Black boot polish.

[shouldazagged]

Interesting question for which I do not have a ready answer.

However, I will ask my batman Reginald and he will get back to you with the answer on how he polishes my boots and shoes.

Good show. How long does he take to respond to the Bat Signal?

 

[DeathGrip]

I was brought up to take care of my shoes. We got one pair of dress shoes every year or so as we grew and a pair of sneakers for summer and such.

All we ever used was Kiwi and a horse hair brush followed by a buffing with a rag, an old flannel sleeve worked good.

When I joined the Army everyone was going crazy trying to get the "spit shine". I thought they were crazy stupid and never did any more to my footwear than what I was taught by my dad. I wore both pairs of my boots equally to break them in and seldom wore my dress shoes.

Never once did I get any "stuff" about my boots during an inspection. I even got a complimented once.

I've heard that spit shines and other things like future wax were not really regulation anyway.

To me nothing looks worse.

 

[Dobie406]

I have a Masters degree from the U.S. Army's Kiwi College

 

[Whitwabit]

Still have my old horsehair brush from boot camp (1969), a can of Kiwi, a piece of heavy flannel and a lot of spit combined with elbow grease. I don't get all that spiffed-up very often, anymore, but when I do, that's the ticket.

Remember getting the FLYING TWENTY .. they give you a $20.00 dollar bill and a list of things you need .. comes to 19.89 or something like that .. the shoe shine kit was part of it along with a razor .. can't remember anything else ..

Still have the shine kit but the razor is long gone!!

Anyone out there remember what was on the list ??

You learned very quickly you didn't make very much ..

 

[31FordA]

I've used Kiwi since I was a kid, probably because that's what Dad used. Never had a problem getting a great shine on a pair of shoes with Kiwi. The shoe polish in our bucket issue at Parris Island was also Kiwi. I still polish my shoes every week. A quality pair of shoes will last a lot longer if you look after them.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Kiwi is not bad, but Lincoln is best. I always knew it was best for a spit-shine, but I learned from a less-dedicated shipmate that it is also best for conventional application, brushing and buffing. A few years ago, I discovered that it is available also in colors, not just black.

 

[ExcitableBoy]

WHITWABIT

Jeez, I'd almost forgotten about that! Closest I can remember (a terrible case of CRS) was: shoe shine kit, razor and blades, shaving cream, soap (Zest recommended cuz it didn't leave scum in the shower. Didn't ya just love Sunday "field day"?), soap dish, toothbrush and toothpaste. Might have had a buck or two leftover for smokes ---plus a plastic case for the cigs--- and gee-dunk.

We had it good, though. My old man was WWII Navy, and all they got then was the Flyin' Five!

 

[vonn]

Sitting around polishing your boots was about all a low enlisted man could afford! Still polish whenever needed.

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

When I was in, all I ever used was Lincoln. I could only find it at military installations. Have never found it at a non-military store.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Started working in a Western clothing store 50 years ago. We sold Tony Llama boots and Meltonian leather care products. Used the Meltonian polish ever since. Wore Corcoran jump boots throughout my career--even when I was in blues--and used to keep that toe cap looking like a mirror with a lot of spit and an old t-shirt.

 

[Salty RI]

For them that know:

That's where Shoot fron Shinola came from.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I still have & wear for weddings & funerals the black Rob Lee oxfords my parents bought for me for graduation High School in June, 1949. Original leather soles but replaced heels many moons ago. Wear them to weddings & funerals. Wore them for my kids, grandkids weddings. Popular with all. Took them to the local shoe store & had them re polished last time. I can't do a spit shine anymore.

 

[Lt JL]

Shinola is now a watch company, still in Detroit

 

[gboling]

In 1960 the Marines were issuing split leather boots and we were expected to spit shine them. (This leather was a lot rougher than suede.) We learned bottle shining.

Brush on volumes of polish, dip a small bottle in water and rub it on the Polish. Repeat until the polish builds up and smothes out then spit shine with a good quality cotton cloth.

You can spit shine sand paper if you have the incintive.

 

[chief38]

I'm still using Kiwi brand polish along with Horsehair applicator brush and 8" buffing brushes. Works for me.

 

[old bear]

Two thin coats of Kiwi and a quality brush to set the color. Followed up by two coats of Kiwi clear, buffed with a micro-fiber rag to protect the color coat.

 

[LTC]

Anybody but me remember what we called "Rope Dope"? This was a concoction of shoe polish and floor wax. This was in 1966 at Chanute AFB in Illinois.

LTC

 

[Salty RI]

I remember rope a dope.

 

[handejector]

I never heard of Lincoln.
But I ETS'd in Jan, 71.
In my day, Kiwi was good enough for the Airborne. You could see yourself well enough in the toe cap of my Corcorans to shave.

 

[Hawker800]

Kiwi Parade gloss is great! Amazon has it.


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