A Starters Shoe Polishing Kit

Based on some advise I've picked up here and there I decided to expand my shoe shining kit. I already had shoe polish in black, brown and natural which I guess are the most basic colours so all I really needed was a leather cleaner, a set of quality brushes and something that has gotten a lot of love on Styleforum. Saphir Medaille d'Or Renovateur - I hink this is what is called a leather conditioner in english...

Some places have starter sets offered in nice wooden valets with everything you need. I was tempted, but since I already have some of the stuff and don't have lot's of money I figured I could do without the valet.

Instead I stuffed all that new junk in one of those bags you get with your boots, tossed it in the broom cupboard and now rest assured that I'm at least equipped to take proper care of my footwear. Money can't buy you technique and experience - so time to get buffing.

I must say I still struggle on the last point. It's not that I want a complete mirror like finish or anything. just a modest shine to the toe box seems pretty hard for me to achieve at the moment.

My sort of new shoe shining kit

A Challenge: Learn To Polish Your Own Boots

To me a part of being a grown up 'Real Man' is the love for lasting goods. But what is a pair of premium quality goodyear welted boots worth if you don't know how to take care of them? Few things are as nice as a pair of beautifully aged, well cared for boots. Yet few things are as sad as dry, cracked and disregarded quality footwear.
So one of my goals in my quest for becoming a 'Real Man' and the kind of dad I'd like to be, is to learn to take care of my boots and shoes.
I have been talking to my cobbler, searching the web and trialled and erred a bit. But i still have to find a method that is simple enough to do repeatedly in the hectic existance of a parent to a little kid, but still effective.
There is a very comprehensive discussion right here. So far I have found that black and brown polish, clear conditioner, a brush and old underwear all are essentials in your shoe shine box. And never ever polish your shoes in your white dress shirt!

Boots by Paul Smith and John Varvatos

My best parenting tips #1

I can't stress this point enough. If you have a kid you know that eating times are a mess of ekpyrotic dimesions.

 

First, get one of these hard plastic mats you user under office chairs and place it under your kids high chair. Pick one with a relatively smooth surface.

Now buy a small dust pan and an ice scraper. A set consisting of the following two simple tools will make your life so much easier!
Use the soft side for the fresh blobs and the hard side for the solid rocks of oatmeal that you failed to see yesterday morning.

photo from here

A strange experience

Yesterday I was out browsing mens wear stores with my son in the baby carrier. In the most profiled smart wear store in the area i overheard the salesman talking to a customer in the fitting room. The customer wanted to try a matching tie with the suit he was buying and the salesman said that he was going to tie the tie for him, but had forgotten the technique. No one else in the shop came to assistance so i offered to tie it.

Salesman: >Yes, please.
Me: >You want a four in hand or a half windsor?
>...
>The thin crooked one or the thick newsreader knot?
>The thick one.

I then tied the tie to the short side so the loop would fit easily over the costumers head and handed it over.

Everyone was extremely impressed not least because i had my son on my chest the whole time.
It seems there's not much hope for the danish gentleman. Come on it's not that difficult!

Random Google image search result from here

I am extremely choosey

Therefore it makes so proud that Levi at 9 months is not at all.
Here he is enjoying a nice stalk of celery.