When I was a kid, growing up, Dad always had a shoeshine box in the cabinet. A couple of cans of Kiwi, a rag and a brush. Then, when I joined the military, one of the very first lessons I got was on shining shoes and boots. I remember Sunday afternoons in basic training, sitting around with Kiwi shoe polish and rags, spit-shining shoes. No self-respecting military man would venture out to formation in boots that didn't have a high-gleam. It was a mark of professionalism, and over the years I invested thousands of dollars on single cans of
Kiwi boot polish.
We learned that some boots held a gloss better than others. The leather from
Corcoran boots was especially amenable to a good spit-shine, and the boots were highly sought after, a step up from the issue boots. Many of us, with our first paycheck, went down and bought Corcorans, especially those of us who intended to make a career wearing boots.
The Army, of course, today wears rough-out leather, a style started by General Norman Schwarzkopf when he issued rough-out boots to his troops during Desert Storm. Schwarzkopf boots became a mark that you had been in the desert, and they weren't allowed to be worn stateside until after I retired in 1999. I doubt that the good soldiers of today's army spends much time shining boots.
But, I'm a cop, and I still shine boots, although not as often as I did when a soldier. But, this morning, a rainy, drizzly Monday, in a quiet house, seemed like just the time to put a little polish on my leather gear.
It's not a spit-shine, and wouldn't pass muster in one of Drill Sergeant Anderson's formations, but it's a whole lot better than it was. It seems that shining shoes is a lost art, and ignored by many people. More the loss.
Yep, a good shine IS a nice thing! And real leather wears MUCH better than that never to be sufficiently damned corfam crap...
ReplyDeleteLearned in basic to heat the can with a cigarette lighter. Better effect is debatable in my opinion, but on leave after tech training I told my father.
ReplyDeleteWe always used Kiwi at home and it was on hand. Sometime later I found Dad with an open can of Kiwi on the stove, black shoe polish all over the top and splatters on the walls and ceiling.
Dad could fix ANYTHING. True Jack-of-All-Trades. Didn't figure I had to tell him to open the can first. I swear this is a true story; I miss the old man. And yes, I still use Kiwi.
Isn't it amazing that decades after basic training, we can still remember our drill sergeant's name.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason for the rough side out boots is that polished boots show up with some NVG's.
ReplyDeleteThe boots look great, but my old drill sergeant would complain about the lace tips not being polished.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways I don't miss those days, but I still shine my boots and shoes
I've been wearing Corcoran Field Boots for years. They are the most comfortable boot I've found for walking in timber, and they are good on the fire line, too. They scuff up walking through brush, and I don't black them up very often, but they get lots of Pecard's leather dressing so they shed water. They will let you wade streams and stay dry as long as you move quickly.
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