Shoe polish: thoughts, fun facts, questions

[gsmacleod]

I spent many hours polishing my parade boots to a mirror shine; my father taught me and although I spent lots of time doing polishing, I was never able to achieve his level of mastery.

As I did some drill instruction through my time in the military I always had a pair of parade boots highly shined and ready to go. I also attended many mess dinners I also had a highly shined pair of oxfords for those occasions and when not on parade.

Since leaving the military, I have one pair of highly shined oxfords (and maybe parade boots somewhere) but my other shoes are kept clean and buffed. Certainly not sloppy but a little polish and a buffing brush usually keeps them good for daily wear.

Shane

[Queenslander]

I had never owned a pair of brown leather shoes or boots until a couple of years ago, having required black boots in Corrections and the Police. Now with several pairs in differing shades of brown I do something similar to the black polish on brown, but use different tones of brown polish. This gives a real depth (not sure if patina is the right word) and character to the leather that I find very appealing. Incidentally my oldest son joined the Australian Navy Cadets last year and his PO advised against Kiwi Parade Gloss for spit polishing, and to use the regular Kiwi black.

[Blaidd]

..........his PO advised against Kiwi Parade Gloss for spit polishing, and to use the regular Kiwi black.

I think I have also said similar elsewhere - it leaves a strange mist'! Good advice for your son.