Black Shoe Cream/Polish Brand?

[Daekar]

I have been using the same jar of black shoe polish for my entire adult life - a sure sign In lucky enough not to need to polish shoes often. Still, I like the brand I have, Propert's... the only problem is that they apparently don't make it anymore. The jar I have looks like it was made in 1965, so maybe it's no surprise.

So the question is, what do you folks use for black polish on your fancy shoes? Have a favorite brand, or one to avoid?

[cwtebay]

I have used Kiwi my entire life. Seems to get the job done.

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[Outpost75]

For spit shining parade boots we used Lincoln polish from the PX.

[metricmonkeywrench]

+1 Kiwi. Probably have used others over the years but the Kiwi remains

[WILCO]

I have used Kiwi my entire life. Seems to get the job done.

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Same here.

[stubshaft]

Same here.

Same for me as well.

[nicholst55]

1. Lincoln
2. Kiwi Parade Gloss

[Recycled bullet]

I've only ever used the kiwi polish to shine shoes. I liked to light it on fire to make the polish soft, wipe it in to the leather with a cotton rag and polish and make it shine with a cotton ball and water.

I haven't used shoe polish in years. My red wing work boots are very neglected.

[MrWolf]

I've only ever used the kiwi polish to shine shoes. I liked to light it on fire to make the polish soft, wipe it in to the leather with a cotton rag and polish and make it shine with a cotton ball and water.

I haven't used shoe polish in years. My red wing work boots are very neglected.

Same here except for lighting it. Haven't worn dress shoes since I stopped working except for maybe three occasions.

[porthos]

in usmc boot camp @ parris island; we used Kiwi. drill instructors said it is the best for "spit shine" other that waterproffing products, that is all that i have ever used

[Rapier]

Being of the old 101st Airborne, anything not painted was polished, to a highly reflective shine, all inspection leather was spit shined, period. Best not catch you using a spray or brush applied polish, either. Used a lot of Kiwi, every year. When the son went to Jump School, I gave him my old pair of inspection Cochran jump boots, that I spit shined from the top to the bottom, as they should be, to wear at his graduation. Pinned his wings on, as is tradition, father/son. He was the oldest student in his class and I was the oldest Jump School graduate present. Had a party on me, down town, after the ceremony, for the Pararescue, Seals, Scout Snipers, Rangers, etc.

First time done, a proper spit shine can take hours, later with practice, it only takes minutes. If you use a T shirt, one side cuts and the other side polishes with melted Kiwi and water in the can lid. No short cuts, polish one spot at a time, connecting the spots. Before you start clean with a tooth brush and flowing water, every speck of drift or dust.

[MUSTANG]

Kiwi. Still use it more than 5 decades later.


Worked great everywhere except 29 Palms. Go to formation or Parade ground in highly polished shoes or boots - 15 minutes later, they were flat black as the sun and heat would melt the polish.

[45workhorse]

Kiwi!!!

As a PMI on Parris island, grass week was hell on the shine. Range week not so bad!

[John Guedry]

Only ever used Kiwi.

[cwtebay]

My first experience with shoe polishing was with my WW1 veteran great grandfather. He was Canadian cavalry (joined in 1916 because the US was dragging their feet in his words). He would make sure that your church shoes were impeccably clean with brushes and wet cloths, dry them thoroughly and begin his "wee little circle" method of polishing in front of the fire. Would allow them to warm until glistening, then go at the polish for real - finishing up with a boiled rag until you could reflect the firelight. I believe that I was 13 when he passed, but I'll bet I can still repeat his process!
His polish choice was Kiwi as I mentioned above, the smell of that - pipe tobacco and scarlet oil still brings his face and voice back to me.


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[Mk42gunner]

Regular Kiwi for me. I don't like the parade gloss version, it seemed to crack when my boots flexed.

The only thing I put a spit shine on anymore is my last pair of leather dress shoes that I bought in 96. They still work for wearing with suits when I go to a wedding or funeral.

My everyday Redwings get a brushed polish job once in a while, when I get to feeling too guilty.

Robert

[SeabeeMan]

For spit shining parade boots we used Lincoln polish from the PX.

I just had the mother of all flashbacks to Fort Lost in the Woods! There was some other liquid that was sold right along side it in a small plastic bottle that would add a gloss on top of the spit shine. Too much would crack the polish, though, so it was pretty much for ***'s that didn't know how to spit shine.

We always used heat guns to melt and smooth the wax until a guy tried a torch, lit the whole big can of wax on fire, then kicked it all over his barracks room to try and put it out.

[Scrounge]

Kiwi, for me, too. Including being taught to spit-shine shoes by a young (but older than I was) Marine friend several years before I enlisted in the USAF. Melt a little candle wax into the can of Kiwi Black used for the spit-shine. Gives a good hard base to shine.

[M-Tecs]

I was really good a spit-shining. I went the lazy route and switched to Corfam's.

[Daekar]

Thanks guys! A tin of Kiwi is on its way, advice is much appreciated!

[fiberoptik]

Forget spit or water. Use Perrier water in the green glass bottles. Cloth diapers work much better than t-shirts. Lincoln is harder than Kiwi.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have been using the same jar of black shoe polish for my entire adult life - a sure sign In lucky enough not to need to polish shoes often. Still, I like the brand I have, Propert's... the only problem is that they apparently don't make it anymore. The jar I have looks like it was made in 1965, so maybe it's no surprise.

So the question is, what do you folks use for black polish on your fancy shoes? Have a favorite brand, or one to avoid?

There is lots of Propert's jars on fleabay (NOS) and other online seller's of used goods.
Looks like Kiwi bought the brand at some point.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Used Lincoln for daily spit shine inspection requirements - OCS - Ft Benning. Have used Kiwi with good results when I ran out of Lincoln. You can get a very high polish with either. A little Glo-Coat over the cap toe really makes the jump boots sparkle.

[WRideout]

I was really good a spit-shining. I went the lazy route and switched to Corfam's.

AKA Pimp shoes.
Wayne

[MUSTANG]

AKA Pimp shoes.
Wayne

I am offended. I wore those Pimp Shoes for 3 years while working with the State Department - Did not have time to polish shoes because of being way undermanned; not just my Post; but pretty much all of the Posts. The "Pimp Shoes" also set the tone the State Department wanted for continual "Spit and Polish" in these Pretty Dress Blues (A, B, C, and D versions). I went through and had to buy 4 sets of Pimp Shoes due to abrasions incurred in "The Line of Duty". When we wanted to be "Serious" and send a message, we shifted to Utilities with Flack Vests and Helmets - Spit Shined Boots optional at that time.

It is interesting to note; back then the Pimp Shoes "Were not Legal" for inspections in the USMC - had to have that High Spit Shine during inspections whether Junk on the Bunk, or personnel inspections.

[fiberoptik]

The leather shoes issued in Boot were really comfortable. Once I hit my duty station I bought myself pimp shoes and tossed my leather shoes. Big mistake. Pimp shoes were very uncomfortable and made my feet hurt and sweat like crazy! Regret that one.
In Okinawa papasan would spit shine your boots for $20/mo. He was always sifting through the trash looking for tossed cans of shoe polish. Then he would melt the wax and pour it into 1 can. He spent a lot of time on the squadbay floor. He got his t shirts from the trash too.

[czgunner]

Kiwi. Still use it more than 5 decades later.


Worked great everywhere except 29 Palms. Go to formation or Parade ground in highly polished shoes or boots - 15 minutes later, they were flat black as the sun and heat would melt the polish.That was my experience at Ft Bliss.

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[fiberoptik]

Kiwi couldn’t hang in PI. either.