Military people? A boring question about shoe polish.

[CrabDan]

So, Parade Gloss - Yay or nay?

Personally, I like to use bog standard black Kiwi BUT whenever I'm done bulling, I like to top off with a reasonably thin layer of Parade Gloss, as I find it seems to help even things out in the areas where my polishing has been a bit gash. I'm not sure if it really adds much shine, mind you, but I know some people who think Parade Gloss is the work of the devil and should be avoided at all costs.

What do you think?

If anyone wonders why I'm asking such a noddy question, it's because I just spent my last three evenings (about 18 hours total) polishing a brand new pair of shoes and now it's all I can think about... And I think I've gone cross-eyed.

[Zaxxon]

Jacobean Dark Oak woodstain

[CrabDan]

The unit photograph is coming up and my last pair were knackered. I've been a bit behind on the personal admin owing to a couple of weeks on exercise. I know the shoes are going to crack and fall to bits but I'll just have to live with it. In the mean time I shall work on my waddling technique.

[V88Dicky]

Japlac and a modelling paintbrush

[Red 4]

T-cut


Or pay to have them "professionally detailed".

[Gazzas86]

I had 2 pairs, 1 pair normal day to day pair with a bit of polish on, my parade pair i used gloss spray paint.... worked a treat,

As far as polish goes, i use parade gloss and cotton wool balls!!

[TheDiplomat]

Anti-radar paint from the RAF

(Kiwi polish.)

[liner33]

I used to do them the same as you , Kiwi first then parade gloss for last few coats

Johnsons floor polish if you are pushed for time

[CrabDan]

liner33 said:

I used to do them the same as you , Kiwi first then parade gloss for last few coats

Johnsons floor polish if you are pushed for time

I recently had a conversation with a young Pilot Officer who also mentioned floor polish... I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with that idea!

[Zaxxon]

If in training, you will never get fake polished boots past any DL worth his pacestick. You will always end up with him grinding his boots on your once shiny toecaps. You will then spend the early hours of the next day polishing up the boots with real polish so you can present them to him at 0800hrs in the morning.

I never bothered with parade gloss, bulling boots is one of those things that just takes technique and patients.

[rumple]

Zaxxon said:

If in training, you will never get fake polished boots past any DL worth his pacestick. You will always end up with him grinding his boots on your once shiny toecaps. You will then spend the early hours of the next day polishing up the boots with real polish so you can present them to him at 0800hrs in the morning.

I never bothered with parade gloss, bulling boots is one of those things that just takes technique and patients.

Funny really, i used parade gloss in Cadets, in the Army only ever used kiwi, no hot spoons, no setting fire to anything, just kiwi and an Oasis tape, they were the days

[Zaxxon]

rumple said:

just kiwi and an Oasis tape, they were the days

Sums it up perfectly.

[rumple]

CrabDan said:

I recently had a conversation with a young Pilot Officer who also mentioned floor polish... I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with that idea!

We used to use Clear on clothing, it was a type of floor polish if i remember, dilute spray on and iron, gave you creases like you wouldnt beleive, dont know about boots though, im my day you'd invest in a set of Ammo boots, bull them and keep them for best, unless you were in the 'Unit tug of war team' then your bull would get fked because that was the footwear of choice.

[Zaxxon]

rumple said:

We used to use Clear on clothing, it was a type of floor polish if i remember, dilute spray on and iron, gave you creases like you wouldnt beleive, dont know about boots though, im my day you'd invest in a set of Ammo boots, bull them and keep them for best, unless you were in the 'Unit tug of war team' then your bull would get fked because that was the footwear of choice.

Klear floor polish gave the boots a greeny blueish hue in daylight. The various paints/stains/varnishes etc alway looked good but it was the area around the stitching at the back of the toacap that always gave it away.


The only use for a hot spoon was to lay it on your opo's arm or neck whilst he wasn't looking.....'can't flash at a hot spoon'

[rumple]

Zaxxon said:

rumple said:

We used to use Clear on clothing, it was a type of floor polish if i remember, dilute spray on and iron, gave you creases like you wouldnt beleive, dont know about boots though, im my day you'd invest in a set of Ammo boots, bull them and keep them for best, unless you were in the 'Unit tug of war team' then your bull would get fked because that was the footwear of choice.

Klear floor polish gave the boots a greeny blueish hue in daylight. The various paints/stains/varnishes etc alway looked good but it was the area around the stitching at the back of the toacap that always gave it away.


The only use for a hot spoon was to lay it on your opo's arm or neck whilst he wasn't looking.....'can't flash at a hot spoon'

To be honest the spoon thing is vague, as is the Klear speling, its been a long time.

[Zaxxon]

No, I remember trying the hot spoon, setting light to the toe caps, Klear, Jacobean Dark Oak woodstain and many other tricks and shortcuts. After a while it you just sit down, put your favorite tape on your walkman and start polishing....whilst wearing your troop t-shirt, a pair of UJ's and flip flops. Eating hob nobs or Jammie Dodgers. And who said it wasn't glamorous in the forces

[Odie]

I dont like parade gloss, I use normal black kiwi then onto brown kiwi for a deeper shine

[sunoco69]

As taught by a very old Irish Gds Sgt when I was a young sprog.

Use normal Kiwi polish but set light to it and burn off any crap. Only needs to burn until it is a liquid (about 10 secs) then let it set. Then bull as normal. Never let me down on parade!

Parade gloss is just a purer polish for a lot more money. The above achieves the same.

Second tip: Patent leather

[wolf1]

I always got my batman to do them. The butler does them now.

[over_the_hill]

I have always preferred Tuxan over Kiwi although I'm not sure if it's still available.

Tuxan contains tanners dye so helps retain colour in the leather.