How long does bees wax last? What is the best way to keep it?

One of the main ingredients in Sno Seal is bee's wax, but I'm told that this is not a recommended treatment for boots with gore tex membranes as it'll render them inoperable.

As far as I know bee's wax will last indefinately.

efw, agreed, IIRC beeswax and the like are for leather footwear.

This is what I use and it works great:

Obenauf's

One pair of boots is on its third soles. 35 years and nothing but Sno Seal.

Plus one. That stuff is most excellent.

It's also a wonderful neck lube for resizing .308 brass to .358 in one pass!

I thought pure beeswax was better. What is IIRC beeswax?

IIRC is short hand for "If I Remember Correctly" The writer was stating that " If I Remember Correctly " beeswax and....

Straight beeswax is much better than snowseal. I'd previously used snowseal for many decades, but never got a truely waterproof seal, beeswas is truly waterproof.

As far as how long beeswax lasts, it depends on the terrain you hike in. On the first pair of boots I used beeswax on, they needed a re-application after 3-4 years, and now the boots are basically worn out. The newer pair of boots are still being broken in, and the beeswax looks fine.

Another vote for Obenauf's.

+ 1 more on obenauf's. This is the only thing I have found that keeps leather waterproof and plyable in the coal mines.

Obenauf's is not even close to beeswax for waterproofness or for longevity... not within an order of magnitude.

Beeswax make leather waterproof and that eliminates any breathability however. Keeping your feet dry with antiperspirant and fresh socks beats gore-tex every time.

Waxed leather lasts far longer than any other treatment plan, also. Sno-Seal absolutely sucks compared to Obenauf's, also... Which gives a relative picture of how it compares to beeswax.

I have destroyed brand new leather boots on single sheep hunt in sharp shale. I have boots that have spent months in the same stuff and are still doing just fine.
art

What's the method of application for bees wax?


.

Melt into leather, either hair dryer or heat gun is best but near a hot stove also works.

I favor straight beeswax way over any other boot waterproofing, but I have a problem: how do you renew beeswax treatment on long trips in the field? Art, do you have any suggestions?

My leather boots needed a fresh dose of beeswax part way through a 10 day moose hunt, in brush with lots of rain. Without stove or electricity, I didn't have a good way to apply beeswax again. It can be done over a campfire or small stove but is a pain in the neck. I usually use a hair dryer to apply beeswax, and prefer to do it on sun warmed boots.

I fess up that I used Nikwax liquid on my boots in the field. That milky liquid applies easily, works well and lasts longer than I would have expected.

Field application of beeswax?

If your feet sweat alot, it might be best to stay away from a beeswax product, or use anti-perspirant on your feet.

One of the leather treatments I have used that keeps leather waterproof a LONG time, and also is a great treatment, is Montana Pitch-Blend, a combination of beeswax, mink oil and pine pitch.

Just my opinion - but I have been using Sno Seal for the past 20 years or more.

I had thrown away a pair of boots that had been my grandfathers 10 years before I got them - and the soles wore out before the leather uppers on a pair of felt pac boots - and they were not expensive boots.

I have used Camp Dry and other products and they do not work anywhere even near the Sno Seal.

If a person has a hot air forced furnace or coal furnace - they can put the boots over the register over night and the Bee's Wax will soak in.

I haven't ever seen anyone use a hair drier, and I see no reason for it. But I do not think that if you traveled in deep snow in cold temperatures that the Bee's Wax will last more then a couple of days per one application.

The problem is - getting the boots to dry between hunts - especially when you hunt every day like I do.
I usually manage to have several pairs of boots that I can wear that are water proof - that I can rotate - since my home is heated by hot water - baseboard heat and not by forced air.

I never really thought about what it does to Gor Tex - but that was a very good point - that it does not allow it to breathe, but if the leather was water proof to begin with - then you probably don't need to water proof it anyways.

I can remember being interviewed by Howe Leather Products - Curwensville PA back in the 90's and even back then they had a process for impregnating leather with silicone which would make it water proof for life.
Their biggest customer at that time was General Motors - they supplied the leather for the seats in new automobiles at that time.

So it stands to make me believe that when I buy a new pair of Rocky Boots or Carolina boots or Redwing boots - that it could be possible that the leather in those boots were also treated with some type of silicone and that adding water proofing before they started to leak might void the warranty or damage the water proofing already applied.

The one down side to applying the Sno Seal is that it makes my Lacross Ice King boots look Moldy when I take them out of the box - after they have been sitting in the box for a entire year.
But after putting a new coat of Sno Seal on the boots - they shine right up and look like new again.

I use Huberd's Shoe Grease, primary ingredients are Pine Tar and Beeswax. I heat it up on the woodstove, put it on hot, let it soak in and dry, then rub off the excess with a rag, then repeat. Works great.

I would bet the boots had been treated with something else previously... Beeswax on new leather is far better than on any treated by another method. The solvents mess with the wax, I believe.

I have had trips far longer than 10 days with continuous rain and stepping into water to get out of the boat, etc. and I have not had issues with treated boots losing it in just 10 days... Or far longer. When long trips are planned I work some wax into the boots before going.

I do not have a good suggestion for field application...
art

WOW!!!!

Sno-Seal is why you cannot get your boots dry. Packing enough boots on a sheep hunt for rotating them is a funny thought!

A forced-air register is not even close to adequate for melting wax into boots.

I guarantee a proper coat of beeswax will go farther in snow than Sno-Seal ever could and by a huge factor. And it is not the waterproofing only that makes beeswax superior. When Sno-Sealed boot leather gets wet, on the first day of use under real conditions it starts stretching... And eliminates any chance of support from a boot. In a lot of the stuff we hunt that gets into the dangerous category, fast.

None of the silicone treatments will stand up to boot use, period.
art

Okanagan;
I hope this finds you and yours well today sir, it's good to see you about.

Like you, I've not been able to find anything that has come close to straight beeswax and I learned about it here from Art. That said, the stuff that JB mentioned isn't available locally, so I've not tried that out yet.

I was mulling over your field application question and have got to admit I'm not sure what I'd try either.

Of course one can melt a tin of wax on the campfire, and dry and then heat your boots using the same method. The trick would be not overheating your boots with a fire.

I'd suspect it would be possible to heat the boots fairly evenly over a good bed of embers and then apply liquid wax with a brush, but then one would have to be diligent not to set the whole works ablaze, wouldn't one?

I've been told hiking out of sheep camp after burning your boots isn't as fun as it sounds.

All the best to you and yours in the upcoming Christmas season Okanagan.

Regards,
Dwayne

I don't see anyone could need a new application of straight beeswax that's been applied to a new pair of boots on a 10 day hunt. The boots I wore out weren't just used for hunting, also for year round hiking and ice climbing.

I think you are right. These boots came with some kind of wax impregnated in the leather and they never took beeswax as well as my previous experiences.

I will also fess up that the boots had been heavily used all summer and were due for a good waterproofing treatment before the trip. I got too busy and thought that I could wax them at a cabin we turned out never using. So my question about how to apply in the field is due to preparation negligence on my part, not failure of the beeswax.

There is no question that beeswax lasts longer and protects leather better than anything else I've used, and I've tried most of the potions mentioned here. Never tried the Montana pitch blend stuff.

Those who like Snowseal have a wonderful exprience ahead of them because there are a number of products WAY better. My love affair and disillusionment with Snowseal all happened in the early 70's.

the boots are stitched to the soles, I don't see how just applying anything to the leather will make them waterproof, it will go through the stitching right?? thats why you need a goretex liner

my favorite pair of boots are some danner frontiers, I have put heavy applications of danner boot dressing on them to soften and preserve the leather, but by doing so my biggest problem is gauges and nicks in the leather caused from twigs and rocks, I have some cuts that nearly go through the leather. I wonder if I had not put anthing on the boots and let them be harder if the leather would have stood up better to the twigs, brush, and rocks.

Watch the video at the following link:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1315817391?bctid=68850608001

I do believe that everyone involved in the manufacturing and selling of top end backpacking boots recommend some form of beeswax based product for leather treatment and waterproofing. I don't think anyone recommends the use of any heat or any product that may break down the support of the leather or prematurely break down the leather and reduce its serviceable life. I think Lanthrop and Sons favors Grangers wax while AJ Brooks favors Meidl wax. They may be the exact same product in different packages, but both differ from straight and pure beeswax in that they want the wax formula to allow the leather to breath to some degree. There are several other popular waxes used but they all appear to be based off beeswax with a blend designed to meet Meindl specs.

I've been using Montana Pitch Blend since it was first marketed back in the '80s. I like this product as it is also beeswax based and is blended without silicone, petroleum, alcohol, or chemicals. But, it may tend to make leather a bit more supple due to the mink oil content when compared to some of the other wax products noted. You may not want to soften your heavy duty backpacking boots and lose too much support. In that case, I'd defer to their recommendation based on the leather used by the manufacturer.

The trend today is to use top grade premium leather that receives a heavy duty treatment. The boot is then given a heavy duty rand coating of truck bedliner which completely seals the leather under the outside rand. This trend is for those who need a tough boot to withstand rock cuts into the leather while side hilling. On these boots, it is impossible to apply treatment to the leather underneath the bedliner. And you would not want to break down the exposed leather with any oil based product that would reduce boot stiffness.

As to the Sno Seal, it is 65% beeswax with 35% mineral spirits. The complaint with Sno Seal is not in its use of beeswax, its in its use of mineral spirits and its recommendation to heat the leather. I think all the major wax products such as Grangers contain some amount of Naptha, but their blends differ as the Sno Seal prevents all breathing within the leather.

As another option, more than a few fire jumpers and loggers recommend Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP. Like the Montana Pitch Blend, it does not contain any hazardous materials per the MSDS.

Best:)

When my wife isn't looking I get the stove warm and stick the boots in for a few minutes. I also wax up leather work gloves, works fairly well for a few days.

You guys know this is Douchebeer posting under a new name, right?

Dude's got more chit in him than a feed lot.

Continue to be a rare poster, But favor Huberd's, Obernauf's and Montana Pitch Blend, as none of them smell like a Colman Stove and work fine. I've worked outside everyday for 40+ years in RedWings and Danners with and without goretex, feet stay dry and never put boots too close to the fire for very long, breaks down stitching and glues. I'm in utility trenches, footings, muck and sand alike, liners out at night and newsprint in, treat the boots once or everyother week during the rainy season. Heat the goo on the wood stove or (God forbid) the microwave and paint on with cheap brush and save it in paper towel with the rest of my boot stuff, had damp feet, but not often, and my boots all last thru multiple soles. Montana PitchBlend can be had thru cataloge sales at Schee's, 64oz tubs if you're so inclined, Huberd's and Obernauf's is available at most Feed and Seed or Logging supplies

I'm given Redwings and use three different models professionally. I use cataloged 914s, a set they make semi-custom, and a third set that is custom built and fit for me in their cobbler shop. All I can say is they are the best professional boots I've ever experienced in my lifetime! In addition, they service the boots every month while I wait in the shop. Great people, great business. Wish they made custom backpack boot, but they don't so I have to go through an importer such as AJ Brooks.

Best:)

I've been looking at buying a set of Schnee's for next season. I just got their catalog in and in it they sell Montana Pitch Blend.

They will last you a lifetime.

Wear mine everyday feeding cows, very good boots. They're going on their third winter and look new, course they've only been worn about 400 times....(grin)


I'm too lazy to take out the liners, Peet dryer works great overnight.

Have you treated the leather uppers with anything?

Honestly from all the good stuff i've read about them I was shocked at how reasonable the price on them was.

Obenhauf's LP once in awhile.

Lately they get soaked going in and out of a pickup, snow is powder but it sticks and tries to soak the leather when it's warm.


You guys must get really wet snows down there?
Southern and western MT gets alot of wet, dank snow in the valleys. That's when you really appreciate a good waterproof pac boot.

No snow to deal with in Alabama. What I have to deal with is water. I hunt A LOT of creek bottoms and crosing the running water is something I do a lot of. I need the leather to shed that water and not let it soak in. I also hunt in the (light) rain as often as possible. It makes the leaves silent and really helps in stalking. On a dry day there are so many krinkly crackly leaves that walking even at a snails pace makes noise.

I am a convert to the pure Bees Wax after reading about it here. I haven't hunted the NW or Alaska for awhile so I found it best to just treat the lower half of the boot at least twice with the pure wax and then use something else on the upper portion.

I use Hubberds or Obenaufs on oil tanned leather. Silicone and any heavy solvent based treatment can ruin boots quickly especially with a glued or vulcanized sole or rand. Heat can destroy them quickly too, so easy on the stove or fire treatment.

Red Wing Boot Oil.

I use mink oil on my leather hunting boots.

I like pure beeswax for leather knife sheaths or something similar where I want the ultimate waterproofing and am not concerned with flexibility or breathability, but it is not my first preference for leather shoes. Sno Seal and Obenauf's will allow the leather to breathe some if it is not applied too heavily and will also keep the leather supple. They work well for me with goretex lined boots.

For applying beeswax this is my procedure ...

Put a kettle of water on the stove with a smaller pot floating inside it which has the beeswax. Bring the water to a boil. The boiling water will heat the wax to a thin liquid but will not allow it to heat to the point of spontaneous combustion as long as you regulate the burner to keep the water bubbling but not boiling over.

Use a high heat hair dryer to heat the leather being treated. Use a small paint brush to dip in the hot liquid wax and brush it on the leather. You will need to keep heating the leather and brushing the wax until the leather is full. Use a dry brush to brush off the excess while being heated with the dryer/gun so no white sheen is left behind.

This process goes fairly quickly and easily.

In October I stopped in Schnees in Bozeman while on a fishing trip. I purchase a pair of Lowa Tibet hiking boots I have had my eye on for some time.

At the cash register the salesman asked if I had a good leather treatment to use and I indicated I had Nikwax leather waterproofing. His comment was great and that it would work wonderfully, or something to that effect.

As someone else mentioned earlier, it is my understanding that some of the treatments will soften leather to a point that the support the boot was suppose to provide will be lost.

A hiking boot used in the sheep mountains may need a different treatment than something used in a Michigan swamp while hunting whitetails.

It was the Redwing folks who sold me Obenhaufs... it has been good stuff for me, though I'll admit up front I'm not a one-legged sheep hunter in Alaska.

Am I wrong in thinking this way? If your boots need drying out after using then in my opnion they were never waterproof and what you are using dosen't work. what did I miss.?

Not sure about you, but when I'm very active, including in colder weather, I need to manage moisture within my boots from my feet. The socks manage the moisture away from my feet, and the boot lining and boot construction manage the moisture from my socks. Though my feet feel dry, with heavy activity, there is a certain degree of moisture within the boot.

A PEET dryer as shown above, circulates air via convection up the tube which prevents any bacteria from forming within that moisture and allows the boot to dry without any excessive heat. Newspaper is another at home method to remove this interior moisture.

Best:)

Any thoughts on Danner's boot dressing?

The guy told me to use it on boots with Goretex as it keeps the leather from drying out and cracking.It seems to have no effect on the Goretex.I do not think it actually makes the boot water proof.When I was a kid we used Bear grease to dress our hunting boots with.We would heat the boots up,rub it in then put a coat of Febrings on top of that.
Since boots have been lined with Goretex I have not had wet feet.

I thought they were addressing the problem of water soaking through the boot as they were talking of waterproofing the leather. sweat is a differant problem. I wear socks that wick the sweat off my feet and never had a problem with them being wet from sweat.

One thing about beeswax is if you wear your boots in summer, the wax draws bees. Fact. Lemon scented anything does the same thing.

Neatsfoot oil keeps your boots supple, but I don't know how it would work with Gortex. It's basically Cologen in a liquid form, comes from the joints of "neat" cattle, meaning cows as opposed to the ancient term "cattle" which meant livestock.

Redwing all natural boot oil contains mink oil and pine pitch. It may contain some beeswax but it is thin. You need a heavier wax for heavy duty waterproofing. I take my boots in once a month to the Redwing cobbler and they paint the stuff on with a paint brush. They recommend stuff like Montana Pitch Blend or Obenauf's for an all natural heavier beeswax product that doesn't gunk up the works.

Best:)

I've used Obenauf's before but it DID make a gunked up mess! Does anyone know the correct way to apply it without making a mess?

Melt it first in a microwave for easier application. It will not separate. Old Firefighter's Trick: Set boots in a plastic bag in the sun after a liberal application of Heavy Duty LP.

I've had the same two pair of Vasque Gore-tex boots for more than 20 years (no exaggeration). I swear by Aquaseal creme/paste (NOT their liquid version...I don't care for any liquid leather treatments). It was once also sold as the official Vasque creme/paste and liquid. That alliance is no longer. Same great stuff, though.

I trust SnoSeal to leather boots with no waterproof membrane. It's good enough for boots I know I'm going to destroy anyway. The one thing I don't like about SnoSeal (vs. Aquaseal) is that it seems like I have to apply it almost twice as often.

I've had good luck with applying my treatment and then putting the boots in the oven on a clean piece of cardboard and setting it to "warm" for 30 minutes. Normally, the leather will suck up all the treatment, but just in case it runs off the side, the cardboard is there to catch it. I stick the Gore-tex boots in the sun in a window or near a heater vent. I don't put those in the oven.

Zombie thread warning...

http://www.skidmores.com/proddetail.asp?prod=wp

http://www.ehow.com/video_4405727_waterproofing-cowboy-boots.html

Pure beeswax for me on pure leather boots. Only need to apply every couple of years if I really lay it on heavy with a hair dryer.

Well, it is less expensive than the Skidmore's treatment. I think I am going to contact them and ask what exactly the difference is between their product and 100% pure wax and what do they believe the advantage is.

Dude, you need to get out more!!! 35 years on one pair of boots. $400 boots don't last me 3!!

Dennis,

Not everybody lives in Arizona. I've hunted there enough to know that it's rocky enough to wear out ANY boots fairly quickly.

If you hunt various sorts of country (you remember Montana in November?) selecting different boots for different conditions helps a LOT. I have too many hunting boots, but own 4-5 different types for various conditions from dry/hot/sandy to to swamp/rainy to really cold/snowy. Some are pretty versatile, but there isn't any all-around boot for every kind of terrain, everywhere.

Addtionally, boots used primarily for hunting in wet swamps or snow will last a lot longer than boots used exclusively in the rocky state otherwise known as Arizona. I hunt more than 4 months a year, but don't wear out one pair of boots in any year--but I do wear out at least one pair of my several DIFFERENT pairs of hunting boots each year.

In fact I have one pair of Schnee's unlined rubber-bottomed pacs that have had so many tops and bottoms replaced so many times that I can't remember. In fact, it's been at least 15 years since they ceased to be the same boots I bought.

Has anyone tried pure lanolin or jojoba oil?

IMO that would be the same as "oil," which Van Gorkom does not recommend on a regular basis.

I also soak the braided laces in beeswax. The laces then wear like leather laces, don't loosen and last a long time.
Pete

Sno-seal is an excellent waterproofer as long as it's not applied to bone dry leather ! If the leather is dried out , treat with Neetsfoot oil , let it soak in for a couple of days . Then apply the sno-seal for a seal that's impervious to water for a year or more . I used to work in the woods all winter long , and my boots never leaked .

My brother has trekked over through of the most demanding areas; the Himalyas in Nepal, the glacier fields of Pakistan, and the
Andes of South America. There aren't tourist hikes, but treks of anywhere from three to six weeks in duration. Depending on elevations at the moment he would encounter dry heat, rain, or heavy snows. He, and other experienced trekkers, use Nikwax, as they feel it offers the best combination of protection and breathability.

Good enough for my in my much more limited applications.

Any more finding a pair of boots that's designed to be used with Bees Wax or obenaufs is the biggest of your problems,which is why Nikwax is so popular. Meindl has one pair of boots that you can use bees wax on.Save for their pacs and a couple tactical boots Kenetrek has no boots designed for bees wax and neither does Lowa.

The rand on a real pair of boots handles 90% of what bees wax used to and nubuck requires something other then bees wax.

Just got a brand new pair of Meindl Perfekt Hunters. I am following this thread to maybe pick up some good info. I used Obenhaufs LP on my last pair and it worked well. I may just stick with it unless I learn something new. I like the bees wax idea but these boots have gore tex in them so I am gathering that probably is not the best idea?

The good folks at Kenetrek instructed me to use their Kenetrek Boot Wax, which is made with beeswax, on their Mountain Extreme boots. They specifically recommended their beeswax mix because of the rand. They also market this beeswax mix to be used on all their leather boots.

Best

i just buy boots with Goretex in them and do not worry about coatings.

But do you know what it consists of? I know I'm over thinking this, but it's more research of interest at this point.



Inadequate. Every pair I have leaks and that does not take the upkeep of the leather into consideration. The boots that I am buying do not have a Goretex liner nor the option of it.

Huberd's Shoe Grease is what I use on my leather Danners, and it has pine tar and beeswax as the primary ingredients.

http://www.huberds.com/

I was surprised that more people didn't mention Nikwax in this thread. Since a fellow member turned me onto it, I don't use anything else. It sheds water like a fresh coat of wax on a car hood.

Some experience with Herman Survivors, Reichle and Timberland boots from Philmont to winter visits to Table Rock, NC over the last 30 years. Sno-seal does the job on leather boots for little $$. Frequent reapplications though, I don't expect it to last for years. Warm boots in oven. Mrs. don't like that....

Nikwax waterproofing wax for leather is a de-aromatised mix of petroleum distillates and paraffin wax from petroleum crude. Kenetrek recommends the beeswax mix because a petroleum based dressing may delaminate the glue bond on the Mountain Boots.

I find that recommendation interesting as when I bought my boots from them about 3-4yrs ago their recommendation was for Nikwax (waterproofer & cleaner) which they shipped to me with the boots. Wonder if their glue has changed or if they are just making more money selling a similar product?

Not only that a lot of what I'm reading says Nikwax is water based, which could be good or bad...

I bought a block the size of a smaller tacklebox that must weigh 5 lbs, 4 or 5 years ago for about $5 from a beekeeper. I don't think beeswax goes bad.

Why I like the beeswax over some of the other products is that in addition to helping leather boots be waterproof; it seems to help the leather last longer and it stays on longer than the any other product I've used.

Will it buff out to a pretty high shine???

I don't know, never tried, just left it on thick.

No, beeswax is too soft to buff up much.

None of the mentioned commercial products last as long as beeswax, or even close. Beeswaxed boots resist abrasion better than anything I have tried and by a huge margin, again. I have not worn out a boot leather since I started waxing them. I have worn out lots of soles and have resoled waxed boots several times. I have boots that cannot be resoled but the uppers are just fine and the soles are gone.

The additional fact that watersoaked leather boots provide no foot or ankle support makes serious waterproofing really important to me and beeswax is the only thing I have found that truly does it.

I was told they had problems with delaminated glue bonds on customer boots so they now recommend using the beeswax stuff. The Nikwax contains up to 75% hazardous ingredients made up of petroleum distillates and petroleum wax biproducts from crude. There's not much room left over for water, so whatever water filler they use is very little. Different forms of petroleum mixed with wax work well at waterproofing many things, but I think one needs to consider it's effect on any materials that rely on a glue bond within its construction.

Best

Which is why I'm looking at the Skidmores and Renaissance wax. Even Montana Pitch Blend has weasel grease in it.

Either we differently define shine or you didn't hold your mouth right, because I got it to shine almost as well as Kiwi. Havn't tried with the water proofing past.
Oh and I've decided on Skidmore's. this stuff seems great, they have a pine scent to them, leads me to believe they have some pine pitch like the Montana blend. But I got the water proofer and a cake of pure bees wax and she sent me a trial of the leather cream. Works great on belts and one belt I polished on top of the cream. I recommend them highly. Especially since it's a family owned company, when you call Susan answers, you're talking directly to the horses mouth :p

OH! and my Kitchen Aid oven has a 100 degree bread proofing setting on it. Perfect for boot warming.

Kind of like great grandpas ax. On it's fifth handle and third head, but he sure loved that ax.

There is a lot to be said about picking the right boots for the right conditions. Schnees are not meant for the deserts of AZ. However the are the schit in snow or wet grass.

I have a pair of Schnees that have gone through almost as many configurations as MD's. Which gave me a bunch of opportunities to test different boot grease. In general someone makes something that is better for your boots than you can make at home. Here are my picks...

Nikkwax - its the stuff if you have chrome tanned leather, suede out or any breathable membrane in your boots. Just follow their instructions. Using anything that contains wax, fat, or petroleum product isn't meant for chrome tanned leather and/or will plug up or trash your "breathable" liner.

For oil tanned leather, the old time stuff...I have gone through the sno-seal type petroleum type stuff, definitely the worst for the leather and only marginally durable and waterproof. Next best is the "pitch blend" type stuff. Better than petroleum based, but the pitch and the animal fats attract dirt and rot. While better at waterproofing, the leather will eventually crack and rot. My current favorite...Obenaufs, hands down. Almost as waterproof as pitch blend, but really keeps the leather nice and resilient and prevents cracking and dirt accumulation. If you haven't really run it, you don't know what you are missing.

Me too. Been wearing gore-tex since since shortly after it came out and only had 1 pair of boots leak. A cheap pair of hiking boots that I had already gotten my money's worth out of long ago.

I wear a lot of gore-tex boots too, but am somewhat disappointed in their effectiveness. I find them fine for snow and crossing an occassional stream, but lacking in really constant wet conditions.

I do a lot of prairie restoration work in the midwest. We (partner and I) start early in the morning when the vegetation is absolutely saturated and spend several hours a day in this stuff, generally getting saturated up to our upper thighs. Most gore-tex boots seem to break down after about a month of this, even the high dollar ones (Danners, Vasque, etc.). Rubber bottom boots won't take the constant thorns and rocks. Rubber packs cause our feet to sweat so much in the heat (90 degrees +) that our feet get as soaked as they do when we wear leaky boots.

I have even seen some guys try waders. They get torn up pretty fast and the sweating problem gets severe. After a few years of this we have given up, wear leaky boots, and let our feet get wet!

Luckily, this is a post-retirement job and I can quit anytime and remain financially stable. As long as the pleasure and satisfaction I gain from my work outweigh the damn wet feet, I will stick with it!

I used Sno-Seal for several years but I think it affects breathability. I stopped using it and my feet seem to sweat less. For certain boots, I'd still use it.

I'm now using the Kennetrek lube and it seems a lot easier to apply than Sno-Seal. Hopefully it doesn't affect the breathability as much. I'd prefer not to use a lube, but I had a warranty claim on my last pair of Kennetreks and they said the leather was dried out so I thought I'd give their lube a try.

Here's what Dave Page, cobbler in Seattle wrote about Sno-Seal:

"You just can't work on the boots after it's on the leather," Page says of Sno-Seal. "Most hiking boots today are made of dry-tanned leather that uses chromium salts and chromium sulfates. Modern uppers sit down on top of sole units and are glued on, not stitched. To get soles to stick to the glue line, you have to be able to get the leather absolutely clean.

"Sno-Seal, Mink Oil, Neatsfoot Oil are all products that work fine as waterproofing, but they're formulated for oil-tanned leather--leather from 60 years ago," Page says. "There's just something that's in Sno-Seal that gets impregnated in dry-tanned leather. I don't know what it is. Once it's in there you can't clean it out and the leather will just not accept adhesives."

If you spend a week in Alaska hunting, even goretex boots will leak if not treated. I usually use Obenaufs, which I think has some beeswax in it. This stuff on goretex boots will stay dry in a constant Alaska drizzle for a week or two.

I experienced that with Gore-Tex jackets and pants while in Valdez. They work for a few days, but they just get overwhelmed. And it doesn't even need to be raining! Walk through the brush and you'll get soaked head-to-toe as if it just downpoured. Oregon coast is the same way.

Okay I definitely like the Skidmore's stuff for leather but I found something to use on my coat that may be closer to pure wax that Skidmore's or Sno-Seal...

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=8981

Okay Barbour's is *not* wax. I have in my possession the Barbour's thorn proof, mink oil, Montana Pitch blend, Skidmores and Sno-Seal. I also have virgin coconut oil and a cake of pure beeswax. I'd say if you are in the habit of using mink oil coconut oil would be better. Although, maybe not in bear territory. All considered, I'll repurchase the Skidmores and they have stuff for wood as well. My mom bought a quart of the cream for kitchen cabinets and knife handles.

For those interested in beeswax, don't buy the high dollar stuff sold by the ounce, instead.......

http://www.amazon.com/BEESWAX-BLOCK..._4?ie=UTF8&qid=1326764621&sr=8-4

I've used various products over the years. Most recently, I used a mixture of beeswax and Hooflex (a pine tar, mink oil blend. Pure mink oil made my boots squeak which they do not do with the beeswax. This is on Scarpa leather boots. On the synthetic, gortex lined boots, silicone spray is about all that works. GD

A couple of years ago I cleaned out my shoe polish and boot stuff. I had a bunch of 1/4 to 1/2 full tins etc of boot dressing. I emptied them all out into a metal Folgers coffee can and heat the contents on a Coleman stove. There was some beeswax, Hubberds, Sno-Pruff, Mink Oil, and some Neats foot oil, maybe even some other stuff. Later on I used the mixture on an old pair of leather Red Wing Bird Hunters. I wasn't overly impressed with the results but repeated over time a couple more treatments. The treatments were followed by a session near the heating stove.
Voila! Worked great! I haven't had to repeat the process for at least 5 hunting seasons. I gueess even a blind pig can find an acorn occassionally.

ROUNDUP

Sorry to dig this up but had to comment. I have worked in the bush for the past 20 years and have tried most everything out there, the biggest problem to balance is waterproofing <> leathers ability to breathe. Usually there is a tradeoff. I found birch tar oil a few years ago and wish I would have known about it 20 years ago. It gives the same waterproofing as a wax but lets the leather breathe, never have sweaty feet problems using it. It also makes the leather quite resistant to molds, fungus, bacteria which is a nice bonus as I have a habit of forgetting my boots for during spring breakup in my dry bag! Has an awesome smoky smell to boot!

I've spent all day from daylight to dark ankle deep in a swamp with Gore-Tex boots and my feet were still dry at the end of the day. I've had a bunch of different pairs of Gore-Tex boots over the years. Some leaked the first day, others developed leaks after a couple months with fairly little use and others have lasted several hunting seasons without leaking a bit. The best so far have been my current Irish setters. They've been through 8 seasons now and still don't leak at all. Screw treated leather boots. I did my time with them. By the time you get them plugged up enough with wax to be waterproof your feet will sweat so bad you might as well be wearing rubber or just let them leak. Your feet will be just as wet at the end of the day.

I melt a toilet wax ring, coat boots, lasts several years.

I've been doing that for years on both work boots and hunting.

Use a heat gun to drive it into the leather. Works great with no ill effect to the leather. Cheap as dirt as well.

I'll add another vote for Obenauf's.

What is the composition of the material in a wax ring?

Vegetable and petroleum waxes.

Cool, thanks.

Do you mean like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Bear...id=1585964183&sr=8-2#customerReviews

Obenauf's LP for me as well. I've been using it for years. It waterproofs my boots and conditions the leather without damaging the rubber rands. I see no reason to change.

Obenauf's is THE schitt.

Looks pretty similar but you should make sure that it notes it has been thickened some for leather. Most of the time it comes very thin like water which works but not as good then if a thicker one. I get mine here:
https://otzispouch.ca/product/birch-tar-oil-for-wood-and-leather-100ml/

I'd try straight up bees wax but it's hard to get these days. Ironic for me as my father kept bees and I could have had all the wax I wanted.

Just don't use silicone oil. We had barrels of the stuff to lubricate machinery at work and some of the outdoor types thought that it would make great boot oil. Sorel boots were the rage for cold weather back then and you know how stiff that leather is on those Sorel uppers. Well, that silicone oil turned that leather into mush with virtually no ankle support left what so ever.

Too much lube?

Being a DIYer and Scotch and Welsh I started making my own. Basic formula is 1/3 each of: Beeswax, Pine Tar, & Neetsfoot oil, if this is too thick you can add turpentine after it is off the stove. You can add Carnuba wax for more durability and the designer stuff like vitamin E oil, bee propalis, cedar oil, and if you want it to soften the leather less use half linseed oil and half neetsfoot, the food grade stuff is the best for this. The pine tar makes it sticky so if you are not going to heat the boots then reduce the pine tar. After the heating of the boots wipe and buff them off well. If you want some color add some shoe polish.

Pure beeswax is the ticket for the best waterproofing but the home brew still allows the leather to breath and to not dry out.

For field treatment just get a tube of whatever is available and apply each night with a limited amount of campfire heat. I have found two coats of beeswax to last for about two years with Obenaufs or the home brew used once or twice a year in between, but I have not been in heavy Scree lately.



Better to grease your boots instead.

Thing I don't like about waxes is they block the block the leathers ability to breathe, why I fell in love with the birch tar. Waterproofs as good or better and no sweaty feet. Last time I used neatsfoot a bear stole my boots and chewed them lol.

How much does untreated leather "breathe" anyways? Even if it does "breathe', adding any sort of waterproofing will not improve this ability.

I can't see it being much different either way.

It does make a big difference. Untreated leather actually breathes pretty well. If I work a day in the bush in warm weather in untreated leather or leather treated with birch tar oil I have dry feet at the end. I use wax or grease on the leather my feet sweat all day long which is no fun at all.

Anyone fount that Mink Oil is difficult to find these days?

Kiwi changed to "conditioning oil" which doesn't smell like mink oil..

The home brew does allow the leather to breath some, pure wax no. I will have to try the Birch tar, I like the smell and less sticky than pine tar. This is what the sailors used on their oil skins and sails, rigging and practically everything that would not run away fast enough. This is why sailors are called Tars.

Most gore-tex boots with a sewn on mid sole can benefit from waxing. If the gore-tex is still working then the rest of the boot would just get a preservative treatment

"Anyone fount that Mink Oil is difficult to find these days?"

There is plenty online. I only use it on really dry leather and prefer bear grease when I have it. Mink oil can over soften some leathers and weakens linen stitching, but most boots have synthetic thread on them now.

Yep the original northwest loggers boot grease! Works as well as any other brand ive tried!

My brother, who had taken four different month long treks in Nepal (twice)l, Pakistan (glacier fields) and Andes mountains swears by Nikwax. It was recommended to him by the various guides and has never failed him.

I think that is a good testimonial for Nikwax.

I've been using a mix sold by Schnee's for years that a mix of mink oil and pine pitch, called Montana Pitch Blend. It works great.

Thanks Tejano,
My oldest pair of boots was deeply and religiously treated with mink oil and are still in fine shape. As well as a belt of the same vintage which has taken quite a bit of girth stress over the decades..
Recently I was looking to treat a newly crafted sling and I had to look all over the place before I finally found a shoe repair/leather craftsman that had some by Angelus Polish co. (From Rick's home town), (It is still unproven in my book at this point) I have used beeswax, silicone, Nikwax, Neatsfoot and ringwax over the years for various boots. I think the quality of the boot has a lot to do with longevity..but I became trained to associate the odor of Kiwi mink oil with quality I suppose..

I'm not disagreeing with you, but haven't noticed a big difference either way. My feet tend to sweat in everything so maybe it's just me.

I rotate between two pairs of work boots on a daily basis to let them dry out.

Maybe they relabeled it to appease the rabid leftys who abhor using mink for pelts or anything else.


Ever smelt real mink oil (fat)? I wouldn't want my boots to smell like that. I grew up on a small mink operation my dad owned. I've skinned 1000s of mink in my life. They stink!

Regardless of treatment, I do my applications on a sunny, hot, July or August day by first placing the boots out in direct and very warm sunlight. Not the type of weather one is typically thinking of snow seal or whatever, but they really warm up then and absorb stuff.

Once had a distant neighbor insist black bear grease with the cat's ass for my Whites going so far as to do an application for me. Smelled like road kill for about 2 months. Never again.

If you work in bear country keep those boots out of the tent and where the bears can't get them. Mine were stolen out of the back of my truck and absolutely demolished, I am pretty sure it was the neatsfoot oil that he was smelling, my feet aren't that bad!

About 15 years ago, I listened to my fellow campers and bought a lifetime supply of beeswax on Ebay. I'd previously been a Sno-Seal addict, and found myself replacing it on a fairly regular basis-- once or twice per season. Beeswax? I'd melt it in with a heat gun and in some cases, I've had it on for 15 years without a leak.

Yes, it's not a good thing on Goretex, but once the Goretex goes, it's just as good if not better.

My last date with the heat gun was 5 years ago. Those boots have had zero leaks. One of these is a pair of Wolverine Wellington boots are my everyday boots for Winter. The soles are starting to go, but the leather is fine and I've slogged through snow and slush without a leak.

SC,
That was a thought I had. Also maybe that it is more expensive to obtain since Fur has been vilified and now less popular in "blue" areas...

Real mink oil operation? No.
My roommate was in the agricultural program and his girlfriend preferred my room as it smelled like a tack shop. (That is when I would oil weekly)...

Dansy,

You are talking about neetsfoot?
Never really noticed a smell,
Bearfat I could see,
Mink Oil too...

Smell is one of my prime considerations in a boot treatment and probably why I like something with pine tar in it. My mother used to render goose grease and treated the leather boots we wore to school. Saying the smell was like road kill would be understating reality. Then, our school has heat in the floors. I'd sit there with the smell rising all morning and kids moving away like I'd just schidt my pants.

Yeah neetsfoot. As I remember it did not smell much but put your nose to it and it smelled like fat or fryer grease, sure the bear could smell it from a ways away. Maybe I just got a stinky batch?

Mink oil is neatsfoot oil which is the synovial fluid in cow hooves. It is the slightly sticky, clear liquid in the joint in horses, deer and other hooved animals. It is pretty much odorless.

Lots of people do not need or want truly waterproof leather. If they do, there is nothing to match beeswax. Further, the leather lasts far, far longer.

Also, water-soaked leather boots get loose and sloppy and in many cases they are dangerous to walk in.

Thanks SD,

I have always encountered Mink Oil in a paste form, I guess KIwi added something to theirs...

Neatsfoot I always see in an amber liquid form.

I have used various types of wax when forming holsters after wet molding. I can see how the increased pliability could ruin a pair of boots when they are wet..I have trashed more than one set of split grain timberland style (tan with padded ankle) workboots from rain and mud...

Oldmanof the Sea, Herman Survivor the boot company makes mink oil, I just bought some the other day in Walmart.

Have you tried birch tar oil?

Are you in the birch tar oil business? You should send a sample to one of our prolific posters/gear reviewers.

Not as the form you mention, but it is just typical phenols like those used in MT Pitch Blend and they are delivered by using solvents which are an indication the dressing is not as good as plain beeswax delivered by melting into the leather.

Quick peek at Wiki says:
It is composed of phenols such as guaiacol, cresol, xylenol, and creosol.

I have used MPB and think it is among the best, but a long way short of wax.

Thanks.I didnt find any when I was looking but got some of the Angelus polish Co. stuff.

It just says "Genuine Mink Oil" on the tub no list of ingredients though there was a product sheet on their website I forget what it said...