i have been feeling the call to start caring for leather and, perhaps one day, offering bootblack services for my community. i have a few leather pieces (shoes, boots, jackets) that i know require care; what would you recommend i start with, as a beginner? any references or guides or products that you'd recommend? thank you very much for your time & experience.
Amazing!! Working on your own gear is a great way to build confidence to begin to bootblack at events.
I think the best way to learn - if possible - is from your local bootblack. Most bootblacks are keen to share knowledge. There’s also a great fb group called “Bootblacks” in which pretty much any question has already been asked and answered! There are also some books out there.
I also love this video of master bootblack, Leslie Anderson: https://youtu.be/Ac4HkzZocgc?si=iYet1MQpL1xuvuUT
In terms of beginner steps, the 3 basic steps are: cleaning, conditioning and polishing
To start assembling your beginner kit, you’ll need:
- 1 to 3 horsehair brushes
- some rags and or dish towels or microfibre cloths
- leather-safe soap like saddle soap or glycerin soap
- polish (Lincoln or Saphir are great)
Different pieces call for different care and products, depending on the purpose, aesthetic goal, and the leather type.
First step is identifying what kind of leather you’re working with (often this is referred to as either oiltan or chrome tan). Generally it is not advised to condition and polish the same garment, as conditioners are usually greasy and most polish is wax, so the two do not tend to mix well. If you do want to condition and polish the same garment, allow the conditioner to fully soak in before starting to polish.
Regardless, we start with cleaning.
Brush off any dirt/debris first with your dry brush. Then work the soap into a thick lather with some water and your cleaning brush (I use a shaving cream brush or a dauber) or rag and apply the soap suds to the leather, working in small sections and then wiping the soap suds away as you go to avoid saturating the leather).
To condition, a light crème leather conditioner will be great for most things (for heavy use items like work boots, or a thirsty vintage jacket, you might want something heavier like a Dubbin conditioner).
You can apply with a rag but I use my hands. Start sparingly and massage the product into the leather all over. Use the warmth of your hands to help melt it in. Wipe off any excess. Buff with a soft horsehair brush.
A really thirsty item may need two or more rounds of conditioning.
There are different kinds of polish: hard wax polishes (like a puck of beeswax consistency) and soft creamy polishes (more like face cream consistency).
A hard polish will crack when the leather flexes, so hard polish is for the sturdy parts of the boots that do not crease, like the toecap and heel and maybe the shaft of hard leather boots.
When polishing any garment leather or anywhere the boot naturally creases, you want a soft polish.
Apply polish all over, sparingly, and then use a soft brush to gently buff the polish.
At this point a bit of hot breath or warm hands on the leather will help to soften the polish before you start shining it up.
Then use a soft cotton cloth (strips of old t-shirt work great) stretched over your fingers, and a dab of water, to rub tiny circles all over the piece. Keep picking up a tiny amount of water as you go to prevent friction (if it feels like you’re rubbing off the polish, you’re pressing too hard). You can repeat the polishing process as many times as you like until you’re satisfied with the shine.
Let me know if you have any other questions 🖤 I’m always excited to support new bootblacks and share leathercare knowledge
