I have some solid disks of beeswax, and a pair of boots that need conditioner. What can I use to mix with the beeswax when I melt it down? thanks in advance.
I would use mineral oil as it never goes rancid. Use it for your knives to as it is edible and flavorless. If you want a professional treatment I would recommend Obenauf's.
bear grease
ChuckC
I think you would be happier with the Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP. It is the best stuff I have ever used.
I have heard that if the boots have a Gortex liner, one shouldn't use most of the usual water proofing products for leather, but that is only if they have the liner. Scott Teacsher a sponsor on here could help you out.
Thanks guys, Ken they do have Gortex lining I will pm Scott
I'd use Montana Pitch Blend. It's got beeswax, pine pitch, and mink oil in it. Works good! I don't have goretex though.
Nickwax is good if it's goretex
I found a product some 20 years ago called "Leather New" this stuff is unbelievable.
QuoteOriginally posted by Old Chief:
I think you would be happier with the Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP. It is the best stuff I have ever used.
A big +1. But then I'm just a hillbilly that lives in Whites and Nicks and puts in 50-60 hour weeks on a lathe in a plywood mill. I should get paid to abuse work boots.
QuoteOriginally posted by njloco:
I have heard that if the boots have a Gortex liner, one shouldn't use most of the usual water proofing products for leather, but that is only if they have the liner.
I'm publically declaring BS. No human foot can tell if the leather conditioner you use is "breathable" or not. Especially not if it's soaking wet.
Because I'm a hillbilly, and when I'm not killing trees, I'm abusing hunting boots with gore-tex liners every chance I get. That's why :)
I use norvagine boot conditioner for my work and hunting boots never had a problem
I will second the Obenoufs comment. I have tried everything and nothing is quite as good.
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
I have some solid disks of beeswax, and a pair of boots that need conditioner. What can I use to mix with the beeswax when I melt it down? thanks in advance.
Mix boiled linseed oil with it. I'd start with a 4/1 beeswax/linseed oil ratio and increase linseed oil from there to get the paste mix consistency you want. (You'll have to let it cool to test the consistency) I'm sure mineral oil will work too but linseed oil will have less odor.
Use a double pot water boil method to help keep the mixture from burn sticking to your pan, or go to a thrift store and buy a used non-stick pan to use. Your wife will appreciate the thrift store pan idea.
You can also mix a tablespoon or so of a medium called Japan Drier to the whole mix to help it dry after application. ((Available in oil painting art supply stores)
I personally use a newly discovered (to me) treatment called Aussie Leather Conditioner by Fiebing's. It is essentially the combo mixture mentioned above but already mixed up.
(http://www.fiebing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/t355_3d07101490a26d9d3cfbe68b6f6f7c97.jpg)
What Old Chief Said. Best I have ever used. Great stuff.
Montana Pitch Blend is a great choice for conditioning all your leather products.
QuoteOriginally posted by Dan Adair:
QuoteOriginally posted by njloco:
I have heard that if the boots have a Gortex liner, one shouldn't use most of the usual water proofing products for leather, but that is only if they have the liner.
I'm publically declaring BS. No human foot can tell if the leather conditioner you use is "breathable" or not. Especially not if it's soaking wet.
Because I'm a hillbilly, and when I'm not killing trees, I'm abusing hunting boots with gore-tex liners every chance I get. That's why :) [/b]
It's not about breathability. Gore makes no specific product recommendations, but it's generally accepted that mink oil type products and those like it shouldn't be used on boots with Goretex liners.
Montana pitch blend seems to be ok. Companies like merrel, etc... recommend nikwax or products like it.
This Australian stuff is the best I have used. Emu Oil, Beeswax, Lanolin, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree Oil. Chances are that Aussie one listed above is similar.
(http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/Yonjuro/Unknown.jpeg)
I like Mink oil.
Neatsfoot Oil
I had a friend give me a can of stuff from Queensland Australia called Driza-Bone. He gave it to me for treating my outback hats and dusters but it also works better than anything I've found on leather boots. His son in-law brought it with him when they came to visit from New Zealand.
i use 1/2 beeswax and 1/2 mineral oil for treating cotton canvas, but i imagine you could use it for leather as well... but the mineral oil will probably soften it up a lot - which you may or may not consider desirable... i heat it in a mini-crockpot, brush it on with a paintbrush and simultaneously run a heatgun (or hair dryer) over the material so it soaks in well...
as far as commerical leather treatment products, i'm very happy with Pecard's. lots of "pros" recommend Pecard's...
I do leatherwork full time for a living, don't mean I KNOW more than anyone else though. All of those mentioned are good and will work to do some good,, bottom line is how old is the leather, how dry, how wet, and how it was tanned as what to use for best results,,
BUT in general to much of anything is not good or wore than nothing,
Mink oil is easy to find and use on boot leather in general, I like bear oil beeswax for if I had to use only one, and best all around is Montana pitch blend.. Just my opinion,, meats foot oil is great to treat dried out leather but will not help weather proof or keep nasty stuff out,,
There is difference with what you "treat" the leather with and what you "protect" leather with :)
Just like shampoo and conditioner and lotion for you hair and skin they all do a certain job :) .
Montana pitch blend can do all those jobs for average use boot because the mink oil conditions the leather, and the pitch and bees wax seals and protects
Ken
The problem with using some types of sealers with Goretex has to to do with petroleum products dissolving the Goretex material.Many wax products are petroleum based or contain some type of petroleum based additive.
I have been using Kenetrek Boot Wax lately. It has a lot of the same substances mentioned by others, but it is not supposed to attack the glue that bonds the rubber rands to the leather.
Allan
I use Montana Pitch Blend on about anything Leather, but I bought some SnoSeal for Waterproofing my Hunting Boots. Dont know how it will combine with the Montana, but its got enough of the same stuff in it, I doubt I will have any trouble. The SnoSeal came Highly Recommended!