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RW Blais - Some of the worlds best & worst Shoeshiners

Ok, so I have to start some where. Here it goes...

I wanted to have an outlet to walk away from day to day business and talk about something near and dear to my heart the professional "Shoe Shine". 

I have been very fortunate to have some of the best and worst shines in many of the world's most desirable and exotic business locals.  From the Men's room at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the middle of Times Square - NYC, to The Intercontinental in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  I will look to identify what I like and dislike about the shine, the value and try to provide the every day business man some insider information in finding the best shine in whatever city you are in. Its a start...we shall see?

The art of the shine is far from an objective comparative.  It is by its simplest form the art of cleaning, conditioning, and polishing of leather shoes.

I have for many years managed to own some fine foot wear, my favorite and current standard for shine comparison are a pair of size 12 Cesare Paciotti similar to the ones posted here.  The upper is Italian, high polished black and really makes the "practitioner's" results "black or white".

Even a poor shine can get these babies gleaming, but it all starts and ends with presentation and delivery.

So here is my checklist for a great shine:

• Sitting vs Standing
• My preference has always been sitting, while there are instant merits to standing shoe shines, I believe the hustle and bustle of daily business allows for one 10 min indulgence. Time to catch up on news or check your email.
• The chair should be elevated, have a hook for your jacket or overcoat and a secure location for your briefcase. If one is not easily identified, then the "Shiner" should offer to take and place your brief in the empty chair next to you or beside the chair on the platform.

Tools of the trade: Selection of Wax and colors including Lincoln (USA), Kangaroo (South Korea), Kiwi and Waproo from Australia or "secret sauce". 

Soapy  warm water,

shoeshine brush, usually rectangular and made from horsehair, and a shoe polish brush, which is smaller with a round head. The shoeshine brush is used to clean dust and grime from the surface prior to polishing, and to brush away the polish after it has dried. The shoe polish brush is what the polish is applied with

Daily paper: This is a must, should be sorted by section, folded neatly and within reach, better yet presented to you.

Clean clothes cut in strips and an assortment of tooth brushes.

To be continued...