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.

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.

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.

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"

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Most of the shoe shine content on KZfaq 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!

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.

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.

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 :)

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

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

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.

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!

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

Writing from California: Great tutorial. Thank you, Ravi

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

Impressive Dan! Excellent tutorial! Thank you.

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

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.

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....

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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

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

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...

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.

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 👀

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

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!

Hi Dan thank you for this awsome class!

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

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

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

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!

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

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.

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

Damn. Dan can shine my shoes any day 😍

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

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 😂

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

Outstanding work.

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 enjoy your videos Dan! God Bless my friend!

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.

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.

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

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.

Fabulous video. thank you.

❤️👍 great video!! cobbler man!!

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

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.

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

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

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!

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?

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

Love your videos. Ottawa Ontario Canada.

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

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).

Thx for that thumbprint trick 👌🏻

We used to use a hot tea spoon on army boots toe caps, one to take out the original dimples and two to flatten the leather to get the wax into the flattened toe leather , took awhile first time, thereafter similar layered polishing application as video to get to mirror finish….was hard going, hated it when you were knackered after tough day…..

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

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?

Nice video. My dad always added a little bit of rubbing alcohol to his ice-cold water, helps break down the wax combined with the heat from your fingers. He was in the Army for 27 years, and he told me he always had the shiniest boots for parade.

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.

Sir.. Could you please share me your wisdom regarding mirror shine maintenance.. I've used kiwi product and my mirror shining captoe have cracked and easily peeled off as if the wax is separable with ease.. All my hard work goes to ruin within few step which is a devastating experience.. Could you please fix my issue.. Love your work by the way 👍🏻👍🏻

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

One other thing you can use for the wax is a good lighter such as a zippo to melt the wax after 5-7 layers to get a mirror finish fast

When I was in the navy guys used to either buy corframs or paint on shine which inevitably cracked during inspection.

We had to wear our boots during training as well. Spit / mirror shines are all very well, and we did those. But what was difficult, and never mastered, was deep cuts and scratches. Yes, you can polish over them, but they will always be there. Or is there a way to fill these in so they are no longer visible?

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

We used a similar process for spit shining in the military. They key for us though was a complete removal of the old polish and the shoe dye in a pair of well worn boots. Wore them into the shower and got them good and soaked, then took some shaving cream and a soft bristle brush and stripped the leather down until the boot was solid white. Let them dry thoroughly, then dyed them black with about 8 coats of dye. Then added polish, and buffed them out, about 8 times to get a good base. Then the water and polish were added, another 8 coats. All this was done over a period of about 2 weeks, until you had that glass shine. Finish off the boots with some edge dressing and you were all set...until you scuffed them lol. Fortunately didn't have to do that for the dress shoes, just bought the ones that were already polished, just needed Windex to wipe them down.

That is very much the way we did it in the army { 1957 } slight diference we used our own spit which was very efective. To make the the leather smooth we used the handle of our issued spoon, heated by a candle dip in to the polish and iron the leather to get the wrinkles out first. It took quite a time as we were all trying to get to know each other. That was just the first week and the start of a lot more of the same, but it taught you to take care of yourself. R.L.

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

He’s seriously fit!

I was 7 years in the narmy! Oncw Kiwi always Kiwi! I used fingers, cake the stuff on then use a good "fine" Panty hose leg piece, and a lighter. always got perfect within 20 minutes! Parade shoes all the time!

Well KZfaq, 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..

One trick I used in the military was the last cpl coats were with neutral. Glass. Another youd think would never work was finish coat with dark blue. Problem was that stuff was impossible to find

I was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. The goal for shining was a “two-bar shine.” The overhead light fixtures in the dorms were two-bulb fluorescent units and, when the shoes were brought to a high gloss shine, you could clearly see two white lines in them. Looks like your shop has two-bulb fixtures as well.

I purchased two pair of J&M Optima cap toe oxfords for my novice attempt to replicate the shoe grooming excellence offered on U-tube via Preston's Elegant Oxford and Kirby's Hanger Project and Dan's Cobblers Secret. Preston's videos are sublime ala music, voice, script and photography. Kirby's savoir faire and deft hand skills are didactic. Dan has hypnotizing delivery of leather craft knowledge. So these recently purchased shoes are to be transformed into mirror shine marvels. My queries seek your recommendations on what type of full sole, type of heel, and type of toe tap ?Dr. 😎.