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Bootblacking Basics
Created by izzy and suka ©2004
Supplies
You can find serviceable items for your kit at almost any store and
buy your high quality items at shoe repair shops. This is a limited
and basic list.
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Polish
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Some of the more commonly used and easy to obtain polishes are Lincoln,
Angelus, and Kiwi. Bootblacks may have different preferences based on
their individual techniques
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Oils
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Huberd’s Shoe Grease is the most commonly used on oil tanned
leathers and is made of beeswax and pine tar. It darkens
lighter colored leather, so if you are moisturizing light leather,
use a product like Chelsea Leather Food, Apache Conditioner or Kiwi
Leather Lotion.
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Brushes
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Use a different brush for each color of wax. There are three
types you will want to include in your supply kit:
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Miscellaneous
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Leather Dye- for scuffed/worn leather and soles
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Extra laces- get the 72” and make sure they are nylon so you
can cut them to size and melt the end.
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Armor All- for plastic shoes and soles
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White vinegar- for cleaning salt stains before soaping
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Small spray bottle for water
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Utility knife
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Cloths
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The Basics
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Cleaning
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The number one secret to a great finished product is starting
with clean boots. I use Fiebing’s Saddle Soap though there are
many great brands. Using your soft horsehair soaping brush,
or dauber and a little soap, add just enough water to create
a good lather and scrub the entire boot. If the boot has laces,
take the laces out so that you can get the tongue, too. Dry
the boot completely and quickly before the soap dries. Use your
stiffer brush (nail brush or toothbrush) along where the leather
upper meets the sole; a lot of dirt gets in there, and leaving
it there is just lazy. If you are working on a pair of boots
that has feet in them, treat the drying-rub down as a
massage. Now is also a great time for some boot or foot
worship, if you wish...
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Applying polish
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Polish goes on smoother and more even if the wax is warm. Some
people flame their wax in the can and some flame the wax on the
boot. I advocate using your bare hands when doing boots while
applying waxes and oils. The heat from your hands melts the
wax/oil into the leathers and you can feel where you have been
and where you need to go. Apply the wax in sections; I do each
boot the same as part of my ritual to keep track of where I've
been. To let the wax dry a little after application, I apply
the wax to the right boot first, then the left boot. By the
time I’m finished with the left boot, I’m ready to buff the
right boot and then the left.
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Buffing
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Start with the densest horsehair brushes you can find. Some
people lick the boot or the brush as they’re buffing and
some mist the boot with water. Do a second brushing, and
then buff with a cloth. Each round of buffing you will see
brighter results but don’t over-buff. You'll get to
the point where you will be removing too much wax and
dulling the boot. Finish up with a your softest buffing
cloth. Some people use nylon stockings as a final buff.
Don’t use polyester, as it seems to rub the polish off.
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Oiling
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Some boots get oiled and not polished. Oil treated boots are
soft with a matte finish. Once again, when applying oil, use
your bare hands. The oil goes on beautifully and melts
in fabulously. Taking your time oiling a boot takes less
time than polishing it, so you can stretch out the ritual,
and really get into it. Don’t just think about the boot;
think about the foot that is inside the boot. I get
comments all the time from my customers telling me how
good it feels.
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It's all in the details
It's the little things that make a good job a great job
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Before starting, roll up pants and chaps out of the way and
while working, watch out for white socks!
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Dressing the edges of the soles- you can use leather dye (I use
Fiebing’s) and run it carefully along the edge of the soles with
the applicator. After it dries, polish and buff
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Re-dyeing scuffs - apply leather dye before polishing
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Watch the white (or yellow for Doc Martens) stitching along
the soles. Use neutral polish on the stitching (and even on
the lower part of the boot, if you wish) to keep the black off
the stitches
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Get the lacing right! Pay attention to how they laced their boots
before you take them out and duplicate it.
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Talk to your Top/Customer! Ask them what they want, what
they have done in the past, what they expect. Maybe they
just want their abused combats oiled. Maybe they want their
oil-tanned boots to be a sticky mess and polished and not
oiled and let them know if a glass shine isn't realistic.
One Step Beyond
Keep in mind how you will be using your supplies. Are you just going
to be blacking for at home? Will you be working in a bar where you
might have lots of customers? Which is more important, portability
or style? Whatever your needs are, keep in mind a few things: keep
your bottles and cans tightly closed to prevent spills and dry-out,
keep your rags and towels clean, and keep your bristles from getting
crushed. Learn about the products you use and how they work. When
confronted with a task or situation not previously encountered, that
knowledge will help you think what is going to work and what won’t,
giving you the tools to resolve the issue.
Including yourself in the bootblack community is an invaluable resource
whether you are a beginning bootblack or an oldtimer. Everyone has
something to teach and there is always something to learn. Join the
bootblack forum on Yahoo Groups. It represents a large and cohesive
gathering of bootblacks worldwide and is an incredible resource
of information.
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