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How To Use Pure Polish Paste / Wax Polish

How to Use Paste/Wax Polish

 

Pure Polish Paste Wax Polish

(Short Instructions)

Apply with fingertip or clean cotton cloth in thin layer using straight lines forward and across the grain of the leather. Horsehair brush thoroughly for smooth shine. Repeat for increased shine depth.

(Long Instructions)

Paste Polish differs from Cream Polish by both the ratio of stiff waxes to soft waxes, and the solvent to conditioning properties.

To get the best effects from Paste Polish, only use it on non-flexing leather areas (typically the toe and heel quarters of dress shoes or boots).

Paste Polish is typically used to get a deeper and more reflective shine than cream polish. Through combining paste polish with water, you can also achieve a “Mirror Shine” for full reflection.

To get the the highest shine you can, while also adding some perception of depth to the shine, only a Neutral (non-pigmented) Paste Polish can accomplish this. This is why we developed the “High Shine Paste”. However, a very reflective shine can still be accomplished using multiple layers of Color Paste Polish.

Additionally, Color Paste Polish is used to add patina (burnishing or antiquing) for color contrast and additional character to the shoe, on the toe box and heel quarter areas.

Typical patina color combinations include:

  • Black Paste Polish with Brown, Dark Brown, Navy Blue, and Burgundy Cream Polish vamps.
  • Dark Brown Paste Polish with Light Brown and Walnut Cream Polish vamps.

Using your fingertip or a soft cotton cloth (an old t-shirt will do), rub it on the surface of the polish in the tin. If the polish is soft rub gently, if the polish is firm rub with a little more pressure. You want to add just a minimal amount of polish to the cloth.

Rub the polish onto the shoe in straight forward lines, along with the grain of the leather, starting at the beginning of the non-flexing areas (the separation of the toe-cap, or top of the heel puff). You should have enough polish on your fingertip or cloth to do 3-4 full strokes front-to-back. Repeat this process until polish has been applied across the full section in one direction.

Wait 1-2 minutes to allow for the solvent to evaporate. Switch shoes or cover the alternate areas in the meantime.

Re-apply polish to fingertip or cloth, and rub the polish onto the shoe in straight lines across the grain of the leather (side-to-side), until you have covered the full section previously covered with front-to-back strokes.

Using your fingertip or cloth, without re-applying polish, softly rub straight lines, front-to-back, then side-to-side, until you’ve cross hatched a smooth wax polish “shell” onto the leather.

If applied too thickly, if there are marred sections, dust or hairs trapped under the wax, remove the debris, horsehair brush the layer, and begin the process again.

Your fingertip alone will bring out a reflective shine. However, you can also use a goat’s hair brush (softest natural hair bristles) or a long horsehair brush, to bring out the shine on the paste polish section.

You want the wax surface “shell” to be smooth, solid, and non-sticky. Repeat brushing, or cross-hatch rubbing of paste layers, until you achieve the high shine desired.

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