Spit and polish

[Thunderbolt]

I call "Bull" on that, Dan--your role would probably be teaching and training, but I have every confidence that you would still rise to the occasion. I figure probably in a "History & Traditions" gig, educating "Baby Jarheads" about their Corps heritage, or something similar...

As for me, most of my formative years were spent with my grandfather, a proud veteran of the most potentially-devastating military force ever assembled: USAF Strategic Air Command. Have fun while you can, fighter-pukes, 'cause someday we will return, and we're gonna be taking our Air Force back into grown-ups' hands...

*sigh* God I miss the cold war.

Sir, Senior Airman Giffin reports as ordered!

 

[Diamondback]

McChord too, huh? (Grew up around the base in the '80s, and can be found on the ramp working Summer Special Olympics at their opening ceremonies.) Small world, sir...

"Aim High!"

 

[JimWagner]

US Navy, 1965-1969. P-2V7 Neptune and P-3B Orion crewman (Jez) hunting Russian submarines all over the North Atlantic.

 

[Thunderbolt]

McChord too, huh? (Grew up around the base in the '80s, and can be found on the ramp working Summer Special Olympics at their opening ceremonies.) Small world, sir...

"Aim High!"

I used to be a member of the McChord Air Museum Foundation before I left for the Air Force. Spent 3 years at Altus then I went Reserve at McChord. I need to get back with those guys. How bout a beer at Ferellis pizza in DuPont sometime?

 

[Diamondback]

Maybe, although I'm a ways out and don't get into that part of the area much. Will drop you a PM sometime see about putting something together in the Southeast Sound area...
----------------
Now playing: James Hannigan, Frank Klepacki & Timothy Michael Wynn - Threatened in Russia
via FoxyTunes

 

[Bourbon Guy]

mustard and sauerkraut on polish

 

[jaymag_87]

Me: 9 years Active Duty as an Armor and Cavalry Officer in the US Army, including service in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Texas A&M University Graduate and member of the Corps of Cadets and Fightin' Texas Aggie Band (some of the Texans around here will know what that means.

Dad: Drafted during Korea and got out as a Sergeant, then spent 20 years on Active Duty as a US Army Chaplain, including service in Vietnam and Thailand.

Mom's Dad: World War I veteran with the US Army's 36th Division out of Texas and Oklahoma.

Two of my Dad's brothers were Marines during Korea.
I've had a couple other uncles who were civilian workers at Tinker AFB in OKC.

A distant, distant, distant relative was a Confederate Civil War General and Defender of Galveston, TX

I have a very limted interest in "vintage", at this time. I just like hats. They look good on me.

 

[bburtner@moran]

The spit shine

How about the spit shine,does anyone know the procedure for the "spit shine"?Do you really use spit?

 

[Aaronlowe]

When I learned it in the army back in the very early 80s we used cotton balls and water and lots, and lots of coats of polish. Some guys would put a match to the wax and let it melt and then rub the liquified wax into the boot. You would then take a cotton ball dipped in water and polish, polish, polish. Repeat until shine is like a mirror. It really depends on how the leather is finished, too. My Corcoran jump boots would spit shine after a few weeks of polishing. My Gov Issue combat boots never really got that shiny, and that was after years of daily polishing.

Wax on, wax off.

 

[JimWagner]

Use a soft cotton handkerchief. Kiwi polish. Smooth leather shoes. Basically hold the handkerchief so your extended index finger is covered by one or two layers of the handkerchief. Pick up some shoe polish with the tip of your handkerchief covered finger.

Now spit on the shoe and begin rubbing in the polish with your finger. Rub a lot.

Continue spitting and polishing (for several hours initially), gradually building up a thin, well rubbed layer of polish. If you take enough time, do it right, you'll produce a shine almost like patent leather.

There are some shortcuts. You can put on a thick layer of polish and then melt it GENTLY with a butane lighter. Then spit and rub, spit and rub, etc. Repeat as needed.

As you acquire the skill you'll figure out that less polish is needed than you'd think once all the leather pores are filled in.

Did I mention this process can take hours initially? Just spit shining the toes is lazy. Do the entire shoe.

 

[rmrdaddy]

I've had success with shining shoes in this method:

Apply polish, let it haze up and then remove in the standard fashion. Sprinkle the shoe with water, I just flick water onto it with my free hand while holding the shoe in the other. Then, apply a second coat of polish over the droplets of water. I then break out the horsehair brushes ( I use 2 different brushes with different coarseness to the bristles), and go to town.
Very shiny shoes are always my final product.

 

[filfoster]

pantyhose

My recruiter gave me the tip about a piece of ladies' nylon hose to go over the boot/shoe for a finishing touch. It has just enough abrasion to really pop the shine.

 

[Harp]

Some guys would put a match to the wax and let it melt and then rub the liquified wax into the boot. My Corcoran jump boots would spit shine after a few weeks of polishing.

I used a match until I found liquid floor wax polish faster for jump boots.

 

[dhermann1]

I became reasonably competent during my days as one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children (USMC ). I recently tried it on a pair of Allen Edmunds Park Avenues. I must say, I'm pretty rusty, but was fairly satisfied with the results.
Back in The Corps, we used Kiwi polish (preferred over Esquire), and put water in the lid. First dip your handkerchief covered finger into the water. Mash the hanky covered finger into the wax, trying to get a lot of the oil onto it. The oil is less black than the actual wax. Get a fairly small amount of wax on the cloth. Then gently go in circles over the surface. You really need to see somebody do it to get it right. My understanding is that the water softens and flattens the cotton fibers, and it's the flattened cotton fibers that provide the magic of a spit shine. It's a lot of work, really an art, but the results can be spectacular. Somehow much more elegant and sheeny than simple patent leather.

 

[Aaronlowe]

I used a match until I found liquid floor wax polish faster for jump boots.

We used to do that with dress shoes, but found that it cracked and flaked off pretty easily. There used to be a spray product that was basically the same thing that we got from the local shoe repair store. I'm sure it had some godawful chemicals in it that have long-since been banned from the planet.

 

[Harp]

We used to do that with dress shoes, but found that it cracked and flaked off pretty easily.

I found that Johnson's Floor Wax held reasonably well and easily washed off with ammonia;
or when applied lightly over Kiwi polish JFW kept a very high "Airborne shine."

 

[H.Johnson]

Heat a spoon...melt polish... apply to boot with cloth.

Spit. A lot (trust me, only spit works...)

Rub with hot spoon* and then cloth and rub and rub and rub and...

Repeat and repeat and repeat...

* This used to be known as 'boning'. Bone leather shoes are very shiny from the factory. A spoon works just as well as a bone.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Kiwi Parade and spit. Apply with a brush, rub with a soft cloth, leave to dry. Repeat for a few days.

A bone (spoon?) works good on scuffs and scratches.

 

[Erik]

Another Kiwi, cotton balls, a little water and sufficient coats of polish to see reflections advocate.

 

[Tomasso]

There's a crucial step that has yet to be mentioned and that is................Darn it! I forgot. :eusa_doh: