Military/police/fire dept. boots

USA

Boot, Combat, Leather, Black, Direct Molded Sole.

MIL-B-43481 standardized 1967, issued at least to 1984, spec cancelled in 1990. Sole process same as jungle boot, with ripple/wave pattern. Ten sets of eyelets. Heel cap does not go up the back. NSN 8430-01-030-2147, 8430-00-782-3131.

(Note: First Patern boots had no 5^th. speed-lace eyelet but all ordinary eyelets.)

These boots are in size 6,5 R(Regular), made in june 1984.

NEDERLAND

Gevechtslaarzen.

Dutch combat boots, made after the exact specifications like the American M1948 Boots, Service, Combat, Russet.

K.L. means Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Army). Indiana is the Dutch company from Lelystad wich made the rubber soles (and still does today). Those boots came in size 41 and  were made in november 1970.

POLSKA buty wojskowe (brązowym).

Polish combat boots, with resemblance to the American Boots, Service, Combat M-1943 (Double Buckle) or the French post WW2 boots.

This pair is made in march 1982. Size is in cm’s (here 27cm). The word Oil Resistant is scraped out for whatever reason. Those boots are made from ~1945 till 1989. There are colour variations in those boots, brown for the Land Army, black for the Airforce, Marines and Rocket Troops. There are also black hobnailed ones with heel-irons, wich are used for protocol service (funerals, state visist etc.).

DEUTSCHLAND

Schaftstiefel “Knobelbecher”.

German combat boots, made just like the German low quarter laced combat boots. Those boots were in use by the Bundeswehr and Luftwaffe. The Bundesmarine had “Seestiefel” Sea-boots, wich were lined with sheepskin and had a zipper at the side. Leather midsole and rubber outer sole. In this case the sole is made by the Megalit company. Continental, Baltes etc. are also known.

Sometimes you can encounter those boots with an all leather sole. I’m not sure if this is done as a replacement sole or fresh from the factory in the early beginning of the manufacture.

At the upper side of the boot you can find the following numbers:
41 7 4 64 1

41=size
7=width
4=month
64=year
1=company code/lot nr.

DEUTSCHLAND

Schaftstiefel “Knobelbecher”.

German combat boots, made just like the pair above. Those boots were in use by the Bundgrenzschutz (Borderpolice), a paramilitary unit  wich was initialy founded to secure the borders. This pair is also made out of a leather midsole and rubber outer sole. In this case the sole is probably exchanged, as is the heel (by mister minit ;-)).

At the upper side of the boot you can find the following numbers:
265 102 1 83 5

265=size (in cm’s)
102=width
1=month
83=year
5=company code/lot nr.

(Bochow II zug=owners name, 2ndplatoon).

(last pic: comparison between BGS, wich is sewn-welted and Bundeswehr boots, the latter ones have a more round tip instead of the slender BGS one).

DEUTSCHLAND

EKS, Einheits Kampf Schuh (braun)

German combat boots, next model after the Knobelbecher and low-quarter schoes. This time the size is in "Pariser Stich"(2/3 of a cm is 1 Pariser Stich). The size is to be seen at the sole (made by Tewa) and at the tongue. The brown boots were inttroduced with all-sewn sole in the early 70-ies. There was a second model, with glued sole that was introduced at about the mid 70-ies...till 1977-78 when the first black leather ones began to appear.

The following numbers are encountered at the tongue:

41=size
7=width
6=month
75=year
11=company code/lot nr.

DEUTSCHLAND

Schnürschuhe

German low quarters combat boots, introduced about  the end  of  the ’50-ies, made for the early BGS (Bundesgrenzschutz), ZB (Zivil Bevölkerungsschutz), and Bundeswehr (army).
This pair is also made with a rubber half sole.

In this case the boots are made for the ZB (wich can be seen at the tongue). The famous “Spitzeneisen” is here ommitted while it could form sparks at stone surfaces...and we don’t want such things happen huh...;-)

The following text and numbers are encountered at the tongue: BUND ZB 41 8 2 65 11

41=size
8=width
2=month
65=year
11=company code/lot nr.

BELGIË

“Winterschoenen”

Belgian postal services

Belgian postal services heavy duty winter boots. Made after the same specifications as the old Belgian low quarter military combat boots. In this case the sole is made out of a softer grade rubber and a thin ribble profile. Miliatry boots also came in pebbled finish, as these are made out of smooth leather.

 172 2021=company or production code
42=size
01 01=month and year

SVENSKA

“låg stövel”

Swedish military low quarter boots. They are made to be used as ski boots as well. Part of the m/59 uniform. They were also used by the British SAS during the Falkland war since they worked better in a damp climate than their ordinary boots.

Early WWII boots (model ?) were made like those shown, but with a leather sole. Thereafter came this model. And even a third variaton exists, wich is made out of a glued sole and the front part of the shoe is made out of some sort of imitation leather (waterproof).

Currently the Swedish army uses the m/90 boots, wich are nothing more than the same model, in black leather and with a shaft with 9 eyelets. The soles are not sewn to the inner sole any more.

B40=width and size
Värnamo=production town
3 crowns=Royal Swedish sign
1968=roduction year

^{(watch out when you buy such shoes, I bought a 40 but it’s almost as big as a 42!!!)}

 

German military combat boots

Black pebbled leather combat boots with speed laces.

Actually you had a whole bunch of different models:

1) Brown boots (with smooth leather and stiched soles).

2)  Brown boots (smooth leahter, glued soles).

3) Black boots (smooth leater, glued soles).

4) black boots (pebbled leather, glued soles).

5) black boots (pebbled leahter, ankle padding, quick release lacing, glued soles).

6) black boots (smooth leather, ankle padding, quick release lacing, glued "Euro soles).

and the model 2000...

Copy US Army para boots
Bought at mb-world24 and made by Mil-Tec...probably in China or another Eastern Asian country.
Made by almost the same specifications like the old paratrooper boots,
or "Corcorans" after The Corcoran And Matterhorn Company,
a division of Cove Shoe Company, which had the exclusive Department of Defense contract to artifice and supply them for years.
They only differ in details and in the materials used.
Original ones can easily be detected because of the use of a leather mid-sole instead of the modern rubber one.

The original colour was something like light chestnut, wich I didn't like at all.
I wanted the boots to look like they were already a little bit used and shined.
So I bought myself a can of Talens Decorfin Patina Antique effect.
This a a sort of oil paint, mixed with linseed oil and has to be applied on the object.
Afther a while you have to wipe the excess off with a cloth et voila...you've got your desired patina...
In this case it's now a more burnt umber colour.
Cleaning up and breaking in the shoes!!! Let's go soldier!

After a while I even wanted to add some nails, wich are also present on original boots.
No problem, I just used some cheap carpentry nails.
I could push those nails into the sole by the use of flat pliers with almost no effort!!! speaking of soft rubber!!! :o

Belgian combat boots history (past 1945) Dutch text only, sorry...