What shoe polish do you use, and why?

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mr_norris

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After recently purchasing some decent shoes to use for work (slip-ons FTW), the dude behind the counter suggested I use Dubbin polish for them.

So I bought some and gave it a try. Just used a cloth to apply and run in the polish, let it dry, then rubbed the excess polish off. And... the results didn't blow me away.

The shoes are genuine leather uppers. Perhaps it's just my method that's wrong?
 
When I used dubbin it was as a waterproofing agent - for polishing I've always used Kiwi. Use a cloth to apply rubbing in small circles, then a brush to remove and a soft cloth to buff up a shine.
 
In school I used to bone my shoes until they were umm... boning. Think it was Kiwi polish but can't remember. There's another one.

Hmmm... I think the last time I boned a shoe was in school. Don't wear shiny formal shoes anymore. Can't afford them.
 
MartyMarts said:
In school I used to bone my shoes until they were umm... boning. Think it was Kiwi polish but can't remember. There's another one.

Hmmm... I think the last time I boned a shoe was in school. Don't wear shiny formal shoes anymore. Can't afford them.
Click to expand...

Couldn't you use a sock like a normal teenager?
 
Towards the later part of my schooling career,
everybody quickly learnt that using a little Vaseline would make our shoes shine amazingly.
But you can't use to much because dust and sand use to get stuck on the Vaseline.

And it's applied with old pantyhose...
 
bwana said:
When I used dubbin it was as a waterproofing agent - for polishing I've always used Kiwi. Use a cloth to apply rubbing in small circles, then a brush to remove and a soft cloth to buff up a shine.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's pretty much what the instructions said on the Dubbin container. Thought I was doing something wrong :P

MartyMarts said:
In school I used to bone my shoes until they were umm... boning. Think it was Kiwi polish but can't remember. There's another one.

Hmmm... I think the last time I boned a shoe was in school. Don't wear shiny formal shoes anymore. Can't afford them.
Click to expand...

I won't lie, until I saw everyone else asking what you mean't, I was also lost by the term "boning" :P

Keegan said:
Towards the later part of my schooling career,
everybody quickly learnt that using a little Vaseline would make our shoes shine amazingly.
But you can't use to much because dust and sand use to get stuck on the Vaseline.

And it's applied with old pantyhose...
Click to expand...

How did I miss this :/ In school I used Kiwi. Never heard of the Vaseline trick.
 
I won't use Dubin and polish in the same sentence. Like oil you use to treat wood, so is Dubin towards leather. It's more of a food/treatment to leather. It's suppose to be drawn in by the leather.

Where polish is more of something that I would describe as the layer on top of the leather.
 
beans100 said:
I won't use Dubin and polish in the same sentence. Like oil you use to treat wood, so is Dubin towards leather. It's more of a food/treatment to leather. It's suppose to be drawn in by the leather.

Where polish is more of something that I would describe as the layer on top of the leather.
Click to expand...

Aah I see. I've I could get rep, you'd have it :D Damn, I assumed it was a polish, based on the dude at the shoe shop saying "You can use Dubbin to polish". I even remember leaving there thinking he was pretty clued up on what he's selling :/

That does explain why it didn't shine though!

So I suppose the ideal method here is use Dubbin and polish?
 
The black stuff in the tin thing. Never actually looked at it further than determining the colour.
 
kiwi+candle+spoon+good leather shoes = magic shine!

takes abit of time though.. i just use the calzanetto sponge goodies coz i'm lazy... its mess free, and super convenient!
good deep shine as well!
 
mr_norris said:
Aah I see. I've I could get rep, you'd have it :D Damn, I assumed it was a polish, based on the dude at the shoe shop saying "You can use Dubbin to polish". I even remember leaving there thinking he was pretty clued up on what he's selling :/

That does explain why it didn't shine though!

So I suppose the ideal method here is use Dubbin and polish?
Click to expand...

You probably can use them both, but I would just pick one and stick to that.
 
I spend my high school years in a hotel school in Belgium and you learn how to clean your shoes, tie your necktie and pretty much any other thing to look decent with your eyes closed. (We actually got graded on how fast we could knot our necktie ...)

I learned the hard way... If you look just a bit shabby (pull your nostril the wrong way) you would get "duty".
Now duty could mean anything from peeling potatoes for hours, cleaning meat till you get blisters or whipping cream.
Whipping cream you say... 5L of cream in a bucket and you have to whip it by hand (try it...) you can only leave when you turn the thing upside down above your head. (nothing can fall out obviously...)

1. buy yourself decent leather shoes...
2. get yourself a soft wool patch to buff these things
3. you are not a pimp, stop cleaning your shoes when you brush your teeth morning-noon-evening-4th meal
4. Clean your shoes with water when they are dirty, use polish or fancy stuff later to make em shine.
5. Follow rule 1-5 and enjoy life!
 
Entranog said:
I spend my high school years in a hotel school in Belgium and you learn how to clean your shoes, tie your necktie and pretty much any other thing to look decent with your eyes closed. (We actually got graded on how fast we could knot our necktie ...)
Click to expand...
A what? :confused:
 
pboy said:
kiwi+candle+spoon+good leather shoes = magic shine!

takes abit of time though..
Click to expand...
Aah, the hot spoon treatment for army boot toecaps - takes me back to my days in the school cadet force in the UK.

Parades were a real pain in the butt but the rest of the activities were great :)
 
"Hotel school" is a school where you can learn the hotel/catering/cooking trade.
it starts at the first year of matric up untill the last year, one can add another year to get an extra diploma.
7 years in total.

Besides normal classes you spend your days cooking and waitering, bakery, deserts, butchery, hotel policy, catering, diet and food security....
 
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