How to best waterproof and polish black sides of skate sole?

[platyhiker]

The sides of my skate soles are black.  They are in need of both waterproofing and polishing (especially in the area that touches the ice going in and out of a lunge).  Would it be better to waterproof first (via Snoseal),  and then polish, or reverse that order?  Is basic black shoe polish (e.g. Kiwi waxy stuff) the right type of polish to use?

Thanks for your help!

Cheers,
Cindy

[sampaguita]

I don't think basic shoe polish is advisable, because it has to be waterproof as well. Varnish would work to make it shiny, but there's a process in applying varnish that professionals use. I'd ask a pro to do it for me.

[SkateTip2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG2oskaO2N0&feature=channel&list=UL

Waterproofing isn't that hard that it NEEDS to be done in the shop.

I think the point is to get the wax into the pores.  Polish first would likely defeat the effectiveness of the waterproofing.

[hopskipjump]

I would use black varnish - waterproof and shine and black all in one!

[Sk8tmum]

The sides of my skate soles are black.  They are in need of both waterproofing and polishing (especially in the area that touches the ice going in and out of a lunge).  Would it be better to waterproof first (via Snoseal),  and then polish, or reverse that order?  Is basic black shoe polish (e.g. Kiwi waxy stuff) the right type of polish to use?

Thanks for your help!

Cheers,
Cindy

SnoSneal will likely prevent the "polish" from adhering.  Me, I would just snoseal them and let it go.  The problem with putting a coat of black polish on the skates is that it's going to transfer to anything that it comes into contact with:  your other skate, your tights, your skate bag ... etc. 

Riedell does make a good black skate "dye" if you really want to touch them up ... but, if it's on the sole, it's nearly impossible to see scuffs unless you get quite close up.  My kid's skates were scuffed on that part - and it wasn't noticeable at all. SnoSeal will also "darken" where it's applied anyways.

[platyhiker]

I ended up using a black Sharpie marker (waterproof) to return the scuffed and worn-away areas of the sides of the soles to black.  I then applied Snoseal all over the sides and used a hair dryer to help it soak in well.  The skates turned out well and look nice.  I'm happy with the Sharpie solution as think the odds of it getting scuffed onto the white leather of my boots is low (and the Snoseal adds a layer of protection, too). 

For cleaning scuffs off the white leather of my boots, I found an on-line recommendation to use a gel cleanser, and got one sold as "Soft Scrub Gel Cleanser" and it did an AWESOME job removing scuffs.  My skates look sooooo much better.

Thanks for your help and input!