To all soldiers up to 1970.

[GunnerGleadall]

Any soldier that lived in the regular forces up to 1970 will no doubt remember our winter Battle dress uniforms as well as our summer dress T-dub uniform.  At that time we would wear a beige cream yellow web belt with our parade dress.

Over these many decades later, I still have my parade web belt; however, it is beginning to show its wear.  Before we would dress for parade we would coat our belts with a product that we referred to a "Webo". Does anyone know where to to find this product for purchase? 

 

[kkwd]

Is the type you are thinking of mentioned on this site. Or is it the kind you paint on the webbing and if you over zealous it would cake on and make the belt stiff. You can browse down the menu on the left hand side of the page I linked and maybe you can find the stuff you are looking for. By the way, why did you post this topic in Personnel Locator?

 

[GunnerGleadall]

Hi Yogi Berra:

Thank you for your help on this subject.  I apologize for putting this notice in the wrong area.  Just recently I registered and I am still new at this.

What part of the Canadian Military were you in?  Thanks again.

Bob

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Blanco was Brit issue stuff. We used Capo in Canada. To us Capo was the green stuff, if you used Blanco, it typically meant you were using the white stuff.

This was all quite awhile ago for me though and may be influenced by aluminum mess tins and such :blotto:

 

[Old Sweat]

I believe we used capo, which we purchased at the MLS and later the Canex. It was available in a number of colours, but the one we used in the artillery was an orange-gold. We applied it to our dress web belt and then brushed it until it was dry. If it got dirty, a damp cloth would clean it. We also used to apply a clear varnish to it to increase the shine.

 

[kkwd]

Canadian brands are included here and here and here.

The stuff I remember used was by the Sea Cadets in the early 70s. It was a awful paint that resulted in more of a yellow looking web belt than white. I recall there being cans of a green paint in the stores up until the mid 90s when they finally chucked it out. It was on the shelf next to a kerosene hurricane lantern that was last inspected in 1961. It must have been overflow from the regimental museum.  ;D

 

[GunnerGleadall]

During the mid to late 1960’s, I was stationed at the 3rd RCHA, CFB, Fort Osborne Barracks, Winnipeg, Manitoba.  The material we used for our parade web belts was a khaki coloured liquid that was poured onto the belt and then brushed until it came dry and shiny.  This liquid material was called, “Webo”.  Does anyone remember that product?

GunnerGleadall

 

[Fishbone Jones]

During the mid to late 1960’s, I was stationed at the 3rd RCHA, CFB, Fort Osborne Barracks, Winnipeg, Manitoba.  The material we used for our parade web belts was a khaki coloured liquid that was poured onto the belt and then brushed until it came dry and shiny.  This liquid material was called, “Webo”.  Does anyone remember that product?

GunnerGleadall

I've heard of Blanco (white), think that might have been Provost types, IIRC, and Capo, that as previously stated, came in many colours. I have never heard of 'Webo'. Nor is my googlefoo strong enough to find anything along this line by the name 'Webo'. Maybe a local nomenclature?

 

[fraserdw]

You guys had to do that to your web gear?  Wow no wonder you all were so grumpy when I came through in 81! >

 

[Fishbone Jones]

You guys had to do that to your web gear?  Wow no wonder you all were so grumpy when I came through in 81! >

I was able to use black shoe polish on my garrison belt, but had to use the khaki or green on our field stuff.

 

[Rifleman62]

The RCEME used a greenish colour web dressing. For Black web belts, liquid Salvador dressing in a bottle with an applicator on the cap, black and yellow box. Shinny finish after a slow build up. You had to let it dry thoroughly between coats. Too much, and it cracked.

Then someone desired that the 37 pattern web belt would only be worn by OR's for dress occasions,and that the 51 pattern fighting order would be disassembled and the web belt worn for every day (work) dress. Well, the rows of three grommet holes do not look military enough, so scrape the dull, no shine black paint off to expose the brass and polish the rows of 3 holes (the middle one slightly smaller). Don't get the brass polish on the belt. Now put web dressing on the belt to cover the brasso, then wipe the brasso off the belt, then touch up the brass, then .....

It was all a weight reduction scheme. The skinnier you were the less holes to polish.

It was wonderful, reassembling your fighting order, with subdued pouches, straps, with shinny belt and brass holes. Oh, get another belt for your fighting order.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The RCEME used a greenish colour web dressing. For Black web belts, liquid Salvador dressing in a bottle with an applicator on the cap, black and yellow box. Shinny finish after a slow build up. You had to let it dry thoroughly between coats. Too much, and it cracked.

Then someone desired that the 37 patter web belt would only be worn by OR's for dress occasions,and that the 51 pattern fighting order would be disassembled and the web belt worn for every day (work) dress. Well, the rows of three grommet holes do not look military enough, so scrape the dull, no shine black paint off to expose the brass and polish the rows of 3 holes (the middle one slightly smaller). Don't get the brass polish on the belt. Now put web dressing on the belt to cover the brasso, then wipe the brasso off the belt, then touch up the brass, then .....

It was all a weight reduction scheme. The skinnier you were the less holes to polish.

It was wonderful, reassembling your fighting order, with subdued pouches, straps, with shinny belt and brass holes. Oh, get another belt for your fighting order.

I wonder what the suicide rates were after we finally stopped that particular insanity?

Now, using Kiwi boot polish on the floor and baseboards of the accommodations bogs before CO's inspection, that made complete sense....

 

[GunnerGleadall]

No one in the service up to the 1970, had ever thought that the prep work on our parade web belt maintenance as a difficult task.  I guess that all stems from when we were in Depot (Basic Training) or what recruits now refer to as "Boot Camp".

One must remember that at that time, we were used to spending at least 2 hours every day on what was referred to as “Shine Parade” directly following the evening meal parade.

What may have seemed hard or difficult then, certainly lends itself to great memories now as we grow older.

 

[Old Sweat]

Now, using Kiwi boot polish on the floor and baseboards of the accommodations bogs before CO's inspection, that made complete sense....

We spit and polished the top of our bed side tables on Phase One Officer Candidate Program in Shilo 1961. I must add that was one of the more rational activities we did.

 

[Rifleman62]

Agreed. Not difficult but time consuming.

 

[Danjanou]

Canadian brands are included here and here and here.

The stuff I remember used was by the Sea Cadets in the early 70s. It was a awful paint that resulted in more of a yellow looking web belt than white. I recall there being cans of a green paint in the stores up until the mid 90s when they finally chucked it out. It was on the shelf next to a kerosene hurricane lantern that was last inspected in 1961. It must have been overflow from the regimental museum.  ;D

You know I kept asking for that Lamp for the Museum when I was dinged as curator as an extra duty, but your brother kept saying no. 8)

The blanco/capo nonsense was still around for Army cadets in the mid to late 1970's to as we were still in BD then.

 

[FJAG]

I was with the guns prior to 1970 and had to use that on my web belt for battle dress and FSODs. The colour was khaki - and came in liquid form in a tin. I know we always called it Blanco but can't recall what was on the tin.

I've looked at the Blanco/Capo website and non of their stuff looks familiar. The stuff we had came in a tin like the Brasso we used for our badges and buckles but only larger in size. Definitely a liquid though.

 

[Danjanou]

II've looked at the Blanco/Capo website and non of their stuff looks familiar. The stuff we had came in a tin like the Brasso we used for our badges and buckles but only larger in size. Definitely a liquid though.

Memory is an amazing thing. I just remembered those tins when reading this. They were round and slightly larger than a pop can IIRC.