Which wax brand is best for shining boots? What is your routine to get the best spit shine?

2018-09-21T13:27:04-04:00

This might be for the older troops out there who came up with black leather boots (RIP) that needed daily maintenance, but I'm curious what brand of wax you found best for shining boots? What's your method routine to clean, wax, and shine boots?
Do any units still have black boots that need shining?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 1:38 PM

2018-09-21T13:38:40-04:00

I use KIWI

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 1:40 PM

2018-09-21T13:40:15-04:00

Using a drop or two of water and using a circular motion to rub the polish in. Then after getting the whole boot, taking the brush and lightly grazing it taking a soft cloth and touching up the areas that needed it. This method always has kept my boots looking clean and glossy.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Sep 21 at 2018 1:48 PM

2018-09-21T13:48:26-04:00

I had a good method of cleaning with a brush, brush shine, heated wax applied, cotton ball with ice water in a circular motion to build a good base shine, finish it off with "Future" liquid floor wax (no idea why I was told Future over Mop-N-Glo), then if needed edge dressing.

Also, Lincoln wax or GTFO

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 2:10 PM

2018-09-21T14:10:18-04:00

I've used both kiwi and Lincoln. It's been too long to remember which I liked best, but I know at some point I switched to Lincoln after being told it worked better. I kind of remember switching back though.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 4:22 PM

2018-09-21T16:22:44-04:00

If I really wanted a shine, I would strip all of the old shoe polish off with alcohol, then clean with saddle soap. Then Kiwi black and hot water. For a final coat, Kiwi blue in moderation made for an awesome shine!

Then, ten minutes into the day, they're scuffed.

In the end, that was something I did for inspections, briefings, or when I knew I would be seeing the CO. Otherwise, a quick once over with Kiwi black and a boot brush got me by.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Sep 21 at 2018 4:49 PM

2018-09-21T16:49:07-04:00

Kiwi was what I always used. Little bit of water, some polish, and a lot of elbow grease was my method to shine up a pair.

Nowadays, I polish my nice church shoes/boots, but I don't put a real shine on anything. Taught my wife how to make her boots look nice when she works EMS, though.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 7:03 PM

2018-09-21T19:03:24-04:00

If anyone is misses shining shoes and boots, you can come over to the Navy. We still wear black leather dress shoes and boots. You can spit shine 'til your heart's content!

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Sep 21 at 2018 11:12 PM

2018-09-21T23:12:44-04:00

Lincoln for base coat and to fill in spots, Kiwi black as a 2nd coat, kiwi neutral for the gloss coat. Alcohol at 1st then hot water second- using an old diaper.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 12:16 AM

2018-09-24T00:16:20-04:00

Lincoln Wax

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 1:29 AM

2018-09-24T01:29:09-04:00

The old Kiwi and a bit of water.
Got to soften them up in the bathtub and saddle soap them down first.
Two, maybe three coats the first time, after that, pretty easy to maintain unless you tore them up training or in the motor pool.

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 10:41 AM

2020-05-14T10:41:07-04:00

This post looks a bit older but I actually do high end dress shoe shining (for both civilians and military) and although I know everyone in the military swears by kiwi and I’ll agree it works just fine it is far far far from the best product for shining anything or caring for your shoe leather. I use saphir products and they are ten times better for your shoes and an easy shine than kiwi or Lincoln or angelus or any of the other baseline waxes (ten times was merely an arbitrary number don’t take it too literally). So that’s my personal advice if you enjoy shining shoes and don’t mind spending more money to take better care of your leather boots or dress shoes.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 15 at 2020 10:11 AM

2020-05-15T10:11:07-04:00

Wore black shoes and flight boots my entire 22 years. For high gloss shine on shoes, I brushed off any dirt or grime. Then one coat of kiwi black polish. Brush. Then bring out high gloss with damp synthetic cloth (lady’s underwear) used in circular motion. Edge dressing.

For flight boots, brush off dust and dirt. Apply kiwi with polish brush and work into scuffs. Brush vigorously. Finish toe and heal caps with polishing cloth or synthetic material (see above).

Advent of Corfram dress shoes changed process. A quick swipe with Pledge on a soft rag made the “plastic” shoes look great.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 21 at 2020 9:25 PM

2020-05-21T21:25:01-04:00

SSG Carlos Madden Last week after 66 years, I managed to contact an old friend from Ft Knox. In 1953, he had taken me home with him to Johnston, PA for a weekend.

As our hour-long chat went on, Bill said, “Now, I really remember you! You carried your spit-shined, old style rough/out boots to Guard Mount so the shine wouldn’t crack! I always tried to beat you for supernumerary, but those boots always won!”

That was the old KIWI and set out on the upstairs porch of the old wooden barracks in the winter - to ‘set’ the polish.

Our contact ended when he married, rented a house in E’town and our 74th Armored Signal Co, School Troops, moved into the new concrete barracks in early 1954.