leather conditioner/weatherproofing for boots

I have a new pair of boots that I want to soften/weatherproof before using. i've been using some military surplus that came in a gallon can for over 40 years but it is all gone! what is on the market now that works good?

Mink oil is about as good a waterproofing agent as you'll find. Rub it in, or rub it on the best you can, and then let it soak in a bit. If you have excess mink oil that isn't absorbed, either set the boots next to your stove or heat vent...or as an alternative, use your wife's blow drier on 'em, as it causes the pores in the leather to open a little, as well as making the mink oil thinner to help absorption.

Pappy coated his riding chaps with mink oil once...they certainly were waterproof, but they went from weighing around 5 pounds to more like 15 or 20.

(quoted from post at 11:38:47 10/05/13) I have a new pair of boots that I want to soften/weatherproof before using. i've been using some military surplus that came in a gallon can for over 40 years but it is all gone! what is on the market now that works good?

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Try this...
It also works good on boots!
http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=smalser&file=articles_368.shtml

Lexol

DON"T use mink oil!!! It is good for the leather, but the animal fats in the oil will deteriorate the stitching. Red Wing uses silicone on my boots. Been good now for over 6 years.

I use a product called sno seal it is bees wax makes leather nice and soft and waterproof too doesnt rot the stiching away like mink oil will

Obenaufs heavy duty is the best I've found heat the tub In the microwave and apply 5 or 6 coats

I use a mexican leather conditioner made for auto seats and all. Get it at the auto parts store. Can't remember the name. Starts with an M and comes from California. Been in business for many years. They have a great spray on cleaner for your chrome skins on your 20" wheels. Wet the wheel, spray on the product, wait 15 seconds and hit it with the hose.

Mark

Neatsfoot oil will soak in and will help with the water proofing. If you oil them regularly they do pretty good about the water. I don't know that you can really make leather water proof.

I also use a beeswax product called sno-seal. I rub it on with a rag, then heat the boot up with a hair dryer. Its the best stuff ive found, and wont deteriorate the stitching like mink oil does.

I've used mink oil for years and never had any problem with the stitching rotting. I can usually get 2 yrs out of a pair of Chippewas wearing them everyday. The insides fall apart before the stitching goes bad.

To be honest, I've tried everything, red-wings, chippewas, sno-seal, neats foot oil, everything. ONly thing I ever found that really, actually kept my feet dry and worked was LL Beans' rubber boots.

KIWI polish Worked when in the Army and the 40 plus years since.
I don't spitshine just apply heavy.
joe

Snow Seal good stuff when heated in. Jim

(quoted from post at 18:23:27 10/05/13) To be honest, I've tried everything, red-wings, chippewas, sno-seal, neats foot oil, everything. ONly thing I ever found that really, actually kept my feet dry and worked was LL Beans' rubber boots.

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HAR!!! :lol: Ain't that the truth! Love my Beans.

I've used about everything there is to use over the last 40 years. Mink Oil is a conditioner as is neatsfoot. The best stuff is either Hubbards Shoe Grease or Sno-Seal. The thing is it's not a "put it on once and forget it" deal. If you really want dry feet in traditional leather foot wear you have to apply the stuff almost every day. There's no easy way around it. Anything with Bees Wax in it will work, but some are just easier than others to use. Bag Balm will actually work in a pinch too.

Most leather conditioners contain one of the following: animal fat (e.g. neatsfoot oil, mink oil), petroleum, pine tar or beeswax. The animal and petroleum oils will soften leather while pine tar and beeswax will not. I've found that boots will last a lot longer if you use oil-based conditioners sparingly and stick to beeswax and pine tar for waterproofing. Also, some leathers should not be treated with oil at all. I usually start with Red Wing Boot Oil, then finish up with SnoSeal.

I've read below where some say use mink oil, and other advise against it. I get a new pair of boots, even cheapies to knock around in, and my favorite boots by far are my knee high Red Wing linesmens, and I rub in a whole can of mink oil on every single inch of the leather, and the tops and sides of the soles to coat the stitching, then I redo about once per year. I've worn out the soles on my linesmens and had them resoled. Never had a problem with stitches coming apart, leather drying out because of rot or anything of the sort. I did have a pair of 12 inchers dry up and crack after a year or two, but I was working in coal pretty often, and coal dust will take a lot of stuff apart, including steel girders. I've stood and worked in water and muck half way up most of my Red Wings more then once, never got my feet damp. But two things to remember. If you're going to soak them like that, when they dry off real good, hit them litely with mink oil to protect them from what you did to them that they weren't made to do in the first place. Two, if you rub a whole can of mink oil into them brand new like I do, that mink oil will seep through them, and my linesmens are black, so I turned every pair of white socks of mine, black for at least six months. Socks are cheap. These days a pair of knee high linesmens have to go for at least $300. I paid $250 ten years ago.

Good luck.

Mark