NB Plate Shoe Care

[RPatrino]

During my second plate game of the season I was hit directly on the top of the shoe with a pitched ball. The result was a BLUE scuff mark (yes, Blue) which I cannot remove.

Any ideas?

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

During my second plate game of the season I was hit directly on the top of the shoe with a pitched ball. The result was a BLUE scuff mark (yes, Blue) which I cannot remove.

Any ideas?

What have you been cleaning your shoes with?

"Blue" is what you see when the dye is rubbed off. Most likely this isn't a scuff ON the shoe, it's a spot where the dye has been scuffed OFF the shoe.

[MadCityRef]

I use Pledge or clear Kiwi shine on my other NB shoes. My new NB plate shoes arrive on Wednesday. Hmmm.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by MadCityRef

I use Pledge or clear Kiwi shine on my other NB shoes. My new NB plate shoes arrive on Wednesday. Hmmm.

I've never seen Pledge damage shoes. I have seen, however, long term use of Armor-All remove the dye from shoes.

[RPatrino]

I actually just use a bit of water and a rag to clean both my NB plate and base shoes. I've never put any cleaning stuff on them at all. So, maybe a bit of black dye over the blue spot?

[MajorDave]

I wore mine last year for around 12 games or so without doing anything but wiping them off and running a Kiwi Instant Shine sponge over them. Then they got scuffed, muddy, etc. I then started polishing them with Kiwi Parade Gloss black paste polish-5 or 6 coats with stiff shoebrush buffing after each coat. I even coated the White/Grey "N"'s on the sides. After this base coat I spit shined them once or twice with cotton balls, cold water(w/ice in it) and parade gloss then after that I discovered Kiwi Honor Guard liquid polish. It goes on wet and covers everything. Takes less than five minutes to apply and the liquid dries in ten or fifteen minutes. I estimate 60 coats or more of the liquid polish last summer as I polished with this stuff after every game. Very shiny finish and the N's got blacked out for a dressier look. Not patent leather shiny but close. I got a lot of positive commentary and questioning about the shine from other umpires.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

I wore mine last year for around 12 games or so without doing anything but wiping them off and running a Kiwi Instant Shine sponge over them. Then they got scuffed, muddy, etc. I then started polishing them with Kiwi Parade Gloss black paste polish-5 or 6 coats with stiff shoebrush buffing after each coat. I even coated the White/Grey "N"'s on the sides. After this base coat I spit shined them once or twice with cotton balls, cold water(w/ice in it) and parage gloss then after that I discovered Kiwi Honor Guard liquid polish. It goes on wet and covers everything. The liquid dries in ten or fifteen minutes. I estimate 60 coats or more last summer as I polished with this stuff after every game. Very shiny finish and the N's got blacked out for a dressier look. Not patent leather shiny but close. I got a lot of positive commentary and questioning about the shine from other umpires.

For those who have lives, wiping down shoes with Pledge after games, interspersed with shining them with a quality polish once a week will keep them looking shiny and sharp. Oh, and buy the model with the black "N".

[johnnyg08]

pretty good work MajorDave....pretty good work...

[DG]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Oh, and buy the model with the black "N".

Why?

[Rags 11]

Pledge is the way to go, though I like to polish the shoes when I have the time. Black polish should cure the blue scuff.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

I wore mine last year for around 12 games or so without doing anything but wiping them off and running a Kiwi Instant Shine sponge over them. Then they got scuffed, muddy, etc. I then started polishing them with Kiwi Parade Gloss black paste polish-5 or 6 coats with stiff shoebrush buffing after each coat. I even coated the White/Grey "N"'s on the sides. After this base coat I spit shined them once or twice with cotton balls, cold water(w/ice in it) and parade gloss then after that I discovered Kiwi Honor Guard liquid polish. It goes on wet and covers everything. Takes less than five minutes to apply and the liquid dries in ten or fifteen minutes. I estimate 60 coats or more of the liquid polish last summer as I polished with this stuff after every game. Very shiny finish and the N's got blacked out for a dressier look. Not patent leather shiny but close. I got a lot of positive commentary and questioning about the shine from other umpires.

MajorDave:

Only a Marine (and I address you as a Marine with all due respect) would take the time to get the shine you do on your shoes. I am thinking that you could start a cottage industry shining the shoes of your fellow umpires.

MTD, Sr.

[MajorDave]

I am, however, the son of a Marine DI. Dad taught me how to shine and spit shine when I was about 8. I tried to join "the Corps" before I graduated high school but both of my parents said Nooo! I then came up with a deal to join the Army, with guaranteed college and future commission as an Officer. They bought that one. From PVT to Major in 16 years with two degrees. They liked it just fine. Retired in 2002 at age 41. As my dad and all of my mentors in military and umpiring have said: "You only get one chance to make a good first impression." As a corollary, you will meet someone new every day. So, how do you want to be remembered? Sort of a code for me. Apparently, some want to be negative about this amount of effort for just a pair of shoes that will get dirty again anyway. To each his own. I find that looking like you mean business makes a big difference in life, but especially in umpiring. We get paid to "work" games. I like to stay employed. So far, so good.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

During my second plate game of the season I was hit directly on the top of the shoe with a pitched ball. The result was a BLUE scuff mark (yes, Blue) which I cannot remove.

Any ideas?

Obsess about something worth a damn?