How To Polish Shoes
In the first video in our Gentleman's Shoes Series, Tom Beecroft from The Jaunty Flaneur based in Mayfair outlines the key steps they follow to get a high quality shoe shine.
The 4 Key Steps To Polish Shoes Properly
Step 1 is to prepare the shoe for polishing by dusting it down with a horse hair brush, making sure to also get into the welt areas and also the waist of the shoe. Then apply a little renovateur cream across the whole of the upper. This will nourish and moisturise the leather. Leave that to sink in for at least half an hour, although the longer the better before you buff it off.
Add Shoe Cream To Nourish The Leather
Step 2 is to massage in shoe cream to restore colour and further nourish the upper. Again you want to leave that for at least half an hour. Because the shoe cream has some bees wax in it, when you buff it of, you'll start to see a shine develop.
Add High Quality Wax
Step 3 is to start adding thin layers of high quality wax. Start by using a welt brush to get into the area between the sole and the upper and this is largely to protect the stitching. Then use a cloth to apply wax all over the shoe. After leaving the wax to dry for a moment, buff off and then add another layer. After a few layers it is best to use a pair of thick tights to quickly go over the surface and bring out the most from the shine.
Polish Your Shoes To A Mirror Shine
Step 4 is really what separates a standard shoe shine from a well polished shoe. By adding in a drop of water when massaging in some layers of wax we can build a mirror like finish on certain parts of the shoe. This should only really be saved for parts of the shoe that do not flex when you are walking such as the toe and the rear quarter.
The high quality shoe products can be found on The Jaunty Flaneur's website here: http://www.thejauntyflaneur.com/buy-shoe-care-products/
To see all video's on our How To Polish Shoes YouTube series click here: http://www.rampleyandco.com/pages/videos
Or click here to view our full range of Fine Men's Accessories.