Leather boots - which protectant to use?

[Triggernosis]

What do you guys use on your leather work boots and knockaround boots? I used some Obenauf's last year on a brand new pair of Red Wings and it made an oily mess of them. It has protected them well, though, but it turned them immediately from a nice golden brown to a dark brown oily mess that picks up every piece of dust and lint and makes a mess on anything they touch. Didn't do much, if anything, as far as waterproofness goes either - my feet still get soaking wet from morning dew on grass.

Looking for something better........

[Ben_Rumson]

I used to work in an environment that went from dusty to muddy and just plain wet...I used Sno Seal.. Kind of mushy waxy in texture.. IIRC it has some silicone in it... it worked pretty good and wasn't messy, but needed to be applied at least a couple of times a week under the harsh conditions I worked in.. I could stand in a couple of inches of water for maybe 30 mins or so before my feet got wet...As far as attracting stuff.. Not too bad... dust being the main thing...Usually a squirt of water would get rid of the dust and leave beads of water on the leather.. These were safety toed Engineer boots.

[SmokeEater2]

Another vote for Sno-Seal. I started using it on my boots while still in the Army and still do. Warm the leather slightly and rub in and let dry. A shoe brush will even put a shine on them if you want. Like Mr. Rumson said it will need to be reapplied occasionally.

[Blaine]

What do you guys use on your leather work boots and knockaround boots? I used some Obenauf's last year on a brand new pair of Red Wings and it made an oily mess of them. It has protected them well, though, but it turned them immediately from a nice golden brown to a dark brown oily mess that picks up every piece of dust and lint and makes a mess on anything they touch. Didn't do much, if anything, as far as waterproofness goes either - my feet still get soaking wet from morning dew on grass.

Looking for something better........

Ouch.....I was just going to recommend what you don't like. I don't use the liquid oil, but the paste-like wax....rub it in by hand REAL good and bake on the PEETS boot dryer overnight....About once a year, I'll soak 'em down with Camp Spray. I use this on my spendy leather scoot jacket and it shines up like new afterwards.....

[86er]

Sno Seal

[RANisbet]

Here's a consideration:
Remember that there are oil tanned and silicone impregnated leather boots out there.
Be sure to Use Like on Like. (No silicone on oiled leather)

I found some old cans of military leather preservative several years ago in a surplus store and am still using it. I think it has lanolin and other preservatives in it.
Bob Nisbet

[NonPCnraRN]

I'm no help. I get Gore-Tex lined boots. I have some Chippewa Packer Boots (lace up with western heel and toe) that are great. I bought them for CAS but they are so comfortable I wear them everywhere. Because of the Gore-Tex, wet grass, puddles, snow have no effect on keeping my feet dry. You can buy Gore-Tex liners to wear over your socks for boots without Gore-Tex. I have found that the extra money for Gore-Tex lined boots is money well spent. I have some Danner Acadia boots (black military type) that are Gore-Tex line also. 2 years later my feet still stay dry even after standing in water 6" deep for an hour to test them. I quit because I got tired of standing in the same place for an hour.

[Ben_Rumson]

I used to want Gore - Tex boots..But where I worked a pair of boots barely lasted six or seven months.. Gore - Tex wasn't worth it

[madman4570]

Get a pair of Gore-Tex Danner GTX 8" strikers.(use nothing on them)bang them together to get the mud off is all!

[NonPCnraRN]

I used to want Gore - Tex boots..But where I worked a pair of boots barely lasted six or seven months.. Gore - Tex wasn't worth it

In that case I would get the liners/socks. If the goal is dry feet. I always used Silcone leather spray and that seemed to work fairly well for boots. Of course I would have to spray them outside cause it would stink up the house and I would saturate the leather to the point that it took a couple of days to dry out. Like paint, you had to spray in coats otherwise it would run down off the boot. I even used Scotchguard on a pair of my wifes hiking boots and by saturating the leather, offered good protection. She could ford small streams and her feet would stay dry as long as she didn't stand in the water for any length of time.

[Ben_Rumson]

Thanks NonPCnraRN... Out of that job, thankfully..

[Tycer]

Here's a consideration:
Remember that there are oil tanned and silicone impregnated leather boots out there.
Be sure to Use Like on Like. (No silicone on oiled leather)
Bob Nisbet

YEP.

Dry tanned looks like poo poo with oil and it will rot them if it's the wrong oil.

[CEMENTHEAD]

+1 Sno-Seal. I used it in the Army for my field boots and never looked back. Apply about once a week in bad weather. Thanks, Tom

[horsesoldier03]

MINK OIL! but like your choice it will do the same thing!

[AJMD429]

I used to want Gore - Tex boots..But where I worked a pair of boots barely lasted six or seven months.. Gore - Tex wasn't worth it

Reminds me of a brick factory I worked at - Even GOOD leather work-gloves would barely make it through the morning without several cuts from the sharp 'ceramic' edges of the just-baked bricks. Most days you went through three pair, occasionally just two. That was before steel mesh gloves and Kevlar were commonplace. (Fortunately, I got 'promoted' to kiln-cart maintenance because I could measure a cart's width and draw a chalk line down the middle. That college education was already paying off..! )

[Triggernosis]

My boots don't need to be 100% waterproof, but that sticky mess that Obenauf's leaves has got to go. It would be nice if the Obenauf's could be buffed a bit to avoid the stickiness, but I can't get it to do anything.

[Ben_Rumson]

AJMD429 LOL the gloves.... Where I was working we were making the material for fire brick...Lots of sea water... lime water.. Hydrated lime.. acids... dusty hot (melt your hard hat) kiln areas

[pokey]

these, or ones like 'em.

http://home.att.net/~stewartjf/servus.html

[19112TAP]

I've used Sno-Seal with good luck, and also Montana Pitch Blend with good luck also but as of late I've been using Skidmore's beeswax blend. I really don't like to use mink oil and neatfoot oil.

[Don McDowell]

Most anything you put on the tan colored boots other than the same colored wax polish is going to darken them.
Sno seal works good, also if you're a reloader, then a tub of Hornady's unique case lube, pulls double duty, works great as a case lube, and also a handy substitute for Sno Seal.

[Dave]

I have had great luck with Nik Wax. I think you could waterproof tennis shoes with it. It is really good.

http://www.nikwax.com/en-us/index.php

[geobru]

For my timber cruising boots, I used Huberds Boot Grease. Sno seal is a good waterproofer, but it doesn't feed the leather like Huberds. I think both products are made by the same company. FWIW

[Rustolium]

Mink oil! It is used to protect the leather, not just waterproof it. I use it on my Gore-tex boots too, the leather in those needs help as well.

[Borregos]

I have used DUBBIN for many years, it does a great job waterproofing and preserving leather, works best if boots are warm when it is applied

[Triggernosis]

Sounds like any of the recommended "greases" would still make a mess....

[jeepnik]

I do wear leather boots when I have to go to a construction site. My favorites and the style I've bought for decades are Redwing Pecos. I just use Redwing Boot Oil. My "outdoor" boots are all man made uppers, so they don't need oiling. But I sure do like the smell of a newly oiled pair of Redwings. Almost as good as Hoppes.

[Whit Spurzon]

The grub scouts have a pretty good article on leather boot care

http://www.scoutingdigest.com/index.php ... iew&id=100

[Mutt]

VISCOL

[kimwcook]

I don't use mink oil anymore. Although it does it's job as a waterproofer, it also allows the leather to stretch too much. I use a number of products depending upon how much protection I need. I've used Hubbards for years. I've also used Obenauf's, but it doesn't seem to last long.