 Poster: A snowHead
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I have some nice Karrimor leather E-vent lined walking boots. When I clean them and re-proof them I've been using Wrens Dubbin, is this the best sort of thing to use (a dubbin from some sort of maker) or would standard Guardsman, solid wax type boot-polish be a better bet?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, Neither, for smooth finish leather Nikwax is best. I prefer the Liquid Nikwax, but the solid stuff is fine as long as you appy it somewhere reasonably warm.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Second vote for the liquid Nikwax, this will allow the leather to remain breathable. The solid stuff or dubbin will make the leather unbreathable leading to sweaty feet. You only need to use the solid stuff on stuff that doesnt have a waterproof membrane such as e-vent or goretex.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've used the liquid Nikwax on leather boots and they still let damp through, two attempts now 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ray Zorro, Snoseal!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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if you have been using dubbin they before you can use a water based product you will need to get ALL the dubbin off the leather... dubbin has a nice tendancy to rot the stitching and over soften the leather
nikwax or grangers water based prodcut is by far the best way to get the proofer into the leather, as it is water based it soaks every fibre of the leather and can get right to the core of ther material, petroleum based products sit on the surface and can attract dirt/grit ...problem is if grit is stuck to the outside of the boot and yuo scuff it the grit and puncture the leather or make a nasty tear in it
ok so the way to get the dubbin off is not recomended to be done by the kids...in fact most adults probably shouldnt do it, to strip the wax out of the leather i use lighter fluid, this dissolves the wax and removes it pretty well, you will need lots of old cloths or kitchen paper and just keep working at it
the boot will look dry and possibly loose a bit of colour....when you have got rid of all the wax on the boot then you have to restore it to a near original finish...for this you are going to use a wax /petroleum based product but not dubbin either nikwax cream or zamberlan hydrobloc cream.... rub a very small amount (think same as amount of toothpaste you would use) at a time into the boot, work in small areas and work the cream right into the leather, only when each section if fully absorbed do you get a little more and do the next bit.... (you will probably use only a couple of inches from the toothpaste tube idea for a whole boot)
buff this with a cloth and go for a few walks, when you get to proofing the boot agian, as soon as you return form the walk give the boot a good clean under the tap, let the leather get soaking wet then dab on the water based proofer, cover the entire boot, wipe off excess and leave to dry, polish with a brush or cloth if you want a good shine, for a regular walker you should condition the leather every few months you can use a water based conditioner (this will not over soften the leather) or an application of the hydrobloc (i think this is the best one)
Ray Zorro, is the boot goretex or similar... it may be that the pores of the membrane are clogged, wash out the inside of the boots!!! take a cap ful of the liquid you use to wash your goretex jacket in and mix it in a couple of litres of hot water, pour this into the boots and leave for 40 mins after this time aggitate this mix inside the boot and give the boot a good scrub around using a brush or your hands, rinse out throughly get rid of all the soap then blot dry and leave to dry overnight in a warm area but not near direct heat
this will feel like putting a brand new boot on when you wear them again the lining is soft and gets some spring back, this washes all the salts, grease and mineral deposits out of the lining of the boot so that it can breath properly
on the other hand if it is just a straight leather boot then you probably have wax clogging the face of the leather and the nikwax wont get in to do its job
and one klast thing...water will come in the big hole at the top fo the boots unless you cover it 
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CEM, could you provide a bit more detail please 
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A dubbin story! Went skiing a couple of years ago with a friend who had on his walking boots which he had just treated with dubbin or something similar. Went through security at Stansted and the guys there were very interested in these boots. So interested in fact that they spent half an hour or so analysing them with various wipes. They were finally satisfied that he wasn't a terrorist and let us on our way. Fortunately we were in plenty of time for the flight.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FAQ
Nice if you like the smell of solvents. I thought dubbin was something my dad talked about...
