Black boots
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 11
From: Kentucky
For the boots, I'd say dye, dry, wipe down with a rag and then polish with some Kiwi shoe polish.
For saddlebags, FUBAR55, go by a Tandy Leather or other leather supply store and get the black leather dye and after dying and drying and wiping down, use a leather finish coating like some Tandy Eco-Flo Super Shene. Gives leather that slick, factory-new look and seals and protects it.
I'm no leather expert but I followed these instructions on my jump boots while in the Air Force. Like the man says, mirror shine. Seem to last me about 5 days, then polishing again. My boots were close to 5 years old and never dried out. I think a dye would dry it out more than a polish, but like I said I am not an expert.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 862
Likes: 3
From: East Tennessee
1. A good high quality shoe brush with long soft hair. Only use the short stiff hair type for brushing dirt and grime. A good brush makes a huge diferance in quality of final shine even if you do spit shine boot.
2. 100% cotton white hankerchief.
3. A large can of kiwi black paste wax.
4. Esquire liquid black dye.
5. Saddle soap.
6. Shoe tree.
Use cheap brush to remove grit and grime.Use soap and warm water and small brush to clean boots well. Rinse and repeat several times and let dry. Apply several coats of dye and let each coat dry between coats. Some folks set the dye on fire and blow out the flame before the dye gets dry. This is a delicate step because you don't want to damage the stitching or rubber. Brush boots well. Apply polish with the clean hankie, even if new, wash with soap to break it in. Wrap it around your trigger and signal fingers leaving a smooth surface over fingers. Keeping hankie wet, have water in the lid or with your tongue, it don't taste bad, apply polish in a counter clockwise motion. The amount of polish will come to you but keep it moist and smooth. This is best done in a warm location. When boot is evenly and smoothly coated, let it dry and do the other boot. Then, using that good brush, buff first boot well then second boot. Best to work the left boot first. There is a reason for that but i'll not go into that now. Re-apply polish and buffing for several coats, 3 or 4 or more coats gradually less pressure with each buffing. After you are ok with the overall shine, do the toe. Same thing with the clean hankie, gently massage polish onto the toe until you see the shine starting to improve. Keep applying polish with moisture and gently rub as the shine keeps improving. Do several coats. No brush now on the toe. A lot of practice and that toe can look like wet paint.
2. 100% cotton white hankerchief.
3. A large can of kiwi black paste wax.
4. Esquire liquid black dye.
5. Saddle soap.
6. Shoe tree.
Use cheap brush to remove grit and grime.Use soap and warm water and small brush to clean boots well. Rinse and repeat several times and let dry. Apply several coats of dye and let each coat dry between coats. Some folks set the dye on fire and blow out the flame before the dye gets dry. This is a delicate step because you don't want to damage the stitching or rubber. Brush boots well. Apply polish with the clean hankie, even if new, wash with soap to break it in. Wrap it around your trigger and signal fingers leaving a smooth surface over fingers. Keeping hankie wet, have water in the lid or with your tongue, it don't taste bad, apply polish in a counter clockwise motion. The amount of polish will come to you but keep it moist and smooth. This is best done in a warm location. When boot is evenly and smoothly coated, let it dry and do the other boot. Then, using that good brush, buff first boot well then second boot. Best to work the left boot first. There is a reason for that but i'll not go into that now. Re-apply polish and buffing for several coats, 3 or 4 or more coats gradually less pressure with each buffing. After you are ok with the overall shine, do the toe. Same thing with the clean hankie, gently massage polish onto the toe until you see the shine starting to improve. Keep applying polish with moisture and gently rub as the shine keeps improving. Do several coats. No brush now on the toe. A lot of practice and that toe can look like wet paint.
Last edited by CHOPPIN' CHARLIE; Feb 13, 2012 at 03:30 PM.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
They haven't yet. And I did my jump boots that way for 5 years while in the Air Force. Boots, however, when worn move around and flex. Don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.
Before they invented affordable gore-tex boots, I used to melt sno-seal into my hunting boots to keep them waterproof. Never had a problem with them drying out either.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 0
From: París, TX
I used a variation of the brief burn of the wax in the Army, back when we had black combat boots in the German winter and they'd start to mold overnight. I'd recommend that old military approach- we got a lot of practice.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
I use the local shoe repair guy. Charges next to nothing and makes the boots look like new. In my opinion, it's one of those trades that's worth supporting If we don't and they close their shop that's when we'll first miss them.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
Clean the leather good, then dye them with leather dye. The Kiwi from walmart will work but Fiebing's USMC Black is a lot better - I have also used it for restoring saddlebags and making leather stuff.
For the boots, I'd say dye, dry, wipe down with a rag and then polish with some Kiwi shoe polish.
For saddlebags, FUBAR55, go by a Tandy Leather or other leather supply store and get the black leather dye and after dying and drying and wiping down, use a leather finish coating like some Tandy Eco-Flo Super Shene. Gives leather that slick, factory-new look and seals and protects it.
For the boots, I'd say dye, dry, wipe down with a rag and then polish with some Kiwi shoe polish.
For saddlebags, FUBAR55, go by a Tandy Leather or other leather supply store and get the black leather dye and after dying and drying and wiping down, use a leather finish coating like some Tandy Eco-Flo Super Shene. Gives leather that slick, factory-new look and seals and protects it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,832
Likes: 127
From: Coastal Carolina
Doc Bailey's is fantastic. I use it on my boots, saddlebags and seat and will eventually use it on my chaps and jacket. It cleans, conditions, redyes and waterproofs the leather. Easy to use and dries quickly. Great stuff.