Shining boots for academy

[Dstompe]

Hey guys,

I start academy at Napa this july and I'm trying to get a mirror shine on my boots early so I don't end up having to spend all day shining the day before academy starts. I've got magnum cobra boots and a kiwi kit. Tried the heat gun (hair drier) trick and they looked pretty good until i flexed them and all of the polish I had just applied flaked off in the crease area. Anyone know any tricks to keep it from flaking off where the boot flexes? Did i just use too much polish?

Help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

-Dstompe

[Socaliente]

Parade Gloss Kiwi, soft tshirt or cotton balls, water, heat gun. Just keep working em.

[trob]

It will always dull where it flexes. That isn't a big deal. If your layers are too thick, that's when it will flake.

[Unit74]

Flaking is usually attributed to two things.... Fake leather used in the boot and a failure to strip the boot prior to polishing.

These days I am using Lincoln Wax and a heat gun, not a hair drier. If you have a Korea connection, get some Kangaroo Polish and life will be good. Best shining polish on earth.

[Stockton]

Boot inserts, Kiwi, water, old cotton shirt. Sit down turn on music or tv. Wet the shirt, use two fingers, swipe the kiwi, rotate fingers counter clockwise. Repeat, repeat, repeat until its as shiny as you want it to be. Good luck with academy!

[Ron-Solo]

Find an old fashion shoe shine stand. Many barbershops still have them. Pay to get a good base shine. After that, keeping them shiny is easy. When they get too bad, its back to the shine stand.

[constable]

It will always dull where it flexes. That isn't a big deal. If your layers are too thick, that's when it will flake.

What he said. Get two pairs of boots... something like the rocky side zip parade boot for inspections only.... if you can swing the extra 100 some odd dollars.

[Spyder]

Don't polish so far back that you're polishing the crease!

[Socaliente]

Go to walmart and buy a pair of silk leggings. cut em up and keep a good square of it in your pocket. A quick rub down after your running around will go a long way. The kiwi sponge is quick fix for those days when someone forgot or whatever, but dont depend on it, it wont beat hard work of a spit shine.

[Dstompe]

Awesome, thanks for the help guys. I'd like to try and avoid buying two sets given that I've already dropped close to 500 bucks on the rest of my uniform, so i just think I'll try and give a lesser polish on the crease portion for now

[Unit74]

Also, last time I was in Galls, they had a shoe shine stand....lots of motors boots gleaming....this was at the Anaheim store.

[Dstompe]

I've got some scratches in the toes from working a summer as a maintenance worker. Am I SOL on getting the toes to look good or can they be sanded with really high grit sand paper?

[4FTTY]

You're probably going to want a new pair. Find someone who has been through the academy or the military and have them show you how to get a killer spit shine and then practice it yourself. It's really hard to polish over or sand out scratches in the leather. You're going to get jammed up by the DI's no matter what you do, it's just better to give them as little ammo as possible.

I went through the Napa academy about 5 years ago, you need to show up with a true spit shine. Anything less will get you attention you don't want. If you can see color in the reflection off the toes and there's no waves or orange peel, you're doing it right.

Nylons or pantyhose are great for touch ups.

[Socaliente]

Dont dare go and pay to get your boots done somewhere before the academy. Tell all your mates the same. The Tact staff will ask if you did it yourself, you cant lie, so they will make sure the boots lose that $10 shine you were so proud of. Then you will be expected to have shined boots the next day. The point of the academy is to work hard and not cut corners.

Whats also funny is if your boots are looking like glass, and the guy next to you looks like trash, you will probably get smoked for not helping him with his.

Enjoy!!!!

[Bobby Ricigliano]

You should double check what is acceptable footwear for the academy. Many academies (Including mine) did not allow boots at all. Everyone had to wear black dress shoes while in suits and low quarter black leather uniform shoes when in uniform.

The uniforms were a privilege that had to be earned. We didn't even put them on until the 4th or 5th week I think.