Getting ready and have started evaluating gear. I noticed my boots (rocky SV2) could probably use some attention on the leather uppers. I know some applications can actually break the leather down so before I start digging around on the Internet I will ask the QJ community for some advice.

The SV2 are without question the best portage boots I have worn. On my recent Georgian Bay trip I wore a pair of OTB boots just to get some usage out of them. They will never see the Canadian Shield country again and will be regulated to the salt water boot destroying Everglades. Quite frankly, and with all due respect to fans of the OTB, I was not impressed (understatement) especially after having worn the SV2.

But I digress. They need some attention and not quite sure what to apply. Doesn't have to be waterproof but just want to put some juice back in. Suggestions?

My Dad and his old hunting buddies swore by this stuff.
Apparently plenty of people who use their boots hard everyday still do.

  (You need to Login or Register

  (You need to Login or Register


been using this for years - have 30+ year old sorrels that the leather is pretty much good as new - use it on gloves and anything else

a little heat (applied careflly) softens the was and lets it soak into the leather.  careful with the heat - most boots nowadays have soles glued on with glue that softens if heated.

Mad Mat,

I'm a big fan of Sno-Seal as well but while looking for info about Neatfoot oil, I saw an article that said Sno-Seal was a good choice but had some drawbacks compared to thinner boot oil. :-/

I never had a problem with it, but then again my Dad and his buddies never did with Neatfoot oil.

I think one thing that's important is that you clean/dry your boots before applying any waterproof/leather conditioner.

Like paint, the prep is the key.

Not sure what to do. The uppers on the boots are almost suede like but I have not read anything which would lead me to believe they are suede. Supposed to be some sort of high tech heat resistant leather. What does that mean? Googled SV2 care but not much came up.

Pretty sure care for differing types of leather is paramount. I used to use a lot of sno-seal when I spent winters in Michigan......doesn't it break down the leather somewhat? Can't remember, so loooong ago and I'm getting old and forgetful. Hit the big 54 today.......yikes! Getting into codgerland. What were we talking about anyways?

good question. i recall reading that petroleum based products can break leather down over time. Wax based products like sno-seal don't but can attract dirt and clog pores (but i still like it :thumbup). I have a pair of nubuck hikers and treated with this stuff last year.
  (You need to Login or Register
nikwax seems to be a good name. it's liquid and soaks in readily. seems ok but haven't used it long enough to  :thumbup or :thumbdown.  Maybe someone here can add.

When I was a kid I bought a baseball glove. Dad mentioned I should oil it so of course I used 10W-30. I still use that glove to play catch with my kid. The leather on the inside has pretty much rotted away but the outside, the part I rubbed the 10W-30 into, is worn on the edges but otherwise in great shape considering it's age.

You should try 10W-30 MT.  :thumbup ;) Happy B-day!

the sno-seal product is bees wax based, not petroleum based

I have never had it cause any issues with leather

why not just e-mail Rocky Boots and see what they recommend fot that particular boot

got to wondering how many neat's feet it takes to make the oil - so to wikipedia:


Neatsfoot oil is a yellow oil rendered and purified from the shin bones and feet (but not the hooves) of cattle. "Neat" in the oil's name comes from an old name for cattle. Neatsfoot oil is used as a conditioning, softening and preservative agent for leather. In the 18th century, it was also used medicinally as a topical application for dry scaly skin conditions.

"Prime neatsfoot oil" or "neatsfoot oil compound" are terms used for a blend of pure neatsfoot oil and non-animal oils, generally mineral or other petroleum-based oils.

I'm not sure of the name of the stuff I use but it's a leather conditioner. I used it on some old leather on some furniture from the 1920s and it brought it back to life and is now soft.

Mad_Mat wrote on Jul 16^th, 2014 at 12:42pm:

got to wondering how many neat's feet it takes

That reminds me of a saying I heard again recently.
A deer has just enough brains to tan it's hide.

Quote:

You should try 10W-30 MT.    Happy B-day!

That's some multi-purpose stuff. Many great lakes salmon/trout anglers spray their spoons with it and swear it attracts them.

I knew a gal once who said that if she could develop a man's cologne fragrance, it would smell like 10w-30. Said it smelled "manly". ;) ;D

solotripper wrote on Jul 16^th, 2014 at 5:50pm:

Many great lakes salmon/trout anglers spray their spoons with it and swear it attracts them. I knew a gal once who said that if she could develop a man's cologne fragrance, it would smell like 10w-30. Said it smelled "manly". ;) ;D

You mean WD-40?

I was at NAPPA a while back for my fourth lifetime guaranteed muffler asking for something I couldn't remember the name of so I said, umm, panther piss? She said, Oh, you mean liquid wrench.

Oddly enough, I can't grind steal w/o thinking of waiting for my father to get out of work. Sure sounds better than Crammer's 'The Beach' to me. Perhaps that girl was on to something.

WD-30 was the precursor of WD-40 and was made primarily from the glands of Musk Ox which of course explains the gender attraction. It was particularly effective in securing Inuit women. With the addition of the ink and paper used in today's paper currency It has also became attractive to European women and is marketed under such names as Ralph Lauren and Polo to name just a few.

Quote:

You mean WD-40?

Yup, I don't know where the 30 came from.
I don't buy cologne for myself, if I'm dating someone for awhile they'll usally mention they like a certain fragrance and if they buy it, I'll use it, or at least give it a try.

I still like the original Old Spice and the Bay Rum the old time barbers used. Compared to the foo-foo so called "masculine" scents that are the norm now, it's like the difference between the "DUKE" and the "Rhinestone Cowboy". ;)

WD stands for water displacement.  The company tried different formulas and numbered them beginning with 1.  So on the way to WD 40 there were WD 1, WD 2 and so forth.  At least that is my understanding.
Westwood

Now I'm wondering if panther piss is a local, regional or common term for liquid wrench.

Had a friend in the 80's that liked cologne - a lot. I always thought he smelled like wet, moldy leather.

My son worked 6- years as a wildland firefighter. They swear by a product called "Obenauf's" he put this on his 400.00 fire boots every 2 weeks. They are walking in hot coals and wood ash. Wood ash and water forms acid that dries leather out in a heart beat. It comes in a paste and oil. I like the paste it is not as hard as Snow Seal you can work it into the leather with your hands no heat needed. It will darken the leather.

I've used mink oil for years.  I have some insulated waterproof leather boots (Matterhorns) that I bought in 1995 in the Army.  I have used nothing but mink oil on them, and they are in great shape.  I have only worn them a few days per year for the last 10 year or so, but they are supple and not dry or cracking.

db wrote on Jul 18^th, 2014 at 7:26am:

Had a friend in the 80's that liked cologne - a lot. I always thought he smelled like wet, moldy leather.

Maybe it wasn't cologne at all ;)....back in the day I ran a radial drill punching 2 inch holes in steel plates, after a few months i smelled like the coolant and no matter how many showers I took i couldn't get the smell off. Only years later did I understand why I attracted a certain type of woman......whew! glad I got out of being a shop rat even though I liked the work. Stetson replaced the coolant and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks for the suggestions........the leather on the boots seem different ( to me at least)......I ended up just getting a conditioner from REI. I wanted to maintain the porosity of the leather, after all, they are wet boots. I thought something like sno seal might make them less apt to dry readily. I also noticed a tiny gap starting between the sole and the uppers at the toe so I slapped a bit of gorilla glue in......stuff is superb. If you have never used it be aware that it foams a bit and expands in volume, it is not like "super glue" in the least bit.

I know I have already mentioned it but after wearing the OTB boots it made me realize just how excellent the SV2 Rocky boots really are. Comfortable with aggressive tread and ankle support. Weight is good for such a strong package. I understand they make a jungle version of the boot which would lighten it even more but I'm plenty happy with what I have.