High Shine

**rir179** · 29th May 12, 11:29 PM

After 30 years British Army and 5 years prior as an Air Cadet I can see that you all are/have done a great job on "Bulling your Boots" but theres just a wee couple of finishing touches that will bring a good pair of bulled boots to an excellent pair!

1. Just at the end of your bulling session have a tin of Kiwi - Ox blood polish and bull with that one in every 8 of the Kiwi Black, this produces a really deep shine.

2. Once you've finished and "think" your done it's time to "Water Bull" take a piece of cotton wool and run the cold water tap to an even stady flow then place the toecap of your boot/shoe under the running water and with the wet piece of cotton wool "Bull" your toecap in the same small circles as normal after you've done this shake off the loose water and wring out the cotton wool. Use the same cotton wool todap off any loose droplets of water and leave to dry. You should now have a gleaming pair of bulled boots with NO smear marks.

**sadkingbilly** · 25th July 12, 03:50 AM

When I was in the army (MP actually) I learned to use patience when shining my boots. They would come out of the box with a nasty sheen on them. First, warm water with soap to clean them thourougly (usually I left damp wool inside them for a night, then wear them constantly the next days), then put on several layers of kiwi after first burning it slightly. Repeat at least 10 times. Over the first weeks the shine becomes deeper and brighter and harder to matt or damage. Then I would just take a soft cloth, slightly damp, to clean it (even after walking trough water and mud), reapply a few layers of shine, then use a wad of ladies nylon stockings to polish again. I always had some old nylons in one of my pockets for a quick polish just before inspection. Once, when on duty in heavy rain right before inspection we used a small glob of vaseline rubbed in and polished with a soft cloth. Amazing shine for about half an hour - just long enough to pass inspection ;)

**CDNSushi** · 25th July 12, 04:58 AM

The technique described by the OP is spot on. Spent years in air cadets and that's exactly what we did. I alternated between ice water and spit though... Later on used pretty much cold water exclusively... But wrapping the kiwi cloth around your index finger (or two/three fingers), dipping it in water, then the polish, then rubbing it on, layer after layer in circles is really the only "proper" way I was taught to do boots. What you end up with is an amazing shine... In cadets the preoccupation with shining boots is almost cult-like... And it's a never-ending battle. Especially when they get scuffed. <sigh>

The only other tip that I learned that made an amazing difference, was, in the process of bulling, swap out one layer of black kiwi polish for oxblood... That works some really nice magic there.

I know some guys used a lighter on their boots. Not only would you get the crap beasted out of you if someone caught you doing it (or saw evidence of you having done so), in the long rung it made the shine job look worse. It you were REALLY hard pressed, it could get you past an inspection... But after that you would really need to strip the polish and start over from scratch.

Man. Memories. To this day I hate shining shoes or boots... But there's no good alternative, as shoe-shine places don't know crap about it, and end up simply ruining your boots/shoes completely.

**Dangerdean** · 25th July 12, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by CDNSushi

The only other tip that I learned that made an amazing difference, was, in the process of bulling, swap out one layer of black kiwi polish for oxblood... That works some really nice magic there.

Occasional layers of neutral thrown in worked well too.

I know some guys used a lighter on their boots. Not only would you get the crap beasted out of you if someone caught you doing it (or saw evidence of you having done so), in the long rung it made the shine job look worse. It you were REALLY hard pressed, it could get you past an inspection... But after that you would really need to strip the polish and start over from scratch.

I don't remember using the lighter to make the actual gloss shine, just to make an incredible base coat. Get a really good layer of polish on the boot, and wet it lightly with your polishing water, into which you'd added a couple of drops of lighter fluid. Then run the lighter flame all around the boot...not actually touching the leather, but evenly melting the polish and giving you the best base possible to get a gloss shine.

I know what you mean about the boot fetish in cadets (754 Squadron represent!). I was camp staff at CFB Penhold one year and if we weren't working, drinking or sleeping we were listening to music and polishing our boots.

**CDNSushi** · 26th July 12, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by Dangerdean

I know what you mean about the boot fetish in cadets (754 Squadron represent!). I was camp staff at CFB Penhold one year and if we weren't working, drinking or sleeping we were listening to music and polishing our boots.

Lol! 11 Squadron (Lethbridge RCACS) represent!

Ugh! CFB Penhold..... <shudder>

Thanks for bringing that up! :buttkick: Now it's going to take awhile to re-repress those memories again! <sigh> Listening to music and polishing boots. Yup...