Instant Shoe Shine Products

I’ve got an important parade very soon (on top of the upcoming remembrance parade) and I’ve got a lot of things on in the intervening time. On top of all of this, there was recently an incident with my shoes where I’ve had to strip all the polish off of them and due to the lack of time, I have no availability to reshine them using regular methods. (Talk about series of unfortunate events). Would it, for this instance, be a good idea to use an instant shoe shine product? If yes, would you reccomend something like “Shape-Up” or “Morello” or something else. Many thanks.

You can use it but this is what will happen

It’ll chip/crack/split and will render the leather damaged useless meaning new shoes.

My opinion… Just find time

Much appreciated, depending on how much work is to be done I might be able to squeeze some time in.

I used Klear (or whatever the modern equivalent is called) for about two decades without anyone every noticing. When it gets chipped, strip it off and re-do it. Perfect shoes every time.

During this time I did my IOC at Cranwell (and got best on course award), senior officers course at the same place and even on one memorable occasion paraded in front of HM Queen and Prince Philip. Plenty of eagle-eyed inspections amongst all that lot and no-one spotted it!

I’m not proud of having done it and I know it goes against the ethos - but I had a family and a full time job and felt life was too short to be bulling shoes!!

1 Like

(PS it was the same pair of shoes throughout. The leather doesn’t get damaged).

Klear doesn’t actually attach itself to the leather though things like morello is like pouring a tar over the shoe

Not sure where you get Klear anymore!

You’ll get better results with a correctly applied, but unfinished, bull than with a kiwi instant shine sponge and serve you better in the run.

Morello, etc look dreadful if you get it wrong.