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

The Shooman

A Pretty Face
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People rave about this product and say it's a level above Saphir.
http://bootblack.jp/en/

Word is that the acidic water they sell has a better effect than even using high quality champagne on your shoos.

There is a four step method to polishing the shoos using their way and not the usual three step moisturizer/paste/wax method.

These products and website is for people who are very advanced in various things regarding shoos.
 
Here's a video from several years ago from Columbus:


Don't think anyone is importing Boot Black into the US. Never tried it before.
 
Not a shoe guy, so I've never tried it myself. However, it is supposed to be an excellent product. You can buy it online here: http://shoeshine-shop.com They ship worldwide, the owner appears to be quite knowledgeable and gives great advice.
 
Seems a good deal pricier then Saphir, which is already one of the more costly shoe care lines on the market. I wonder how much "better" Black Boot actually is as Saphir is already able to produce excellent results.
 
It gets a better and faster shine than Saphir. I'll get some black polish and special acidic water and report back.
 
The dude is very cool. He has been solving my doubts about shipping and the products in spanish. I think I'm ordering some products. Thing is, they seem to change a bit the order of applying it. I mean, you need the conditioner, then the cream, then the wax and here's the tricky part for me (according to what I saw in the video), you need the high shine base and then the high shine coat. Is that correct?

Or you can switch the wax for the high shine?
 
The dude is very cool. He has been solving my doubts about shipping and the products in spanish. I think I'm ordering some products. Thing is, they seem to change a bit the order of applying it. I mean, you need the conditioner, then the cream, then the wax and here's the tricky part for me (according to what I saw in the video), you need the high shine base and then the high shine coat. Is that correct?

Or you can switch the wax for the high shine?

I forget the order now, but l do have notes somewhere. I'll find out the order again when l get some hopefully next week.
 
I finally found a store that has Saphir products around here, so I got a cream and wax. I can't complaint with the results.

tumblr_obz2cmEGH01spqdezo1_500.jpg


:happycry:
 
any verdict yet?


I am really going to have to get back onto this and buy a bunch of it. I might buy some Boot Black products tomorrow. Numerous people have said it is better than Saphir. I really like Saphir, but l am still looking for something more. I've been told by shoo experts that there are better products out there from Germany and other places, but difficult to source. As Manfred told me recently, Saphir can sometimes dry shoes out quickly, and l have also found that with certain leathers despite using moisturizer. I still feel l haven't reached the top of the mountain yet so l am going to try `boot black'. The one thing l don't like about Saphir is that it has become very heavy of introducing new product ranges, and it getting too confusing, but it looks like Boot Black is even worse.

Boot Black videos (confusing):

"Finally – and I know Saphir since more than 20 years – over all Boot Black is much more better than Saphir and there must be a reason why more than one of my customers has sold his Saphir items ofter the purchase of Boot Black" - URBAN BUCHMANN

A list of various shoe polishes:
 
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Numerous people have said it is better than Saphir.
I've in the meantime tried Boot Black, their regular shoe polish (not the Artist Palette, not the Collections Cream). I've not used it extensively (two different colors 2-3x each) and I have done no direct comparison to Saphir. I do think it is better than Saphir though, it needs even smaller amounts for a better shine with less polishing. For most people, their cleaning lotion combined with either the regular or the AP polish is probably all they ever need. Some of the more advanced stuff they have doesn't even seem to be offered by Saphir or others.
 
Are you thinking about Burgol, Siegol or Famaco?

The first two, l think.

One thing me and others have noticed with Saphir waxes and creams and moisterizer is that it can dry out the shoes after a short time. This is probably due to the terpentine (solvents) used in it. After l use the renovateur on various shoes the leathers can get dry after a couple of weeks while other leathers are not effected.

According to Ronny Rider the creams have less solvent in them, none-the-less they do have solvents. It is also called terpentine made from pine needles, but it is still a solvent.

I will try Boot Black soon and compare.
 
Interesting that ppl find that Saphir products can be hard on the leather. But then again, all brands contain some sort of solvent, in different base and mix.
Beyond "a good quality" level - I guess what is the best, is a matter of purpose. Nourishment to the leather or a gloss. Most pick the latter, both as it is attractive and Saphir is a known brand.
For those looking, I have mainly bought Burgol and Famaco from shoepassion.com / .eu. Siegol is one I want to try out - I have seen it at sancho-store.ch.

I'm trying to learn how to get better at maintaining a healthy leather, and find that brushing after each wear, is at least as a big factor, if not bigger, than polish/cream. Obviously also easier to notice if the leather looks dry and could use something, if you are keeping the shoo clean.
 
I'm trying to learn how to get better at maintaining a healthy leather, and find that brushing after each wear, is at least as a big factor, if not bigger, than polish/cream. Obviously also easier to notice if the leather looks dry and could use something, if you are keeping the shoo clean.

I'd say the biggest factor is the quality of the leather. It has to absorb all the nutrients and goodness so it comes up looking fresh, supple, and rejuvenated, just like the Nivea adverts.
 
One thing me and others have noticed with Saphir waxes and creams and moisterizer is that it can dry out the shoes after a short time.
Would you mind explaining a bit more in detail which Saphir products you use and in which order and frequency? You probably do not use Renomat?
 
Regarding Burgol, I have used their products and my observations are:
-their wax, cream, dubbin, and sole oil are not different from Saphir's.
-their leather cleaner doesn't seem to be as harsh as Saphir's renomat.
-I prefer Burgol's suede conditioner (sponge applicator bottle) to Saphir's spray cans.
-Burgol's brushes seem a bit nicer than Saphir's, and their new polishing clothes blow saphir's out of the water.

I'm also waiting on some Boot Black stuff and some cream/wax from a Japanese brand (Boot Black/Columbus rebranded I suspect). Will see how they compare to Saphir's.
 
Boot Black is very difficult to source, but l have been in touch with the Australian agent for this product and have ordered a bunch of specialist stuff and unusual cream/wax colours. I can top up with regular Boot Black polishes at my local store.

I ordered:
1). SHOE CREAM

a - red
b - royal purple

2). WAX

a - royal purple

3). CORDOVAN CREAM

a - dark brown
b - black

4). HIGH SHINE BASE

5). HIGH SHINE COAT

6). HIGH SHINE CLEANER

7). POLISH WATER

8). 2 x POLISH CLOTHES


I wanted to order `Rich Moisterizer', but at around $70 for a jar l considered it too expensive. Anyway...l will try out the products and report back in about 4 weeks. Normally it would take 6 months to get, but l am lucky and a special favour is being done for me.

I will have so many shoe creams and waxes etc that l think i'll need to buy a medium sized case to fit it all. I have many collonil creams, german waxes, KIWI Dave's special backyard formulae with NO solvents (he even puts it in his mouth), Saphir etc. It all gets used.
 


when l do a wax shine l now freeze my water. I use a rotation of almost frozen water on my shoes. I use one lid of water for 5 minutes and then pop it back in the freezer while another lid of frozen water gets used etc. I might even try getting some high quality cotton from my shirt maker so l can get the highest quality shine humanly possible. I want PERFECT shines. I am gonna shine my purple Johnny Lobb until it shines like a diamond. 🤩 I take my shoo shines very VERY seriously. In about a month i'll plan a day where l will shine from morning until night.

I've used all types of waters...filtered, demineralized water etc. Now it's time to use the acidic water from Boot Black. I am still chasing the `master diamond shine'! When l get my shoos shinin' like diamonds l will consider my work well and truly done. 😻
 
Boot Black is very difficult to source

I think that it's become more commonly available online than it was a couple of years ago. You can buy it from Trimly and the Amazon Australia websites.

It's been very popular in Japan for quite a few years - I used to pick up a container or two of Saphir when I went back to Japan but I noticed that places started to stock Boot Black instead of Saphir.
 
Journeyman Journeyman

I think that it's become more commonly available online than it was a couple of years ago. You can buy it from Trimly and the Amazon Australia websites.

That is the lesser range (silver) available from Trimby and Amazon. I just saw the prices at amazon and l am stunned at the high prices...increased from about $15 to $42 in one shot. Henry Bucks sells the highend black label stuff, but Trimby (the national distributor) has special ordered stuff in for me. All the common colours l will buy from Henry Bucks because Trimby only stocks up a few times per year, but the specialist colours and stuff will be ordered from Trimby.


Journeyman said:
It's been very popular in Japan for quite a few years - I used to pick up a container or two of Saphir when I went back to Japan but I noticed that places started to stock Boot Black instead of Saphir.

Yes, people are going from Saphir to Boot Black because they feel it is better. The problem is that Boot Black is so difficult to source and most people don't know about it.

My stuff will be here probably next week. I'll report back after l have used it. I want to spend a whole weekend experimenting with it.
 
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Boot black update

I got some of my order in yesterday with more to come probably next week. Looks like Boot Black has cut back on some of their colours too, so no longer any royal purple wax available which is a great shame.

I got these yesterday delivered:


The `boot black' pastes
There are two different pastes. There is the usual paste with waxes, but their is also another paste called `artists palette' which is oil based and is said to give a really nice shine.

I only have used the usual paste so far and it is very slightly better than Saphir in that it spreads easier with a minimal amount needed and gives a slightly better shine with a slightly deeper depth to the colouring. Seems like it has a touch more pigment. Is it better than Saphir paste? Just a little bit, but not too much difference, but the artists palette is said to be much better.

The `boot black' shell cordovan paste
This is a winner! A clear difference between the Saphir shell cordovan polish and the Boot Black cordovan polish. At last a shell cordovan polish that satisfies me. It moisterizes and colours the leather really nice with an easy shine that shines reasonably. Saphir is decent, but the leather gets dry and rugged quickly and it doesn't give off the shine to the cordovan that Boot Black does. Never have my rough shell cordovan Vass oxfords ever looked so good.

The other stuff.

I still am waiting for the acidic polish water, polish clothes, high shine base (a hard wax polish to be used after the paste as an initial coating), the high shine coat (used as a secondary hard wax high shine over the initial coating). Unfortunately l won't be able to use the high shine coats in conjunction with the purple wax to add colour to the surface wax.


One thing l forgot to order was the `artists palette'. I feel that would be a great product and something l would use a lot.



The `boot black' Moisturizer is also supposed to be good, but very expensive, and l will get it next time. It is said to last a long time. The Saphir renovateur can sometimes leave leathers dry after a short time so l have been looking for a better product to use.


Summary
Boot Black has a truckload of products. They have two types of pastes, three types of waxes, special water and various lotions that are used for soles and uppers etc. Is it all needed? Probably not, but it is a brand for serious shoo guys who are really serious about their shoo shines. I am one of those guys. Truly, l think that the moisterizer, artists palette, a coloured wax and a shine shine coat would be enough for most of the time, but that is only my opinion at this point of time, l still have much experimenting and learning to do about this product.

So far so good. I like the product. I can see why serious shoo shine guys are switching from Saphir to Boot Black, but in time l will know for sure as l get familiar with all the products.
 
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Well, l am really jumping into the big game of big time shoo polishers now.

Soon l will have the `Boot Black high shine collection'

The High-Shine Base primarily serves to smooth the leather surface so that the High-Shine Coat can be used in the next step to create a high gloss.

The High Shine coat is like a mirror gloss with extra waxes that are extra hard and hence create the shine. It comes in clear, black, dark brown and burgundy (last colour not available here)

The acidic polish water.


000---
I already have the polish clothes and they are great for a high mirror shine.

Saphir renovateur and creams, not good enough for me

I also ordered a range of colours from the Boot Black Artists Palette. Medium brown, navy blue, mustard brown, red, green and purple. These are very expensive, but l am looking for something that is excellent. Saphir is o.k, but it is not good enough because it dries some leathers out after a short time. My Edward Green were dried out after 2 weeks from using Saphir renovateur and shoe cream. I knew l had to look for something else after a top cobbler refused to sell Saphir products because he also said they dried out the leathers of shoos.

Boot-Black-Artists-Palette-colours.jpg
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Apparently the Boot Black Artists Palette are by far the best shoe creams on the market and leave Saphir products a distant second. They are oil based and l am hoping they don't dry some leathers like the Saphir creams do. According to this forum topic they are excellent creams that soften and moisterize the leather properly.


I also splashed out on the Boot Black `moisterizer'. It is highly expensive but it is said to do deep moisterizing of the leather. The Saphir renovateur tends to dry leathers are a short while and l find it not as great product. Finally l have decided to pay the money and try to find something really excellent that does the job needed.

I also bought Collonil red and pink creams this morning because l am a collector of red shoo creams. I have many. Collonil does not contain solvents and it moisterizes shoes properly, but it is not as fun to use as the creams that are easy to apply and create a shine.
 
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Some of my shoe creams and polishes l use (some are not in the picture). They all serve different purposes and are all used except for the Kiwi and warpoo. Interestingly enough, l just checked the Kiwi wax and it is the only polish which has gone bad and lost colour and looks like jelly and smells funny.


See the moisterizer by Kiwi Dave. He makes it himself in his backyard. All natural ingredients and can even be used on the face and eaten.


Kiwi Dave
 
When I was last at Lefflers they told me Collinol was going back to a limited number of colours. You heard anything?

I have Collinol in the jars with screw top lids but I like the old sponge applicator tunes best. Easy to use and give a nice low gloss shine.

For feeding the leather I use the WAPRO cream stuff for leather furniture .
 
When I was last at Lefflers they told me Collinol was going back to a limited number of colours. You heard anything?

It was obvious they were always going back to the limited colours, and yes the website now shows that many of the colours l have are now no longer available. Yes, my cobbler tells me Leffler can no longer get many of the colours. They tried an experiment like many polish companies and put out heaps of colours in every possible shade (expensive to do), and the colours float around in shops year after year until they eventually get sold. The less popular colours get discontinued. Same goes with Boot Black, they put out heaps of colours and are now scaling back. I stocked up on some unusual Collinol colours today like pink because l knew i'd never be able to get that colour again. I remember when Leffler first got the full range of colours, an amazing range.

fxh']I have Collinol in the jars with screw top lids but I like the old sponge applicator tunes best. Easy to use and give a nice low gloss shine.[/quote] The first thing l did was rip those sponges off. They annoyed me. [QUOTE="fxh said:
For feeding the leather I use the WAPRO cream stuff for leather furniture .

Warpo is the most useless shoe polish ever made. I wouldn't even call it polish, it is just a substance. I had a great laugh about it with the local cobbler a few weeks ago.
 
fxh fxh remember that shoo shine bloke that used to be outside of Harrolds? He used to get Saphir wax delivered in big vats to him and tin it all himself in old tins. That orange kiwi tin (top pic of my polish collection in bottom left) had some marvelous Saphir light tan/orange wax. Those were the days when it was really hard to get Saphir.

Some of those Collinols l have are about 20 years old. Still going strong.
 
Yeah I remember him. I still think Collinol is the best all round value. I like the sponge thingies. Its soo much cheaper at Lefflers.

I usually buy their marked down ones due to ripped pack etc.
Must make another trip out there soon - thinking of doing my own Topy on garden boots etc
 
Never had any problems with Kiwi parade gloss. In fact G&G recommended it when I asked them. Cherry Blossom is good too. Thier equivalent is regimental gloss.

No need to pay inflated prices for these 'exotic' brews with their marketing clearly aimed at the iGent shoo brigade.
 
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