Do Not Use A Brush!

This is tedious. Buy Corfam ® if you really need shiny.

 

[bunker]

<< Do Not Use A Brush! >>


Mind explaining why? I've been using one for 15 years now.

 

[OutHouse]

here is how I shined my boots when i was in the Air Force Security Police. I do the same for my dress shoes and they are mirrors.

First strip your shoes with alchoal. use a rag and soak it and rub it all over your shoes.

Then take your Kiwi polish and use your fingers to slather the polish on. Put it on thick.
take a lighter and light the polish on fire. Be very careful only let it burn for 2-3 seconds then blow it out. do little sections at a time. The idea here is to melt the polish into the pores of the leather.

let your shoes cool then take a brush and brush off all the excess.

now find a cotton rag, I used old tee shirts or old cloth diapers, fill a small bowl with ice water and get your polish.

Now put a light amount of polish on the pad of your index finger and start at the toe of your shoe, and apply a thin coat of polish. let it dry and then wrap a part of your cotton cloth around your first two fingers and dip it in the ice water.

now lightly rub small circles around where you put the light coat of polish. Keep the rag wet and keep repeting all the way round the shoe.

Do each shoe until you have a high gloss. if its your first time to spit shine it should take 2-3 light coats. when you finish one shoe do the other and so on until you have the high gloss.

now to put the final touch. find or buy a pair of womens nylons. put the nylons over your hand and rub it all over your shoe. it acts like a 1000 grit sand paper and really brings out the shine.

Its time consuming but if your patient you will have great results.