• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Boot/ Shoe Care (Products, Methods, and Suggestions)

    Footwear
    81
    219
    118.1k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • Megatron1505M
      Megatron1505
      見習いボス
      Joined:

      How often do people oil and polish their boots?

      I have some natural leather wipes that I use on my boots once a week to prevent dirt, dust and crap getting into the leather, building up, and prematurely ageing or cracking the boots.

      I use boot grease or oil (Huberds) every 4 weeks on CXL, and as and when required on dress leather.

      I wear my boots for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. On weekends, or when I'm feeling lazy I go back to my CXL oxfords.

      Is this care regime excessive?

      Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Finn666F
        Finn666
        Joined:

        imo yes…

        no matter if wearing/caring for red wings or vibergs, i only use care products when the boot/leather really needs it. if i have the feeling the leather of a certain boot is looking dry, then i´ll grease or oil it o/course...maybe 2-4 times a year max. and that is before and after the cold season and maybe once or twice in the other months!
        with roughout leather it´s something else though, since that leather takes and shows a lot more wear (dirt, indigo stains, etc.) after a much shorter time, hence cleaning/brushing it a bit more often as "normal" leather is totally fine...

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • injunjackI
          injunjack
          見習いボス
          Joined:

          Gav

          I think it is. You don't need to use grease or oil unless your boots start to look "dry" or if you have soaked them.
          New leather doesn't need to be oiled on regular basis.

          Polishing I do on "need to" basis.

          What comes to wearing your boots 12/5… I hope you rotate at least 2 pairs. It's good for boots health that they dry properly after every use. (I mean the moist that forms inside the boot with regular wear)
          I personally don't wear same boots 2 days a row just for this reason. (Even on biketrips I have flipflops and sneakers with me to replace boots while partying...)

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Megatron1505M
            Megatron1505
            見習いボス
            Joined:

            I wore the CXL for a year with no grease, and it started to look like shit which is why I apply regularly now. The application to dress leather is to help it soften during the break in period.

            Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Megatron1505M
              Megatron1505
              見習いボス
              Joined:

              Good thoughts on rotation though, this is not something I do very well with anything, boots, jeans, coats…..etc...

              Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • SpaceGnomeS
                SpaceGnome
                Joined:

                I brush my boots with a horsehair brush pretty much every evening if I wore them that day.  I will hit them with Obenauf's on an as needed basis.  I notice the CXL getting kinda rough to the touch so I will obenauf them.  Thats usually every 2-3 months.

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • toddjcoleyT
                  toddjcoley
                  Joined:

                  Can people tell me if there is much between Obenaufs - Heavy Duty LP & Mustang Paste. I have been reading http://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1977.0 and seems mustang paste does less darkening to the leather. I will be getting boots in icy mocha clx. i dont really want to get them to dark?

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • D
                    demonito
                    Joined:

                    i swear by pecards. i swear theyre the best

                    i only use mustang on my horsehide jackets. theyre too expensive for boots.

                    pecards pecards pecards

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • JCMx800J
                      JCMx800
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      Today I used the Obenaufs LP the very first time on my RW875. I must say, the LP looks very good!!! The leather looks and feels great after the first use, I´ll repeat it when they are "dry" enough 🙂
                      Next up is the leather tag on my well worn 634S.

                      Les Paul -> ProCo Rat -> Super HardOn -> JCM800 Low Input
                      XXX

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • mclaincauseyM
                        mclaincausey
                        見習いボス
                        Joined:

                        With the impending IHVB-XX, and the wide divergence of opinion on roughout care: thoughts on roughout care?

                        Think it, be it.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • SeulS
                          Seul
                          Joined:

                          No care…

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • D
                            demonito
                            Joined:

                            true noc are just reverse brush care

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • GilesG
                              Giles
                              IHUK Crew
                              Joined:

                              @mclaincausey:

                              With the impending IHVB-XX, and the wide divergence of opinion on roughout care: thoughts on roughout care?

                              I just wear em…..

                              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Megatron1505M
                                Megatron1505
                                見習いボス
                                Joined:

                                Stiff brush as and when required. That is all.

                                Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • ChrisC
                                  Chris
                                  Raw and Unwashed
                                  Joined:

                                  Yeah, I don't think there's really a divergence of opinion on this one.  Just wear them, and if they get really filth encrusted, then brush them off.

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • mclaincauseyM
                                    mclaincausey
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    See I hear everything from no care to exactly the same care as for smoothout… Hence my confusion. I have never conditioned suede personally, but I've always babied my suede shoes. These I won't be babying.

                                    Nick's Boots, for example, was recommending the latter. During 80-100 hours of break-in, spray with 50/50 isopropyl/water and rub that in by hand, then obenauf's LP and oil as needed. This makes sense to me since it's still leather, just the flesh side of it, but I'd like to understand why this is or isn't wrong. As for aesthetics, I like the look of roughout oiled and scrubbed or left alone, so that's not a huge factor for me.

                                    http://www.nicksboots.com/faq.asp#care

                                    I also hear tell elsewhere of using silicone-based water repellent on sueded/roughout surfaces (openauf again has an example product).

                                    Mine will be liberally exposed to snow and ice. I'll try to keep them it of the mud but I spend a lot of time in the woods and some at farms, and I'm pretty rough on boots. I have Red Wings for that but you never know. I'd like to know how to clean them and keep the leather well-conditioned.

                                    Think it, be it.

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • JCMx800J
                                      JCMx800
                                      Raw and Unwashed
                                      Joined:

                                      Rough-Out care is a pretty interesting topic. Is there a special brush for rough-outs? RW do offer one:

                                      Les Paul -> ProCo Rat -> Super HardOn -> JCM800 Low Input
                                      XXX

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • mclaincauseyM
                                        mclaincausey
                                        見習いボス
                                        Joined:

                                        Ah seems to be a strong accord while I was typing that last.

                                        Think it, be it.

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • mclaincauseyM
                                          mclaincausey
                                          見習いボス
                                          Joined:

                                          RW had care instructions pimping the use of their LP for roughout, but otherwise sounded like most of the responses on this thread, certainly different than Nick's. I did ask viberg's opinion on the matter when I sent in my trace too.

                                          Think it, be it.

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • vintage_engineer_bootsV
                                            vintage_engineer_boots
                                            Joined:

                                            Bring life back to those worn soles.  All it takes is water and some canvas.  Dip your index finger in water and rub it along a small portion - about two to three inches at a time.  Let the water set for at least twenty seconds.  Using the canvas, quickly rub it back and forth over the treated area.  The friction will cause the area to darken back up and gives it a nice shine.

                                            Just a simple man with a simple plan.

                                            www.vintageengineerboots.com
                                            http://instagram.com/vintage_engineer_boots

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright Iron Heart 2025.