Waxing / Polishing Duty Boots?

[ReconTech]

I currently have Magnum Stealth boots for duty use, and find myself waxing them every two days or so, with Parade high gloss, and it just goes away. I got a silicon / lanolin spray for it, but that doesn't work as well as it does on dressy shoes...

Any pointers on how to polish up duty boots?

 

[swampgator]

Are you going for high shine? Or just polished?

In any case drop the Parade Gloss, and stick to plain old black Kiwi. Others will say Lincoln, but I've never used it.

Regardless of what type of shine your going for you need a good "base."

What I always did was to thoroughly brush off all dust, dirt, etc. Then use saddle soap if needed. The re-dye with Kiwi leather dye. (The saddle soap and dye can be avoided if leather is clean.)

Using a new white cotton t-shirt (cut into about 6"x6" squares) stretched apply wax and using a circular motion wax into boot. Continue until it looks like there is no wax on the boot. Repeat.

After wax is worked into the leather you can then brush shine the boot and it will shine enough to look decent. Or you can spit shine to "black glass" status.

Like I said ditch the Parade Gloss, IMO experience it was too hard to really be worked into the leather.

 

[COHIBA]

great choice on the boots.
Magnum is the only brand I sell in the store.
first strip of all the polish w/ shaving gel and a nylon bristle brush outside w/ a water hose to rinse.
air dry. when dry apply black leather dye . i have seen edge dressing work well also. when the dye has FULLY dried, about 24 hours, coat the boots w/ kiwi. dont skimp. put the stuff on w/ latex gloves like you were icing a cake. wrap a clean damp towel around each boot and leave them overnight. the next morning buff w/ a standard boot brush till you get a decent shine.
the next part is critical.
FIND KANGAROO WAX!! it has more oil in it than KIWI.
do not light the wax on fire. it is stupid to do and i have no idea what moron came up w/ the idea. i have seen numerous people do it and its conterproductive. you want the oil in the polish not burned out of it.
if you cant find KANGAROO then melt KIWI from the bottom w/ heat and ad 1/2 teaspoon of canoloa oil to the melted state, stir and allow to resolidify.
now the easy part.
w/ a very clean white 100% cotton cloth, preferably a cloth diaper dab a small amount of polish onto the cloth and make small circles about the size of an old silver dollar. keep this up until you get a bright luster.
good luck.

 

[VaughnT]

I've never needed to redye my Original Swat boots, but polishing is a weekly thing.

I'll use a nylon fingernail brush/handscrubber under the bathtub faucet to shed all the excess wax/dirt/pollen/whatever and let the boots dry thoroughly.

Once dried, I use black Kiwi and a cotton rag to apply. Use a good bit of wax and wet the rag with water. Make small circles all over the boot, pushing the wax into the pores of the leather.

Allow the boot to sit until the wax clouds over. Buff the excess off. Good shine results.

To build up the wax a bit more, do another cycle with the wax and wet rag.

My boots look good for a week and the leather doesn't seem to degrade as fast. I'm definitely keen on the boot care.

also check out www.originalswat.com for some good tips on polishing.

 

[Steve Smith]

If you are going for HIGH shine, try Mop n Glo. I'm serious. It will last a long time too.

 

[COHIBA]

danm steve! and a moderator, too.
what branch of the military did you learn that trick in?

 

[jthuang]

Erick, are you getting a high gloss shine with the Danner boot dressing?

Maybe I'm doing something wrong but all I get is a matte finish. I am using Danner's gel cleaner, leather conditioner AND the boot dressing. On Danner boots, too.

I was thinking of ditching the boot dressing for Kiwi or Lincoln wax, but keeping the rest of the Danner "system".

Justin

 

[jthuang]

Erick - thanks. I will have to buy some Lincoln wax and try it for myself. I was expecting a high-gloss shine from the Danner "ensemble" but guess they never said the boot dressing was a substitute for polish. At the very least I'll know my Danner boots are being maintained properly with the cleaning gel and leather conditioner.

Justin

 

[Serpico]

A good trick is to take a windproof lighter and heat up the wax...then rub it on...

 

[Leaky Waders]

easy high gloss shine....

Use kiwi polish...goop it on w/ a tooth brush in the stitches around the sole and w/ the buffing brush that comes w/ the small kit on the rest of the shoe/boot. Lightly buff w/ the brush until gobs of polish are removed/spread....

Go to wife's underwear drawer...shred a pair of nylons - buff w/ the nylons like you would a rag. (Save the nylon/buff rag for later).

Put your junk away after you spent like 10 minutes on a pair.

Swear to everybody that you spent several hours spit-shining them until you hand loooked like a carpal tunnel induced claw

- L. W.

 

[xsquid]

Mop&Glo? we used to use Pledge But only on corfram dress shoes.