As someone who’s been wearing nice work boots his whole life, this channel has a very interesting appeal. Never knew I gave 2 shits about how my boots are made down to a technical level. Now I almost feel like a snob and want some hand made boots🤣🤣
I'm currently working in a cobbler shop and can say that the reason bick 4 didn't perform as well is you didn't apply the proper amount, you need to apply until it almost won't soak in. On pairs or dilapidated shoes we will do 2 sometimes even three coats
Great video! I'd like to see a side by side comparison of different conditioners like the Obenaufs LP, Danner leather conditioner, Red Wing leather conditioner, Snow Seal etc. (all the waxy, grease, paste, balm type stuff) Followed with water resistance testing and longevity comparisons. Also it would be interesting to note the general level of UV protection of different products.
I did a lot of climbing and mountaineering when I was a bit younger. Spent most of my time in the Canadian Rockies and other western ranges. The go to for conditioning and waterproofing boots was Nikwax. They have a lot of new spray on products but the old school stuff came in a tube. It darkened the boots but did a good job preserving them in pretty hideous conditions.
The nikwax tin was the best, but they stopped production. Now it’s in a tube, but it’s not the same stuff. By the way, Bick 4 smells exactly the same as Nikwax.
Great demonstration for color purposes. For anyone learning about leather care, he was only applying a very topical amount that wouldn't go far toward conditioning fibers. Thirsty leather needs way more oil or grease than shown here.
I’m always happy to see these sorts of videos with different boots and conditioners; there’s a lot of people who will talk about what the conditioners do but not very many actually trying them on different boots
Professional leather tanner here, Neatsfoot oil is the premium conditioner in my opinion. I like lp on top of Neatsfoot if I know the leather will see water. Both will definitely darken the leather, but that's to be expected. Also, I think using a bit more product then you demonstrated would allow it to saturate the seams and condition both layers of leather. Finally, a dry brush is typically sufficient for most boots. Water and saddle soap only stained or soiled leather.
@@OriginalObuv if you are asking in a broad sense, it's to restore natural oils lost during processing and use. It keeps the leather fibers elastic and resilient. If you are asking specifically why I use and recommend neatsfoot oil, it's because it's derived from the same animal the leather came from. Most commercial conditioners are an emulsified or hydrogenated blend of mineral, coconut oil and/or lard with wax, scent, colorant and stabilizers. Typically they are more expensive per oz and imo not as effective as pure neatsfoot when looking strictly at conditioning properties.
@@tonyp9179 you forget that the oil is ONLY FOR SOFTENING! IT does not give elasticity to the skin! Most shoe leather is chrome tanned if you didn't know! And bone oil spoils! Mineral no! Oil cannot make skin PH acidic! And the skin should be sour.
Great info. In the Army (90’s era) you applied kiwi polish and shined them the best you could. That was pretty much the extent of boot care. I’ve learned so much since, like saddle soap, conditioner, oils, and other waxes. Thanks for the video(s)
Yes, great info for sure. Retired 23 years army, 1979-2002. In the early days Kiwi polish ruled with the result being we destroyed otherwise fine leather boots. Example: schmear on a tablespoon of Kiwi, then heat it up with a lighter, and then run under cold tap water to bring out a mirror shine with the Kiwi WAX. Boots would crack and fall apart from the abuse. I had "field boots" which didn't see much Kiwi and they fared much better. We have evolved!
I have multiple leather shoes and have done my best learning to care for them, but obviously that common knowledge is no longer so common. Would be cool to get a run down on the proper weekly care, i.e. what maintenance to do weekly, what to do if they get wet in the rain, what to do if mustard or oil drips on them etc. Like a triage video 😂
It's fairly simple, I use saddle soap, and any kind of conditioner, use the soap every few months only because it can destroy the leather if used too often. Always condition the leather after saddle soap though. I usually just whipe them down with a damp cloth to clean for conditioning every 2 weeks. Just try it out and you'll get a feel for it. This is what I do for boots, you might want a different approach for dress shoes though.
I’d say unless you are someone like a wild land firefighter whose boots are exposed to extreme heat, lots of abrasion, or lots of standing water, the Obernauf’s oil is great. The LP is really heavy duty stuff. As for the Bick, you can slather more on there or do multiple applications for deeper conditioning, at it still won’t really darken.
I agree with the calls for more brands/styles of conditioners. I think that sliding scale rank from your earlier moctober videos would fit that well. Protection, darkening and conditioning come to mind for starter metrics.
Completely agree that Obenaufs will make your leather darker. Wasn't a problem for me, just made my brown leather a deep rich brown. However, if I had a nice light leather that I wanted to maintain, I'd probably choose something else.
This dude isn’t going to spread any “boot preservation,” while using rubbing alcohol. 😬😂 Maybe spreading “false information,” but damn sure not safe boot preservation.
In all these years I have tried numerous boot oils and pastes, Pecard has been my boot oil of choice and have had great success with it for almost 40 years..!
Yes! More please. Comparing how the different brands leathers clean up, would be a cool video. Granted it's hard to make an exact comparison because you weren't the one making all of those stains.
Used Mink Oil when I was fire fighting out west, but just recently discovered Obenaufs line of products and now exclusively use the Obenaufs LP on all my leather. Motorcycle jacket, boots and gloves.
A test for winter conditions. Snow & slush and such. Sno-Seal vs. Hubbard's vs. Obenauf's LP for example would be good. Find a 4th that claims great for snow. Then actually do some experiments instead of just showing us the next day. Get it wet, bend it up, leave it in sun, etc.
I'm a big Obenauf's fan. What about Sno-Seal or some of the other similar products I've heard good things about? For "waterproofing" and such. We have long, snowy, road-salty winters up here, getting wet and salty boots destroys the life expectancy of the uppers.
Paste mink oil fan, here. FWIW, I apply a fairly heavy coating with an applicator brush, then work it daily with a larger brush over a full week, as it soaks in. Another week of daily buffing and it comes out looking great as is, or ready for polish, if desired. Personally, I think of the mink oiled color as being richer, so don’t mind it at all.
I started making my own conditioners. A good way to get mink oil or neatsfoot oil is to heat up and dissolve some pine pitch into it. It keeps the liquid form but helps it stick to the leather. I make oil, grease or balm. Just depends on how much thickener you want like beeswax or shea butter, etc.
I love this kind of test. Could you test how water resistant each conditioner is. Also, please show the boots after several months to compare the conditioner after time.
I've been really happy with Cobbler's Choice for a "don't change the color of the leather please" conditioner. Obenaufs leather oil is my go to for work/hard use boots that I know will face the elements
Is Cobblers choice a brand? I just got my first leather boot and I know I'd hate to fall in love with one color, just go completely change it after one conditioning.
@@greygoose3936 Yep, they're a brand. I use them on my natural CXL and other lighter boots that I don't want to darken. People like Bick 4 conditioner for that as well I hear.
I put the clean, dry boots into the oven on its very lowest setting, along with the jar of Obenauf’s and a small cloth. When the boots are warm and the Obenauf’s liquid, I put on a lot. That seems to work in Pacific Northwest cold rain.
i really like the buck 4. I clean and condition my boots often enough that the light conditioning is fine, and it keeps the color right wear I like it. 👍👍
I use mink oil for years. Only the paste/waxy oil tho. Its great waterproofing ability i made my Arait Groundbreaker Steel toe boots pretty much completely water proof, I can walk through really soggy fields no problem after oiling them the day prior.
I would wait until summer when its 100° outside. After giving the boots a light brush clean, i would smear mink oil or Obenaufs onto the boots. Just smear it on and rub it in with a rag. Then put the boots outside and let it sit outside the whole day. Let the sun warm it up, melt the oil, and open the pores to soak it in. When i bring them in in the evening, there is almost nothing to wipe off as the leather has soaked in all the oils. Wipe it down and give it a soft shine and its good for the season.
I haven't ever used Bick 4 or the liquid mink oil. I have used mink oil and like it but have moved away from it due to the silicon content and have moved to Obenaufs. On boots that beat I always use neatsfoot oil first after the cleaning amd then apply the Obenaufs or mink oil. After that I add an old school polish for additional protection. The whole process takes days but I love it. Treat your boots like you would your saddle, I was always taught. Well, without the polish.
I have two pairs of work boots a winter pair insulated that gets primarily treated with saddle soap and sno seal. The other non insulated with saddle soap and mink oil I usually get them resoled in the off season. I put hard miles on my boots and they usually need the resole after 6 months.
Much obliged sir. I am about to bring back some shine to fee pair of old boots. I didn't know about the brushes and stuff. I just used a rag. Thank you
Good video. I use ballistol on my boots and it is good for waterproofing them. It is a natural oil and soaks in well to the leather somewhat similar to mink oil.
@@cormac1000 I use it on black boots so it's not a problem for me, however if you apply it to a light colour leather then it will darken it for a while in the same way as any oil would.
I use obenaufs and I love it. It does darken boots, but I think the boots end up looking better darker. My opinion. It does leave a slightly greasy feel which attracts dirt, but a like to brush my boots every other day, so it's not a big deal for me.
This is an older, still very relevant, video. Boot nerds, especially PNW ones, seem to compare everything to Obenaufs. A new video comparing Huberds shoe grease, Otter Wax Boot Wax, and Obenaufs LP would be a nice update and excuse to link your older video to reinvigorate traffic. The only thing this video is missing, is the consistency of the product before application. Largely moot here since 2/3 are liquid. But a relevant quality between the 3 I listed.
in a pinch I ended up using a leather conditioner that was intended for leather car seats, it seemed to do a really good job of conditioning the leather on my Thorogoods. It was not greasy and seemed to penetrate deep in the leather.
@@anthonyottinger2594 car seat conditioners are probably formulated to not leave any residue behind that would get on your clothes. If you used any of the oils or waxy products made for boots they would get all over you.
Excellent information as always. I would love to see your professional dissection and analysis of common combat boot brands such as Belleville, Bates, and Rothco.
I found Trenton & Heath through watching your videos. They use Chamberlain's Leather Milk. I picked some up through Amazon, and it's pretty nice stuff. Darkens the leather quite a bit though.
I have a couple dozen pairs of boots, I find that to be a good way to avoid having to do this. Having said that, I have found that a 2:1 blend of mineral oil to white bees wax does a really good job of penetrating leather and re-establishing (and usually improving) weather resistance. It does, of course, darken the leather.
I think if you don't have any oils that go rancid, you lower the life of the leather. Oils breaking down into fatty acids keeps the leather sorta pickled, which keeps it from breaking down. I was trying to figure out why they never tanned leather with mineral oils when I found this out.
Quite informative and relevant for more casual wear than for work boots. Perhaps application and also color would influence the decision, as if they are actual dedicated brown, red, etc work boots upper health trumps over color. I would also include in the mix the o.g. neatsfoot oil too.
We're coming into winter, so lots of snow and slush in my area. I always use snow seal wax sealant on my boots, but I'm always wondered is there any other options? Any chance you could do a comparison video on some waterproofing products?
Being from central Michigan that was my ritual also. My son set me up with Obenauf’s last fall and I will never look back, in my opinion it’s far superior.
Sno-Seal still seems best to me for snow & such. Personally & video's. Sno-Seal vs. Hubbard's vs. Obenauf's LP for example would be good. Find a 4th that claims great for snow. Then actually do some experiments instead of just showing us the next day. Get it wet, bend it up, leave it in sun, etc.
I've tried sno-seal, hubbards shoe grease, and obenaufs lp on multiple boots over the years and I have to say personally I prefer Hubbards Shoe Grease for the main shoe because its the easiest to apply, smells fantastic, and works just as well as sno-seal - however, for the welt and seams I actually find sno-seal to penetrate deeper/last a bit longer just because you melt it into a liquid when applying, so it soaks in better. So I usually hit the seams/welt at the beginning of the season with snow seal, and then use Hubbards as needed for the rest of the season.
I use Cadillac Leather Lotion and Conditioner. It's a water based conditioner that does the same work as these ones but doesn't darken your shoes at all and doesn't lead to cracking like these conditioners either. Albeit it if you're using a shoe or boot for heavy duty work you wanna stick with oil conditioners. For dress or fashion styles you wanna go with a water based leather lotion and conditioner.
The Bick 4 works well. You do have to put a few coats on to get it to soak in well. I try to keep up on cleaning and oiling too. Just makes the boots last longer. I use mink oil on my hunting boots. Really strong on keeping water out. For ball gloves and horse tack Bick 4 is good. You don't want to use anything heavy. Saddles and tack get salty from horse sweat. You must scrub with water to get the salt out. Let it dry and do it again. Once dry, be liberal with the Bick 4.
Leather Honey I have some and have used it on a few things. It seems OK, but I don't really know enough to know if it's actually good. It does seem to rehydrate the leather well, at least. Most of my experience is in throwing some Pecard dressing on my leather hat for waterproofing or some Wonder Balsam on a pair of Dr. Marten's dress shoes. Also, Chemical Guys or similar cleaning/conditioning products marketed toward cars. I'd like to protect the chestnut-colored leather in my new Buick Enclave.
I’ve always been a Bick 4 fan since several custom cowboy boot cobblers recommended it to me. What I like about it is it’s non intrusive to the leather in a way that makes the leather ‘oil soaked’ like other choices. This becomes especially important as I use it on all of my leather furniture and leather jackets. It also makes a great leather conditioner if you’re planning on following up with polish as it doesn’t saturate the leather. For ongoing regular maintenance, Bick 4 seems like the best choice but if you’re only going to condition once per year or less, others may be a better choice.
Baby (mineral) oil and 50/50 mineral oil-parrafin wax cream. Used it on my boots as I live off dry pot noodles like a real student, it's pretty good, better than some generic conditioners
Saphir renovateur darkened my White's Perry Moc toe much more than the mink oil darkened the White's Perryin this video. Worn daily since February of this year (2021), about 10+ hrs/day in a bowling alley and when doing errands around town for the alley. Figure I will need a resole about February.
Had been thinking about what conditioner to get and you released this video. Awesome! Would love to see a follow up after these have been sitting around for awhile.
Trick with obenauf's, hit it with heat , and the tacky surface wax melts, the residual conditioner will soak in more, and the surface feel more like a pure bees wax film, so it won't have as bad of a dust cling, it will be better at repelling water properly, and it also subsides the darkening ever so slightly. Just a trick I figured out, or read somewhere, and do on my stuff most the time.
Bam, I heat it up, melt it in, wipe the excess off, buff, and wear them hot. They really comform to your feet that way. Or you can insert a boot tree. Either way.
@@ThomasSteed Found a guide called Crane's Guide with 1000 mile boots. It isn't for the faint of heart but when you are tromping in snow for hours on end. Wading through 3-4 inches of water there is no substitute to it. I have yet to try the pure beeswax method but I have thought of it. Cool news is doing that with Obeneauf's makes it last for 6-12 months of treatment. Well worth it.
@@Vultain I haven't yet either, but it's on my list. I was planning on otter wax or I think cobblers choice has one for cheaper. One that's refined a little more, so it's not so yellow, and full of bug stuff. Basically the same quality you'd use on waxed canvas.
@@Vultain also... Where do I find a copy of this book you speak of? Is it the same company that makes crane's fluid dynamics? The flow of fluid threw pipes and fittings?
A very explanatory video. A question, Fiebing's saddle soap leaves the soles of my Thorogood boots yellow. What product do you suggest to keep the original color of the soles?
Thanks for venturing away from just cutting boots in half to show us their inner workings. Keeping their exterior healthy is important, too. I’m a fan of Obenauf’s, but I only use it on the old GoreTex boots I wear when I wash my car and my Red Wing chukkas that it doesn’t discolor. Obenauf’s is perfect for heavy work environments. I prefer Venetian Shoe Cream for my Viberg, Alden and Grant Stone boots. Can you imagine slapping some Obenauf’s on some Chromexcel or Dublin leather boots? Disaster!
I'd like to see you test all of otter wax's leather products. Saddle soap, conditioner, oil, waterproofing wax. Could you also clarify when to use what's sometimes labelled a boot oil vs conditioner? I'm guessing oil is preferred when things are deeply parched
Saw that my boots had dried out a bit. First thing handy was some Nokoma baseball glove conditioner. Softened the boots up and brought the leather color back. Next time around I treated them with mink oil. If I had it to do again I'd stay with the Nokoma, they looked really good.
This is the important question not enough ask. Bees wax seems a main ingredient in one's made for this I think? Obenauf's LP, Sno-Seal, and Hubbard's might be the top 3 here.
I used to use Mink oil many years ago, but I have been using Redwing Boot oil (from the store) for a couple of decades now, even on my Thorogood boots which is what I have been wearing for a while.
![[ASMR] How to FIRE SHINE Your Red Wing Iron Rangers](/img/1.gif)
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As someone who’s been wearing nice work boots his whole life, this channel has a very interesting appeal. Never knew I gave 2 shits about how my boots are made down to a technical level. Now I almost feel like a snob and want some hand made boots🤣🤣
Bro I actuallly just bought a handmade pair feeling some snob type of way
Saddle soap and cream polish might be the new litmus test to know if you're dealing with a smart man
I'm currently working in a cobbler shop and can say that the reason bick 4 didn't perform as well is you didn't apply the proper amount, you need to apply until it almost won't soak in. On pairs or dilapidated shoes we will do 2 sometimes even three coats
Does bicks4 keep out rrain
As another cobbler, EXACTLY. 😂
Bucks 4 is Trash Mink Oil is GOAT
Bicks 4 is trash it is not intended for work
@@JV-sl9uyBick 4 is for sunday best, and Obenaufs is for heavy duty
I love the mesmerizing brushing, cleaning, oiling!
I love the explanation of each product and the pros and cons so we can make an informed decision when doing this to our own boots
Great video! I'd like to see a side by side comparison of different conditioners like the Obenaufs LP, Danner leather conditioner, Red Wing leather conditioner, Snow Seal etc. (all the waxy, grease, paste, balm type stuff) Followed with water resistance testing and longevity comparisons. Also it would be interesting to note the general level of UV protection of different products.
I did a lot of climbing and mountaineering when I was a bit younger. Spent most of my time in the Canadian Rockies and other western ranges. The go to for conditioning and waterproofing boots was Nikwax. They have a lot of new spray on products but the old school stuff came in a tube. It darkened the boots but did a good job preserving them in pretty hideous conditions.
The nikwax tin was the best, but they stopped production. Now it’s in a tube, but it’s not the same stuff. By the way, Bick 4 smells exactly the same as Nikwax.
Real leather boot protector will always darken the leather. Oils and waxes. 50/50 beeswax/coconut oil. Cheap and effective.
Great demonstration for color purposes. For anyone learning about leather care, he was only applying a very topical amount that wouldn't go far toward conditioning fibers. Thirsty leather needs way more oil or grease than shown here.
I’m always happy to see these sorts of videos with different boots and conditioners; there’s a lot of people who will talk about what the conditioners do but not very many actually trying them on different boots
Professional leather tanner here, Neatsfoot oil is the premium conditioner in my opinion. I like lp on top of Neatsfoot if I know the leather will see water. Both will definitely darken the leather, but that's to be expected. Also, I think using a bit more product then you demonstrated would allow it to saturate the seams and condition both layers of leather. Finally, a dry brush is typically sufficient for most boots. Water and saddle soap only stained or soiled leather.
why use 100% oil? It softens the skin and that's it! Like any other non-drying oil! Such oil is always fluid in the skin.
@@OriginalObuv if you are asking in a broad sense, it's to restore natural oils lost during processing and use. It keeps the leather fibers elastic and resilient.
If you are asking specifically why I use and recommend neatsfoot oil, it's because it's derived from the same animal the leather came from. Most commercial conditioners are an emulsified or hydrogenated blend of mineral, coconut oil and/or lard with wax, scent, colorant and stabilizers. Typically they are more expensive per oz and imo not as effective as pure neatsfoot when looking strictly at conditioning properties.
@@tonyp9179 you forget that the oil is ONLY FOR SOFTENING! IT does not give elasticity to the skin! Most shoe leather is chrome tanned if you didn't know! And bone oil spoils! Mineral no! Oil cannot make skin PH acidic! And the skin should be sour.
@@OriginalObuv What do you recommend then Obuv?
@@tonyp9179 Hand made cream with right PH
Great info. In the Army (90’s era) you applied kiwi polish and shined them the best you could. That was pretty much the extent of boot care.
I’ve learned so much since, like saddle soap, conditioner, oils, and other waxes.
Thanks for the video(s)
Yes, great info for sure. Retired 23 years army, 1979-2002. In the early days Kiwi polish ruled with the result being we destroyed otherwise fine leather boots. Example: schmear on a tablespoon of Kiwi, then heat it up with a lighter, and then run under cold tap water to bring out a mirror shine with the Kiwi WAX. Boots would crack and fall apart from the abuse. I had "field boots" which didn't see much Kiwi and they fared much better. We have evolved!
Saddle Soap is just amazing… you can never go wrong with itx
I have multiple leather shoes and have done my best learning to care for them, but obviously that common knowledge is no longer so common. Would be cool to get a run down on the proper weekly care, i.e. what maintenance to do weekly, what to do if they get wet in the rain, what to do if mustard or oil drips on them etc. Like a triage video 😂
Dear god yes plz. Hell, I even have a pair of cheapo leather boots just to try different cleaning methods on so I dont ruin my much nicer pairs.
It's fairly simple, I use saddle soap, and any kind of conditioner, use the soap every few months only because it can destroy the leather if used too often. Always condition the leather after saddle soap though. I usually just whipe them down with a damp cloth to clean for conditioning every 2 weeks. Just try it out and you'll get a feel for it. This is what I do for boots, you might want a different approach for dress shoes though.
Yes Please!!
I concur
I’d say unless you are someone like a wild land firefighter whose boots are exposed to extreme heat, lots of abrasion, or lots of standing water, the Obernauf’s oil is great. The LP is really heavy duty stuff. As for the Bick, you can slather more on there or do multiple applications for deeper conditioning, at it still won’t really darken.
I agree with the calls for more brands/styles of conditioners. I think that sliding scale rank from your earlier moctober videos would fit that well. Protection, darkening and conditioning come to mind for starter metrics.
This is a great step by step guide for anyone who’s getting into leather boots. Thank you for posting this easy to follow video
Completely agree that Obenaufs will make your leather darker. Wasn't a problem for me, just made my brown leather a deep rich brown. However, if I had a nice light leather that I wanted to maintain, I'd probably choose something else.
Saphir Renovateur, Huberd’s Shoe Grease and also try Venetian Shoe Cream
Great stuff man, the more videos you make like this the more people will learn to preserve & care for their things. Keep it up 👏👏
This dude isn’t going to spread any “boot preservation,” while using rubbing alcohol. 😬😂 Maybe spreading “false information,” but damn sure not safe boot preservation.
Will share this with our customers after tips on boot care options. Thanks Weston🥾
In all these years I have tried numerous boot oils and pastes, Pecard has been my boot oil of choice and have had great success with it for almost 40 years..!
Yes! More please. Comparing how the different brands leathers clean up, would be a cool video. Granted it's hard to make an exact comparison because you weren't the one making all of those stains.
Used Mink Oil when I was fire fighting out west, but just recently discovered Obenaufs line of products and now exclusively use the Obenaufs LP on all my leather. Motorcycle jacket, boots and gloves.
A test for winter conditions. Snow & slush and such.
Sno-Seal vs. Hubbard's vs. Obenauf's LP for example would be good. Find a 4th that claims great for snow.
Then actually do some experiments instead of just showing us the next day. Get it wet, bend it up, leave it in sun, etc.
what about the fiebing 4 way care?
I use Pecards leather dressing in the winter and obenhaufs. Great combo
HUBBARDS & NORVEGIAN
SnoSeal too
lmao too much work. How about u do it
@@craigman7262 I'm not the one making money running a channel and requesting ideas for more videos.
Weston is...so I obliged
Great comparison video!! The boots came In handy. My choice is Bick 4.
I'm a big Obenauf's fan. What about Sno-Seal or some of the other similar products I've heard good things about? For "waterproofing" and such. We have long, snowy, road-salty winters up here, getting wet and salty boots destroys the life expectancy of the uppers.
Paste mink oil fan, here. FWIW, I apply a fairly heavy coating with an applicator brush, then work it daily with a larger brush over a full week, as it soaks in. Another week of daily buffing and it comes out looking great as is, or ready for polish, if desired.
Personally, I think of the mink oiled color as being richer, so don’t mind it at all.
BTW, in another video you mentioned the potential desirability of conditioning leather insoles. I had not considered this, but may give that a test.
I started making my own conditioners. A good way to get mink oil or neatsfoot oil is to heat up and dissolve some pine pitch into it. It keeps the liquid form but helps it stick to the leather.
I make oil, grease or balm. Just depends on how much thickener you want like beeswax or shea butter, etc.
I love this kind of test. Could you test how water resistant each conditioner is. Also, please show the boots after several months to compare the conditioner after time.
I've been really happy with Cobbler's Choice for a "don't change the color of the leather please" conditioner. Obenaufs leather oil is my go to for work/hard use boots that I know will face the elements
Is Cobblers choice a brand? I just got my first leather boot and I know I'd hate to fall in love with one color, just go completely change it after one conditioning.
@@greygoose3936 Yep, they're a brand. I use them on my natural CXL and other lighter boots that I don't want to darken. People like Bick 4 conditioner for that as well I hear.
I put the clean, dry boots into the oven on its very lowest setting, along with the jar of Obenauf’s and a small cloth. When the boots are warm and the Obenauf’s liquid, I put on a lot. That seems to work in Pacific Northwest cold rain.
I bought Saphir Medaille d’Or Pommadier Natural Cream Leather Shoe Polish based on a Wirecutter review and I am impressed with it.
Awesome video, personal choice for me has always been any product with Bear fat..
i really like the buck 4. I clean and condition my boots often enough that the light conditioning is fine, and it keeps the color right wear I like it. 👍👍
I use mink oil for years. Only the paste/waxy oil tho. Its great waterproofing ability i made my Arait Groundbreaker Steel toe boots pretty much completely water proof, I can walk through really soggy fields no problem after oiling them the day prior.
I would wait until summer when its 100° outside. After giving the boots a light brush clean, i would smear mink oil or Obenaufs onto the boots. Just smear it on and rub it in with a rag. Then put the boots outside and let it sit outside the whole day. Let the sun warm it up, melt the oil, and open the pores to soak it in. When i bring them in in the evening, there is almost nothing to wipe off as the leather has soaked in all the oils. Wipe it down and give it a soft shine and its good for the season.
I do something akin to that, but I have a low temp heat gun.
what about the fiebing 4 way care?
I do my own concotion of mink oil, processed beef tallow and regular unsalted butter, (yes believe it or not) on a double boiler.
I haven't ever used Bick 4 or the liquid mink oil. I have used mink oil and like it but have moved away from it due to the silicon content and have moved to Obenaufs. On boots that beat I always use neatsfoot oil first after the cleaning amd then apply the Obenaufs or mink oil. After that I add an old school polish for additional protection.
The whole process takes days but I love it.
Treat your boots like you would your saddle, I was always taught. Well, without the polish.
I have two pairs of work boots a winter pair insulated that gets primarily treated with saddle soap and sno seal. The other non insulated with saddle soap and mink oil I usually get them resoled in the off season. I put hard miles on my boots and they usually need the resole after 6 months.
Thank you for linking the brush you use, I've been wanting a bigger one.
Thank you for the lessons because I am 3 weeks new as a Redwing employee and clean boots everyday. I love you videos! So helpful for me!
Much obliged sir. I am about to bring back some shine to fee pair of old boots. I didn't know about the brushes and stuff. I just used a rag. Thank you
Good video. I use ballistol on my boots and it is good for waterproofing them. It is a natural oil and soaks in well to the leather somewhat similar to mink oil.
Does it darken them
@@cormac1000 I use it on black boots so it's not a problem for me, however if you apply it to a light colour leather then it will darken it for a while in the same way as any oil would.
Obenaufs is the way to go also helps with waterproofing the leather as well.
GREAT VIDEO! Rare to see a true side by side comparison of products!
I use obenaufs and I love it. It does darken boots, but I think the boots end up looking better darker. My opinion. It does leave a slightly greasy feel which attracts dirt, but a like to brush my boots every other day, so it's not a big deal for me.
This is an older, still very relevant, video. Boot nerds, especially PNW ones, seem to compare everything to Obenaufs. A new video comparing Huberds shoe grease, Otter Wax Boot Wax, and Obenaufs LP would be a nice update and excuse to link your older video to reinvigorate traffic. The only thing this video is missing, is the consistency of the product before application. Largely moot here since 2/3 are liquid. But a relevant quality between the 3 I listed.
in a pinch I ended up using a leather conditioner that was intended for leather car seats, it seemed to do a really good job of conditioning the leather on my Thorogoods. It was not greasy and seemed to penetrate deep in the leather.
Makes you wonder how different seat conditioner could be from boot conditioner
@@anthonyottinger2594 car seat conditioners are probably formulated to not leave any residue behind that would get on your clothes. If you used any of the oils or waxy products made for boots they would get all over you.
@@F0XD1E that's a good point
I have done the same thing! Ironically it gave better results than the random brand shoe leather conditioner I had.
The finish on the mink oil is fantastic, also the color difference is for the better
I’ve been using LL Beans Boot Guard and or Bick 4.
Excellent information as always.
I would love to see your professional dissection and analysis of common combat boot brands such as Belleville, Bates, and Rothco.
I found Trenton & Heath through watching your videos. They use Chamberlain's Leather Milk. I picked some up through Amazon, and it's pretty nice stuff. Darkens the leather quite a bit though.
I use obenaufs and huberds and always clean with saddle soap
I use safir ren. for all my dress boots and venetian shoe cream for everything else.
My 3 go tos for conditioner are smiths leather balm, Canadian beeseal, and blackrock leather n rich
I use a beeswax/mink oil/lanolin mix that seems to work great. I'd love to see how it compares to what you used, and sno-seal
I have a couple dozen pairs of boots, I find that to be a good way to avoid having to do this. Having said that, I have found that a 2:1 blend of mineral oil to white bees wax does a really good job of penetrating leather and re-establishing (and usually improving) weather resistance. It does, of course, darken the leather.
I think if you don't have any oils that go rancid, you lower the life of the leather. Oils breaking down into fatty acids keeps the leather sorta pickled, which keeps it from breaking down. I was trying to figure out why they never tanned leather with mineral oils when I found this out.
Quite informative and relevant for more casual wear than for work boots. Perhaps application and also color would influence the decision, as if they are actual dedicated brown, red, etc work boots upper health trumps over color. I would also include in the mix the o.g. neatsfoot oil too.
We're coming into winter, so lots of snow and slush in my area. I always use snow seal wax sealant on my boots, but I'm always wondered is there any other options? Any chance you could do a comparison video on some waterproofing products?
Being from central Michigan that was my ritual also. My son set me up with Obenauf’s last fall and I will never look back, in my opinion it’s far superior.
Sno-Seal still seems best to me for snow & such. Personally & video's.
Sno-Seal vs. Hubbard's vs. Obenauf's LP for example would be good. Find a 4th that claims great for snow.
Then actually do some experiments instead of just showing us the next day. Get it wet, bend it up, leave it in sun, etc.
Use mink oil, lasts a while before the water proofing goes away, and you can simply apply another layer if water starts leaking into your boots.
I've tried sno-seal, hubbards shoe grease, and obenaufs lp on multiple boots over the years and I have to say personally I prefer Hubbards Shoe Grease for the main shoe because its the easiest to apply, smells fantastic, and works just as well as sno-seal - however, for the welt and seams I actually find sno-seal to penetrate deeper/last a bit longer just because you melt it into a liquid when applying, so it soaks in better. So I usually hit the seams/welt at the beginning of the season with snow seal, and then use Hubbards as needed for the rest of the season.
@@quickshot4050 I'm 55 and I've used nothing but mink oil. It's always worked for me
I use Cadillac Leather Lotion and Conditioner. It's a water based conditioner that does the same work as these ones but doesn't darken your shoes at all and doesn't lead to cracking like these conditioners either.
Albeit it if you're using a shoe or boot for heavy duty work you wanna stick with oil conditioners. For dress or fashion styles you wanna go with a water based leather lotion and conditioner.
Hey I just got a set of Durango rebel boots and I was wondering if you would do them
The Bick 4 works well. You do have to put a few coats on to get it to soak in well. I try to keep up on cleaning and oiling too. Just makes the boots last longer. I use mink oil on my hunting boots. Really strong on keeping water out.
For ball gloves and horse tack Bick 4 is good. You don't want to use anything heavy.
Saddles and tack get salty from horse sweat. You must scrub with water to get the salt out. Let it dry and do it again. Once dry, be liberal with the Bick 4.
This has absolutely sold me on getting some Obenauf's shipped to Australia
Good vid - I’d say it’s a good practice to apply the conditioner to a brush or cloth then wipe on rather than drop it directly -
Leather Honey
I have some and have used it on a few things. It seems OK, but I don't really know enough to know if it's actually good. It does seem to rehydrate the leather well, at least. Most of my experience is in throwing some Pecard dressing on my leather hat for waterproofing or some Wonder Balsam on a pair of Dr. Marten's dress shoes.
Also, Chemical Guys or similar cleaning/conditioning products marketed toward cars. I'd like to protect the chestnut-colored leather in my new Buick Enclave.
Nice video! Good selection of products. Good to see kitty back.🐈
I really appreciate this video because I’m buying those exact boots and I was trying to decide between obenaufs or bick 4 lol thanks!
I like the look of the Bick 4 finish. I'll have to try that out with added oils. Thanks
Bick also makes a distressed leather conditioner which I always recommend if you're worried about darkening your boots.
very informative! what about neatsfoot oil blend by redwing?
I’ve always been a Bick 4 fan since several custom cowboy boot cobblers recommended it to me. What I like about it is it’s non intrusive to the leather in a way that makes the leather ‘oil soaked’ like other choices. This becomes especially important as I use it on all of my leather furniture and leather jackets.
It also makes a great leather conditioner if you’re planning on following up with polish as it doesn’t saturate the leather.
For ongoing regular maintenance, Bick 4 seems like the best choice but if you’re only going to condition once per year or less, others may be a better choice.
And very importantly, Bicks won't drastically change the look of your shoes.
I use a heat gun to warm up the leather and have the Obenauf’s or mink oil (paste) really sink into the boots. Doesn’t leave a sticky film afterwards
Baby (mineral) oil and 50/50 mineral oil-parrafin wax cream.
Used it on my boots as I live off dry pot noodles like a real student, it's pretty good, better than some generic conditioners
I’m going to be conditioning my leather boots and shoes this weekend. Thanks for the video!
I love obenaufs. Please do a special on it.
Saphir renovateur darkened my White's Perry Moc toe much more than the mink oil darkened the White's Perryin this video. Worn daily since February of this year (2021), about 10+ hrs/day in a bowling alley and when doing errands around town for the alley. Figure I will need a resole about February.
Obenauf's leather oil is the best I've found yet. I use it on all my boots and my leather jackets, too.
Had been thinking about what conditioner to get and you released this video. Awesome! Would love to see a follow up after these have been sitting around for awhile.
Trick with obenauf's, hit it with heat , and the tacky surface wax melts, the residual conditioner will soak in more, and the surface feel more like a pure bees wax film, so it won't have as bad of a dust cling, it will be better at repelling water properly, and it also subsides the darkening ever so slightly. Just a trick I figured out, or read somewhere, and do on my stuff most the time.
Bam, I heat it up, melt it in, wipe the excess off, buff, and wear them hot. They really comform to your feet that way. Or you can insert a boot tree. Either way.
@@Vultain hell yeah! I'm glad I'm not the only one who does it with obenauf's heavy LP.
@@ThomasSteed Found a guide called Crane's Guide with 1000 mile boots. It isn't for the faint of heart but when you are tromping in snow for hours on end. Wading through 3-4 inches of water there is no substitute to it. I have yet to try the pure beeswax method but I have thought of it. Cool news is doing that with Obeneauf's makes it last for 6-12 months of treatment. Well worth it.
@@Vultain I haven't yet either, but it's on my list. I was planning on otter wax or I think cobblers choice has one for cheaper. One that's refined a little more, so it's not so yellow, and full of bug stuff. Basically the same quality you'd use on waxed canvas.
@@Vultain also... Where do I find a copy of this book you speak of? Is it the same company that makes crane's fluid dynamics? The flow of fluid threw pipes and fittings?
Thank you so much for doing these videos. I always enjoy them but they are also informative. Much appreciated
try original Huberd'sshoe grease, come in a small can that looks like a paint can love it on work boots, in will darken your leather
Where you live/climate and humitidy has alot to do with as well. Bick 4 here in Texas heat..
bick4 is my preference... thanks for the presentation
Thanks Weston, great video. I use Bicks 4 as it doesn’t darken
I work in the oil and gas industry and I use mink oil for my Ariat boots … helps keep them waterproof after many pressure washings
A very explanatory video. A question, Fiebing's saddle soap leaves the soles of my Thorogood boots yellow. What product do you suggest to keep the original color of the soles?
Obenauf's has been my go to for about 10 years it just seems to do the best job
Imperial Venetian Leather Balm is my go to.
Working for the forest service in the PNW, all of us used Obenauf's. Best stuff. I am a little biased being from Idaho though.
Thanks for venturing away from just cutting boots in half to show us their inner workings. Keeping their exterior healthy is important, too. I’m a fan of Obenauf’s, but I only use it on the old GoreTex boots I wear when I wash my car and my Red Wing chukkas that it doesn’t discolor. Obenauf’s is perfect for heavy work environments. I prefer Venetian Shoe Cream for my Viberg, Alden and Grant Stone boots. Can you imagine slapping some Obenauf’s on some Chromexcel or Dublin leather boots? Disaster!
For black boots I use mink and everything else timberland waximum. It does not darken to much
I'd like to see you test all of otter wax's leather products. Saddle soap, conditioner, oil, waterproofing wax. Could you also clarify when to use what's sometimes labelled a boot oil vs conditioner? I'm guessing oil is preferred when things are deeply parched
Saw that my boots had dried out a bit. First thing handy was some Nokoma baseball glove conditioner. Softened the boots up and brought the leather color back. Next time around I treated them with mink oil. If I had it to do again I'd stay with the Nokoma, they looked really good.
Thanks!
What sort of treatment to extend the life of the leather for a boot exposed to salt and slush through the winter? Just cleaning and conditioning?
This is the important question not enough ask. Bees wax seems a main ingredient in one's made for this I think?
Obenauf's LP, Sno-Seal, and Hubbard's might be the top 3 here.
What is your opinion on Leather honey?
I used to use Mink oil many years ago, but I have been using Redwing Boot oil (from the store) for a couple of decades now, even on my Thorogood boots which is what I have been wearing for a while.
Nice ,,what about rough out boots?
Very informative and educational..... 👍👍👍👍