I was watching a film "Thing From Another World" (1951) and the Air Force captain is getting prettied up to see his gal and he takes a brush to shine his shoes.

And it made me wonder...

What are the contents of a military issued shoe shine kit anyway?


A few years ago I posted a poll about who taught you to shine shoes:

https://texashuntingforum.com/forum...ght-you-to-shine-shoes-boots#Post7550938

I don’t remember being given a kit but I remember having a tin, brush and cloth, think they where issued but can’t remember. I remember a guy in my squadron that was previous enlisted tell me don’t waste my time with it. He pulled out a tin of kiwi parade wax, filled the lid with water, then pulled out a lighter and lit the wax on fire for a few seconds. He then dipped the cotton ball in the wax and started doing tiny circles. Then would come back over with wet cotton ball in tiny circles and repeat and repeat, and repeat and repeat.

I’m pretty sure I was issued it but can’t remember, I know I went and bought three cans parade gloss first chance I got. Two for me and one for the guy that showed me

Black shoe polish
Lighter fluid
Old cotton T-shirt rags
Cotton balls
Soft bristle brush

Also need cold water and elbow grease

Never been issued one and always had to buy my own from the PX. I like the Kiwi tins and the foam daubers to get a good base coat laid. Then I use a nice thin woven cloth with the same tin of Kiwi and spit to hit the heels and toes. Nothing else needed. Never failed to get a day off for the best boots of the day.

Seems like they advanced you $10 to get all that. Add a can of Brasso and you were ready for inspection.

We bought our own. The air force "issued" nothing. You paid for your uniforms.

Bobo and Snakewrangler are correct, wasn’t issued any polishing supplies had to go to the PX and get my own.

Spit shine.

We got the advanced class in “The Old Guard”!

My dad had me shining my own shoes starting in 2nd or 3rd grade. Navy didn't give issue squat for the boondockers or dress shoes.

'

No kit issued in the navy.
Can of bkack Kiwi
Old skivvy shirt aka white under shirt
Shoe brush.
A little water in the Kiwi can lid

Get after it till you can see your smile in the shine.

Brings back memories. We were a flag ship and had inspections on a regular basis. I had three pairs of shoes, inspection, liberty, and work. On inspection day I would cuff my bell bottoms on the way to inspection so as not to mar the finish and uncuff them once in the inspection line. I then cuffed them again on the way back to my rack. Never wore my inspection shoes any other time except when it was time to replace my work shoes and then the other two were moved down and I bought a new pair for inspections. I even had an inspection belt buckle.

I had a pretty good setup my dad gave me. Box with a rest on top of it to shine your own shoes.

A college roommate stole it from me (one item of many). He was a piece of s***.

I wear tennis shoes now. I have a nice pair of Church shoes that I picked up in London. I shine them when they need it.

My boots get a wipe down on occasion.

No shine kit. Made us buy a boot cleaning kit. Had a couple of brushes and can of leather conditioner, I think. Only wore the issued boots through basic and then bought Danners.

This

This! Now I roll with rough out combat boots that don't need to be shined.

My Man at the Barber Shop did mine

Never wear dress shoes anymore. Black Brooks Beasts fill in IF needed.

This being said, My Dad was a Merchant Marine and he ALWAYS used a "kit". Polished his shoes like a mad Man !! He bought all his supplies, kept them in a wooden "Shine" box

Remember the Corafams shoes. Keep a pair for inspections and an easy shine when needed. We were issued Boon dockers every 6months for flight deck work. JP, AG, and Autosafe oil would eat them up pretty quick.

My trick was a bic lighter and polishing cloth.

Still have my AF Corfams in the closet somewhere and I retired in 93!

Pretty sure the USMC gave us shoe polish and a shoe brush at MCRD San Diego (1971). I still have the brush.

Back when we all wore black boots, there were lots of shoe shine places that you could use to get "Inspection Ready."

Cotton balls, Lincoln wax and a bit of cold water after a brush down

Start with a great boot (Corcoran jump boots), sorry, never wore shoes

As a K9 Handler we weren't messed with much about our shined boots, unless it was it was show for a special event. USAF we bought our own.