Boot Black shoo polish (Japan) - the world's best shoo polish?

[Pimpernel Smith]

I have never used edge dressing. I routinely apply a dark brown or black shoe polish to the edges. Or a lighter colour if appropriate.

Never done that either, the process crosses my mind now and again, but then I just do the voodoo that you do above.

Are we missing out?

 

[Sammy Ambrose]

Never done that either, the process crosses my mind now and again, but then I just do the voodoo that you do above.

Are we missing out?

I assume you are also chanting or praying or reciting something too, as I am, to ensure the polish stays where it is supposed to stay.

 

[güero]

I have never used edge dressing. I routinely apply a dark brown or black shoe polish to the edges. Or a lighter colour if appropriate.

Their edge dressing is just simpler to use I think. They also have a nice crayon to remove scratches

 

[The Shooman]

Never done that either, the process crosses my mind now and again, but then I just do the voodoo that you do above.

Are we missing out?

I used to use polish like Sammy did....did it that way all my life until recently. Are we missing out? Sort of, it is good to have , does a better job than the edge dressing. None-the-less it is no way near as good as the various varnishing techniques and colours that Lattanzi used on my shoes. These boot black edge dressings are crude in comparison.

Special note: there is no way l would ever use them on some of my nicer looking heels and soles, it would be like using cheap house paint on fine varnished furniture. For some heels and soles l will continue to use pastes and creams. However the inevitable will happen when l need a new heel and the cobbler will use his crude edge dressings to get the colour all uniform again. SO.....I do send some shoes to Lattanzi for a re-heel and spend a fortune and retain the fantastic colourings, or do l just suck it up and be cheap and get a cobbler to do it. I just say to myself....don't be precious, just suck it up and be a man and just learn to live with the cobbler job. Aghh

 

[The Shooman]

I have my own wooden shoo stretcher. Bit like a shoe tree with a screw thread for length and one to spread the split toe bit.

Got to be careful with those sorts. I find that a wide bump is really needed, and not those small nubs often available in those cheaper stretchers. Best not to make the stretch too obvious, so a longer bump is better.

It also has little add in bumps for target areas.
I’ve found plain old water on leather just as good as so called stretching sprays.

Plain old water? Maybe, but that alcohol based stretching fluid would get fast results because is soaks straight into the leather. Just my thoughts.