K!nk,Ed Social November - Bootblacking

Looking for a quieter way to connect with the local kink community?

Kink.Ed Social is MelbKink.Ed’s cozier alternative to the traditional bar or café munch. Hosted in the comfort of Kink.Ed HQ by Kitty Katastrophy, Australian Handler 2025, this gathering is all about conversation, connection and community in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.

Whether you’re brand new to kink or have years of experience under your belt, Kink.Ed Social is a space to meet like-minded people, ask questions, share stories and enjoy good company without the noise and bustle of a public venue.

Each ticket includes a selection of light snacks and drinks, so settle in, relax and spend the evening getting to know your community.

Our wax try-before-you-buy station will be running, along with a selection of other equipment. Want to see how something works, get a few pointers on a skill you’re developing, or simply have a sticky beak at some toys? Come have a chat.

A little more learning, a little less information overload

Since launching our first crash courses at our flagship event, Playpen, in 2023, we’ve loved giving you bite-sized tasters of kink education.

But sometimes you need a little more time to actually get your head around a skill.

So we’re expanding our education offering at Kink.Ed Social. Alongside our usual community-led crash courses, we’ll occasionally offer longer-form skillshares so there’s more time to learn, practise and ask questions without trying to cram everything into 30 minutes.

Join us this social for a special skillshare with Syr Maddog & Aimi Zuki for Bootblacking. From 10am sharp to 12:30pm. 

Leather Care Learning Circle - Bring Your Leather & Get Your Shine On!

Are you a Bootblack? Want to learn how to be one? Or do you simply find the smell, feel, look, and sheer tactile joy of leather... oh so alluring? AND you want to learn how to care for it properly? This is your workshop!

This relaxed, semi-formalised learning session is focused on leather care, bootblacking, and developing practical skills for looking after your leather goods.

Syr Maddog & Aimi Zuki share knowledge, demonstrate techniques, answer questions, and work through the basics of cleaning, conditioning, polishing, and maintaining leather, along with hints, tips, and some of the more advanced skills that come with experience.

What to Bring:
Please bring ONE leather item that you would like to learn how to care for. This could be:
- A pair of boots
- A leather jacket
- Leather pants
- A handbag
- A flogger or whip
- Horse tack
- A sling
- Or another suitable leather item

If you are bringing boots, please bring your own shoe polish of choice and a suitable brush.

If you’re bringing another leather item, don’t worry if you’re unsure exactly what products or equipment you need. We’ll work through the appropriate care and maintenance for your item during the session.

We often use our hands when cleaning and conditioning leather. If you’d prefer not to have direct contact with the products we use, please bring nitrile gloves that you’re comfortable working in. Please do not bring latex gloves.

If you’re new to leather care and don’t have some of the basic consumables, we’ll have Leather Care Starter Packs available for additional $15.

Each pack contains:
- Vinegar
- Woolwash
- Saddle soap
- Cotton
- Chux cloth

These packs are intended to help you get started and give you some of the basic products used during the session. Please note that the Care Pack does not replace your own leather-specific products. If you’re working on boots, you’ll still need to bring your own shoe polish and brush.

Taking Notes
No notes or handouts will be provided during the session. If you need to make notes or want something to help you remember what you’ve learned, please bring your preferred memory aid... whether that’s your phone, tablet, or a good old-fashioned notepad and pen.

The aim is to keep this practical, relaxed, and accessible... whether you’re completely new to leather care, interested in learning Bootblack skills, or simply want to become more confident looking after your favourite leather gear.

Bring one piece of leather, bring your gear, bring your questions, and come ready to learn.

About your educators

SyrMaddog is a passionate old school cis leather dyke woman living in Melbourne, involved in the care and work of Leather for over 40 years.
Aimizuki is a cis demi pan queer leather girl and Community Bootblack with a passion for her community and leather care.SyrMaddog and Aimi are dual BDSM community title holders - Master/Slave competition 2013.

SyrMaddog & Aimizuki are a Melbourne-based leather and kink duo with a passion for service, community, and the enduring craft of bootblacking. Combining old school leather respect with a warm, approachable style, they see bootblacking as more than leather care... it is ritual, connection, storytelling, and devotion expressed through skilled hands and attentive service.Together they bring a strong focus on accessibility, inclusion, disability awareness within kink, and the importance of creating welcoming spaces for both new and experienced community members. Their style blends tradition with authenticity, valuing consent, care, and the quiet intimacy that comes from acts of service.

Whether working the stands at events, teaching others about leather care, or simply sharing conversation over a well-loved pair of boots, SyrMaddog & Aimizuki aim to honour the history of bootblacking while helping shape a compassionate and connected future for the community.

What to expect

• 🖤 A welcoming, low-pressure social gathering.
• 📚 Community-led crash courses covering a range of kink-related topics.
• 🧰 Show and tell your favourite toys, tools and kits, compare notes and swap ideas.
• 💬 Plenty of time for casual conversation and making new connections.
• 🕯️ Our wax try-before-you-buy station and selected equipment available for demonstrations and skill pointers.

Accessibility

Kink.Ed HQ is a single-level venue with two shallow steps at the entrance. Outside areas are paved and concreted, while the internal space is tiled and floorboarded.

If you have accessibility questions or specific requirements, please get in touch before purchasing a ticket.

Parking & Public Transport

There is ample street parking surrounding Kink.Ed HQ.

By public transport, bus 428 stops at Peter Dr/The Avenue, followed by a short three-minute walk to the venue.

House Expectations

Kink.Ed HQ is both an educational venue and a private residence. We ask everyone to treat the space, furnishings, equipment and belongings with care and respect.

Anyone behaving disrespectfully towards the venue or its contents may be asked to leave and may lose the ability to purchase tickets to future Kink.Ed events.

The residence is also home to cats, who will be kept away from the main event areas. We know allergies are common, so we’ll do our best to keep hair and dander to a minimum.

Our Honour System Discount

At MelbKink.Ed, we recognise that members of our BIPOC, trans and disabled communities can face additional barriers to accessing experiences and opportunities.

To help bridge that gap, we offer a discount via the honour system.

If you are trans, disabled or BIPOC, use code SPANKSALOT when purchasing your ticket.

No questions. No proof. We trust you to use it honestly.

We want Kink.Ed Social to be the kind of place where people can come as they are, bring their curiosity and find a community they actually want to be part of. 🖤