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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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'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.
Other tests I've seen on gyw that leave test samples outside and flex them periodically showed that Bick4 was one of the best in terms of preventing cracking. Addition: that's not to say it IS the best. Obenaufs is still "better" if you don't care about color. Bick4 is a good value though.
He is bad! Do you know why? It's simple. lotion should not wash your skin! So it is alkaline! A real lotion should soften, moisturize and correct the PH of the skin a little!
@@F0XD1E are you blind Bick4 in the instructions says that he also cleans the skin! Why is it needed !? How can he be the best .. Don't wash the soap off your hands! And then look at your hands in a week!
@@OriginalObuv I didn't understand your original comment, either. One quick tip: in English, MOST inanimate objects require a neuter pronoun. 'Bick 4' is an 'it,' not a 'he'. A notable exception: boats and ships typically use feminine pronouns. Sometimes dioceses and ecclesiastical jurisdictions use feminine pronouns. Traditionally, the Roman Catholic Church, for example, is a 'she'.
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 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.
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..!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Man, your channel taught me so much on this traditional material and you give a sense of new breath for the current and younger generation to appreciate and learn to care on products that will potentially last them a lifetime.
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.
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'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
I would love to see a comparison between brands like the Redwing conditioner, a cheaper brand such as Lexol and maybe something like Mother's for fun. I use the redwing brand on my redwings and my BF uses it on his Allen Edmonds but I know my parents prefer Lexol on ALL their leather.
I've been using the Redwing leather cream as well on anything i don't want to put mink oil on. Have a feeling its similar to venetian leather cream. I like your suggestion
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.
It would be an interesting test, to condition boots with different conditioners and then expose them to controlled quantitiy of dust, to see which one is the stickiest. Sticky conditioner can be very annoying on a nicer shoes. Thank you for all the test :).
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 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.
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.
as someone who used to work with leather I cringe at the boot folks who avoid proper care in order to preserve a patina look they are going for, mink oil is going to be the most effective but will have a better chance of changing color tones, and it’s easier to over do, with mink oil less is more, most who dislike using mink oil over do it and the boot looks wet, if you use bick 4 you will need to condition more often, mink oil is a once a year type of conditioner. The thing folks need to understand when buying leather boots is, leather is going to change over time, if you take a picture every 6 months for the first few years of the boots you will see how different the change is, lack of care isn’t going to preserve that look you want, it’s just going to shorten the life of the boot and ensure you suffer things like cracked leather sooner.
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. 👍👍
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.
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?
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 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.
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
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.
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?
how do we feel about leather honey? I bought a bottle to try out and I have to say it soaks on so well and the darkening only lasts about a week, then just makes the patina pop. decent weather resistance, too, from getting caught in the rain.
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.
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've heard that you shouldn't apply oil past the stitching around the stitchdown on the sole or the eyelets for the laces. Just let whatever soaks through to those places get there over time but never apply where the leather is glued or the if the hardware will pop out if it stretches. If you go right up to the stitching near the laces with a heavy application a small amount will leach through the leather to the area around the eyelets to preserve it without stretching it out.
Personally I started wearing boots two years ago, I use mink oil because it conditions a lot but not too much to where you can over condition the boot and it also breaks it in/water proofs it, unless you severely don’t care about your boots and your boots are as dry as in the video, then obenauufs are good but if you’re regularly conditioning your boot ( like you should ) mink oil is king
Is the result so much better when you massage in the oil or grease with your fingers? When I conditioned my leather boots for the first time I used a sponge. This didn’t really work, though. So, I used a towel and my fingers. But especially with oil this doesn’t distribute it very well across the whole boot. For a while now, I’ve just been using my brushes. I put some oil on them and then massage it in. This has been working great so far.
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
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 was excellent. Going to try mink oil on some a pair of boots soon. Would love to see you use Leather Honey on boots. I use it on 30+ year old leather jackets and sneakers i own. it works well on them.
I got some Leather Honey a while back. Have been using it on everything leather - I used it on old boots and new boots. I also use Sno-Seal on the same boots. I had been using some Neatsfoot oil, but Leather Honey seems better; will continue to use neatsfoot oil, as long as I have some. I used mink oil long ago, but never liked it much. It didn't waterproof all that good, and didn't last long. Have not tried Obenaufs.
I am no fashion plate -- I don't care that the color is darkened. I use paste (the mink oil paste I have is "Scout Boot Care" , because I want my boots to last, especially if they cost the same as my grandad's first house up in Kansas! Thanks for sharing. A good refresher for me. R
I have a couple dozen pairs of boots; I find that to be a good way to avoid having to condition boots very often. 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.
How often do you recommend? I heard once a month is enough but my 8138 looks quite dry, especially at where the creases are like toebox. As context, I use yellow bee wax.
I just recently saw the guy from JK boots explained that you shouldn't put oil on the eyelets and speed hooks of the boots because that will start softening the leather around them and cause a catastrophic failure on the uppers of your boots . Just a little bit of extra information in case you are trying to recondition your boots
perhaps the biggest reward in starting up with taking really G care of one's boots ,shoes etc,etc IS (infact besides the rational logic reason), tht it takes your mind to a quiet peacfully relaxing place/state of mind while doing something constructive.....kind of ASMR for myself i guess....
I use Bick 4 because I absolutely don't want to darken the leather. The conditioner doesn't leave a film, but their LP protector does, and it's pretty waxy. But it's still pretty color safe.
BOOT ADVICE NEEDED: New to boots going to be doing a lot of walking need something good for nature trails and just generally lots of walking. Recommendations? Thanks
I've never had ANY problems with bick 4 or Cadillac leather conditioner, you have to apply it more regularly but you should be doing that anyway during the winter. No nicks, cracks, or scuffs, ever.
![[ASMR] How to FIRE SHINE Your Red Wing Iron Rangers](/img/n.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 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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
I love the mesmerizing brushing, cleaning, oiling!
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.
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.
Hey I just got a set of Durango rebel boots and I was wondering if you would do them
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.
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!
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.
Saddle Soap is just amazing… you can never go wrong with itx
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Other tests I've seen on gyw that leave test samples outside and flex them periodically showed that Bick4 was one of the best in terms of preventing cracking.
Addition: that's not to say it IS the best. Obenaufs is still "better" if you don't care about color. Bick4 is a good value though.
He is bad! Do you know why? It's simple. lotion should not wash your skin! So it is alkaline!
A real lotion should soften, moisturize and correct the PH of the skin a little!
@@OriginalObuv what the hell are you talking about?
@@F0XD1E he a sneaker head don't mind him
@@F0XD1E are you blind
Bick4 in the instructions says that he also cleans the skin! Why is it needed !? How can he be the best ..
Don't wash the soap off your hands! And then look at your hands in a week!
@@OriginalObuv I didn't understand your original comment, either. One quick tip: in English, MOST inanimate objects require a neuter pronoun. 'Bick 4' is an 'it,' not a 'he'. A notable exception: boats and ships typically use feminine pronouns. Sometimes dioceses and ecclesiastical jurisdictions use feminine pronouns. Traditionally, the Roman Catholic Church, for example, is a 'she'.
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 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.
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..!
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.
what about the fiebing 4 way care?
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.
Saphir Renovateur, Huberd’s Shoe Grease and also try Venetian Shoe Cream
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 do my own concotion of mink oil, processed beef tallow and regular unsalted butter, (yes believe it or not) on a double boiler.
Great comparison video!! The boots came In handy. My choice is Bick 4.
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.
Will share this with our customers after tips on boot care options. Thanks Weston🥾
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 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.
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
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.
When I bought my White's boots, they told me DO NOT use mink oil and sold me some White's boots heavy duty leather preservative...your thoughts?
Man, your channel taught me so much on this traditional material and you give a sense of new breath for the current and younger generation to appreciate and learn to care on products that will potentially last them a lifetime.
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.
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'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
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!
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
I would love to see a comparison between brands like the Redwing conditioner, a cheaper brand such as Lexol and maybe something like Mother's for fun. I use the redwing brand on my redwings and my BF uses it on his Allen Edmonds but I know my parents prefer Lexol on ALL their leather.
I've been using the Redwing leather cream as well on anything i don't want to put mink oil on. Have a feeling its similar to venetian leather cream. I like your suggestion
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.
It would be an interesting test, to condition boots with different conditioners and then expose them to controlled quantitiy of dust, to see which one is the stickiest. Sticky conditioner can be very annoying on a nicer shoes. Thank you for all the test :).
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 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.
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.
as someone who used to work with leather I cringe at the boot folks who avoid proper care in order to preserve a patina look they are going for, mink oil is going to be the most effective but will have a better chance of changing color tones, and it’s easier to over do, with mink oil less is more, most who dislike using mink oil over do it and the boot looks wet, if you use bick 4 you will need to condition more often, mink oil is a once a year type of conditioner. The thing folks need to understand when buying leather boots is, leather is going to change over time, if you take a picture every 6 months for the first few years of the boots you will see how different the change is, lack of care isn’t going to preserve that look you want, it’s just going to shorten the life of the boot and ensure you suffer things like cracked leather sooner.
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. 👍👍
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.
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?
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.
I bought Saphir Medaille d’Or Pommadier Natural Cream Leather Shoe Polish based on a Wirecutter review and I am impressed with it.
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.
Obenaufs is the way to go also helps with waterproofing the leather as well.
Should I let my boots completely dry after cleaning before I put oil on, or does it not matter?
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
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.
What is your opinion on Leather honey?
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?
how do we feel about leather honey? I bought a bottle to try out and I have to say it soaks on so well and the darkening only lasts about a week, then just makes the patina pop. decent weather resistance, too, from getting caught in the rain.
GREAT VIDEO! Rare to see a true side by side comparison of products!
For black boots I use mink and everything else timberland waximum. It does not darken to much
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.
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.
I've heard that you shouldn't apply oil past the stitching around the stitchdown on the sole or the eyelets for the laces. Just let whatever soaks through to those places get there over time but never apply where the leather is glued or the if the hardware will pop out if it stretches. If you go right up to the stitching near the laces with a heavy application a small amount will leach through the leather to the area around the eyelets to preserve it without stretching it out.
Personally I started wearing boots two years ago, I use mink oil because it conditions a lot but not too much to where you can over condition the boot and it also breaks it in/water proofs it, unless you severely don’t care about your boots and your boots are as dry as in the video, then obenauufs are good but if you’re regularly conditioning your boot ( like you should ) mink oil is king
Yeah I like mink oil too …,stuff works in even extreme conditions 👍
Bick also makes a distressed leather conditioner which I always recommend if you're worried about darkening your boots.
Is the result so much better when you massage in the oil or grease with your fingers? When I conditioned my leather boots for the first time I used a sponge. This didn’t really work, though. So, I used a towel and my fingers. But especially with oil this doesn’t distribute it very well across the whole boot. For a while now, I’ve just been using my brushes. I put some oil on them and then massage it in. This has been working great so far.
I find that if you leave the obenaufs in the hot sun for a while or hit it with a hair dryer the sticky feel goes away.
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
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 -
Thank you for linking the brush you use, I've been wanting a bigger one.
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
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 was excellent.
Going to try mink oil on some a pair of boots soon.
Would love to see you use Leather Honey on boots.
I use it on 30+ year old leather jackets and sneakers i own.
it works well on them.
I got some Leather Honey a while back. Have been using it on everything leather - I used it on old boots and new boots. I also use Sno-Seal on the same boots. I had been using some Neatsfoot oil, but Leather Honey seems better; will continue to use neatsfoot oil, as long as I have some. I used mink oil long ago, but never liked it much. It didn't waterproof all that good, and didn't last long. Have not tried Obenaufs.
I am no fashion plate -- I don't care that the color is darkened. I use paste (the mink oil paste I have is "Scout Boot Care" , because I want my boots to last, especially if they cost the same as my grandad's first house up in Kansas! Thanks for sharing. A good refresher for me. R
I'd like to know where the spahir médaille d'or conditionner sits between those 4 and why is it different than the others. Great video !
The finish on the mink oil is fantastic, also the color difference is for the better
Awesome video, personal choice for me has always been any product with Bear fat..
I have a couple dozen pairs of boots; I find that to be a good way to avoid having to condition boots very often. 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.
How often do you recommend? I heard once a month is enough but my 8138 looks quite dry, especially at where the creases are like toebox. As context, I use yellow bee wax.
I almost fell asleep at work watching the video, very calming and relaxing 😂
I just recently saw the guy from JK boots explained that you shouldn't put oil on the eyelets and speed hooks of the boots because that will start softening the leather around them and cause a catastrophic failure on the uppers of your boots . Just a little bit of extra information in case you are trying to recondition your boots
perhaps the biggest reward in starting up with taking really G care of one's boots ,shoes etc,etc IS (infact besides the rational logic reason), tht it takes your mind to a quiet peacfully relaxing place/state of mind while doing something constructive.....kind of ASMR for myself i guess....
I use Bick 4 because I absolutely don't want to darken the leather. The conditioner doesn't leave a film, but their LP protector does, and it's pretty waxy. But it's still pretty color safe.
BOOT ADVICE NEEDED:
New to boots going to be doing a lot of walking need something good for nature trails and just generally lots of walking. Recommendations? Thanks
I’d use mink oil and then Obenoufs after a week of use.
I feel it seals in the mink oil.
My 3 go tos for conditioner are smiths leather balm, Canadian beeseal, and blackrock leather n rich
I've never had ANY problems with bick 4 or Cadillac leather conditioner, you have to apply it more regularly but you should be doing that anyway during the winter. No nicks, cracks, or scuffs, ever.
The Obenauf's LP does leave a bit of a waxy film, but after a couple of wears, that comes out and it no longer attracts dust and such.