Shoe polish removal ??

[Micawber]

Start with the saddle soap, Vaseline and other softeners first before moving onto mild and progressively stronger solvents. Cheap and cheerful white spirit could work but if they've ever been bulled then it may struggle, also may leave a white powdery residue that you will need to get rid off. Acetone will shift it for sure but could possibly lift any finish and or colour dye. There's a whole range of stuff you could try but some have the potential to go too far, I'm not listing them here as I don't want to be responsible for someone removing the finish and colour from some cherished item or jacket.

 

[Carl]

 

[Pilot]

View attachment 29979View attachment 29982

Sorry but wow!... IMHO...dont do anything...They are pristine already...

 

[Carl]

Sorry but wow!... IMHO...dont do anything...They are pristine already...

Not the best photos to show the polish build up Brice . I'll try and get a better photo taken.

 

[Micawber]

They don't look half bad as is Carl.

 

[Carl]

Might just need a bit of "tittyvating" then ?? Just to get some colour back into the toe section ?

 

[B-Man2]

Those look pretty good Carl. Nice find.!

 

[Carl]

Those look pretty good Carl. Nice find.!

Maybe some attention with a brush and polish will bring them back to life ?

 

[Micawber]

Maybe some attention with a brush and polish will bring them back to life ?

Yes, out with the black polish and you'll have that done in no time. Chop, chop, no time like the present!

 

[B-Man2]

I can’t believe the German POW camp guards never figured out that those boots were designed to have the upper leg parts removed so the lower parts would look like normal everyday boots. Unless they kept that intelligence to themselves and would use the lower half boots as a sure fired way to identify an escapee who was on the run. I think if I was running those would have definitely been one of the things I tried to replace as soon as I could.

 

[Carl]

I can’t believe the German POW camp guards never figured out that those boots were designed to have the upper leg parts removed so the lower parts would look like normal everyday boots. Unless they kept that intelligence to themselves and would use the lower half boots as a sure fired way to identify an escapee who was on the run. I think if I was running those would have definitely been one of the things I tried to replace as soon as I could.

Hence why there are no markings whatsoever on them Burt which makes sense as an escape boot , apart from the AM zips.

 

[B-Man2]

Hence why there are no markings whatsoever on them Burt which makes sense as an escape boot , apart from the AM zips.

Carl
I was thinking more along the lines that at some point when the Germans recaptured the guys, which they did quite frequently, and they all had the same boots on that had been cut down from the original issued flight boots, that they would pick up on that fact and realize that they now had a way to pick those guys out of a crowd .

 

[Micawber]

I seem to recall hearing / reading that some guys were indeed picked up by eagle eyed Germans etc who happened to notice the style of "shoe" along with general demeanour. I do know my uncle, who was the only survivor when his Halifax was hit over Belgium, stayed and was active with the resistance for quite an extended period wearing a pair of de-topped escape boots ...under a cassock as they disguised him as a priest.

 

[Smithy]

The escape boots were a revelation for a downed airman and were exceedingly highly regarded by aircrew. British flying boots were considered by many to be the best of the war both in quality and functionality - one of the reasons so many US aircrew got hold of them and used them.

 

[Carl]

Yes, out with the black polish and you'll have that done in no time. Chop, chop, no time like the present!

A Sunday afternoon job that Steve ! Got lots today , namely car shopping !!

 

[Micawber]

A Sunday afternoon job that Steve ! Got lots today , namely car shopping !!

Oh dear, sounds spendy...

 

[Pilot]

Yes a lot of fugitive POW‘s were captured also because:
Easy to spot allied issued boots from German made...
There were no German made ( military or civilian)
boots with leather toe caps ...
Even after the war... the new Bundeswehr had no toe caps on their laced nor other boots.
Wonder why allied intelligence never figured out.

 

[Carl]

Oh dear, sounds spendy...

Gob smacked at how prices have risen in 6 years ! We had our present car from new £35k and to buy the same spec car now £50k !!!!!!!

 

[Micawber]

Gob smacked at how prices have risen in 6 years ! We had our present car from new £35k and to buy the same spec car now £50k !!!!!!!

Yep, spend more to stay at the same level.

 

[Carl]

Yep, spend more to stay at the same level.

It's crazy!!!