Shining Boots.... and Why It's Important for Police and Security
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- It's not just about looking your best. Keeping your boots (and other leather gear) clean and polished will extend the life of your Police or Security duty gear.
Here we explain in simple terms how to polish boots to get the most life out of them. We will also discuss why keeping your leather gear looking crisp is important both to keeping you in your bosses good graces and to enhance your verbal judo abilities.
Featuring:
Danner GTX 8" boots.
www.danner.com
Cheap shoe shine materials (mostly kiwi brand)
You've got a point about appearance... it makes all the difference. I used to work quite a bit with a retired traffic Sargent when I was an EMT.. he was an "emergency care assistant" purely because he enjoyed being on the road with very little pressure and responsibility, trained to do very little, but having done the job for a few years he knew a LOT more than his "rank", and of course had 45 years as a police officer under his belt. It was actually quite hilarious how many people assumed he was a veteran paramedic, especially the fresh-from-university paras who instantly look to someone for reassurance when the crap hits the fan.
They'd look him head to toe and see a calm, confident guy in his mid 60's, dressed properly, no flashy pointless gear on his belt, with shiny boots, and they'd instantly put him in charge! He was damn good actually, and took great pleasure in being able to read an ECG well, only to have to back up his observations with "I'm just an ECA though, dunno what you make of that one as a paramedic". They'd normally just nod and agree! Great fun to drive with, he'd never miss a chance to bollock someone for using their phone at the wheel! Literally no one expected someone to jump out an ambulance and say "Oi! Off the phone! Why? I spent 45 years on the roads of Essex, scraping prats like you off the tarmac. I investigated every single road fatality in Essex between 1998 and 2010, and what you're doing is bloody stupid, THAT'S why!". Never failed!
There was a study done many years ago. It involved interviewing criminals who had killed policemen. The bad guys were asked "you ran into officer blank on whatever day and you didn't try to kill him, why not?. Several of the bad guys stated that officer blank looked clean and had a nice uniform. This meant to them that officer blank knew what he was doing, and would probably kill them if they tried anything . I can not find the study now, so take this for what it is worth. I was in the army and I will tell you for a fact that I look at peoples shoes when I meet them, and I judge them partly by what I see. A cop with dirty boots just screams slob to me. Happy Trails
FBI study..And it a true study..The worst is when a officer is over weight there nothing worst then this...It affects the officers safety and also there fellow officers...As a officer try do keep yourself in shape..
What study i cant find it
@@The-Homecook-0000 u afraid of fat people ?
id just assume shiny boot guy spends all his time indoors and not chasing anyone lol
I was actually told a different story in training by an ex chief who said that criminals went after the guys who looked new, ie, shiny boots, shiny leather belt and a cleam badge. he recommended buying slightly used belt and throwing our badges across the pavement to look older to criminals. dont know what to think, never personally did that but man its crazy how old timers think after all the years.
Almost two decades ago now I started my career in corrections. Glad I moved on, but I had an experience there that stuck with me that illustrates your point about people on the street challenging you if you don't look sharp.
When I started I received several sets of uniforms. I did not notice, but a couple of the shirts were two sizes to large. One night I was running late and just grabbed a new shirt out of my closet and headed in. Once I got to the jail I realized the shirt was the size of a tent. I tucked it in as best as i could and went on my way.
Walking on the unit the inmates immediately noticed. I was actually taken aside by some of them and told they did not appreciate my ill fitting shirt because it would make inmates on other units think they were weak if they were assigned a CO that looked like a shitbag. They asked me to get my uniform squared away for their safety from the other prisoners. I hate shining boots and ironing uniform shirts, but I still do it to this day, because I learned early on that in this business you cannot look like a rag bag and have the level of officer presence needed.
Man, your coffee cup is like your loyal sidekick.
being a military brat my mom and dad both served and taught me to use old pantyhose to achieve a higher polish
LeRoy Martin lmao ,shit I gotta try that than
Army right?
@@comm2531 army
I used to use two brushes for polishing my boots, but I tried this technique after watching this video about a year ago, and WOW - it's so much easier to get a good shine like this
never fails, As SOON as I shine my Boots, i always seem to scuff them walking/running up some stairs!
+CEVaughan I use the same excuse at work all the time. That is a solid line. I also like "I stepped in some snow", though that one works less well in summer. Lol
CEVaughan It's suppose to happen..
Same here i used to scuff mine all the time .
Been a cop for a little over 7 years full time in a suburb. I recommend doing a video that has similar key points to this, but on overweight and unhealthy looking officers. Not to mention the guys that have been on for 20+ years with the same pants and belt/gun holster they were issued when they started. That in my opinion is more dangerous than anything when it comes to perception and credibility.
Exactly, if your gear looks sloppy it effects the community's response. When I was fresh out of the academy I was out with a sloppy seasoned cop. When we answered calls everyone addressed me first because my gear was tight.
first impresion!
Leather Luster saved me SO MUCH time during the academy! Still use to this day. Once your done with the applying procedures, all you need to “refresh “ it is wipe with a little furniture polish.
"Anything that used to be cow" lol!
+Adam Dodgr I'm glad someone laughs at my jokes. Lol
Yeah, that's what won me!
aoc does not like leather boots.. they need to be plastic.
What is "aoc"?
Yep!Back in the 80s and early 90s i had to keep my boots looking good especially in my Airborne Infantry unit i was in.My tanker boots i kept those shined up when i was a Tanker for a while in an Armored Cavalry squadron i used to belong to.I still keep my black boots shined at work.The Army now have the suede desert boots which i really love and don't have to shine and way much more comfortable.I loved wearing those when i was in Iraq before i retired.I worn my Iraq combat vet boots for the first security company after i retired because they did not care if we wore black or tan pants.I wore mines with the tan pants and it was awesome back then.
+reddevilparatrooper thank you for your service brother!
If you apply polish over dirt and residue you're trapping it inside, that will deteriorate and damage the leather over time, resulting in boots not lasting long.. Brush, wash with a damp cloth and use a conditioner first before shining. You won't even need to shine them often
By wash with a damp cloth, you mean just get a cloth wet with just water and wipe it down? Or is there some kind of cleaning solution you recommend?
You can see yourself in my boots. They are so shiny people ask me if I ever actually do any work
You're almost stumbling onto the trick by leaving the can in the sun.
The trick is a heat-gun, the type you use for stripping paint or applying vinyl decals, available at any hardware store.
Step 1 - slather on the polish as you did.
Step 2 - wave the heat-gun over a boot to melt the polish to a truly liquid state on the boot. The polish will take on a "wet look shine" because, well... it's now wet. It will soak into the pores and fibres of the leather.
Step 3 - wave the heat-gun over the second boot while the first one cools and dries and turns dull grey again.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 a few times, keep building up layers of polish the first time you do this, but don't worry, after you build a solid foundation you'll only have to do one coat at a time after that.
Step 4 - take that Kiwi boot brush and with a fast, light motion, polish the boot with the soft hairs of the brush.
The boots will come up beautifully with something almost but not quite as good as an hours-long military parade spit-polish.
There's no buffing with a cloth involved, you can skip that bullshit entirely, the brush will be more than enough for even the pickiest sergeant.
IMPORTANT - keep the heat-gun moving, do not let it point at any one spot on the boot too long or you will dry out and crack the leather.
THANK YOU!!! Damn, I was starting to think I was the ONLY one out here preaching the importance of keeping duty boots at least brush shined. I usually get two to three years out of a pair of boots, while most of my co-workers are lucky to get a year. And you're right... people DO notice.
I loved my old Danners, great boots!
+jsj297 true story!
can you do a full uniform prep demo. I'm a firefighter. but like you said. if we don't look the part people don't believe in us. my agency is pretty lax on uniform standards. but the new chief himself isn't. so the better I look the better in general
+Joshua Lindsey To be completely honest, I don't even press my uniforms. I'm afraid I would be a poor example. Lol
+Kevin Connolly depends on the place.
1. Gig line
2. shined boots/ leather uniform accesories
3. shined/ print free name plates, or other items (pens, badge, medals, etc.)
4. No stray stitching. Overtime uniform patches, and button sewing comes loose. Zippo lighter will do the trick.
5. pressed uniform
6. seams in pants
7. military tuck.
8. Lint roll THE FUCK out of the uniform/ Lint and cat/dog hair free
My dad (rip) was huge into buffing boots, so now I have to have my boots looking great lol.
+prankmonkey650 nice.
Just found this channel, subbed for sure. Love these videos that no one else seems to do.
+JollyRoger That's my game. None of the excitement and all of the boring...just like real police work.
In the Navy and while I was aboard Ship, we never polished our shoes/boots and never used starch in any form on our shirts. Fire is a major concern we didn't use flammable materials anywhere we didn't need such materials. Now, on shore at a Military Base, it was a completely different story. We needed to look sharp.
+Vigi Driver interesting. I would have never thought about that.
Designed to make you hate shore duty.
my father us army Sgt taught me how to shine got lots of compliments over the years keep a lot t-shirts in ur locker for quick brush up
I have never been able to get a really high gloss shine on my boots and it is expected of us at the prison. You can get it done at the prison barber shop by an inmate for just $1 but that requires being there during day shift hours.
But I found one of the old electric buffers with a red buffing cone on one side and a black buffing cone on the other side, made by Dremel and it makes it easy to get a high gloss shine in just a few minutes.
It has been a big help to me.
+Roy Spaulding We used to have one in the locker room at work until some tard broke the thing.
No as a Marine we learned a number of things and when it comes to drill and knowing how to take care of our kit we are second to none. Not to mention our abilities to use our rifle. We call what you did as a fluff and buff. Which is acceptable for the field not for garrison duty or inspections.
Exactly!
I've noticed that almost everyone shines their boots diffrently i guess it's just preference
+nexuswwe551 true
If they look good in the end, thats all that really matters.
@@freefieldtraining betún EL OSO 2 in 1 it's great and cool.
I've been in the EMS world for a long time. And while I know this isn't feasible for everyone, I have 4 or 5 pairs of boots I rotate through. i have a couple of pairs that are summer use ( nylon uppers, more lightweight, night pair with zippers) and winter pairs (usually Danner's or some other quality boots that are insulated or have thinsulate, so I don't freeze my toes off.) I would rotate (day shift and night shift also) It sounds like a lot, but once you get your rotation set up, you're not buying any more boots for about 8 years. Works great. YMMV.
+Heartland Hawk I've got money for lots of things. But, I don't have a couple thousand dollars to dump into boots. We had a Bates rep come talk to us suggest buying a pair of boots for every day of the week. He got laughed out of the room. I guess it is a matter of what's most important to you.
Heartland Hawk I also work EMS, I have three. Normally when one wears out I just replace it and keep the three of them.
I have a heavier boot for the city, a lighter zipper pair for those slower systems where I have a station. And then a backup in my truck. I find this works well enough.
Also a thick long pair of rain boots for the snow. Not too uniform compliant, but at nearly knee high length they keep my dry.
I use panty hose to buff mine. Always confused people when i go to Walmart at 2am on nightshift for some new pantyhose in uniform lol.
Oh no, I thought I was done shining my shoes
We do a lot of industrial sites at night, so steel toe capped boots are a must to conform to on-site safety standards, and I have to say that modern safety boots are often more comfortable than most of the various 'combat' boots available. Steel Blue and Oliver boots are extremely comfortable and non-slip. Another advantage is a built-in defensive toe cap if you do any sort of kicking martial art.
For a good shine sprinkle a few drops of water on the boots and shine with a miro cloth. I've even used armor all spray and then polished. Makes them like glass.
So, What I’ve found effective is, using kiwi shoe polish shown here, use an old toothbrush to buff the boot, then take a blue shop rag to buff the boot again, and finally use a microfiber rag to give the boot a final buff (the microfiber gives it a good sheen). Just my contribution.
Don't know about the getting your butt kicked part, but looking presentable is key to respect.
Mop & Glow on a cotton ball after that buffing cloth will make them super glossy. :)
I really think this video covers every aspects on cleansing boots. Thank you. If you have time, please show us what products you use for maintaining other leather gear such as duty belts. I have found a black shoe polish that does not bleed the black color onto my clothes once it is fully dried.
The only thing you left out...CLEAN THE DIRT OFF FIRST! If you polish dusty boots, you will inadvertently transfer dirt to your polish...which will ruin it. This tip comes from an old police Sgt....and a former Army Infantry Soldier...from "pre-suede" days...when the Army still taught you how to polish your boots. Also, a spit shine is for more than just looks...If you spit shine your boots, you will be VERY mindful of where your feet are bumping about...which forces you to.....be mindful of where your feet are bumping about...and you will be less likely to step where you don't need to step. This was the main reason the military used to be so "anal" about a spit shine. It also gives the appearance of prior military service, even if you don't have any...and as you said, creates doubt in a suspect, because they don't know just how "high-speed, low-drag" you really are...or are not. And besides all that...the brass likes to see a spit shine on boots. Mine have been noticed several times in the 13 years I've been doing this God-forsaken job.
+Lupus Venator Wooooha...next thing you are going to say is that you want motor pool to take the old oil out first before they put new stuff in. Crazy talk!
I've never been in the service (wouldn't take me because I had surgery on my feet at five years old, you believe that BS?) So I didn't know about the philosophy behind the high luster shine. See, that is the kind of thing that makes me want to keep doing videos. I always learn something new in the comments section. Thanks for sharing.
free field training Well...I can't vouch for motor pool...lol
One thing I might add is if your leaving it out in the sun keep the lid on to stop anything good evaporating from the wax and cotton wool works better than a nylon cloth but isn’t necessary as you don’t need to shine to perfection
My method is to strip the boot first by pouring boiling water over it. This gets off all the factory crap.
Brush off dirt
Instead of heating the wax up as this might remove the good stuff. I get boiling/very hot water and dip my cotton wool bud with a little bit of kiwi polish and polish in circles. Buff with a dry bud. This also prevents twits from accidentally setting fire to their boot or starting an uncontrolled fire.
Repeat a few times.
Water buff before wearing
Can use warm water after first time
Keep it simple. It's alsomeasier to maintain than fix them after they are all scuffed up.
When you first get a new pair you'll probably need to do this ten times. Apply a light coat of polish, let dry a few seconds and buff with thw brush. After the first time, you can just do this as you're getting dressed. No, really. It will take like a minute total. After a while you'll get a good base layer of wax and you can get a scuff out by just brushing. Good if you need to see someone inportant and don't want to look ragged.
That will also help make the leather more water resistant. Good to help preserve it and help prevent cracking.
i have some origional swat boots. throw some shoe pollish on and use the cloth like you did. but after turn them upside down and take a lighter and burn the polish into the leather. then buff. makes a amazing shine on the boots!
+MrFoxracing19 wow, never heard of that
+free field training yeah try it. rub the shoe polish in then flip the boot and use a lighter to melt the polish into the leather. then buff. up where i live we call it the burn shine lol
+free field training Yep, works great! My system: Rub in base coat. Melt with lighter. Buff with damp shammy cloth. Repeat as needed. I'm like you though...I like to keep em dark and ugly for night shift. I have a separate pair of broken-in Rocky paratrooper cap toes for day shift and class A, and those ones are like black mirrors using the lighter technique. One tip if you try it though...Kiwi makes 2 types of polish. One is softer than the other. Use the harder type with the lighter.
Dremel tool and a buffing bit saves time
Hi I gust subscribed to your Channel and it is a good one. 1.clean the SHIT off boots and laces. 2. Heat up wax till it's soft and gooey. 3 spreading the pasted all over with a clean soft rag and let dry for 5 minutes. 4. Bush and shine with a microfiber cloth.6 use baby oil or Vaseline on rag and wipe the hole boot. Then use a microfiber rag and buff real lightly till you get a shine. Puts a mirrored shine on your shoes. Hope it helps a brother out.
.
Nice! One thing you can't shine is when a wall or a door takes a bite out of your boot. I always hate when I freshly shine my boots and first day looking nice I get a scuff.
+Dave mine look like crap 99% of the time. Lol
But it's that 1% that makes it count! Lol Thanks for sharing!
+Dave thanks for watching!
You have got great video's hard not to watch!
When I was in the Infantry, we had to polish our boot ever single day, and it got crazy annoying cause sometimes the whole boot is soaked in mud. lol, a nice simple video for nice simple people who just wanted to keep the boot presentable. Good vid!
+Nicholas Ritchie Thank you.
Right off the bat. Take a brush and scrub dirt off before applying kiwi. Your method is called "highly buffed". To impress the eye, you want to spit shine. Once you get a spit shine initially, it's easier to keep shined. Good job and good discipline. (USMC VET)
LOL... I came from the ancient days of "Sapp gloves". My time in the Army was in 1968, and I became a police officer in 1984, and continued to spit shine my boots. Times changed, and I worked a lot of mids, so I know what you're talking about, then when I went to Days, the tons of memos on making sure your uniforms were starched, pressed, and boots shined to "spit-shine/military conditions" were enough to make you scream and wish for a transfer back to mids.... Yup you brought back a lot of old memories. I finally retired in 2005 after 21 years of active law Enforcement duties.....LOL
+Cameron Garcia Sounds like you've got the best shift of the all now!
Yeah, though I miss the action, its a young/womans game now, us old fossils are now enjoying our retirement - LOL. Oh, I remember those times on the Mid shift, cold as hell in winter, and no one cared what your boots looked like. The best shift was the 1400-2300 hrs (swing shift).
+Cameron Garcia Oh yeah, swing shift in February...nothing like getting in a pursuit in a rear drive car in the winter.
To get them properly mirror shined use a piece of stocking/legging thats been cut, heat you polish with a lighter until its liquid, leave the boots in the sun so they heat up, then let the polish soak into the leather by rubbing it in with a cloth until the leather won't take anymore polish and the pores are all filled up. once it gets to this point buff with the stocking until there's no excess. then spit and buff quickly back and forth with the stocking putting pressure onto the boot and it will eventually come up a mirror shine, repeat as necessary until you get the desired effect.
I had better success with lint cloth than using a stocking.
What I'll do is usually let the polish sit for about 15-20 minutes. After that hit it with the brush. once you get a brush on it sprinkle some water on the boot and then hit it with the cloth. That really gets the sucker to shine
+Intangible Bijou nice!
To be honest this guy is right... and I’m a shoe shining freak so to speak. It’s not necessary to shine your boots if you don’t need to such as for public engagements ect if these boots are in regular use in the field (for police) then it’s only necessary to polish them regularly to maintain the leather. This persons blackening of the boot is effectively doing this because the overall blackness shows that all areas of the boot are absorbing the wax. Plus the shine might reveal your position if your trying to stay hidden and observe a criminal.
I don’t know how it works really but giving this guy some support against the shoe shining freaks
When I was in corrections one of the chairs in the central control post had these sharp edges that arched over the wheel and it left really nice gashes on the heels of our boots really pissed us off lol.
+55varian nah, those are "veteran marks" like sweat stains on your baseball cap and damage to your issued radio.
Kiwi makes some shoe shine polish stuff in a weird shaped bottle. It's not real polish like this, it's a liquid with a foam applicator meant for shoes more than boots, but it's good for a quick shine. I do what you do monthly, and apply this other stuff weekly, so every month it gets what it needs, and i reshine it real quick when i need to. Lookin sharp and lasting long, been 10 months with my boots, at least another 10 left, but probably way more.
dammnnnn, those after shots look like a brand new pair of boots🤘
we had a valet shoe polisher in our office and everyone coming on shift would run their boots under it everyday. i also kept a big can of polish and a brush in my locker and throw a layer on every Thursday (my Monday) before shift.
Worked LEO for seven years. I do takes care of my gore tex boots with proper wax. Never over done it with shoe shine though. Why? Because I'm not in the army anymore and got better things to do :) Great vid!
Thank you sir this rlly helped me out on how to shine my boots.
+Linsey Ulsun glad it helped. We've got lots more comming!
Lather the polish on the boots. Get a heat gun and melt the polish into the boots. Do not hold the heat gun into an area for too long. This helps the boots absorb the polish better. Polish to shine with a lightly damp cloth. I usually melt 3-5 layers on with the heat gun before polishing with a damp cloth.
+adam alameda I'd probably melt the soles. Lol
That's good for an initial shine but not every time.
Use obenauf's leather oil then buff it off then apply obenauf's heavy duty lp and works 100 times better created for wild land firefighters boots shit works great
+Andrew Eazell I'm gonna have to look into that, thanks!
Im haveing flashbacks i remember the old spit shine days thank God we have Desert Boots now all you need is dishwashing soap . You still have to polish your dress shoes .
Matt Moon not everyone does a lot of people just buy the cheaters which are pre polished Lol
Army for 25 years. I prefer to use mink oil now. The boots still come out shiny and the mink oil doesn't clog the pores.
+gjvstrom does it re-blacken them?
Do you have any videos on types of boots and what you prefer? I'm lucky my department provides its officers one pair every six months.
+Elliott Coker I have a review of my favorite all purpose duty boots comming out next week. Oh, what the hell here: ruclips.net/video/1ZNgNFTREig/видео.html let me know what you think in the comments of the vid.
Have you tried danner Acadia by chance? I work 16 hour or 14 dailys and had mine for about 2 years
Joined the service in the 80's...82 to be exact.
I'm actually surprised at how good that looks with how little effort you had to put into it. I, for some reason, sometimes have to manhandle the fuck out of mine to get them to look good. This will be a great technique to use to get mine to look good, but not "inspection ready" good, and a good start to get them to look "inspection ready" good.
Under Armour Valsetz RTS. Boom! Problem solved! I know some guys are with companies or agencies that won't allow a boot like the Valsetz, but I'm glad we can. I like having clean boots even if I'm working nights. I work in a dusty environment, and the polish acts like glue for all the crap in the air to stick to. Plus, I like the look of the Valsetz a lot more than any leather boot. I'm really against anything shinny on my duty uniform.
+Stephen Rodgers I'm not a big shine stuff guy either, but rules is rules.
free field training Agreed. And you have to wear something, might as well wear it the best you can.
+Stephen Rodgers true dat
Try a ladies nylon for buffing.
this man is a God send
The only tip i would give, is: Kiwi (like everything else "wax based") tend to "dry out" the leather of nutrients; to keep it at the best (at least once in a year) give it a good hand of VEGETABLE GREASE (no matter what brand but must be "vegetable one" to give back all the nutrients to the leather).
+grappolidipalma is gone, there's only me now I've never heard that before. Thanks ks!
Yeah i believe you; nowadays "the leather culture" is lost...
Kiwi's products are probably "the best ones on the cheap side" (i use them too).
"I am not a vegan or dental hygienist"; it is not about that...
"Vegetable tanned" leather, is 3-5 times STRONGER than "chemical tanned" leather (depend by the process they use); this is a fact.
Also is a fact that "silicon based" (or any synthetic based) oils or greases, have not the nutrients to take care of the leather "in a long run". You can clearly see it after some years; 3/5 is the average window for "most of the leather". Using "100% vegetable" oil or grease make your leather "last forever", where "synthetic based product" will make it "fragile", "cardboard like" and "wrinkly" after a while (the reason for which some boots get broken on the folds some times).
I don't know you... But i personally like to take care of my things as best as possible; so if i can make a pair of boots last 20 years instead of 5 (making the shoemaker tired to replace my soles...)... I do it Big Time...
It is not necessary "use exclusively vegetable stuff" (i am the first NOT DOING it) but i think that if you spend a bit more for the grease, at the end of the day, you will save a lot more making the boots last A LOT LONGER (especially if they are "full leather", - it is less important with your Danner's -).
A good habit if you buy "good stuff" is "buy it in large quantity" (a kilogram jar is always better than a 100grams tube; this rule work for any brand... You know...).
I have seen that you write frequently "very articulate posts" to answer people (and this is rare nowadays on YT; i like it)... So i would like to do the same (hoping you will enjoy the content).
If you use your boots ONLY on "city environment"; the OIL is better than grease (make the boots a lot softer BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SOAK THEM UP TO MUCH, especially near "glued parts").
On the other hand the use of oil for "field boots" is not the best; it make the leather "to soft" (especially on the surface) making it prone to get "deep cuts" while walking in the bush (especially if there are thorns).
If your place is a rainy place or have a long winter, the grease is the way to go (and need to be used more frequently).
Also is a good thing to avoid "animal greases" (or at least "not using them exclusively") because SOMETIMES (totally depend by the tanning process) in the long run, the leather "tend to melt" (becoming very ugly looking - it do not append at all with "vegetable tanned leather"; at least i have never seen it append -).
Iif you would like to "turn your boots black again", a very good product is "Nero d' Inferno" (no idea if in your place still have the same name; it will bring them "black as new"; it is "a very old product, tested more than Glock's"):
www.ebay.it/itm/TINTURA-PER-PELLI-LISCE-NERO-DINFERNO-NERO-50-ML-TINTURA-NERA-SCARPE-/271201081777
+grappolidipalma is gone, there's only me now Not surprisingly, I've been doing it wrong for decades. Lol. Where I'm at we have flooding every few years and harsh (well maybe not compared to Canadians, but close) winters. I guess I'll have e to get some vegetable oil based product to keep em looking better.
I tear up soles and linings unfortunately. I've got congenital defects with my feet and so they aren't 100% normal proportion wise. I had a pair of stitch down construction danner Acadias that i got about five years out of and that was a record for me.
When you inevitability need to replace your boots, use Mink Oil or spray silicone before you shine them for the first time, this will more than double the life of the boots; you should do the same for leather duty belts. Easy way to put a quick shine on leather, is to use a heat gun.
+Nuk Muay / Nuk Soo nice, thanks!
Yes applying heat is good. I light the kiwi with a lighter then blow out the flame, then use polish applicator to coat the boot. Then I use a brush to work in the kiwi in and wipe off excess kiwi where it's nice and buffed, then use warm dabs of water and kiwi on lint cloth to rub around in circular motion on the leather for that spit shine look. Guys at work comment on my boots all the time.
Also the old used up large KiWi Shoe Polish Tin makes a great container for a Fire Kit ! And when you have two pairs of boots then you can have one pair drying out for a day... My boots have a non metal Safety Toe and the horses do not step on me now... tjl
A different way to shine them and get them shiner
1) take some saddle soap and scrub them
2) put a decent coat of kiwi shine on and let it sit for about 15 minutes
3) take a lighter and go over the ENTIRE outside of the boot/shoe with it so all the wax is melted and evened out
4) take a damp cloth or damp Cotton ball and lightly scrub the entire boot/shoe with it in SMALL circles
+Ashley Castleman interesting
Another informative video my friend! Could you possibly do a video on patrol rifle set-ups or tips and tricks?
+Doug Stout I think that could happen. I'll have to work on it.
Nothing like good ol' shiny 'boons'!
The boots I like are the non-metallic safety toe boot. And my shoe kit includes med gloves to keep the polish off the hands and an old toothbrush. Then I do not need to be paranoid about the young 1100 pound lady stepping on my toes with one of her front feet. Thought shinning boots in the military was older than that... Thank you for the video ! tjl
+Tim Lipinski Glad you liked it!
I use to spend hours and hours shining boots sometimes and I just got so tired of it because as soon as you get in a scuffle the shine is ruined. It would make me want to take someone to jail for fucking up the shine on my boots lol. All the other guys were using something called leather luster and I could never figure out how they kept their boots so shiny all the time with very little effort and there is a process to it but it was a life saver for me you should check it out !
+DisabledAfghanVet 85 will do!
It might start to get white spots on the leather if it gets real wet though but it’s a good cheat especially if it’s only for a pair of special boots you’ll rarely wear
Dude, don’t be so arrogant. There is a deep and rich history of boot shiners and they deserve respect.
Best boot polish ever.
bruhh, you the man... Cherr boy over here is a supervisor with-in EMS. I always tell the guys to throw a little polish on... But I believe your command presence is super true. Looking the part is half the battle. People are welcoming us into their homes. Can't be out here looking like alphabet soup. But anyway love the bloopers man. Ahah - Stay Frosty
+NDSecondsCount You def the man!... I supervise EMS all the time. Well, not really supervise. I'm technically there to keep them safe,. But realistically I'm just watching them, wondering how the pulse-ox works, and stealing candy from bowls. If I'm feeling really spry I'll rotate in on CPR, but only if i'm not carrying my coffee.
+free field training Hahahahah. I see you!
5:50 You know, that makes sense.
I just use obenauf lp or sno seal now. Better for leather than the polish, makes them last longer and makes them water resistant.
and I've noticed that when your boots are polished up that people assume you're a rookie.
Boots are much easier to shine while being worn. Get with a buddy when doing drills and do each other's. You'll get a higher shine.
Got some good shit on this channel brother, keep it up.
+55varian thank you!
All that matters is that they look good.
Love the videos man, keep 'em coming. Just curious, if I'm working nightshift indoors, should I shine the boots like it's day time?
+JonnyNSSC I don't know. Are people going to see you?
I'm working on call as a medical responder on campus residences. I get very few calls.
+Kevin Connolly I just hope for a lunch break,lol
I work night shift in a hospital. I try to keep my boots shined every shift because of my interaction with the public and my coworkers.
I do pretty much the same thing but after I'm done lathering it on I just kind of run a lighter over it just for a brief second just to kind of melt it into any of the deep scuffs.
+rickey horvath nice
The kiwi instant shine stuff works well, instead of spending hours shining my jump boots I use it.
+chaset371 haven't tried it. Ill have to look into that
+free field training doesnt protect as well just makes it pretty looking
William Hall Yeah, for my purposes that really all that matters. It beats stripping the boots and reapplying every time I have to wear a dress uniform.
Be careful with that stuff...it dries out the leather...and weakens it, making for new boot purchases much more frequently...lol.
Would you do a video on your uniform ? Maybe a ride along
+Braiytryene Gibbons sadly, I cannot. While work has, so far, been cool with me doing this it is not sanctioned by any of my employers. Therefore to stay in their good graces I don't do it on their time, in their towns, or with their cars. I also don't involve their logos or any part of their uniforms (even though I buy them).
Great video, what kind of boots are those???
I worked nights in Security and my boots(when I wore them mostly in winter)never turned green or brown. Maybe I'm not getting the joke. But I worked next to the ocean at a beach resort and my boots usually got roughed up by running through the dune lines and beach.
+Michael Borawski in places that get lots of rain and snow the finish wears off the boot and the natural color of the leather comedy through. Generally the leather is either green or brown.
HA! Yeah, you could always tell someone who'd just come off a string of nights mid summer... wearing of sunglasses like you're in The Matrix gives that one away, especially in the UK where people tend not to wear sunglasses much because of all the damn rain!
Regardless it's a great video. 👍
My dad used to buy shiny boots and shoes and he used Windows to clean them, that's was it hahaha they always looked good and shiny
+Matt Patton Windex works really well on the clarion finish.
Hey That Shoe Polish Product Is From My Country, New Zealand.
Kiwi polish is like, THE polish. Everyone on this side of the pond I know of uses it. I've tried cheaper brands but they are crap.
Yugophoto Yeah Lol I Didn’t Know It Was Worldwide Lol. I Know That The Uganda Police Use Kiwi Polish.
i heard that they're going to do 2 sales this year. if that happens, i'll hook u up, k?
+skip davis lol, I just bought a pair...In fact, that's next week's video.
bag balm works wonders... it;s good enough for live cow utters as a triple antibiotic, is it good enough for boots?
+Joe Wilson now that I have never heard before. I gotta admit, as a city slicker I have no idea what you are talking about.
People that you get out with notice your uniform and boots.
I'm OCD when it comes to polishing boots. Whether on doing Armed Security or Off duty. There always a mirror shine.
Same, prior service and Law enforcement (retired). Work armed security at a school in Oklahoma City and still believe in having a professional appearance
You nailed the basics. I joined the Army in 2003 and was issued black boots. It was a year or two later that I got desert boots. I prefer the black ones. Easier to maintain. I think the desert boots constantly look like I kick concrete for a living. O.o
Also, do you have a vid on selecting boots? I need to get new boots and I've been looking at prolly hundreds of different types and styles.
+maquis1911 I don't have a video on it, but I can tell you I prefer Danner striker gtx's and Danner Acadias for a work boot and bates Durashock 600g for winter wear at work. I tried some other brands but many of them are either made using 1970's military boot technology or are made like gym shoes with no reinforced Shank and flimsy ankles.
That actually helps alot. Thank you!
I know you've already touched on vests and stuff with your stab vest ratings video, but any chance you could make a video on concealable carriers designed to be worn under your uniform? I'm in the market for one and am desperate for information haha. Thanks in advance for the consideration! I really love all your videos. Watched every one.
+NayokeHenji Your best bet with a concealable vest and carrier is to go into a dealer and get fitted. The good models are all custom made to order. The kinds that come in small medium and large are normally rather I'll fitting for most folks as a concealable That would make a pretty boring video though.
free field training Awesome! thanks for the suggestions
Dont worry l never shine my black shoes they are magnums. When i was a Marlne in 1987-1991 only boot camp and AIT you have to shine your jungle boots I been on our dept for 25;years now. I am more worried at what young rookies and vets wear on their duty belts than if they are spit and polish! Being a FTO drives me coocoo!
Those boots were not meant to be spitshined. They look all squared away.
after i polish them i use shoe gloss it gives it that really shiny looking in a mirror kind of shine if you do it right. I don't know how to do it right so it comes out with a slightly dull reflection kind of shine.
+black hawk never heard of it.
free field training oh well I buy it from Wal-Mart its from kiwi but it's a gloss not polish it works same as polish except before you buff it heat it up with a lighter or hair dryer it will look super shiny to the point where you can almost see a perfect reflection. Then let it cool and it will look real dull then buff and it should get really shiny.
+black hawk I'll have to check that out.
free field training A friend at my police explorer post told me about it and I haven't gotten PT for my boots ever since lol.
My agency got rid of the shiny boots requirement entirerly unless your in the academy.
It makes a difference whether required or not.
oh I hear that my father is a county cop near the Chicago area and I myself just got on to county. and the dept I just got on works alot with city pd. have you ever thought about doing a video on breaking down different rolls and responsibilities between state, county and city pd?
+Cody Goins well, as you know (or will find out shortly) jurisdiction is a local issue that diffrent states apply diffrently and which illinois does haphazardly at best. When I have a full understanding or find someone with a full understanding to interview I'll get right on that. What I have to say about jurisdiction in Illinois would come off as a series of jokes.
free field training. I don't think it would have jokes. reading these comments it looks like people take what you say to hear and they actually listen and "hear" what you have to say. I would say just like most of your videos (I have watched them all) lol everything is based off of personal preference and personal experiences. even though every LEO or SEO is going to have their own way to do stuff you give them a basic standing stone to go off of
+Cody Goins well I appreciate that. I just don't have much to say on the topic because it is so convoluted in the law. It is easier to say what each cops "job" is rather than what their jurisdictional authority granted by law is. IDK. I'll think on it and see if I come up with anything that isn't. Q: "A county cop, state trooper, and city cop are standing around a body in the woods. Who's case is it?" "The forest preserve cop who they called there for an 'assist'!"
what's a cranny?