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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

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

    Footwear
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    • pillowPANTSP
      pillowPANTS
      Joined:

      Thx guys. I think hes gonna go with some Otter wax. Im gonna do a lil more reading before i decide to tackle my vibergs

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • GingerMagicianG
        GingerMagician
        Joined:

        Ok, so the 'talk to a decent cobbler about a possible harder-wearing rubber heel piece' strategy didn't work with my IH x Viberg service boots.

        @Cutlasshound hooked me up with his guy, but the heel has lasted less time than the original Cat's Paw (I think it was thinner, at 6mm).

        Any recommendations for a decent, no-worse-than-average wearing 8mm+ heel?  So I can just walk in to a cobbler and say, "hello guv, stick a couple of XXXX on these for me please"…

        Simon

        @Megatron1505:

        > You're not even bloody ginger  >:(

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

          White's uses Quabaug heels.  They seem to work pretty well.  I don't know if they're easily available, but maybe your local cobbler can try them.

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • M
            mowgli222
            Raw and Unwashed
            Joined:

            Love the Quabaug heels. Any idea where I could buy them in bulk like 10-15 pieces. None of the cobblers here stock them..

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

              @GingerMagician:

              Ok, so the 'talk to a decent cobbler about a possible harder-wearing rubber heel piece' strategy didn't work with my IH x Viberg service boots.

              @Cutlasshound hooked me up with his guy, but the heel has lasted less time than the original Cat's Paw (I think it was thinner, at 6mm).

              Any recommendations for a decent, no-worse-than-average wearing 8mm+ heel?  So I can just walk in to a cobbler and say, "hello guv, stick a couple of XXXX on these for me please"…

              Shiiiiiiit sorry it didn't work out bro! How have you been?

              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

              I ain't got time to bleed.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • GingerMagicianG
                GingerMagician
                Joined:

                @Cutlasshound:

                Shiiiiiiit sorry it didn't work out bro! How have you been?

                Neil, mate, nothing to do with you or your fine cobbler - just a combo of my crap gait and heel pieces that were probably too thin for the job!

                All well with me, hope all good with you and the family.  Beers soon 🙂

                Simon

                @Megatron1505:

                > You're not even bloody ginger  >:(

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GingerMagicianG
                  GingerMagician
                  Joined:

                  @Chris - thanks for the Quahaug recommendation, will look into it.

                  Simon

                  @Megatron1505:

                  > You're not even bloody ginger  >:(

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • georgeelG
                    georgeel
                    Joined:

                    The future: nanotechnology

                    IH-888S-142OD

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ddtrashD
                      ddtrash
                      Haraki san Expert
                      Joined:

                      Just had a pair of my Vibergs resoled at Shoehealer in Doncaster UK.

                      The guys did a fantastic job, I dropped them off and collected them 2 hours later.  I had a standard Kainite heel installed, the original cats paw heel was very soft and wore through quickly so they needed re-heeling before the leather heel stack started to be worn.

                      I paid the princely sum of £20 for the work and can not fault the workmanship.  If you are UK based and have some nice footwear that you need a quality heel repair on then check out Shoehealer in Doncaster.

                      The shop will do postal return for an extra £10.

                      http://www.shoehealer.co.uk

                      There is no 'I' in team …............ however there are five in 'individual brilliance'.

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

                        damn, i really do miss those! 😞 great great pair right there @ddtrash

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • ddtrashD
                          ddtrash
                          Haraki san Expert
                          Joined:

                          Two posts back you will see my re-heeled Black colour rough out Viberg service boots.

                          Question for you all:

                          The rough out on these boots has started to gain a green hue when viewed in certain light.  I think this is part of the roughout  wear characteristic as the boots gets used.  I prefer the original black colour and would like to try and regain this black colour finish

                          I am wondering if there are any products out there that can be applied to the roughout to return it to its original black colour?

                          I have seen a roughout / suede dye called Fiebing.  Has anyone used this product or have any feedback regarding it's use?  I guess it would also dye the white thread that secures the upper to the sole round unless it was applied very carefully?

                          http://www.fiebing.com/catalogue/pro-cobbler-classics/?product=297

                          There is no 'I' in team …............ however there are five in 'individual brilliance'.

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

                            Yep, I think you're right on all counts.  Some colors of leather tend to get a greenish tint as they age, and it shows more on the roughout than the smooth side.  Gray is especially bad for color change.  I've never used that particular one, but Feibings is good stuff, and everyone I know uses their dyes.  If you put some painter's tape on the welt to cover the stitching, that will help prevent the stitching from getting dyed.  I'd also recommend using a small paintbrush for the smaller, more problematic areas. Those wool daubers that come with the bottle are crap.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • ddtrashD
                              ddtrash
                              Haraki san Expert
                              Joined:

                              Chris

                              thanks for the info, I too had thought about using a more detailed brush for the trickier areas of the boot.  I will let you know how I get on once I have got hold of some of the Fiebings.  Cheers!

                              There is no 'I' in team …............ however there are five in 'individual brilliance'.

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • neph93N
                                neph93
                                見習いボス
                                Joined:

                                Snow is imminent up here.. is it recommended to put anything on midsoles to help keep water out?

                                I used mink oil on my smokejumper midsoles last winter, more out of curiousity than anything else. They were looking a little dry and it seemed like a good idea…

                                “Some of those that work forces
                                Are the same that burn crosses”

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

                                  Winter boot clean and protect day….

                                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • neph93N
                                    neph93
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    X-post from the Wesco thread, just to cast a wider net, any help and advice appreciated:

                                    @neph93:

                                    The double midsoles on my custom boss have developed a split, one on each boot. I'm guessing it's a result of road salt etc drying the leather out (I'm otherwise careful to dry them at normal cellar temp  and remove mud etc). I feel I should try to seal the cracks to prevent more water coming in. Any advice?

                                    “Some of those that work forces
                                    Are the same that burn crosses”

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

                                      I've asked @Chris at Wesco to chime in, but I would stuff the soles and heels full of oil to a) encourage the leather to expand and "self heal" and b) to retard water penetration….

                                      "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
                                      • neph93N
                                        neph93
                                        見習いボス
                                        Joined:

                                        @Giles:

                                        I've asked @Chris at Wesco to chime in, but I would stuff the soles and heels full of oil to a) encourage the leather to expand and "self heal" and b) to retard water penetration….

                                        Thanks very much G… He's on the other thread already. They need stuffing with oil regardless, so that'll be the first step.

                                        “Some of those that work forces
                                        Are the same that burn crosses”

                                        • Virginia Woolf
                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • ZeinHarisZ
                                          ZeinHaris
                                          Joined:

                                          Just gave my 3 years old RW 1907 with Saphir Renovateur.

                                          The Renovateur took off the previous treatments that I've done to the boot, and the results is amazing!. In which my surprise, the Renovateur can be used on oiled tanned leather like CRaT kinda type (other factory might call it Crazyhorse leather) without ruining the texture of the leather.



                                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • BroarkB
                                            Broark
                                            Joined:

                                            Figured this would be the best place to ask this question.
                                            I'm thinking about getting my Viberg derbies resoled with something like a Vibram 2060 to make them less dressy and a bit more functional. I wore them today and I was slipping all over on concrete and grass and the stacked leather soles are just not really my thing.
                                            My question is this: should I source the resole locally? Or should I contact someone like Brian at Role Club to tackle the job?
                                            I've never had a pair of shoes / boots resoled, so I just want to make sure the job's done right.
                                            Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated.

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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