Repairs to upper shoe.

[Auto Key Wizard]

But in the right hands it has some very good uses.

Yes I agree, I retail the Stormsure & also have it in use in the workshop for certain jobs

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

The trick is knowing how to use it properly.

As Planet says quite rightly there have been some bad botched jobs with it.

best way to keep it lasting is to puncture the tube at various places as it goes off to find the section that is still active, then tape over the puncture hole with Gaffer type tape.

 

Its one of those products that gets everwhere you dont want it to so be carefull if you are using it for the 1st time. I use it at home for many purposes, PVC hoods, Ridgid Plastic, hole filling, even used it in a syringe (heavy duty)to get into places that you cant normally get to. Cut excess off with a sharp knife or burnishing on the brushes removes some of it.

 

If you want to test its strengh get 2 strips of material (anything) rough them up and stck them with the glue, holding together with tape until its dried (24 hours), then try to pull them apart. works best on Rubber Waders/wellies/wetsuits but will work on Split soles,moulded units coming away loose heels, toe straps on flip flops sandal straps etc etc.

[TheCustomer]

The trick is knowing how to use it properly.

As Planet says quite rightly there have been some bad botched jobs with it.

best way to keep it lasting is to puncture the tube at various places as it goes off to find the section that is still active, then tape over the puncture hole with Gaffer type tape.

 

Its one of those products that gets everwhere you dont want it to so be carefull if you are using it for the 1st time. I use it at home for many purposes, PVC hoods, Ridgid Plastic, hole filling, even used it in a syringe (heavy duty)to get into places that you cant normally get to. Cut excess off with a sharp knife or burnishing on the brushes removes some of it.

 

If you want to test its strengh get 2 strips of material (anything) rough them up and stck them with the glue, holding together with tape until its dried (24 hours), then try to pull them apart. works best on Rubber Waders/wellies/wetsuits but will work on Split soles,moulded units coming away loose heels, toe straps on flip flops sandal straps etc etc.

 

 

Thanks Hugh. I am reasured that with a little skill and a careful hand that something can be done if I get a crack again in a quality shoe. Although I could have a go myself (as per the light hearted videos I posted, found on youtube... am I aloud to have a laugh or is that for cobblers only?) but I think I will leave the handy work to one of you guys as I will end up sticking the two shoes together with that stormsure stuff.

That windy guy sounds near to me so I will have to pay him a visit sometime, should I need such a fine repair.

 

I do have some timberland boots which I use to go through the woods with the dogs. The leather on the toe cap gets all scratched up by the hawthorn and other stuff. Maybe I could bosh a layer of the stormsure over the toecap to protect it? Or is my approch wrong and should I be looking at another method? (Yes, I do brush them down and apply warm dubbin every 2-3 uses)

 

Harry.

[kobblers]

apply warm dubbin every 2-3 uses

 

dubbin rots stitches

 

a good quality wax based shoe polish is all i use on my outdoor gear, brushed in well; especially around the welt area and joins/overlaps.

 

cleaning the old polish off every few months with a bit of meths will break down any old and dried out wax preventing cracking in the leather.

 

rick.

[Auto Key Wizard]

apply warm dubbin every 2-3 uses

 

dubbin rots stitches

Absolutely Rick,

Nikwax is a far better product if waterproofing is needed.

[ironplanet uk900]

And Mars leather oil is better than both............... What ya recon Harry candoit

[TheCustomer]

cheers tel, we sell that too.

 

i'm gonna create a rip in a piece of leatherthis week and try and seal it, i'm interested to see how it will hold up to repeated flexing and whether it can be dyed over.

 

rick.

 

Sounds great. I would be happy to see how your handwork turns out. Maybe a before and after picture

 

dubbin rots stitches

 

Yes, I heard this from some guy in a suvival shop once who tried to sell me some of that nicwax for a different application. Do think the reason why dubbin apparently rots the stitches of many shoes is because they are using modern synthetic fiber? [in the same way that oil based stuff rots latex]

Is dubbin still ok for hand made shoes which may use some natural fibers? What stiching cord to you use in yoru machines at the repair shop?

 

Harry.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Well.... I had made a detailed reply to this post and just when I pressed the Sbmitt button the Bas...d timed out.

I@m B8'l543dy infruria58234568ted

Am now going to try to do it in MS Word and paste it as I aint going through that again.

Will it be done by Xmas... watch this space.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Reply from Hugh-Whodunnit.

 

Several things here so I will list them, and I aint saying any of these are wrong.. just my view.

 

1st Wax tinned polish as in Kiwi/Cherry Blossom type justs sits on the top of the leather and builds up, you then have to remove excess over the months /years. It does not penetrate into the subsurfaces of the leather.

Removing it with Meths also removes the lubricant-preservative of the stitching threads.

2nd If your are going to use a Polish then a Cream or liquid one that will soak in may be better although I prefer not to use polish as a waterproofer/preservative compound.

3rd.Dubbin used over the years can rot stitches, yes and so will all the contaminates that you tread in.

So will Mars Oil although I prefer this to dubbin.

4th Dubbin warmed up then rubbed in to penetrate deeper is preferable to juct caking it onto the leather as so many customers do.

5th Dubbin just sttacts all the bits of grass and crap that gets an opportunity to fall onto your boots and is a nightmare to clean off.

6th I prefer a Liquid wax that will penetrate yet leave no residue on the surface.Nikwax is one of these yet they make a few different ones

7th Best of all is a hand mix of Lanolin,Cedar Oil, Beeswax &Petroleum Ether BP.

8th you could of course just use Olive Oil or any Vegitable Oil.

 

One thing that we do not know and is crucial is what type of boots has TheCustomer got, are they Suede effect Nubuck or Polished Leather, or Oiled Leather, or Matt leather?

The preservative depends upon the right type of shoe being presented.

What is good for one is detimental to the other.

Also is it of a one piece front or is the front area made of stitched sections?

If a 1 piece then rotting of the stitches is not so important.

I doubt if the boots would still be in use by the time a surface application of polish/waterproofer had rotted its way through the stitches.

The stitches are far more likely to be rotted by the contaminates that would come into contact with them on a daily basis in the Woods/Forests/Jungle.Gardens or Pavements.

 

Now if you wish to disect this post and quote loads please feel free.

[kobblers]

i've been using the same outdoor boots for gardening/paintballing and building for the past 7 years and only ever used kiwi polish on them on a regular basis and i see no evidence that my stitches are rotting or that the kiwi contributes in a negative fashion whatsoever .

 

you seriously can't come on here hugh and tell me that you wouldn't want to be seen showing joe public how to repair a rip in a shoe in case they started to do it themselves and then go on to tell all and sundry, including joe public that it's just as good to use veg or olive oil on your leatherwear

 

i've never tried nikwax or mars oil tel/mark although we have sold nikwax previously.

 

rick.

[TheCustomer]

For reference: http://www.timberlandonline.co.uk/on/de ... 0195100214

Harry.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

1ST CLASS BOOTS.

 

looks like wax oiled leather not designed for polish.

Many substances available, I use Nikwax or Grangers for these.

Be carefull of putting to much of the products on in a liguid form as the Randing (the black rubber band above the sole)is only glued on and to mush solvent in some products can start to attack the adhesive, but this is only if used in excess.

good Mid soles and good outersoles with toe guards, a fully repairable boot and good choice, are you sure you are Joe Public?.

[ironplanet uk900]

i've been using the same outdoor boots for gardening/paintballing and building for the past 7 years and only ever used kiwi polish on them on a regular basis and i see no evidence that my stitches are rotting or that the kiwi contributes in a negative fashion whatsoever .

 

No-one can argue with you on that Ascap29, the proofs in your experience. Regular applications of Kiwi WILL help waterproof your boots, because by its ingrediants it is itself waterproof.

 

you seriously can't come on here hugh and tell me that you wouldn't want to be seen showing joe public how to repair a rip in a shoe in case they started to do it themselves and then go on to tell all and sundry, including joe public that it's just as good to use veg or olive oil on your leatherwear

 

Don't try this at home LOLALOT

 

i've never tried nikwax or mars oil tel/mark although we have sold nikwax previously.

 

rick.

 

Mars oil is an excellent product Rick, just brush it on and leave to dry, clean and easy..no mess

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

you seriously can't come on here hugh and tell me that you wouldn't want to be seen showing joe public how to repair a rip in a shoe in case they started to do it themselves and then go on to tell all and sundry, including joe public that it's just as good to use veg or olive oil on your leatherwear

rick.

 

Oh yes I can....and I can back it up if needs be. But I dont need to.

[TheCustomer]

1ST CLASS BOOTS.

 

looks like wax oiled leather not designed for polish.

Many substances available, I use Nikwax or Grangers for these.

Be carefull of putting to much of the products on in a liguid form as the Randing (the black rubber band above the sole)is only glued on and to mush solvent in some products can start to attack the adhesive, but this is only if used in excess.

good Mid soles and good outersoles with toe guards, a fully repairable boot and good choice, are you sure you are Joe Public?.

 

Well, I learnt as a teenager in the 90's that the timberland all in one soles are a pain to get redone and they always had to be sent away for weeks to get done and cost much more than for the cobbler to do. Well kids want everything yesterday and I always ended up throwning them away and spending £120 on some new ones.

When I was buying these ones I noticed that the grip on the bottom was same as a timpson shop apart from the spungy materal above it so, I figure that when the grip is gone then I can easily get them done for about £30 instead of 50-60

Maybe even cheaper?

Anyway, I don't think that day will ever come because as per this discussion the uppers are taking a serious pounding. When I say I am going in the woods I mean Through the woods. hacking some bushes as I go.

Harry.

[TheCustomer]

You can just see the deep scratches on the toe bit. these are not any way through the leather but as they are only 2 months old, I think they wont last a year at this rate.

[kobblers]

you miss my point hugh, i mean it's not ok to tell the public how to repair summat themselves as this will yake away from our trade but it's ok to tell them that they'd be just as well using veg or olive oil which is cheaper than any product we can offer. it's a grave contradiction as advising the public to use products easily sourced around the home takes out of the pockets of the trade too.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Got timed out again,,, getting peed of with this.

 

I agree in part ascap (the bit about double standards but not the rest)

[TheCustomer]

ascap29 and Hugh: Leaving the double standards issue aside, I can say that I am unlikely to start putting chip fat on my shoes because the method is an unknown quantity to me. It may indeed work well and I may try it if I suddenly become penniless (which may be the case if the City keeps going this way).

Sometimes people pay over the odds for only a few % better, just in case. Colgate normal toothpaste £1, Colgate Enamel treatment paste £3.50. I get the second one just in case although I know the benefit might be minimal but, my teeth are important to me.

Another way of looking at it is image. A mild solution of vinegar kills 98% of germs apparently. Go an tell that to your wives and girlfriends and see how many of them make up a solution of that instead of spending £1-2 each time on those flash kitching spray things.

As for the leather mending issue well I have said my bit there and are confident most people would want a professional to do it for them.

 

Harry.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

ascap29 and Hugh: Leaving the double standards issue aside, I can say that I am unlikely to start putting chip fat on my shoes because the method is an unknown quantity to me. It may indeed work well and I may try it if I suddenly become penniless (which may be the case if the City keeps going this way).

Harry.

 

Vegetable Oils are not "Chip Fat", although they are used for that purpose it is only though recent times that we in the Northern Hemisphere have used them for that purpose. Olive Oil is used in many preparations including Skin Care products. The majority of Leather preservation is done with Vegetable tanning initially, many of the aftercare products such as Mars Oil, Leather Oil contain Vegetable Oils. What did the ancient Egyptians use on their skin, it was not Chip Fat.

The best Leather preservative know to man is a Vegetable Oil not yet mentioned but it has been used for the last half Century by the archive divisions of the worlds most important Libraries on Leather bound books hundreds of years old.

 

Still think your Shoes/Boots are better with Dubbin?, still think Polish is the way to preservation?

 

now I aint telling you to use these products in this post as my recommendation is Wax Oil, a mixture of Oils & Wax but guess what the Oil is... yes Vegetable Oil. or Chip Fat.

Still want to purchase Silver Tins of whatever is in them believing that it does what it says on the can?.

 

Each to his own, but have the contents of the Boot manufacturers products analysed (products for heavy duty field boots)and see what the carrier is.

[TheCustomer]

ok all right I'll give it a go on my tough old boots for a few months but I am not going to try it on my nice shoes he he. Harry.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

ok all right I'll give it a go on my tough old boots for a few months but I am not going to try it on my nice shoes he he. Harry.

What are you going to give a go Harry???

And what do T/L put on their boots?

What product did the T/L salesman try to sell you?

Why did you not purchase it?

If they did not offer why did you not ask?

(Independent research going on here folks not critisicm).

What makes you think that a load of old cobblers know better than T/L research chemists in the USA?

[ironplanet uk900]

I've just had a plate of chips cooked in Dubbin and Mars oil..... wonder if they did that in the old days, bloody vile though tasted dry as old boots

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

I've just had a plate of chips cooked in Dubbin and Mars oil..... wonder if they did that in the old days, bloody vile though tasted dry as old boots

Your old boots would taste vile if you put Dubbin & Mars Oil on them, taking nothing away from the excellent properties of the products you understand. Whatever happened to good old fashioned Beef Dripping, Harry still uses it in Leeds I am led to believe, was one of the UKs best chippies but does it still exist or have they changed from Chip Fat to Mars Oil, that is the question?.

[TheCustomer]

what is T/L?