best work boot treatment?

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I wear my Redwings to drive tractor so it's tractor related right? Whats the best thing to put on boots? I just soaked mine down with neatsfoot oil, others like mink oil ect. Just wondering what you guys are using?

 

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641Dave

Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I had the same question a few years ago after destroying the leather in a few pairs of boots from hunting pigs in these black land clay bottoms. Allot of wet stuff but after it dries that clay pulls the oil out of the leather and they stretch and decay fast.

I found out that anything such as neats foot oil like I was using will cause problems down the road as well. Anything with animal fats in it will cause bacteria to grow and destroy the leather from the inside out.

The best we found was Obenauf's Leather Care. I use it now, it will discolor your leather but it's proven to hold up well in the stuff we're moseying through. I got a bottle at cabela's in the foot wear section. I little pricey but a small bottle will go along way.

 

S

SouthernFarmall

Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I like mink oil. It has always worked for me.

SF

 

K

KYfarm

Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

hydraulic fluid

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

probly cant get it where you are but the old timers up here used to use bear fat for thier leather boots. I guess it works really well.

 

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Josh in Pa

Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

There are a lot of draft horses in use here in Pa, and I use harness oil on my boots. It seems to make a big difference.
Josh

 

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in-too-deep

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

Or diesel. Best part is, you don't usually have to go out of your way to do it. Just kinda happens ; )

 

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PJH

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I use the stuff that my RedWing dealer sells - marketed by RedWing - comes in a nice jar with an applicator brush, and the jar is re-fillable. When I run out, he refills it for a couple of bucks.

Heck, I even wear RedWing socks. . .

 

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Nate V. IA

Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I use Grizzly Grease, I have had good luck with it around the farm, manure tends to reek havoc on my leather boots and I HATE rubber boots.
Nate
Poke here

 

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John730D

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

Don't use any animal oils. It will ruin the threads that stitch boots together.

My Redwing dealer just uses silicone, and does mine for free anytime I want.

 

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Gun guru

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

Lemon oil, furniture polish stuff. Soaks right in. (verdict is still out as to how well it protects)

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I always use snow seal. Seems to work well. Best way to apply is to completely warm the boot. When no one else is home, I put them on foil in the oven. BUT someone else that lives here does NOT like that method of warming the boot prior to me applying the snow seal. That is why I do them when I am the only one here!

 

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in-too-deep

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

That's what I use. I use a heat gun instead, tho. Heat the boot up til warm, apply the sno seal. Then rub some more on where it soaked in fast and hit it with heat to melt it in. Wipe off/rub in the excess after cool.

 

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BushogPapa

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

If you want that leather to be as Perfect Harness leather, use SNOW SEAL...those boots will last you a lifetime...

I warm my boots either (in winter) in front of a heat register or (in Summer), with a hair Dryer..
Rub in ALL it can absorb..Saturate the leather and seams..
Allow to cool and wipe the excess off..
Once it has worked in, you can rub the leather and it will polish..will NOT hurt leather in any way...the Bees Wax in it water proofs the leather..
I treat mine just once a year, if I am using them a lot..
Used to ruin Western Boots while driving tractor-trailer..
They would get wet while out of the truck, then dry while I was driving and they would crack and split..
Started using Snow Seal on them and still have every pair, since then and use them to Square Dance in even now..!!
Like NEW..!

Ron..

 

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BushogPapa

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

If you want that leather to be as Perfect Harness leather, use SNOW SEAL...those boots will last you a lifetime...

I warm my boots either (in winter) in front of a heat register or (in Summer), with a hair Dryer..
Rub in ALL it can absorb..Saturate the leather and seams..
Allow to cool and wipe the excess off..
Once it has worked in, you can rub the leather and it will polish..will NOT hurt leather in any way...the Bees Wax in it water proofs the leather..
I treat mine just once a year, if I am using them a lot..
Used to ruin Western Boots while driving tractor-trailer..
They would get wet while out of the truck, then dry while I was driving and they would crack and split..
Started using Snow Seal on them and still have every pair, since then and use them to Square Dance in even now..!!
Like NEW..!

Ron..

 

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member

Location

Twin Cities

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

Neatsfoot oil.
Make sure you use the right brand.

 

T

the tractor vet

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

Not sure if this is the wright stuff or not but each and every pair of new boots i get always get a good dose of Hyd oil, diesel fuel motor oil , mud cow manure . My brand new pair took a bath the first day with Hy Tran then shortly after that they got washed off when the hose on the fuel tank let go and dosed them with maybe five gallon of high priced diesel fuel while trying to get the valve shut off. and this evening they got a good dose of soupy manure because there was no time to get the barn boots on when a couple cows got out.

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2011

• #1

I wear Chippewa insulated,Water proof,steel toed logger boots. Use silcone spray for Gore-Tex. I get about four years out a pair of boots. They are good boots but not cheap.

 

MarkB_MI

Well-known Member

Location

Motown USA

• Jun 21, 2011

• #1

I try not to use too much oil, as it tends to soften the leather. I usually give my Red Wings an oil treatment once a year, followed by either Red Wing's leather conditioner or Sno-Seal. Most leather conditioners have pine tar in them, while Sno-Seal uses beeswax. Sno-Seal will soften the leather less than other treatments, but it isn't readily absorbed into the leather. I use the wife's blow dryer to warm up the Sno-Seal so the leather will suck it up.