There I was, staring down at my lackluster boots with a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was day two of basic training and we had just been informed that we had one hour to get our boots as shiny as our cadre’s (each looked as if they were covered in glass)…or we weren’t going to like the repercussions. Never in my life had I shined a pair of shoes and now I was under the gun, trying to inconspicuously imitate my roommate who grew up a military brat and had apparently been doing it since he was 5. I learned very quickly how to shine shoes that day…not quickly enough, but that’s another story for another time.
Chances are, unless you join the military, you will never have to face punishment for not having shiny shoes. Nonetheless, it is a great skill to have in your man arsenal. Whether it’s an upcoming wedding, graduation or simply another day at the office, a pair of shiny shoes can set you apart as a man that knows how to take care of himself.
Not only does shining your shoes look good, it is a necessary part of properly caring for and maintaining a nice pair of leather shoes or boots. The polish itself helps moisturize and waterproof the leather, lengthening a shoes lifespan.
How To Shine Your Shoes Like a Soldier
There are a lot of opinions when it comes to the best way to shine a shoe. Everyone has their own unique twist from using spit to using a lighter to burn the top coat of polish (cool, although potentially dangerous). The process below is a simple one that I have used for many years and it has worked fine for me and many of my military peers.
Step 1: Find an old towel or newspaper to spread over the area you will be working on. Shoe polish has an uncanny ability to get smeared everywhere even when you’re being extremely careful…and it’s really hard to get out of carpet.
Step 2: Clean the dust and dirt off your boots with a horsehair shine brush or damp rag. If you must get your boots a little wet to clean them off, allow them time to dry before applying the polish.
Step 3: Cover the entire shoe with a generous amount of polish, using your shoe polish brush. The polish I’m using is black Kiwi Shoe Polish, but be sure to match the color of the polish to your shoe as closely as possible. Make sure you get down in the seams of the shoe and attempt to cover evenly with polish. Allow 15 minutes for the polish to dry.
Step 4: Brush the entire shoe vigorously using the horsehair shine brush. The point of this is to basically brush off all the excess polish, leaving only a small film on the outside of the shoe.
Step 5: Once you feel comfortable that the entire shoe has been covered and brushed it is time to focus on the toe and heel for extra shine. Dip a cotton ball or pad into some water and squeeze out any excess moisture so it is damp, not dripping. Then get a little polish on the damp cotton. Next apply the polish on the toe and heel of the shoe using small circular motions. Sit back, this is going to take a while.
Step 6: Repeat Step 5 until you are satisfied with the level of shine. Remember to use a new piece of cotton each time and to remove all excess polish before applying a new coating. Also, the initial shine is the hardest, it should get a bit easier each time you do it. These boots were fairly new and this was my first time giving them a good shine. From start to finish, it took me approximately 45 minutes to get them to the state shown below. Most of this was spent with the cotton pads shining the toe and heel. If I were to come back in a couple weeks it would take me half the time to do the same job.
Building a Shoe Shine Kit:
Before you try to build one, if you have black shoes you can always just buy the one sold on military bases worldwide…and the one I use. It is basic, cheap and has worked for me for 6 years. Here is the link. If, however, you want a nicer kit, different colors of polish, or just like being independent, here are the items you need:
- tin of wax polish
- horsehair shine brush
- shoe polish brush (applicator)
- cotton balls
- shine cloth
Extra Thoughts:
For those of you who are really hardcore, you can clean up the edges of the sole by purchasing edge dressing. It’s basically black goop that goes around the edge of the sole and makes it look shiny. I’m not a fan of it, but you may feel the urge at some point.
See more of Cameron’s work at Schaefer’s Blog.
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I have a black pair of shoes, but the stitching is white. How do I keep the leather polished and the stitches white?
Thanks in advance.
Exactly what kind of boots are those and where can you get them?
@Roger B. – I would recommend one of two ways to keep your stitching white. Before you start applying the black polish to your boots, use a thin layer of neutral polish to cover the white stitching. I will prevent the black polish from discoloring the lighter stitching.
The other method I would recommend is using a white grease pencil to color over the stitching should it get black polish adhered to it or if the stitching is starting to look dingy.
There is one other thing you can do, take your time. If you really slow down and pay close attention to where you are applying the polish and how you are buffing it out, you can and will avoid getting any polish on your stitching.
Hope that helps!
Wow. I’m really glad I never have need for shining shoes. Now that I think about it, I don’t have any black shoes. I don’t think I’ve ever spent 45 minutes on any aspect of getting clothing ready, even 30 years ago when I had a job that required a suit and tie every day.
I go to military school and the only people who have to shine the whole shoe are the color guards but they’re also not allowed to have state shines on campus. The “normal way” is to use a t shirt that is old. then Put a little water in the cap and soak the t shirt after pulling it tight around your finger. swirl your finger in the polish lightly and then make small circles all the way around. then soak in water again and run over the fresh polish then soak again and run the wet rag over the polished areas. after going all the way around where you want to polish then its time to buff. A little secret- ask your girlfriend, wife, mom, sister, anyone you feel comfortable asking, for an old pair of pantyhose. It must have been used!!!! also make sure they know it will be unwearable before you use it. the pantyhose makes a great buffing rag. if you want a really high gloss put a thin coat of brown polish on and buff in the same way. It really gets a good gleam.
This gentleman has it EXACTLY right! When I was in the 82d Airborne (back in the BDU and jump boots days), we needed a high shine on those ‘ol Cochorans. The brush actually makes it a bit harder (roughing up your wax surface a bit) and you’ll never get the same shine. The old t-shirt (or cloth baby diaper if you can still find ‘em) works great. The cotton balls are best after you get a good smooth base, but you can get ‘em looking like glass without them.
Good article!
Try using the “clear” kiwi polish for that good mirror finish. I’d forgotten about the panty hose thing. That’s a good way to tighten up the shine quickly when you don’t want to devote 30-60 minutes to the whole operation. Excellent article!
In the provided pictures above, does everyone see the light tan and white area where the top of the boot meets the soles. It is around the edges where the stiching holds the top of the boot to the soles……… This is called “DIRT.” A good scrubbing of the boots and applying of edge dressing or wax to this area will make it black and have a better overall appearance. If you are going to spit shine your shoes to look good, then look good everall inside of just 50%. That dirt around the edges of these boots outway the spit shine that is there. Not trying to knock the poster of this, because he does explain it right, but I think maybe about 5-6 more coats of wax is needed. This looks like it is only about 60% complete. Not that good of a shine. However, this is the correct way to spitshine. Just needs a little more attention to detail.
He was better than you because he was in the Marines. You were satisfied with “Good Enough” because you were in the Navy. !!!!!!!
Im a MA in the Navy and I shine my boots every night with Kiwi Parade gloss, brown T-shirt, spit and lighter method. There is no quick and easy way to shine a boot. Just takes a little effort and elbow grease. Using the brush method is for those who are in it for the “good enough” approach. Put a good base coat on heat it with a lighter (not letting the flame sit in spot or touch the boot) then spit, re apply polish and repeat until you get the desired shine
Incidentally, should you ever need to totally *ruin* your nice shiny shoes, Sterno…yes, Sterno, the heat source for campers…got all over my shoes this morning and they are duller than I’ve ever seen.
Well,Your method works excelent,But heres what i found to work better
YOU WILL NEED:Black kiwi shoe polish,a lighter,Old t shirt cut into 12″x12″ squares.And of course, Your shoes/boots.
1.Apply 1-3 coats of polish to the toe of your boot/shoe for now.
2.Use lighter to go over polish and melt it into the shoe,Not to long,Just enough(repeat steps 1 and 2 twice)
3.Use the old t shirt (1 or 2 fingers,I use 1) and touch it in the polish,VERY SMALL AMOUNT.
4.spit onto the middle of the part of the shoe you just took the lighter too.
5.Using small uniform circles,Move outward from your spit with the t shirt with the polish on it.
6.Spit more if nescacary,Repeat the process several times until satisfied.(took me about 6-8 repeats of steps 3-6)
Thanks for your time
Now this is a useful article for a young man in the 21st century. Good advice, thanks!
Loathed as I am to agree with a Life Guard.
Paul Edwards is correct with his cleaning methods.
My career is somewhat similar to his except I served in the Blues & Royals.
I also worked as a Butler for Lord Mountbatten s Grandson the future Lord Mountbatten. Small world.
I do however still beeswax and polish on a daily basis as I provide a service by post. shoe shine on-line. It is very popular with the British military who spend more time with bullets than bulling these days.
Proof is in the pudding so feel free to visit my site and view the examples of my recent work.
I also have a tips page where you can download my free guide to shiny footwear and guide to beeswaxing amongst other goodies.
I also give advice which is always free.
Nice to see there are people out there that still like to keep their kit in good order.
the_butler.
Making stuff shine since 79.
When I went to boot-camp, USN, everyone worked on their boots and shoes trying to get them nice an shinny. Then a old timer walked in after ours seeing us all working on our boots, but he had a mirror shine on his, his suggestion… tampons. We went to the px/bx that week for toothpaste, and cleared the whole place out of all their tampons. The ultra tight cotton provided us with shiniest shoes in town; except for that old salt who let us in on his tip.
Of 9 years I was in the Navy 6 of them were spent as a nuclear mechanic on a submarine…those 6 years I shined my boot’s toes with a sharpie because we did so much work that the leather covering the steel toes would get worn off from kneeling on the steel deckplates. The shine on your boots is inversely proportional to the amount of work you do. Those sonar techs had some pretty boots!
I concur with almost everything in the instruction, except the brand of polish. i recommend Lincoln paste wax instead of Kiwi. Use just a very light smudge of polish repeatedly for the best results.
I worked with a Marine sniper who used lighter fluid instead of water, but he would not share his secret. The results were phenomenal.
The repetitive action part is correct. It is very soothing.
Wonderful Tips.
I’m from India.
When I first started out polishing my shoes I was still in school, and my folks used to do my polishing. One fine day mom said I’ve got to polish my own shoes and showed my how its done, but it wasn’t all that impressive anyways. My school had at the gate inspections to see if shoes were properly shined and I’d get caught almost everyday and some form of punishment or the other. Then came the lesson of a lifetime. One of my aunts came visiting and saw me getting ready for school.
Shirt – Check. I learnt how to press my it myself the hard way.
Pants – Check. Same as above.
Tie – Check. . Same as above not much effort required though.
Shoes – Check but no shine.
I used to apply the polish with the brush like I was applying antiseptic cream and lt looked like one big black block.
In walks my aunt and says “Have you always polished like that” and I say “Yes”.
Then she says “you’ve got to make it shine my boy, Here let me show you how its done”
and all she did was just take my hand and the brush with the big wad of polish and brush my hand to show me the pressure she used and said “Now you try it, On the shoe”
Took me 2 tries but the 3rd time I got it and Wow! was it shiny. Then she tole me to take a soft cloth and wipe the excess and brush with the other unused brush and then see how it turns out. Man that was some shine I had. And even now everytime I shine my shoes I remember her advice and I’ve even improved the skill over the years. Now after more than 15 years I’ve seen and known the value of a well maintained properly polished pair of shoes.
People do notice especially girls. And people I’ve been around still ask me if I’ve got a new pair of shoes while looking at a pair that I’ve been wearing for a year. I just hope more men in this place of mine put more attention to their shoes as well rather than only their hair and shirts.
Once again, wonderful post. And these new tips will certainly help in adding more shine to my already shining shoes.
Thanks
Obviously I’m late reading this. I was taught a great way to get a virtual spit shine look to boots/shoes. Use Lincoln Shoe Wax. Rub your forefinger lightly in the wax and then rub it on your boot one section at a time. As you start rubbing it will kind of “stutter” or stick. That’s enough for that section. Do the whole boot that way, using a tooth brush for the welts, sides of the soles and heel. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Then take a womens hose piece and gently rub the polished areas, continuing over the whole boot until all sections are done. Move on to the second boot, then back and forth a few times between each boot. A very high shine will be developed.
Those are a good looking pair of boots in the post pictures. Do you know what kind they are and where I could get a pair?
@Allen,
They are made by Addison Shoe Company. I would give you more information, but I don’t have it — I was issued these boots during Undergraduate Pilot Training a few years ago so I just nodded, took them and said, “thank you, sir.”
Just to echo it once more here – seriously, forget the t-shirts.
Baby diapers are it for the absolute best shine. Believe it or not!
The way I learned in basic was to light the wax to melt, apply to well cleaned boots, buff off the excess and then use the same method as the water, but use rubbing alcohol. It takes a lot of practice and patience but when done right it makes a mirror shine! Too much alcohol will start you from square 1.
If it’s cold out or your shoe polish is cold, I highly recommend heating it before applying. It goes on much smoother. Generally that is the reason for using a lighter. Just one other note if you work in an environment that could involve fire… shoe polish is a fire hazard. That’s why you see a number of military aviators whose boots look like they rarely, if ever, get polished.
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