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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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    • Bretro_B
      Bretro_
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      Any recommendations out there on a product to use to seal up non-stained, natural finished heel/sole trim while still retaining the nice honey glow of natural leather (or at least for awhile till it tans from sun exposure)?

      Got some Wescos coming my way soon and chose to get them unstained rather than their standard brown. Unlike Whites natural trim that is actually coted in a neutral finish of some sort, Wesco leaves the leather totally raw, and thus exposed. Maybe I'm over thinking it but I believe I am going to want to treat them a bit before tromping around in the wild. (Then again, this may all just be a byproduct of a long wait time on my boots 😃 )

      Was thinking about a waxed based product like Aussie Cream or perhaps a silicon based sealant like fiebings trim kote in neuteal. Any thoughts?

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • 4c4
        4c
        Banned
        Joined:

        Hey Bretro! 😃
        A long wait time for a pair of nice boots has been known to addle a mans brain ;). Seriously though, maybe something like snow seal would work… Also I believe that White’s come stock treated with LP on the edge. I've been useing LP to keep my boots natural edge sealed from stains and as you can see they have darkened a lil... but it's a light patina and not a bad thing IMO.


        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Bretro_B
          Bretro_
          Raw and Unwashed
          Joined:

          Thx for that 4Cs. LP for me then

          Btw- them BHs are looking sharp, bro!

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • S
            Snowy
            Joined:

            @Anesthetist:

            They look great! How are your feet faring?

            Averaging 4-5 miles a day wearing them without a single issue. Not a blister on the entire trip. Some of the walking's been quite technical/challenging which was testing on the legs, shoes/feet held up real well.

            I'd say that after nearly a year of wear that they are approaching fully broken in.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • S
              superfuzz
              Joined:

              I just ordered my first pair of horsehide (horse butt) engineers boots from Attractions Co. in Japan. What do you guys use to treat horsehide? I usually use Pecard's leather dressing on my cowhide boots.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                sam a
                Joined:

                ^^^ i use bick 4 on my HH boots and all of my boots for that matter and i've been very pleased with the results.

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • S
                  SilverKing
                  Joined:

                  Does anyone ever use conditioner on the INSIDE of their shoes/boots? I've heard stories where people's shoes didn't die from the outside in, but rotted from the inside out…

                  Thinking of that, a lot of people have very nice dress shoes and boots which are not exposed much to the harsher elements. Rather, the worst will be sweat and moisture from the feet.

                  Obviously, wooden shoe trees will help with this matter. Charcoal as well.

                  But what about using some sort of conditioner or cream on the interior?

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • 4c4
                    4c
                    Banned
                    Joined:

                    White’s suggests using LP on the inside…

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • pillowPANTSP
                      pillowPANTS
                      Joined:

                      My buddy just got a pair of canvas Sorels and wants to waterproof them. What would you guys suggest as the best wax/dubbin to use on canvas?
                      Also i am thinking about waxing my roughout vibergs. What should i use for them? Thanks

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

                        @pillowPANTS:

                        My buddy just got a pair of canvas Sorels and wants to waterproof them. What would you guys suggest as the best wax/dubbin to use on canvas?
                        Also i am thinking about waxing my roughout vibergs. What should i use for them? Thanks

                        I've always admired the way this military reenactment group does it, they look great

                        http://90thidpg.us/Equipment/Projects/Dubbing/

                        Think it, be it.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • C
                          Carlmart
                          Banned
                          Joined:

                          on the interior: skin cream(very thin)

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • C
                            Carlmart
                            Banned
                            Joined:

                            A small German label, recommended from Himalaya-expeditions (the owner is a top-leather-expert):
                            http://www.tierowa.de/html/ein_paar____2.html

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • pillowPANTSP
                              pillowPANTS
                              Joined:

                              Looks great for the roughout. U think that would be overkill on the canvas tho?

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • C
                                Carlmart
                                Banned
                                Joined:

                                canvas? only careful with warm water and foam from curd-soap, but Mr. Meyer from Tierowa knows everything about  the protection belts, leatherjackets and shoes, sent him a mail

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

                                  For your friend, I'd go with something designed to waterproof fabric- so Barbour thornproof wax, Fjallraven Greenland wax, Otter wax, or something like that.  One of those might work for your boots, too.  As I recall, Finn waxed a pair of suede Vibergs and they turned out pretty well.  Can't remember what he used, though.

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • 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
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