I've just been cleaning my kit for Lithuania and I thought of you guys!

So here's my cleaning guide, don't think I was sad enough to type it up especially for bebo, I'd already been sad enough to type it up for our pipesanddrums yahoo group!


**Cut Out and Keep Kit Cleaning Guide (COKKCG)**

*BROUGES -
Polished all over with Kiwi Black shoe polish. Toes bulled by putting a thick layer of polish on with a tiny bit of water and working in with fingers in small circles. Then get your cloth and wrap round a finger, dip in water, get rid of excess, get a wee bit of polish on the tip of your cloth and again work around the toe in small circles. Repeat until you can see your face in them. This will take some time, remember it’s not the leather that shines, it’s the polish! Gus always told us to use an old pair of tights as a buffing cloth for the whole shoe, I also find it handy to cut the feet of the tights and keep my brogues in them to protect the bull.

*LOVET HOES -
Hand wash in cold water with a little salt to stop the colours running. Don’t wring out, dry flat.

*FLASHES -
Cover with a damp cloth and press with a hot iron.

*SPATS -
These should be pressed as above along the seam down the front and on the dovetails at the back. If your spats are brand new then seek help! Use trainer whitener, a wee bit of water and a nail brush to whiten them, lots of thin layers is better than painting it on neat.

*KILT -
Press pleats with a damp cloth and hot iron. Get rid of spew stains with a damp cloth or hand into stores for cleaning.

*HAIRY SPORRAN -
If hairs are wavy then you can use hair straightners for a quick fix although sometimes they are not very effective. It’s better to wash all the hair with normal shampoo then hang up and dry with a hair dryer while brushing hair down. If it’s not straight along the bottom then trim carefully with scissors.

*TUNIC -
Press if creased, use clothes brush to get rid of surface muck, hand into stores for cleaning if too dirty. Make sure all buttons are attached and safety pins or thread hoops are there to attach epaulettes/cords to. Collardogs should be attached by sewing around the top and bottom of the badge. Always have a supply of safety pins in pocket for emergency kit disasters!

*DRUMMERS SLING AND BELT -
Whiten with trainer whitener and polish brass with brasso and a duster (a different one from your shoe polish one!) It’s easier to take the belt apart to do this but remember how you take it apart so it’s easier to put back to together!

*PIPERS BELT AND CROSSBELT -
I think all you have to do here is polish with furniture polish and clean any silver bits?

*DRUMMERS CORDS -
Make sure there’s a hook on the bit beside the tassels for attaching to tunic.

*PLAID -
Press with hot iron and damp cloth. Remember when pressing something you shouldn’t move the iron around as normal but just press down, let the steam do the work.

*GLENGARRY -
Press along folds on top and tails.

*FEATHER BONNET -
Not really any work required here, just don’t keep it in its box, as you will end up with a stupid square hat.

**KIT CLEANING KIT**

Black Shoe Polish
On brush
Off brush
2 good quality dusters
1 pair of old tights
Trainer whitener
Nailbrush/toothbrush
Metal Polish
Furniture polish (for pipers)
Clothes brush
Sewing kit
Safety pins

A man came riding oot the west one wild and stormy day
He was quiet, lean and hungry his eyes were smoky grey
He was lean across the hurdies but his shoulders they were big
The terror of the hielan' glens that was the Portree kid

His sidekick was an orra’ man, and O but he was mean
He was ca’ed the midnight plough boy, and he came frae
He had twenty seven notches on his cromak so they say
And killed a million Indians, way up in Stornoway

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

Portree booted in the door he sauntered tae the bar
He poured a shot o crabbies he shouted "Slangevar"
While midnight was being chatted up by a bar room girl called Pam
Who said well howdy- stranger, wad ye buy's a babycham

Now over in the corner sat three men frae Auchertool
They were playing games for money in a snakes and ladder school
The fourth man was a southerner who’d come up from Macmerry
He'd been a river gambler om the Ballachulish Ferry

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

Portree walked up to the table and he shouted 'Shake me in'
He shoogled on the egg cup, he gave the dice a spin
He threw seven sixes in a row and the game was nearly done
But he landed on a snake, and landed on square one

The game was nearly over and Portree was doing fine
He’d landed on a ladder, he was up to forty-nine
He only had but one to go and the other man was beat
But the gambler couped the board up, and shouted "you're a cheat"

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

Men dived behind the rubber plants to try and save their skins
The accordionist stopped playing, his sidekick dropped the spoons
He says "I think its funny, you’ve been up the ladder twice,
And ye always dunt the table, when I’m going to throw the dice"

The gambler drew his Skian Dubh as fast as lightening speed
Portree grabbed a screwtop and cracked him O the heid
Then he gave him laldy wi’ a salmon off the wall
And he finished off the business, wi’ his lucky grousefoot's claw

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

Portree walked up to the bar, he says "I’ll hae a half"
And d’ye like the way I stuck it on that wee Macmerry nyaff
But the Southerner crept up behind his features wracked wi’ pain
And gubbed him wi' an ashtray made oot o' a curling stane

The fight went raging on all night till opening time next day
Wi’ a break for soup and stovies aff a coronation tray
It was getting kind o' obvious, that neither man would win
When came the shout that stopped it all "there’s a bus trip comin in"

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

They sing this song in Galashiels and up to Peterheid
Way down oter the borders across the Rio Tweed
About what became O’Portree, Midnight and the gamblin' man,
They opened up a gift shop selling fresh air in a can

He drum ho, he drum hey
The teuchter that camfrae Skye.

reet, this shows how much time i have on my hands by making this page so would all you keunts please feel free to add photos and polls ect on it! cant wait for the next jolly!