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MistressDREAD -> RE: bootblacking (5/19/2004 10:20:47 PM)
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excuse My entry here Masters...
quote:
Is there a right and a
wrong way to bootblack??
yes there is randsboy and the way
that your Owner desired for you to
do it for Him is the right way however
if you become a part of a membership
that goes to compatition there are spacific
rules and ways and items that are used
based off of the type of leather and if it
is a boot or shoe and even how the laces
are laced all count in compatitions. You
dident mention how you shine and what
type of leather you are shining. If I had
more info I might could assist you in
gaining whats needed to know for compatiton.
here are sum basics that I know of and you
can compare what you do to what My bootblack
does.
the majority of the bootblacking that i do is at home, and there is only so much one can do in this setting. these are my home-bootblacking steps and are a good place to start for a beginner.
1. cleaning. the number one secret to a great finished product is starting with clean boots. i use Fiebing brand saddle soap myself although there are many great brands. using a soft horsehair brush, a little soap, and just enough water to create a good lather, scrub the entire boot. if the boot has laces, take the laces out so that you can get the tongue, too. dry the boot completely and quickly before the soap dries. use a stiffer brush along where the leather upper meets the sole; a lot of dirt gets in there, and leaving it there is just lazy. if you are working on a pair of boots that has feet in them, treat the drying-rub down as a massage. now is also a great time for some boot worship, if you wish...
2. applying polish. the polish goes on smoother and more even if the wax is warm. some people flame their wax in the can. some flame the wax on the boot. i don't do either because the first method is bad for the wax and the second is too potentially bad for the boot (and the wearer) if the bootblack isn't skilled enough. since i don't want to risk ruining boots getting good at flaming boots,I simply warm the wax with a lighter underneith or by accident i discovered that setting a can of wax on top of a hot drink is a FABULOUS and safe alternative to flaming wax. i advocate using your bare hands as MUCH AS POSSIBLE when doing boots while applying waxes and oils. the heat from your hands melts the wax/oil into the leathers oh so beautifully, and you can FEEL where you have been and where you need to go. don't think of wax as "dirty". i like to think of my hands being coated with clean like a machine! apply the wax in sections; i map the boot out mentally (and i do each boot the same as part of my ritual to keep track of where i've been). practice is the best teacher of how much is too much and how little is too little. best to err on the side of too little at first...and remember back to front with the shining of the top toes the grand finaly!apply wax to both boots. the wax needs to dry between application and buffing and doing that second boot is about the right amount of time.
3. buffing. find the densest horsehair brushes you can find. i happen to have an older brush, and i don't know where it came from, but it is beautiful others use black cows hair but I find it not hard enough.
you'll develop a pattern with this as well--across the toes, along the lower side, that sort of thing, although the pattern doesn't matter too much at home there are groups who have which way they move for this action tho so if you intend to go professional you need to find out which way they like it. i like to do an initial dry-brushing, (if i am doing any second coatings like Parade Gloss, i do that application here...alone with My kiwi) then mist the boot with water or scotch as sum pros use, and dont forget a taste for the Master/Mistress then do a second brushing, mist the boot again and then buff with-a-nylon trick. each round of buffing you will see brighter results. MAN! does that work well! just put your hand into an old nylon or nylon sock, right down to the toe, and just start rubbing the boot...be patient and you will love the results. i don't know why, but polyester will rub the polish off don't over-buff, though. you'll get to the point where you will be removing too much wax and dulling the boot.i don't know why, but polyester will rub the polish off (so i've been told), so make sure it's nylon...side note on Parade Gloss: this is a harder wax (which is why it shines up so much brighter) and it is more difficult to apply. i stick to just the toe and heel of the boot with Parade Gloss; it would take too long to apply it over the whole boot (unless that is the desired effect and you have the time!)
4.oiling. some boots get oiled and not polished. actually any hide boot can be oiled (i've done cow, elephant, elk...), and an occasional oiling is recommended. once again, when applying oil, use your bare hands! the oil goes on so beautifully and melts in so fabulously. and TAKE YOUR TIME! oiling a boot takes so much less time than polishing that you can stretch out the ritual, and really get into it. plus, don't just think about the boot, think about the foot that is inside the boot. i've had many customers pleasantly surprised at how good the whole experience is, and that can be fully nurtured in a good, thorough oiling.
5. details. it's all in the details. it's the little things that make a good job a great job:-edge dressing. sometimes i just use plain old shoe polish on the edges, but it's still a detail.-re-dyeing scuffs. even if all you use is a magic marker (hey, that's what i was originally taught to use!) it makes all the difference. polish can only cover so much.-watch the white socks! (personally i didn't know that socks and underwear came in anything but black...)-watch the white (or yellow for Doc Martens) stitching along the soles. use neutral polish on the stitching (and even on the lower part of the boot, if you wish) to keep the black off the stitches.-get the lacing right! pay attention to how they laced their boots before you take them out and duplicate it. left over right? right over left? ladder? double knotted? tied the bow three holes from the top?-talk to your Master/Mistress ask them what they want, what they have done in the past, what they expect. maybe they just want their abused combats oiled. maybe they want their oil-tanned boots to be a sticky mess and polished and not oiled. JMO
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