old school leather boot water-proofing ?

[olddogrib]

For those of you who use toilet ring wax on leather boots....do you just warm the boots and rub it on with a rag or something?  I was wondering if melting it and using a brush would get it down in the sole seams better, but that might be overkill.

[kevsuperg]

Warm the leather( oven or heat gun or even set them in the sun) rubber gloves and elbow grease to rub it in. Rag to wipe off excess .

[JusAGuy]

I'd be very careful heating up my boots with a heat gun.

While wax is a good waterproof treatment it doesn't do much to condition/moisten the leather.

You're not asking...but have you considered using a different waterproofing agent? I use Montana Pitch Blend on my knife sheaths and such. It's similar to "Bear Grease".... and you don't have to expose your leather boots to high heat to apply it....

Just a thought...

[Dorado]

Get some SnoSeal. I ordered some from Walmart. I use it on all of my leather goods. It conditions the leather as well as protects it. I use it on my boots, belts, holsters, quivers, anything that's leather. It's beeswax based with some solvent to thin it and make it easier to apply. Use a hair dryer to warm the leather, rub it in, heat it to melt and rub it some more. I do this until the leather wont take anymore. Buff off the excess and you'll be golden. I do this on all of the leather products I make. I can't recommend it enough. Make sure to fill any stitching and the ends of the leather as well. It will darken the leather somewhat but the protection it offers is outstanding.
Use SnoSeal. I've never had any trouble with it. Will not rot, Does not stink once finished out.

[olddogrib]

I've used MPB and most others at some time...except the wax ring and it's under $2.  Thought I'd give it a try and Outdoor Life Mag says it softens/conditions the leather quite well.  One of my beloved Danner Frontiers has developed an annoying squeak.  I was told by a shoe repairman it was the Thinsulate moving under the leather and nothing would fix it. But I'm trying different approaches to see what might help.

[M60gunner]

Doesn't that wax have chemicals in it?  I used to use the wife's hairdryer after I rubbed SnoSeal all over and used a toothbrush to get in the seams. I had two pairs of the leather boots issued back in the sixties I wore them out hiking the mountains and deserts of CA. with my son. My 30 year old Danner boots have only ever had the Danner brand of boot finish. Don't know what's in it but the boots are still waterproof and not cracked. Only drawback, comes in black.

[Brock]

As mentioned SnoSeal is good though I have never used it.  

I like to use Montana Pitch Blend....I clean my boots leather surface and let dry.  Then I rub the entire surface thoroughly and let it sit all day...then get hair dryer (not heat gun) and put it on warm only..and let the leather heat up and it will draw in the Pitch Blend.  Using a pair of the boot dryers will work same.
After first application is drawn in mostly to leather...take thin coat and rub on leather as it cools.  After sitting few hours it will cool and push out excess...wipe off with rag and DONE.

[JusAGuy]

Be careful with SnoSeal. It has been known to delaminate the adhesives used to glue sole/mid-sole together in some manufacturers footwear (drawing a blank remembering which...).

[Dorado]

Originally posted by JusAGuy:
Be careful with SnoSeal. It has been known to delaminate the adhesives used to glue sole/mid-sole together in some manufacturers footwear (drawing a blank remembering which...).

I've used it on 4 different pairs of boots and I've never had a problem with delamination. I've got them on some Ariats, Wolverines, cheap Cabelas, and some custom boots. The ariats, wolverine, and customs have many miles on them and I'm having to replace the soles on the customs from being worn out. No issues what so ever.
 YMMV though.


DO NOT USE HEAT GUNS!!!! A hair dryer is more than enough!
Overheating of leather boots WILL cause delamination as well as deterioration of the leather. Keep them away from any extreme heat source. You should only need to warm them not get them hot.

[monterey]

Sno Seal on my boots and all of my archery leather.

[Dan bree]

Bacon  Grease . But the bears will follow you .and the pigs stay away   Lol.

[Rick Richard]

Obenauf is the only product I use on all my leather boots.

[David McLendon]

Montana Pitch Blend for me

[knobby]

I've used the toilet wax for a number of years, and haven't had a reason to switch. I just warm the boots in the sun and work the wax in while wearing rubber gloves. And it lasts a long time.

[Warden609]

Another vote for Montana Pitch Blend.

[Chain2]

Sno Seal. I keep my old school Red Wings on my feet all 4 seasons with it. I warm in front of the woodstove. Where I live we have a fire in the stove every month but maybe July.

[Roadkill]

Snow seal, sparingly, set in the sun, buffed with soft cloth.  Seems to work for me.   Semiannual event for me.  Clean boots thoroughly before applying anything

Careful with cheap imported 'hunting boots'.  One of the guys got his boots soaked and hung them on sticks near the campfire.  One of boot soles fell off and the other was half off.  They were glued on with a hot melt glue.  $20 worth of super glue later they were back on, which was almost what he paid for the boots in the first place.

[Jim Calamaris]

Keep boots away from fire or heat guns. I use a blow dryer to warm the leather.

[killinstuff]

Honestly you can put whatever you want on leather boots but waterproofing starts from the inside out.  If you have leaky boots, shoe goo is the answer.  Put on a latex glove, get a dab on your finger  and smear it on the seams on the inside of your boot.  No more leaks.

Insulated boots.......different story.  That's why God made Gortex.