How do they get their boots so darn shiny?

[ctab]

A few more details please…

This thread is great!
Just a few questions…
I ride and teach throughout the course of the day, 5 days a week so pulling my boots off to teach just to put them on again to ride is impractical. I have to slog through some mud sometimes.
Should I use saddle soap to clean the boots or castile soap? Or should I just use enough water to get the mud/dirt off?
Is castile soap like Murphy’s Oil Soap?
Conditioner
Do I polish the inside calf of the boot?
Will that rub off onto pad or horse?
How often should I do a thorough cleaning as opposed to a simple wipe down?
Thanks!

[atr]

Don’t polish the insides of your boots–they will squeak terribly.

Just use water to wash off the mud.

I always us a soft brush to polish mine, after application of a decent polish which has been left to dry.

There are many roads to Rome!

[mypaintwattie]

Long story short but I ended up talking to a motorcycle police officer last week after a car accident and he commented on how nice my tall boots were (accident happened coming home from barn). I asked him how he got his so nice and shiny and he said the trick is that a little kiwi polish goes a long way- don’t over polish! He also told me about the local shoe repair shop that shines all of the police and highway patrol boots. Sounded good to me to take them there and save my elbow grease!

[Wayside]

Yeah, I used to be in the military, so I use the spit-shine method. Kiwi, saliva, and elbow grease :lol:

[Heit]

This is how i do it now… i found this on Ruth Poulsen’s blog…
http://www.ruthhoganpoulsen.com/news/polish-boots-9-14-09.html

Ok… I admit I am a little OCD… but its part of my routine when I’m getting ready for a show or class… I use the quiet time to go over my test and think about my plan… and boy do my boots shine!!

#1 Start with a clean and DRY boot. (Use a salt remover type product, or water, NEVER EVER a SOAP product. SOAP or oiled products will leave a residue and no matter how hard you try, they will never shine!)

#2 Only use the old-fashioned boot polish made by KIWI. Use the type that says “PARADE GLOSS”. It has silicone in it shines like crazy and helps shed water.

#3 Get some sheet cotton. ONLY COTTON… and wad up a palm size amount in your hand and get it slightly damp with water. Only a few drops of water should come out of your cotton when you start applying the polish.

#4 Make sure you polish is warm, or has been sitting in the sun. If it’s raining, or no sun, use a bic lighter to heat the polish for a few seconds.

#5 Rub some polish on the damp cotton and rub into your boot. Circles are best for the first few layers. Do NOT apply polish to the inside of the boot!

#6 Reapply polish when the cotton looks grey or bluish. Don’t over apply… you are going to put 6 layers on so don’t put it on all at once!

#7 Let the boot DRY. Put the boot in the sun in on a heat great, or use a blow dryer. You must not buff the layer until the polish is dry.

#8 Buff boot with long, straight, and fast strokes with a soft COTTON cloth or buff brush. Buffing also heats the polish, that’s why you need to do it with elbow grease!

#9 Repeat these steps 6 more times, and you will have boots that you can see your smile in … and they won’t be patent leather… just look like it.

[Moogles]

Apparently some BNR use hoof polish on the outsides. Be careful though as it will stain your horse so avoid areas near you horse. I prefer good shoe polish and elbow grease. Also patent leather is ultra shiny!

[faluut42]

the upper are made of a type of leather called patent leather. it is treated so it has a wet shine look.

[nhwr]

Here is what I use
http://www.organize.com/qushshspbl.html?OVRAW=Instant%20shoe%20shine%20sponge&OVKEY=shoes%20shine%20sponge&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=67581216511&OVKWID=424526469511

If you boots are clean, the will be shiny in less than a minute. This is what shoe repair places use.

[MaybeMorgan]

Butif you aren’t supposed to polish the inside-I mean, having a dull stip on the inside of your leg? And the leather wouldn’t be protected there?

[EventerAJ]

For me, the trick is the buffing technique.

After applying your polish of choice: (Kiwi liquid for me)

Don’t “rub at it” with firm pressure. Instead, “whisk” your buffing cloth very quickly and lightly over the leather surface, just barely making contact. Use VERY, VERY FAST arm motions, repeatedly, over and over and over on one small area of the boot. If your arm doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall off after 60 seconds you aren’t buffing fast enough. Take breaks, change hands, but don’t stop buffing. It takes me at least 10 minutes per boot (unless I’m doing just a quick touch-up). Sit in front of the TV at home, listen to the radio, just distract yourself in some way and don’t stop buffing until your arms are dead tired. Apply another layer of polish during brief arm-recovery breaks.

[PaddyUK]

QR

Most of the upper level riders over here buy patent leather Konig
dressage boots.

Problem solved. No elbow greas involved.

Paddy

[Dressage_Art]

[QUOTE=MaybeMorgan;4576010]
Butif you aren’t supposed to polish the inside-I mean, having a dull stip on the inside of your leg? And the leather wouldn’t be protected there?[/QUOTE]
No you never suppose to polish inside of the boot. Just wash it with soap and apply sticky bees wax product such as leather conditioner. In old days old masters would wear their worn in the inside boots with pride! You really can tell how you ride just from looking at the inside wear of your boots. The good discoloration and wear on the inside and high polish on the outside was the mark of the true master. I still glance at the inside of the riders boots to see if their toes are pointing in and if they are using the inside of their leg for aids. (opposed to using the back of the leg with their toes sticking out) You can tell that from the wear on their boots.

[egontoast]

bacon fat but don’t go trail riding afterwards

[Ja_Da_Dee]

I use the “husband was in the military” method. He looks at my boots, shakes his head, and gives them a good spit-shine.

[Alagirl]

@MaybeMorgan;4576010

Butif you aren’t supposed to polish the inside-I mean, having a dull stip on the inside of your leg? And the leather wouldn’t be protected there?

That part of the boot does not need a lot of protection. it rarely comes into contact with anything but the saddle.

The area that gets most contamination and wear is the seam attaching the top leather to the sole, especially on the inside, arch area.

another reason to not polish the inside top: makes the boot slick

[Clarence]

Didn’t read all the posts, but this is how I learned it.

• Make sure you clean the dirt off your boots

• Set FIRE to Kiwi shoepolish

• Use cotton balls to apply liquid Kiwi polish to boots

• Repeat these steps until whole boot is covered

• Use regular brush for first buff

• Use cotton cloth for second buff

• Use nylon stocking for third and final buff (this will bring the shine)

The next step is not mandatory:

• Use hairspray for extra super shine (which should only be done if you have enough money as it will ruin your leather)

[maresnest]

I feel slightly heretical saying this after having read the other replies, but

Two steps:

1. Clean.
2. Apply a liquid polish.