Shining Army Boots

[douggym]

My son has joined the Army Cadet Force and has got his new boots. He has heard all sorts of stories and suggestions for getting the best shine on them, but are there any squaddies out there with the ultimate answer.

[CAJ1]

My boyfriend is in the RAF, he gets a piece of lint free cloth, dabs it in water and then puts shoe polish on it and rubs his boots in very small round circular motion. He does this until they are shining and repeats it over and over and over again! It does eventually get them very shiny - I think patience is the key!

[WiseOldSage]

Same here - I did basic training with the RAF in nineteen hundred and eighty three AD and the water and polish work.

[pauln90]

And use Kiwi polish not Cherry Blossom , never could "Bull" boots with that.

As CAJ1 says its the little circles and water method that I found best

[weas]

always finsh with wet cotten wool squeezed out in a circle hubby did this for 26 years!

[aniani]

Parade Gloss polish

[carlton23]

I used to use a piece of ivory to bone mine in the days when I had an ivory shoe horn, but using spit instead of water hence the saying `Spit `n` Polish`. My hands would ache for days but well worth the trouble.

[douggym]

Thank you for those super responses. He was using wax 'n' water tonight and feels well proud of the result. Not quite a ceremonial shine yet, but he has a goal to reach.

[honky-tonk]

My son was in the army. "Spit and Polish" and spending hours doing it. Yuk

[sploge]

lots of hard work to get boots th the guards standard. First heat the back of a spoon, burn off all the dimples, base layer of parade kiwi polish NEVER USE C/Blossom its rubbish, cold water good brand (SYLET) cloth , small circles, water NOT SPIT! couple of weeks the boots will "develop" a really good shine just build it up. there are short cuts but NOT at cadet level (even reg crows to sncos dont get it right) Usually only RMP and guardsmen and RAF (Regt) )