24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 3 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
My choice is pure beeswax, but it is more trouble to apply than good stuff like Montana or Obeneuf's. I beeswaxed my Asolo boots this evening, taking my time as I did other chores and spent an hour at it.

Warmed the boots very slowly and cautiously in the oven (risky!) with one minute bursts of bake heat a few times with the oven door closed. Microwaved the bees wax slowly till it melted and applied to comfortably warm leather boots with a toothbrush. It congealed quite a bit so I went over it again with a hair dryer and the toothbrush, taking care not to heat the leather too much in any one spot.

I do that about once a year. Will wear the boots on a wet west coast bear hunt starting Wed. so freshened up the waterproofing though it was still good.

Ditto to a strong dislike of SnoSeal.

BP-B2

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
Beeswax in use report: Four days of rain while walking through dense brush much of the time, 18 stream crossings 2-5 inches deep, six of them salt water gravel, sand and barnacles with wading stretches up to 30 yards across. Leather boots are bone dry inside and still waxy on the outside.


Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
I
New Member
Offline
New Member
I
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
In August '97 I saved an article from backpacker magazine where they did an extensive scientific test of a number of boot waterproofing compounds, titled "The Truth Leaks Out". In short many of the treatments mentioned here were used in that test. The test consisted basically of 1st one, and then a second application of the treatments on leather pieces and placed them in a Maeser Tester, which flexed them and bends them and dips them in water over and over, as if being worn by a hiker, and measures when water penetrates the sample. The three best products in the test were Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy-Duty Water Repellent Spray 18,400/14,400 flexes, Nikwax Aqueous Wax 19,000, 24,000 flexes, and Tectron Boot/Shoe Protector 14,500/47,000 flexes. Most of the bees wax combination, mink oil, etc types were on the order of 4,000 flexes or less Aqua Seal 7,300/10,100. This test doesn't truly factor in the abrasive nature of walking through wet grass and snow but, its about as close as we're going to get. Sno-Seal, often recommended was 3,400/4,000. My use of these various products in the wet north east, Alaska, and the last 18 years in Montana's dry northwest supports the use of Nikwax Aqueous and Tectron with a libral coating of Montana Pitchblend over the top. Nice thing about the Nikwax Aqueous is you can put it on your already wet boots before they dry.

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,611
IrishRover, that is GOOD info! And a more realistic test than these silly pics of immersing a boot for awhile.

I had almost mentioned the NikWax milky stuff earlier as my quick fix go-to when I don't have time to beeswax or I'm on an extended trip. Once used, it conflicts with getting good good penetration of pure beeswax however.

Do you know if they tested pure beeswax rather than the various commercial products which add softeners and penetrating agents to make it easier to apply? My beef with all such ingredients is that IME they degrade the beeswax.


Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,594
H
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,594
what about getting toilet bee wax seal for couple bucks and melting that down should work and is cheap in price

IC B2

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
Campfire Kahuna
Online Content
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
I don't think toilet seals are bees wax. They're a synthetic. I have no idea if they'd work but I suspect that they'd stay gooey forever, just like they do under a toilet. I suggest trying it on a worn out pair of boots instead of a $200 pair.


“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell

It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
I
New Member
Offline
New Member
I
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
No true beeswax by itself in the test. Would have been a good idea.

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,960
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,960
Has anyone ever had any issues with specific products causing separation between the leather and rubber rand?

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,971
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,971
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
I don't think toilet seals are bees wax. They're a synthetic. I have no idea if they'd work but I suspect that they'd stay gooey forever, just like they do under a toilet. I suggest trying it on a worn out pair of boots instead of a $200 pair.

Toilet rings "USED TO BE" beeswax at one time. Correct that they no longer are.

I think they are some sort of polyurethane material now.


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
Page 3 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
719 members (117LBS, 10gaugemag, 12344mag, 01Foreman400, 10Glocks, 79 invisible), 2,696 guests, and 1,316 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,686
Posts18,399,755
Members73,820
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.130s Queries: 14 (0.003s) Memory: 0.8383 MB (Peak: 0.9212 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 22:27:11 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS