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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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    • 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…

                              «Stevie Heighway on the wing!
                              We had dreams, and songs to sing…»

                              • Dame Vera Lynn
                              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?

                                  «Stevie Heighway on the wing!
                                  We had dreams, and songs to sing…»

                                  • Dame Vera Lynn
                                  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.

                                      «Stevie Heighway on the wing!
                                      We had dreams, and songs to sing…»

                                      • Dame Vera Lynn
                                      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
                                          • setandsettingS
                                            setandsetting
                                            Raw and Unwashed
                                            Joined:

                                            Hey, I bought a pair of Red Wing rough-out muleskinners or whatever they're called. What's the recommended way to treat roughout leather? Do I need to apply something to it and/or waterproof it? Or just wear it?

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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