Conference repair::reserve_forces

A [hot] desert spoon...

and lots of elbow grease.

/. Ian .\

    Everyone has there own way of doing boots.
    
    The is what I do.
    
    1. Strip the boot using rubbing alcohol down to the leather. Make sure
       that you remove all the polish and the rubber base coat that the 
       boot company was nice enough to put on for you.
    
    2. Coat the boot with 2 or 3 coats of KIWI HONOR GAURD BLACK LEATHER
       DYE. Make sure that you cover the boot as evenly as possible. If
       you do this right the boot should look slightly purple in the
       light.
    
    3. Using a polish brush, brush the leather dye until it has a good
       shine.
    
    4. Apply a good base coat.
       Use only KIWI polish and put on lots of coats and brush it off
       with a soft brush. NOTE: You only have to do this once. Once the
       base coat is on the boot you never use the brush again unless you
       strip the boot.
    
    5. Using only 100% cotton balls or pieces from a 100% batton. Use
       coldwater and a small amount of polish in circular motions.
       Be patient this takes alot of time. Once you get the glass like
       shine all you have to do to get it back is just this step.
       Change the cotton often and use plenty of COLD water.
    
    Don
    

    I've been told an old iron can replace a hot spoon. What do you
    think?
    
    Dave

Shop around the antique shops and get an old-fashioned flat iron (the sort
your granny used).

You heat them by immersing them in hot water.

and yes - I'm told they work as least as well as a spoon.

/. Ian .\

    Ian,
    
    I meant electric irons, set to a cool temperature or so my WO says.
    Personally, I've never tried it.
    
    Dave 
    
    

I used to use* a "tacking iron" these are sold in photographic shops and are 
used to attach prints to the mount. They either resemble a large soldering
iron, a small pressing iron or an electric spoon depending on your
imagination.

/. Ian .\

* or use a good batman. :-)

    Re: .2
    
    Step 5    I always used a cotton diaper rather than the cotton balls.
              Just a dab of water and a dab of polish. LOTS of time,
              and LOTS of patience. Use a light touch and gentle circular
              motion. Test your results by holding your fingers at shoulder
              height. You should be able to count your fingers in the
              reflection.
    
    Boy, does THIS bring back memories!!!
    
    John B.

    I too used to have such worries... That is until I saw an 
    advertizement for Jump Boots with a patent leather toe and 
    heel!!!!!
    
    Shhhhh, don't let "Top" find out!
    
    But, IMHO, shiny boots are not condusive to ones efforts to
    "Not be seen"  (apologies to Monty Python).   Also, Army 
    Regulations, say "buffed" to a high "sheen", NOT "mirror 
    finish".  Spit shining clogs the pores of the leather, causing 
    cracking.  Anyone who demands spit shines is NOT a field soldier....
    
    
    Dave
    
    PS:  An old soldier once showed me his "secret".  Clear floor wax.
    It cracks off, but it'll work for a short time (an inspection?)
    

    Thanks for the advice so far, but keep it coming.
    
    When out in the field the boots are not so noticeable, but next
    time I see my old man at Christmas...
    
    Dave.

Old soldiers tell me that the real trick is to have two pairs of boots - one
for parades and inspections, and one for working use...

/. Ian .\

    Re: .8 
    
    	I hate to always be the reg thumper but. Patent leather on the black
    boot is in specific violation of AR670-1. If that reg applies to you.
    
    Re:  .10
    
    	Only two pairs of boots. I keep two in my office. Soemdays I will
    go thru 4 or 5 pairs of boots. It's just part of the job.
    
    General:
    
    	DON'T USE FLOOR WAX ON BOOTS or any of that fancy instant
    spit-shine crap. KIWI and water. That's all you need. I write up folks
    all the time for Leather Luster and Future floor wax on their boots.
    Our SOP states "...using only commercial available shoe polish..."
    It really ruins the boots.
    
    Don
    Reg Thumper first class
    

    re .11  Don
    
    You're right is IS a violation of ARs.  But the only place where a SM
    would be called to question on it is in a REMF unit which has nothing
    better to do than harass people to maintain ridicously high levels of 
    personal appearance  ;^).
    
    Really now, one wants to talk Army Regs, what do they say about boot
    polishing?  "high sheen" comes to mind, which is lightyears different
    than "mirror finish" which is what all too many units force their
    soldiers to maintain their boots at.
    
    Warning Personal opinion follows:
    
    Having to wear several pairs of boots per day and spending hours shining
    boots that could've been spent training seems to me to be a real waste
    of time and energy for little or no realistic gain.  I don't want my 
    troops to be experts on spitshining so much as I would want them to be 
    experts on their weapons and equipment.  
    
    I've seen things like reading FM/TMs, for instance, be put off while 
    a soldier spends hours trying to get a spitshine out of a pair of 
    MOGAS covered boots (lower ranks aren't likely to have the $$$ to 
    buy several pairs of boots).  I've seen troops painting rocks that 
    could've been in the training area practicing maneuver and tactics.  
    I've seen troops go from silly detail to silly detail 
    cleaning/polishing/buffing/painting/trimming/etc for the 1sgt
    or SGM for so long (literally months) that the motivated troops I 
    sent off to these details come back with major attitude problems.
    
    This, IMHO, is not the right way to run an army.
    
    We really need to get this fetish for unnecessary standards to be
    brought under control.  Going from starched utilities to permanent
    press BDUs is a step in this direction.  Issuing boots that are
    designed NOT to shine is another.  *When* the next war comes I don't
    want to lead spitpolishing experts into battle, I want them to be
    experts on fighting battles.
    
    
    Ex-SGT Dave

    Weel, I've sat back on this wondering when the war would start.
    
    1. The last time I spit-shined a pair of boots was '68 at Ft Dix,
    in AIT. Fortunately, I didn't get stuck in a unit that enforced
    the alternating pair SOP. We were able to shine one pair and leave
    them out for inspection, just keep them dusted.
    
    2. The army's standard issue boot has a flexible toe. It does not
    lend itself easily to spit shining. Corcoran 'jump boots' have the
    stitched on 2 layer toe. These hard-toe styles look good with mirror
    finish, but should only be used for special events and parades.
    
    3. Any Top worth his salt can spot the instant-shine/Future floor
    wax shine from 30 paces. Patent leather cracks after a while.
    
    4. Two pair of boots, one pair is only worn in garrison. Reason is,
    the field boots always wind up with chips or deep scratches and 
    you'll wind up buying new boots frequently if you keep sanding out
    the defects.
    
    5. It is against the 'uniform wear' reg. Highly polished does not
    mean spit shined. KIWI paste polish does an excellent job. Spit
    shining seals the pores in the leather, making your feet sweat
    excessively.
    
    6. The new issue boot requires the use of silicon based polish to
    maintain the water repellency. This polish cannot be made into
    a 'mirror shine'.
    
    7. Re .12. I think that you'll find a lot more spit shined boots
    at Ft Bragg, than you will at Ft Ben Harrison. When line units aren't
    in the field, you have to find something for them to do to keep
    them outa trouble. Guess where your gona have more 'appearance'
    problems, the 18th AB Corps or the 18th Engineer Brigade. Don't
    even think about the 18th MI Brigade. The 18th Maint Bn usually
    looks like thrift store reunion when they have class A inspection.
    
    8. My one exception concerns 'low-quarters'. The army issue shoe
    is junk. They are thin, poorly shaped and don't take a shine well.
    I wear the Dexter made, Marine Corps dress shoe. Corfam (man-made)
    upper, extra-wide/thick leather sole and extra wide hard rubber
    heel. They're well shaped, comfortable, give excellent support
    and won't crack like patent leather. The uppers have enough 'give'
    that they don't scratch easily.
    
    The Top

    
    Canadian Army reserves are issued to sets of boots:
    
    	Drill Boots which take a very good shine if you spend the time
    	on it, and
    
    	Combat Boots which use a silicon bases blackener and don't shine,
    	and shouldn't be shined.
    
    Highland units are also entitled to the forces low shoe, because
    kilts look terrible with boots, unless you are wearing puttees with
    them.
    
    Roger

    re .14
    
    Ahh yes, the highland units! With my last name, I'd probably
    be in one if I could. Off hand, I don't think I'd want 'mirror
    finish' foot wear if I was wearing a kilt 8-).

    
    re .13  MPGS::MCCLURE
    
    >when line units aren't in the field, you have to find something for
    >them to do to keep them out of trouble.
    
    This is part of what I'm talking about.  The line units that I've been
    in spent all to much time doing "make work" such as spitshines when
    they ought to be training.  If the object is to keep the line soldier
    "out of trouble" then I could think of several areas of instruction
    that could be expanded to provide a better understanding of the
    mission and just possibly save some lives.  I'm thinking of some of 
    the things taught in SF or RANGER school that are not covered (at 
    least in any depth) in Infantry AIT which would be of use to your 
    basic groundpounder in a shootin' war, 
    
    ie: foreign weapons:  Promote the ability to field strip, maintain and 
                          use the AK-47, FRGs G-3, RAs Enfield, etc.
        first aid:        Always can use additional training.  The Platoon
    			  Medics would benefit (in more ways than one) 
    			  from being the instructor.
        enemy tactics:    Too few of the lower ranks have much idea of our
    			  own tactics let alone his potential enemies.
    
    Not that these subjects are not taught to soldiers but usually it is in
    the context of a one time or annual event, NOT an ongoing learning
    process tailored to a unit and conducted by its Plt SGT and Squad
    leaders (unless they are exceptional ones) Remember pocket classes Top?
    THAT was/is a good idea with what to do with spare time besides rock 
    painting and spitshining in my humble ex-buck SGT opinion.
    
    Regarding alternating boots, as I recall a soldier is issued two pair 
    of boots, not to allow him to have a pair for inspections and garrison 
    duty, but because it takes more than one day for boots to dry the foot 
    sweat out.  Using the same pair of boots every day promotes athletes foot 
    and other problems.  Not a small thing to an Infantryman... I guess 
    not a big deal to a Tanker though.
    
      But in any case, having to maintain a spitshine forces NCOs to 
    overlook the alternation of boots so their troops will meet a units 
    appearance standards.  What do you think, Top?  Is this practice to 
    the advantage or disadvantage of a unit?
    
    
    Dave                                  

    Dave, I like your ideas for training. Hip-pocket training is
    still in vogue and all NCOs are expected to use it to fill in
    training time. When a unit comes in from the field it's 'care
    and cleaning of self and equipment'. What you're talking about is
    make-work to fill up time when nothing else is going on. Its 
    usually called "Commander's time" on the training schedule. The
    CO is supposed to use it as he sees fit. Some use it as relaxation
    time, some use it to spruce up the area prior to inspections. Some
    feel that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" and, consequently,
    won't allow soldiers to have free time during normal duty hours.
    I guess you never had the good fortune to serve under a heads-up
    NCO that would give junior NCO the task of taking the squad/team
    out into a leafy area and do 'grass identification'. "Yes sir,
    My team leaders have the men out practicing land navigation."
    
    Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I had a CO in AIT that
    would 'volunteer' us to be Battalion detail company anytime
    that commanders time appeared on the schedule. I had a CO during
    an AT where cat4 occured at 0930 every day, take the entire
    company out to a shady area, establish a perimeter and lay down
    while he monitored the radio. He caught hell for not answering
    the radio, but he got his men a much needed break. But man, that's
    the way the military is. You take the good with the bad and hope
    there's more good than bad in the end. You know what! Life in
    general is that way also.

In respoonse to the original question - how to get a good shine, rather 
than should we shine, etc., etc...

I learned some tricks from an old 1st Sgt., and brought them with me into 
the navy. These tricks kept my inspection and dress shoes looking 4.0, and 
the ideas and polishes kept my work Wellingtons looking good, and easy to 
maintain.

If the goal is to have a quality shine, that lasts, and satisfies the 
purists, the following notes will help.

o The shoes/boots first doo need to be striped of oil and other water 
  repellant materials
o Properly redye boots
o Kiwi may be ok for base coats, but for the gloss and even for a degree of 
  moisture protection, you need to use a polish with a higher wax base.  
  The pros use Griffin Sterling, or something like a Kelleys (I believe)
  I still have some cans I bought years ago, and haven't had to replenish
  recently.  My original supplies were bought in a shoe care supply store
  in Scollay Square, Boston, while it was still "red hot".
  The next time you're travelling, stop at the shoe shine shop at the 
  airport and see what they are using (many are however using KIWI)
o Once you've got a base coat of polish established, use a a fine piece of
  cloth like "parachute silk" for the real "spit" shining.  The old war
  veterans were claimed to have used "silk" stockings.
o For the right amount of moisture when you're down into the short strokes,
  try breathing on the shoe, the moisture on your breath quite often is 
  just the right amount to finish the job.
o Shoe trees help keep the shoes in shape
o If you can afford them (and find them), a pair of cordovan leather shoes 
  or boots (govt. issue style) shines well, feels good, and have a long 
  life if taken care of.  I have been looking for a pair of black 
  Wellingtons made of cordovan leather and have not been able to locate 
  any.  A good pair of black low cuts of cordovan leather is rumored to be 
  around $125-150.

Good luck with the "spit" shining.

Phil