Boot cleaning / polishing / care of

[charlaje]

... are killing me.  People wearing them should be charged on the spot.  We had a boot inspection today and some people had the balls to show up with them.  No one said a word.  Is it accepted? are there a lot of people wearing them without consequences?  Give me one reason other than just being a lazy cheat why you would do that. 

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Never heard of painted parade boots. I have seen floor wax used, but I've never seen any painted.

 

[PuckChaser]

I've heard of high gloss spray paint used and I do agree that it should not be allowed. I believe the dress regulations even state that the boots are to be polished with boot polish.

 

[Sub_Guy]

I do not see what the big deal is, why would someone spend all night busting thier ass for the perfect shine, when they could accomplish it in minutes? 

 

[daftandbarmy]

I do not see what the big deal is, why would someone spend all night busting thier *** for the perfect shine, when they could accomplish it in minutes?

Heretic! Fetch the pitchfork and torches....

 

[Occam]

I've heard of high gloss spray paint used and I do agree that it should not be allowed. I believe the dress regulations even state that the boots are to be polished with boot polish.

Nothing in the dress regs about boot polish.  It only states "Shoes leather, oxfords, pumps, and boots ankle shall be clean and shone at all times".

Never heard of painted parade boots. I have seen floor wax used, but I've never seen any painted.

Leather Luster

I don't know about any recent uses, but the entire (Naval) Royal Guard for Prince Charles and Princess Di at Expo '86 in Vancouver wore Leather Lustered ankle boots.  They look pretty good, almost too shiny like patent leather.  You have to dull them down a bit with wax polish.  They tend to crack after about a year of use.

 

[gaspasser]

Personal discipline and pride~~highly shone with elbow grease and kiwi polish to a high shine...ever since my cadet days 1976 to now...mind you, my oxfords have taken a dive since I wear them with my kilt in the pipe band...    iper:

 

[Strike]

I do not see what the big deal is, why would someone spend all night busting thier *** for the perfect shine, when they could accomplish it in minutes?

Personal discipline and pride and integrity

Pretty sure they didn't teach you to paint your boots on basic.

 

[OldSolduer]

I do not see what the big deal is, why would someone spend all night busting thier *** for the perfect shine, when they could accomplish it in minutes?

I do see what the "big deal" is. Like someone else said, pride and integrity.

 

[GK .Dundas]

I do not see what the big deal is, why would someone spend all night busting thier *** for the perfect shine, when they could accomplish it in minutes?

WHAT!...Oh yeah that's right  you're air force, never mind it doesn't matter. 

 

[ballz]

Pretty sure they didn't teach you to paint your boots on basic.

I don't want to enter mudslinging contest WRT elbow grease vs brains, but that's a bad argument.

On basic you iron your clothes, but I sure don't see anybody here advocating you shouldn't just go to the drycleaners once a week and pay 50 cents a shirt (I still don't understand how they make money) in the real world. But, that's the rules.

They teach you not to burn threads off your uniform, which is just stupid, but... that's the rules.

They teach act like non-issued footwear / kit is a bad thing... but, afterall, that is the rules...


Anyway, my point is... there's a lot of stuff in basic that doesn't apply afterward...

 

[Nfld Sapper]

They teach you not to burn threads off your uniform, which is just stupid, but... that's the rules.

Funny I teach BMQ's to burn off threads......

 

[Occam]

Anyway, my point is... there's a lot of stuff in basic that doesn't apply afterward...

I'm with you, ballz.  As I mentioned before, Leather Luster has been around since at least 1986, so it's not new.  Surely if the numerous dress committees over the years found a problem with it, the dress regs would stipulate Kiwi polish only by now.  There are plenty of things done at BMQ for a reason, but once out in the real world, there are more efficient and effective ways of doing things than those taught to those who don't know any better during BMQ.

 

[ballz]

Funny I teach BMQ's to burn off threads......

I'm pretty sure it actually is in the dress regs that loose threads aren't allowed to be burned off since it's a fire hazard. I was taught this at St. Jean and also at the 2 RNfldR weekend basic that I attended prior to BMOQ. I don't have the resources to look that up however.

In St. Jean you are specifically told you're not allowed to burn threads because it's a fire hazard, and that you should carry around nail clippers to clip the threads off. People got swiped if they were caught burning threads.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Perhaps, if you didn't use flammable coating on your boots, wax in the trouser seams, plastic spacers in your sleeve rolls. lacquer in the creases, you wouldn't self immolate when you tried to burn off your threads.

We don't accept shortcuts for a reason.

Try old fashioned elbow grease, instead of the easy way out.

Christ almighty, use some fucking initiative. It's no wonder our new leaders today can't make a simple, life saving decision. They can't even spend ten minutes on a pair of boots to make themselves look better than a flat faced civvy.

I find it both comical and sad when we have to have a discussion on people too stupid not to set themselves on fire. The same people that we are allowing to enter into our exalted profession of arms. The same people we are abdicating our sovereignty and safety to.

If you can't take the pride to spend ten minutes on your boots, you don't have the pride to spend ten hours on repairing\ working on\ driving\ living on my ship, aircraft, tank or truck. Get away from me and my equipment. I don't want to die because your a lazy shit that feels it's worthless to shine your boots.

If you can't make the connection, you're another I don't want touching my equipment, or training my people.

You better understand that you are part of a team. That team is expected to work in harmony and follow the same protocols.

People die in our profession, and the person that cuts corners on shining boots, will use a piece of wire where it specifies a cotter pin........and someone will die because of the lazy shit.

That's why we make you polish your boots and have some pride in what you belong to.

We don't want you to look pretty. If we did, you'd be allowed patent leather shoes like the US.

We just don't want one of your team members to die because someone is slack and idle.

 

[chrisf]

In St. Jean you are specifically told you're not allowed to burn threads because it's a fire hazard, and that you should carry around nail clippers to clip the threads off. People got swiped if they were caught burning threads.

There's a reason we burn, not snip threads, it prevents further fraying, at least with the synthetic threads.

That being said, I had to put out a pants fire once (Seriously... pants fire... don't you hate pants?)... somone had burned threads on a pair of pants hanging in a locker, and walked away, not realising the thread was still smouldering... the shaggy bits on the sand traps caught fire, and the pants went up... lesson learned? Attention to detail. If you're going to burn the threads, make sure the damned fire is out!

 

[Fishbone Jones]

There's a reason we burn, not snip threads, it prevents further fraying, at least with the synthetic threads.

That being said, I had to put out a pants fire once (Seriously... pants fire... don't you hate pants?)... somone had burned threads on a pair of pants hanging in a locker, and walked away, not realising the thread was still smouldering... the shaggy bits on the sand traps caught fire, and the pants went up... lesson learned? Attention to detail. If you're going to burn the threads, make sure the damned fire is out!

Like was stated. Too stupid to be with us on the battelfield.

We have to get away from the kumbaya, everyone can be whatever they want attitude.

Some people are too stupid to belong. That's why we have fast food restaurants.

 

[captloadie]

Like was stated. Too stupid to be with us on the battlefield.

We have to get away from the kumbaya, everyone can be whatever they want attitude.

Some people are too stupid to belong. That's why we have fast food restaurants.

Its nice to see that some people have never made mistakes in their life, or were born all knowing. Yes, walking away is stupid, but really, kick them out because at 18 or 19 they haven't matured enough or had enough life lessons shows an alarming amount of intolerance.

I'd agree that taking shortcuts that don't make things more efficient, or bite you in the rear later are not good. But not all shortcuts are bad. If you can paint your boots, or burn shine them or whatever and they don't crack or look like s*** after the first half a dozen drill movements, then that is being efficient. Especially if it allows someone ten extra minutes to study their fieldcraft, or help out a bud. Don't equate shortcuts to being lazy.

And for all the Army folk who will just spout off because I'm Airforce, I pose this question: How many time on the battlefield do you improvise, or change the tactics from "what the regs say" because it works better?

 

[ballz]

Perhaps, if you didn't use flammable coating on your boots, wax in the trouser seams, plastic spacers in your sleeve rolls. lacquer in the creases, you wouldn't self immolate when you tried to burn off your threads.

I didn't say I didn't burn threads because it's a fire hazard, I said it says in the dress regs we're not supposed to because it's a fire hazard.

I burn my threads off, and obviously so do you, and that is exactly my point.

So you can take your immature "you're too stupid and lazy to (burn your threads / shine your boots / make life-saving decisions)" comments to somebody else, since you were either too stupid or lazy or read and comprehend what I said.

The "discussion" wasn't about people being too stupid not to catch themselves on fire, it was simply stating that what the specific rules say and what we are taught to do on basic doesn't always hold up afterward.

For the record, I shine my boots with kiwi polish and elbow grease, maybe or maybe not because haven't found a more efficient method that produces the same results. Either way, like I said, when it comes to the mudslinging contest, now a "monkeys throwing their own s**t at each other" contest, about whether it's laziness or whether it's efficiency, I care not. I happen to be on the fence about it, and was just trying to point out that an argument for one side didn't hold much water.

You can go back to throwing your feces now. Out.

 

[Occam]

I'm going to have to chime in and say that some of the comments are way over the edge as well.  If you look at the Leather Luster instructions, you'll see the following:

PREPARATION:

1. THIS MUST BE DONE IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA.

2. You must remove all waxes, oils, and dyes from the leather by scrubbing with the Pre-cleaner and rough terry cloth rags.  Note: This must be done until no more color appears on the Rags.  Because some leathers contain so many oils and dyes, some may require more than a single can of Pre-cleaner. 

3. After step 1, allow to dry for 10 mins.  Note: For some of the more popular brands of boots, we have found great success with using a fine sandpaper, (180-220) to lightly buff the leather; it seems to help open the pores of the material, Wipe again with Pre-cleaner and set to dry.  (My own note:  This means you have to strip the black off the boots until you reach brown leather.  It ain't easy.)

APPLICATION:

1. Apply a thin coat of Leather Luster.  Allow to dry 4-6 hours. The first coat of Leather Luster will not have a shine.  Note: If possible, place in direct Sunlight, this will aid in drying;                       
DO NOT BAKE THIS PRODUCT.

2. Apply a Second coat of Leather Luster and set to dry.  Note: The First coat of leather Luster must be DRY, not tacky at all.

2a. If Leather Luster is not completely Dry: Not all oils and dyes have been removed; Use Pre-cleaner and terry cloth rags to re-scrub the tacky areas, dry leather luster will not be removed.

3. Once you have 2 good coats, Use the fine steel wool to buff the leather to a smooth even surface.  Note: Some leathers may require 3 coats before buffing.

4. Clean the material of all steel wool particles. 

5. Apply a coat of leather Luster. If this is your final coat, take your time. Bubbles can be removed by lightly blowing on them.  Note: you can repeat steps 3-5 until the desired gloss is achieved.

Does that look like a shortcut, or an easy way out?

I did this to my boots 25 years ago for the Royal Guard, because we were ordered to.  It was anything but a shortcut.  It took about three days of prep and execution to get the boots looking perfect.  That said, the only maintenance needed for about 12 months following was a quick swipe with a cloth, but in the end you'd probably spend the same amount of time on your boots over the course of a year using either the Leather Luster or Kiwi polish method.  The Leather Luster boots just looked better, longer - with a initial high amount of effort but near zero maintenance.  At this stage of my career I don't use Leather Luster myself, because I have an aversion to painting anything, whether it be my boots, or the bathroom walls at my wife's request.  ;D

As for the argument that if I'm too lazy to "properly" (which is incorrect to start with because the dress regs don't say kiwi polish is to be used exclusively) polish my boots, then I'm liable to take shortcuts in maintaining my radar/navigational aids/radios/computer networks/etc., then I would argue that the opposite is true.  I use my experience in knowing what shortcuts more efficient methods I can take that aren't going to harm anyone (burn shining my boots, for example, if I get one day's notice for a parade - which isn't unusual) so that I have time to do my primary job by the book, given the fact that for one reason or another, my section is like everyone else's and we're overworked and undermanned.