Military Shoe Shining

**ss~zoso~ss** · 10-25-2006, 09:29 PM

I was wondering what kinds of tips, methods, etc.... any of you (military background preferred) guys have for shining regular low quarters aka. (service dress shoes) I stripped mine down and gave them a few coats of polish tonight with a couple of my fellow cadets but i'd like to get them looking better tho.

thanks in advance,

Jeff

**nitrox28** · 10-25-2006, 09:43 PM

Armor All. No shit. Or Meguiars Wipe-N-Shine. Makes the leather look like glass. Used it on my wingtips tonight.

**1badchicken** · 10-25-2006, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by ss~zoso~ss

I was wondering what kinds of tips, methods, etc.... any of you (military background preferred) guys have for shining regular low quarters aka. (service dress shoes) I stripped mine down and gave them a few coats of polish tonight with a couple of my fellow cadets but i'd like to get them looking better tho.

thanks in advance,

Jeff

you need to get some of this + rubbing alcohol. This will make your shoes look like glass, this is coming from a lot of experience.

http://www.militarygifts.com/images/lincoln.jpg

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 10-25-2006, 11:18 PM

It just takes time and a lot of elbow grease. Don't use any of the cheese dick methods above...over time it'll just jack up the coats of polish and you'll be stripping them again.

Parade gloss is pretty good stuff. Time (many coats) is the only thing that'll get them looking like glass. Some prefer to melt the polish and some don't...both ways are good when spit shining.

**1badchicken** · 10-25-2006, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by SeVeReDiStOrTiOn

It just takes time and a lot of elbow grease. Don't use any of the cheese dick methods above...over time it'll just jack up the coats of polish and you'll be stripping them again.

Parade gloss is pretty good stuff. Time (many coats) is the only thing that'll get them looking like glass. Some prefer to melt the polish and some don't...both ways are good when spit shining.

What are you calling my method, Parade gloss is just a harder version of regualr kiwi. How much experience do you have? I hope you were not in the USMC, read the can again. How many years did you do? 5 tops huh!!!!!!!! Good luck with the CHP though,
You better stand at Parade Rest when you talk to Me

**Nastyfoot** · 10-26-2006, 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by 1badchicken

What are you calling my method, Parade gloss is just a harder version of regualr kiwi. How much experience do you have? I hope you were not in the USMC, read the can again. How many years did you do? 5 tops huh!!!!!!!! Good luck with the CHP though,
You better stand at Parade Rest when you talk to Me

Looks like 1 Bad Chicken is raining down a shit storm on you recruit!

**98-LS1** · 10-26-2006, 05:42 AM

Ha ha, I have a pair of them coated one's. I can't remember the correct term for them but they are like cochrans, no shining needed. I've only wore my class A's twice in the past five years so I couldn't tell you. Thank Goodness we wear desert tan boots with our ACU's now, no more shining boots before drill.

**Blk00ws6** · 10-26-2006, 05:50 AM

I just used regular ole shoe polish. Didn't care too much for the Parade Gloss. Some people use a little bit of water with the polish.

**Nastyfoot** · 10-26-2006, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by 98-LS1

Ha ha, I have a pair of them coated one's. I can't remember the correct term for them but they are like cochrans, no shining needed. I've only wore my class A's twice in the past five years so I couldn't tell you. Thank Goodness we wear desert tan boots with our ACU's now, no more shining boots before drill.

Coraphrams? Or something like that?

**ss~zoso~ss** · 10-26-2006, 06:12 AM

yea those are nice

**caveblazin** · 10-26-2006, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by 1badchicken

What are you calling my method, Parade gloss is just a harder version of regualr kiwi. How much experience do you have? I hope you were not in the USMC, read the can again. How many years did you do? 5 tops huh!!!!!!!! Good luck with the CHP though,
You better stand at Parade Rest when you talk to Me

After spending several years (eight) in the USMC I've found that good ole "Parade gloss" works great. I've tried the other stuff and I've just had good success with Parade gloss. Another tip for you is get a empty spray bottle fill it with warm water and adjust the nozzle to a fine mist then use that as your water base. It spreads the water out of the shoe better. I'm now a police officer who still uses that method daily. Good luck!!!

**toneloc60** · 10-26-2006, 07:46 AM

Use Parade Gloss, and glaze it with a heat gun. Then shock it with cold water on a rag and buff, buff and buff some more. By far the best method. It takes the longest but wont crack the leather and gives the best shine.

**98-LS1** · 10-26-2006, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Nastyfoot

Coraphrams? Or something like that?

Yeah I think that's what their called

**05gtoautoX** · 10-26-2006, 08:34 PM

if I have a brand new boot, I lay a real thick layer of kiwi etc. over the entire boot, take a small butane torch and melt it, spray cold water on it, then do it again. After that just take your polishing brush out and go to town. If you want extremely high gloss, after all the above steps, take a bag of cotton balls, one cotton ball at at a time and dip it in water, then proceeed in circular like motions on the boot until desired gloss is achieved. It's always worked well for me, and I've been in the U.S.A.F. for 7 years

**1badchicken** · 10-26-2006, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by caveblazin

After spending several years (eight) in the USMC I've found that good ole "Parade gloss" works great. I've tried the other stuff and I've just had good success with Parade gloss. Another tip for you is get a empty spray bottle fill it with warm water and adjust the nozzle to a fine mist then use that as your water base. It spreads the water out of the shoe better. I'm now a police officer who still uses that method daily. Good luck!!!

Gents, you are all missing the point, He is not shinning his boots!!!! He is shinning his low quarters, which means he is not wearing them every day. You see, you need to look past the obvious. All of you are right for the most part, when it comes to boots. and don't play dumb, if someone tries to say that you wore your issue, you were busted out everytime, at least you better not be standing in my formation!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is when the TRADOC side has to come out in me and say.
SOLDIER ARE YOU HEARING ME OR LISTENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BEAT YOUR FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Danger731** · 10-26-2006, 08:50 PM

sounds like older leather. heat the tip with the hottest running water. then take kiwi and apply. the best is a hot shoe after letting the kiwi burn a few seconds in its tin. 19 year navy chief. i 've been shining shoes a long fn time.

**joerockhead** · 10-26-2006, 09:09 PM

Lots of Spit and elboe grease.
Shine Shine Shine!

Take it from this 25 Year+ SCPO!

And if you don't like that, Coroframs!!!!

It takes time!

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 10-26-2006, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by 1badchicken

What are you calling my method, Parade gloss is just a harder version of regualr kiwi. How much experience do you have? I hope you were not in the USMC, read the can again. How many years did you do? 5 tops huh!!!!!!!! Good luck with the CHP though,
You better stand at Parade Rest when you talk to Me

Couple facts for ya:

Most of the army dogs uniforms that i've seen look like shit.

I've never used the polish that you posted so I can't say if it's good or not.

Just because it says USMC on it doesn't mean we use it or that it's good.

The pic you posted is of a corfram shoe and you don't polish those.

BTW parade gloss has a higher carnuba wax content and has silicone added that helps repel water. It's good as a base coat and even better as a finish...so no it's not just harder. Thanks for the good luck gesture though

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 10-26-2006, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by toneloc60

Use Parade Gloss, and glaze it with a heat gun. Then shock it with cold water on a rag and buff, buff and buff some more. By far the best method. It takes the longest but wont crack the leather and gives the best shine.

^^^

**1badchicken** · 10-27-2006, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by SeVeReDiStOrTiOn

Couple facts for ya:

Most of the army dogs uniforms that i've seen look like shit.

I've never used the polish that you posted so I can't say if it's good or not.

Just because it says USMC on it doesn't mean we use it or that it's good.

The pic you posted is of a corfram shoe and you don't polish those.

BTW parade gloss has a higher carnuba wax content and has silicone added that helps repel water. It's good as a base coat and even better as a finish...so no it's not just harder. Thanks for the good luck gesture though

Oh look he can read the brochure!!!! hey wait I saw that on a stupid movie. Which uniforms are you talking about. our ACU's we don't shine them any more. And yes I know what low quarter it is. I'm trying to help some folks who need pics

no i'm just messing with you. You know how E-7's are, we take on the world