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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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    • 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
                                          • S
                                            Snowy
                                            Joined:

                                            Thanks for the tip, had no idea about that.

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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