This is how I did it in the military, no shortcuts, no paint, no hot spoons or lighters. Just effort and time...My favourite time in barracks, 30 of us doing this in an evening, talking crap and laughing and joking after a long day, radio on, just a bit of therapeutic slow shoe shining...Then a couple of beers 22:00 to 23:00 and bed for parade next morning. Now I do it before Remembrance sunday...I wouldn't dare (I guess most Veterans are the same) to attend November Ceremonies with anythingless than than fully shined shoes. I even got married in uniform and bulled my own shoes the night before...it says Pride.

As a former soldier apprentice in the RCEME Corp here in Canada we spent two years shining our boots and shoes to a mirror finish. It was very easy to do and we used Kiwi polish and a polishing cloth and just water. It was a snap. I am now just coming up to 80 and I can still do it. Once learned you never forget.

@K2shadowfax

2 жыл бұрын

ditto (Brats / RAMC)

@NORTHERNROVER1

7 ай бұрын

Me too, as a sea cadet in Canada, 50 years ago. You're right, you never forget. Cheers!

@marmalade4010

5 ай бұрын

Just applied to RCEME on my 16th

I worked for a 93 yr old ex Army Major who was in the SAS. He asked me to polish his shoes...... You can imagine his face when I proudly showed him his shoes, he asked me to try again.

This is exactly the method I've always used to shine my shoes. And you're so right when you say you're never going to be satisfied. I used to shine my shoes I used for valet, and I was never quite happy with them even though everyone I worked with was blown away by how shiny they were. You get lost in the process and just keep thinking you can get them just a little shinier.

I was in the Sea Cadets. I was taught to use spit and polish on a cloth, rubbed in circles till the polish it self started to shine, then buffed. I kept repeating this till I got a mirror shine. Sometimes I would use a tea spoon to rub the polish in, again, in circles and using good old spit. Once I even got a recommendation off an Admiral for my smartness. Something that made me so proud and have never forgotten, even after 52 years.

@russcooke5671

2 жыл бұрын

Go and get your shine box. 😂😂😂😂👌👌👌❤️❤️❤️

@BenDover-cs1wq

2 жыл бұрын

This is a late reply but I was also in the sea cadets. It was a great time going on base once a month. Wanted to join military but ended up going to college

This is exactly how I was taught as a young 16 year old in basic training for the British Army. As my platoon Sergeant once said "If you can use your toe caps to shave, you know you're finished"

@unknownplayer0383

2 жыл бұрын

You should give the American Navy a lesson. I remember struggling to shine mine. 10 years later and I’m just finally seeing how to do it

@aaronheywood6835

2 жыл бұрын

Likewise in the junior leaders ~ the CSM said that when done to perfection you'll be able to see up ladies skirts with them ~ His parade ammo boots were literally like mirrors.......

@55426277789

2 жыл бұрын

@@aaronheywood6835 AHAHAHA That's too good, man.

@bigOlMonke

Жыл бұрын

@@aaronheywood6835 that's a creepy thing to say.. ew.

@robbielarmour8219

Жыл бұрын

@@bigOlMonke snowflake

I always tried to do a mirror shine on my shoes but for whatever reason (impatience, maybe?!) I never succeeded. After watching your tutorial I decided to give another go, this time following your instructions carefully, and man!! just wow! Proud of myself, proud of the results! Big thank you, Dan, and keep up with the great content! Cheers.

When I was in the RAF, we only polished our shoes during basic training. After that, we used Tornado nose cone paint. That stuff went on like glass but was indestructible.

@TheAngelOfDeath01

3 жыл бұрын

It's a fiddly job for sure.

@MrBaldypete1

3 жыл бұрын

When I was a cadet, I spent hours putting on the Kiwi with a Selvyt cloth, taking it off with water, wax on, wax off..... Went to a station in Germany to play trumpet at the close down parade and the overseas kids were using quick-shine paint out of the NAAFI (I think.) Not one of their NCO's bollocked them for doing so. One of our lot tried using it and spent his evening picking paint off his shoes and polishing like his life depended on it.

@russcooke5671

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrBaldypete1 go and get your shine box 😂😂😂👌👌❤️❤️

Way back in the 1940's while serving in the army it was a case of "Spit and Polish". Spit was always available. When we were issued with new boots the toe caps were covered in nobbles which we had to "Bone" out. Then to get them to the shine as shown in your program it was a case of spit and polish until we had the same result as shown. Habits die hard and at the age of 90 years I still spit and polish my shoes. Spit and Kiwi polish, cant beat that combination.

Lol spit and polish , I remember heating a spoon to smooth out the lumps on my new toecaps then hours of spit and polish love my boot toe caps they were like a mirror. 71 now still remember this.

You're spot on about it being soothing. I've always found polishing shoes & boots to be quite therapeutic, the same is true of polishing & waxing my cars, both use a similar technique of layering the waxes for a deeper shine. Although one takes considerably longer than the other! :D Excellent video, btw.

Great breakdown of the mirror shine! I have not had the patience in the past to attempt it. This looks doable.

You're the king Dan. I watch heaps of other cobbler channels and they have nothing on you. Keep up the great work.

Reminds me of all the time spent getting my black boots and dress shoes ready while in the Army. We had a team setup to help every member of the platoon get uniforms just right.

If you are ex UK military you will know this. A good tutorial for all with no military background. A yellow duster would have brought back memories for many if you had used one. I don't have a silver polishing cloth but instead I use damp cotton wool for the second step, but as you demonstrate so well, a tiny amount of polish and water and tiny circles and patience. about ten minutes per shoe gets a good result for myself if they are clean to start with but perfection is like chasing the end of a rainbow, you can get close but never quite there. Thanks

I saw a few other videos on spit shining and I couldn't get it. This video was well explained and got me there. Thank you!

This is how I was taught to polish my work boots. It's quite a calming exercise.

The man works on shoes all day and finds polishing as a way to unwind. You sir have found your purpose in life and have chosen the right profession

My roommate from college was a former Marine. He taught me how to shine boots the Military Dress shine. Every Sunday I would shine my shoes. We lived in Michigan where salt is used in the winter. I saw my wife’s expensive black boots with that white salt stain. It took time but I gave those boots a nice cleaning and shine. Each Sunday I would polish my shoes and her shoes and boots. My wife’s boss is a close family friend. We had her over one Sunday night for dinner and spent about a hour cleaning and shining her winter leather boots. Turns out professional men and women like a nice shine on shoes and boots. The conditioner and wax keeps the leather in great shape.

@garyhost354

3 жыл бұрын

Nice fetish you have there. Shining women’s boots.

Thanks for the video, you’re so right about shining shoes being therapeutic, I’m off to shine mine now

@sgtfish1275

2 жыл бұрын

same

Most of the shoe shine content on KZread comes from people in the business of selling shoe maintenance products. It's interesting and helpful to see the process from someone where the supplies and equipment are a cost rather than a revenue. Now I realize that I don't need twenty jars of Saphir products, luxury branded brushes and rags, etc., to get an excellent job done. It's especially interesting to see where you do pull out premium products because you find them worth the expense. Thanks!

It’s true. Bulling your shoes is really therapeutic. Nothing better than achieving a nice shine and going out for a night knowing your kicks make you look amazing! Good tips Dan!! Top man.

Always used Parade Gloss or Guardsman Shine in my days of bulling your boots. We tried all sorts of alleged tricks and short cuts...Hot spoon, hair laquer, you name it we tried it. You cannot beat endless small circles with a well laundered old cotton t shirt!

Really struggled getting a shine until I came across this video. Well chuffed with the results. Cheers mate 👍🏻

Writing from California: Great tutorial. Thank you, Ravi

Impressive Dan! Excellent tutorial! Thank you.

Thanks for the spot on tutorial!!! Really appreciate your easy to follow method!

See the shine? I can almost see thru it! Beautiful, but surely we expect nothing less from you Dan. The shoe wizard? Cheers mate.

Im moving to UK, I swear to God! Gonna buy a bunch of old shoes and bring them to Dan, so I have an excuse to see him often.... Lord, forgive me for I have sinned....

@Ariesbuddha

3 жыл бұрын

😂😂😂😂😂😂 handsome isn't he lol xxxxxxxxxx

@migzakamiggy

3 жыл бұрын

@@Ariesbuddha He must have been hand made or something.... cause he's one of a kind! LOL

@Ariesbuddha

3 жыл бұрын

@@migzakamiggy lol your brilliant!! Lol you have made day!lol lol I haven't yet successfully watched a whole video of his yet cos I end up mesmerised by his beauty lol lol xxxxxxxxxxxxx

@okcomputer0101

3 жыл бұрын

Oh boy 😂

@kisunamayan

3 жыл бұрын

migzakamiggy: i'm don't wanna to upset you darlin but Dan store has stricly policies you'll need to understand. First come first serve system....my 500 pairs of shoes is on the process...hehe 😁😁😁😅🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂

I used to be a U.S. Army soldier, I remember how many hours I spent trying to "Spit Shine" my foot gear. Your way is much better. Thank you.

Very well-explained, effective and therapeutic!

I find knob polishing to be more therapeutic although I finish long before I get a mirror shine.

@JimVincitore

3 жыл бұрын

LOL! Good one!

Hate to say Dan. When I was a young serviceman many years ago, I used spit and Kiwi Polish. It took me hours. God I have to say my shine was better. LOL Loved your video. Keep up the good work.

@Jxuptosae

2 жыл бұрын

He did mention that there are plenty of other methods, and that time improves it. This was 10 mins, so of course it isn't as good.

Air cadet here, My shoes are currently cracking and I’ve got an almost mirror shine looking for a quick way to get it back. So cheers for the tips :)

It’s where the shoe creases that needs nourishing, natural foot salt gets trapped in the creases and cracks the leather. Wax on toe is just for show 👀

The work done in the right way which also involves patience, it gives us such bright results, the excellent work you taught will prove to be effective for achieving mirror shine.

I am a veteran and I really enjoy your channel. Very impressed with your workmanship. A good polish can make the man. Keep it up!

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks appreciate it!

I loved it. I can’t wait to polish my shoes, boots!

Years ago in the American Air Force I met a guy who had lived off base in the Philippines before being stationed in Thailand. He told me how he once bought a pair of black suede shoes only to come home that night to fine they were gone. Well not gone, in their place was a pair of super shiny black shoes, seems his house boy super polished them and told him he must be more careful and not scuff up his shoes so bad. Houseboy had no idea what suede was!

@marbleman52

3 жыл бұрын

Patrick Chambers....Poor boy; at least his heart was in the right place and very responsible.

Great video! Very cool! Thank you! Cleaner, I did not know about taking polish off.

Thanks for the video! I did exactly as you said... my boots are shining like new

Hey man....hope u are doing well. Stay healthy n this trying times! Hey gr8 idea for better shoe shine...I was raised in the military and my dad had me polishing his jump boots at 8 yrs old...I did it until I got it right!

We used Kiwi Parade gloss. Then light it and it was flammable. Then done the same layering process. Never tried the Saphir here in Australia. I have a great pair of RM William boots I’m going to try this method.

Hello Dan. Fascinating series with explanations. To re-colour shoes that have been scuffed in places, how would you approach this and in what stage of the polishing procedure.? Cheers.

Hi Dan thank you for this awsome class!

All men, and whoever else may be interested of course, but mainly men, should know how to do this. Most of us aren't taught stuff like this in our lives. I'm gonna make sure my nephews know now. Thanks bro.

@raziarahmat4299

2 жыл бұрын

I live in Karachi Pakistan I like your comments send 4 month ago

Damn. Dan can shine my shoes any day 😍

Fab! Very useful tips. Thanks a million, I think I’ll be polishing my shoes now.......

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

Good luck!

Outstanding work.

I'm getting a time machine and going back 48 years to my midshipman year at the Naval college Dartmouth.

@phillipdavies6548

3 жыл бұрын

Army for me . Aldershot in 1965 Ammo boots!

@tee2899

3 жыл бұрын

Raleigh for me. Tuesday 11th May 1976.

I have found, that for me, polishing shoes and sharpening knives to be very relaxing.

I find cleaning shoes, properly buffing them and then applying a mirror finish very therapeutic too. I don't do it quite the same way as you as I put a small quantity of isopropyl alcohol in the water and final buff with the inside of an old sweatshirt...no more than 10 minutes, unless you're dealing with poor quality or embossed /grained leather... Love the videos Dan...I'm tempted to send you a pair for some JR outsoles....I don't use Facebook though...

Thankyou. It’s my father in law’s funeral on Monday and I really wanted to properly shine my shoes. This worked. Thanks

@Dan_the_cobbler

Жыл бұрын

Very welcome :)

Fabulous video. thank you.

Brilliant video, you can also use the back of a warn tea spoon to melt the shoe wax into the leather.

Nothing quite like the pride of looking down and seeing your reflection in your own shoes

Fifty-five years ago, this month - today in fact (8th March 1966), was the first day of my 14 years service in the British Army although I didn't start 'bulling' my best boots until 3 or 4 days later. The technique has remained largly the same although we didn't know about the iced water trick. If only we had known, it would have saved a lot of heartache. I certainly remember all those tiny little circles. We never found it to be therapeutic or relaxing and the only time we were satisfied with it would be if we weren't pulled up for them on parade. By the way, during that first month of my service and the interminable boot polishing, a certain singer by the name of Nancy Sinatra had a hit with, 'These Boots Were Made For Walking' and you can guess the language whenever we heard it on the radio at night in our barrack room!

Way to go man! I use sapphire.

Such an eye candy this young man.If you lived near Acton I would come to bring you my shoes x

I wish I had known about Saphir products when I was in the Army and had to spit-shine my jump boots. I used cotton balls and always ice water.

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

Tom Moschitta Saphir just seems to shine up easier :)

I enjoy your videos Dan! God Bless my friend!

I was an Air Cadet when I was younger and spent many hours shinning my boots.

@coco_sloth

3 жыл бұрын

The more polish the better, adding up those layers over time is a great benefit and benefits polishing your shoes when you do them again. My gosh, I miss the satisfaction of me being the only Cdt with decent shoes. (I hate this lockdown)

Our squadron OC, in basic training recommended (ordered) Tuxan polish for our boots. We used to sit for hours with beeswax a spoon a candle and music!

Been in cadets for almost three years and I’ve never been able to shine my boots really well and just watching this video has made my boots so shiny 😂

1971. RAF recruit . HALTON ,we were issued with full leather shoes. Thay had a orange peel finish on the toes. When polished to the correct shine, we used to wipe over the toe caps with a neat floor cleaner called Dual, and allow to dry to a mirror finish. Anyone else do that? Stay well Stay safe.

Thx for that thumbprint trick 👌🏻

This is pretty intersting of how to do a bull shine on shoes, i first started polishing shoes about 2 years ago, i am 14 rn

I am trying this now. I hope it works, I have been fighting with boots and polish for the last month and a half.

I use to polish my dads work shoes as a kid and teen, not because I had to, but because I liked too. I always got it to a mirror shine with out so many steps. Not saying he is wrong. My dad was a shoeshine boy at a barber shop when he was a kid. We always use kiwi. To each their own.

Love your videos. Ottawa Ontario Canada.

Joined the US Army in 98. We had BDUs and black boots. I spent hours and hours listening to music on my sony walkman while shining my shoes for inspection. We would have a platoon inspection every Friday. Whoever had the sharpest starched uniform and mirror shined boots got Monday off. Sometimes it was so close as simple thread that wasn't trimmed would count against you. Good times. I was sad to see the ACU and tan boots come. Thanks for this guide.

Lol this is the long version for me. Ty for the tutorial 👍

What do you recommend for removing the old polish before conditioning and what do you recommend to condition non standard colours. Is there a neutral conditioner?

He’s seriously fit!

Great video pal, can I ask would microfibre cloths work also to buff?

Ill have to try saphir. Kiwi has always been my first choice but shoe places only carry cremes and "Lincoln". And what about lighting the wax and applying it?Does it help getting a shine?

❤️👍 great video!! cobbler man!!

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

impressive to do so well with regular wax. Other youtubers use special mirror shine waxes.

I was in the army and we used kiwi and plenty elbow grease,also a clean cloth on two fingers placed in the kiwi to soak up the brown oil which we used on final polish to mirror

@markpearce5075

3 жыл бұрын

Ex-Army as well matey, wish I knew this guys method back in the day! All them soddin' hours eh! lol

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! 💐💐💐💐🤝🎖️🏆💪 The secret of it all is ANTICIPATION! As you said, it can be quite therapeutic!

MUY LINDOOOO !!!

I polish my boots a couple of times a week... How often do you recommend I strip them back with s cleaner to nourish & start from scratch?

I learned how to spit shine my shoes in Army Basic Training in 1969 at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. I can still do it.

Thanks bro and nice work

Then afterwards you can do a water shine. Once you have enough polish built up, use the cold water tap and using a cotton ball in a circular motion put the toe under the cold running water. For a quick buff use a nylon stocking.

this is great

Well KZread, something turning up in my in feed thats interesting, informative and useful. Eventually after a decade of pressing not interested its finally got me.lol..

I was in your shop a few days ago and came across the video by accident. I had the oxblood Loake royal... What creme and wax would you recommend for those? I've never found anything to colour match do I just use clear stuff.

Kiwi Parade Gloss is the best!...I used it for my Police Boots in 1973, and still use it today

@nigeldunkley2986

3 жыл бұрын

me too! Water bulling holding the boot under cold running tap water doing the last circles with wet cotton wool. At RMAS some of us used Klear floor polish which brings up a brilliant shine - until it rains! BUt best of all was the later discovery thanks to my gf who was a WRAC captain - her finishing touches (!) were always with an old stocking or pair of tights/pantyhose. What a brilliant shine that produces - in lots of places!

Fantastic job but I still think spit is better. For all those asking about the rest of the shoe, just polish and brush buff, a mirror shine will crack and flake anywhere the leather flexes. The only parts of a shoe or boot that will take a mirror shine are the toecap forward of any crease and the heel cap (for want of a better description).

@petertr2000

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that info about where to polish, very helpful!

Question.. Will this work on leather that has been factory painted? I restore vintage leather roller skate boots and they used leather that appears to have been painted, not dyed. Btw, I prepare boots by washing with saddle soap first. I mostly use the Saphir Beaute du Cuir products.

This is more or less the same way I was taught to polish my parade shoes in the Air Force. I didn’t know about the ice water though, we just used it from the tap!

In the Army we used to melt the wax into the shoe with a hot spoon, then bulling started

@ronbertrand9181

3 жыл бұрын

I used to use a Blow Dryer set on hot. Any excess gets spread by the air flow.

@bfglife4164

3 жыл бұрын

And that’s why they do it anymore lol, you loose the essential oil that give a good deep shine.

@shaneharris7878

3 жыл бұрын

In the New Zealand Army (80s) we would use an old clothes iron to get the wax into the boot and then just a cotton wool ball and water (or spit) and just start polishing in circles, layer upon layer. After time we would strip the old polish off and start again. The Americans would come over on exercise and we would be jealous of their patent leather shine. Same shine as our boots with zero effort!

@Peterat25Manners

3 жыл бұрын

After World War One, the Army gathered veterans to define the uniform and equipment needed for "The Next Great War". One of the recommendations was that the leather of the kit should be dimpled and treated to avoid reflections. In WW1, men going on patrol had spent hours preparing, including dulling leather and wrapping metal to stop reflections.

For hiking boots should I use a brush or cloth to wax and polish them... At the moment I'm only using brushes....... Thank you for your help....

Used to do that quite a lot in basic, then got posted to a Tornado Squadron where the lads painted their shoes with the paint they applied to the nose cone of the GR1 stuff called Flexaine that came up to a mirror finish. But yes bulling shoes is a pain in the arse until you discover your method that works then it’s therapeutic.

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

That old trick!

Nice to see your approach. I will have to give it a try. Thanks.

Dan, do I need a separate Shining Brush for each shoe color or is one brush enough??

Tring person here! Goodness knows why but I like watching people shine shoes. Lol

@Dan_the_cobbler

3 жыл бұрын

Hello welcome! Haha

@virguiniaquinonez4047

3 жыл бұрын

@@Dan_the_cobbler tiene instargram

Do you ever use or recommend using the old horse hair brush for shining shoes or boots?

kewl... one of my grand-grand-mothers is said to have said something about the heel-part of a shoe... but i cannot remember if they said "clean" or "shiny"... maybe "clean" is enough?