Who stuck around until the end? 😂

everybody out there, do youselves a favor and listen to me: the wax part is great. They way this guy goes about applying it is way to hard and will give you a spotty (literally) result. Use your heat gun to melt the wax into a bowl of some kind. Double boil it, whatever. Then apply heat to your boots and paint the liquified wax on with a brush. you will get it on much more evenly. Yes, it will clump up a bit so you hit it with the heat gun. The main thing is don't take a big block of beeswax and do it like he does. I also recommend doing the welt first and then working up.

I'm a former paratrooper and I can tell you we used to do similar with Kiwi wax on our Corcorans. We would brush on the Kiwi with the round brush and then melt it with a lighter. We'd follow that with a buff with a nylon stocking and then "spit shine" with a pad cut from a T shirt slightly dipped in water. Yeah it took hours but when your wearing them and look down and can see your reflection in the toe you know you'll ace inspection! :)

Very cool. To add, the smell of heated bees wax rocks. I was dabbling in blacksmithing when my mentor used beeswax on a hook I made to change the appearance. He said he loved the smell, I agree. It smells great.

I purchased a pair of the 1964 travelers yesterday. I probably won’t be waxing them but after seeing this I am even more excited t get them in a couple months! Will be my third pair of Nicks.

Bet you guys never thought a boot channel would be so popular! Love the videos

I love how this looks. I think if you used a double boiler to melt the wax then a small paint brush to apply you'd likely get a cleaner application. the heat gun to warm the leather would still be necessary.

GOOD STUFF. Just ordered my beeswax! Craft and Lore site looks high quality -- love the boots! -- though I already have most of those needs filled.

I love when craftsmen share and work together. Dont get to see it often in today's society sadly

Do yourself a favor and use a hair dryer. I've been using a hair dryer to waterproof my leather for decades. They get plenty hot, and you don't have to worry about burning yourself, burning the leather, harming other materials within the boots (or jacket), or breaking down any glues. Considering the limited amount of surface area on a pair of boots, it adds little time to this process. Beeswax melts at 143-151°F, and a hair dryer easily hits that temperature.

I really appreciate this. I am a mink oil guy and it’s great to know there’s other options. Thanks.

Love the beeswax. We use it for a lot of stuff and it’s awesome. Blessing.

I am organizing plans to get fitted for a pair (likely 2 pair afterwards) it literally requires planning because of where I live. but I am going to love the traveling and I'm confident boots of this caliber are going to serve me well down the road.

i use only nicks heavy duty LP and i am pretty pleased with the results..

Love the 1964's. Love the bee's wax idea, but love the color of the untreated leather. Great channel. I'm going out west next year, going to pay you a visit. Can't wait.

I started using Fiebings Aussie leather conditioner with Beeswax. Stuff waterproofs your leather, and works like a charm.

The way we used to do it in ROTC is soften a small amount of wax in a dish or paper plate in microwave. Doesn't have to be liquid, just soft. Smear it into the boot with a hot wet rag, just to coating the boot completely. Preheat oven to 150, heat your waxed boot about 3 minutes or until it starts to smell. Don't burn it, it's not a turkey. Buff warm boot with cold wet rag, rubbing in vigorous small circles. You can get a mirror finish with any cheap wax good enough to clearly see your face in the boot.

Good video! I have some nice American made boots that I want to try this on. Thank you!

I've been doing this with a double boiler and painting it on, then follow up with a heat gun. It's a quicker process.

Awesome stuff !!! 🤟🏼👏 I’ll be ready now to take my boots to work lol and not worry too much of getting them covered in water

For 25 years I kept my all leather (inside and out) Fabiano mountaineering boots absolutely waterproof with Sno Seal. Just heat them up a bit with a hair dryer and apply to outside including the welt. Never failed me once in creeks, snow, slush or anything wet. Just need a stout pair of goretex gaiters and good to go for days.

Thanks for sharing!

Its definetely a like! Thanks!

I would love to see a video on care and maintenance in regards to the footbed. I have seen plenty who can maintain there uppers but end up with cracked footbeds requiring rebuilds. There really is a lack of instruction and most of it amounts to put mink oil on it. As a boot manufacturer I would love to see and hear your take on that. Also second the melt it in a metal can, use a horse hair brush 2”. You can also get beeswax in a clearer color if you want it to darken less. The key thing to keep in mind is you really need to give the leather excellent dry time. Be sure to give enough time on a Peet Shoe Dryer and insert a shoe tree and or boot tree to help maintain shape while they cool. Also shy of muck, hiking in wet conditions/shale, or excessive time spent in salt n’snow for hours on end this is of course overkill. However everyone should have one pair of boots that they are willing to put through hell and back and beeswaxing has no substitute! In style forum there is a method called the cranes method of waterproofing. You can get pretty close with Heavy Duty LP with that method too. It takes two heavy coats though. I would put emphasis on the no going back part. Also this erases any chance of a patina usually. Function over form and all that. But for people who want to put on a pair of boots, unload truck loads of soil, hike in shale, mow the lawn, work in the warehouse or construction it will keep your feet dry and your uppers intact. You know it is wearing off when that scuff will no longer rub out and the boot feels dry. I found beeswaxing lasts 6 months to a year. It takes a long time and several coats and lots of buffing but you sure know that you can count on your boots! Lastly for cleaning beeswaxed leather I found no substitute for using a bar of Fieblings Glycerin saddle soap. It sometimes takes up to three 3 coats but when you’ve completely impregnated the wax getting off the old layers can take some time. Be sure to oil the fibers or use Heavy Duty LP for a base coat after though. Those fibers will be dry and prone to abrasion! I had a pair of boots I put through hell doing this until the leather footbed cracked, The uppers still are in amazing shape despite everything they have experienced! They are a permanent color of brown although the pullup effect of the leather was maintained.

I love the look of those builder pro in that 1964 leather

sno seal works great for me one coat is heavy rub in after heating with hair dryer till fully in,then let cool apply light coat and heat again for shine.

It's a bit like TIG or gas welding, isn't it? you heat the base metal (leather), then dip the filler rod (wax) into the base metal, keeping the heat constant and moving on when one area is fused together.

Very cool video

Obenauf's HD LP works great for me!

I just got my boots in the mail, wondering if the same care goes for roughout leather? Or what to do with roughout leather in the beginning for a long healthy boot life

awesome video

Good one guys.. do you know of a workaround to waterproofing your tan boots without darkening the leather?

I use a blow dryer to apply wax on my cowboy boots. I've had to reapply it somewhat frequently. Due to the fact that salt and slush in the winter time dissolves the wax coating fairly quickly.

Great Video! Who makes Nathaniel's vest? Very cool!

The boys 🤘

I made my own water resistant leather conditioner. Coconut oil and bee wax.

I'd be interested to know if the applying of the wax then blocks the leather from taking up the leather oil/preservative? It seems it would to some degree?

If I clean these with a saddle soap for regular maintenance will it destroy the bees wax? What are the cleaning limitations to this method? I wear mine for work and I rely on them.

I have used Filson oil finished wax for 23 years. Goes on easy and conditions and keeps water out. No heat gun required

With Waxing your boots like this, how often do you need to clean them with saddles soap, and condition them? And after a wash and condition is it recommended to wax them again? Thanks

I wish I could get the traveler boots in black with a kletterlift sole for LEO work.

Same way we have applied snow seal for over 20 years

Grant, you've gotta tell us where that jackets from.

Did this but like a few others have said, heat the boot to a decent temperature first,(use common sense and dont burn the leather) then with a brush (used a silicone basting brush) with melted beeswax an apply to warm leather. You will have some clumping and occasional drips but a more uniform coating overall.

I'm curious where OP got his jacket from?

How long until you need to re-apply? I am from a rainy environment.

Interesting! Have not yet tried my heat gun. I’ve used a very low oven to warm both boots and dressing. I’ll have to grab some beeswax and try this. 👍

How would the oils get to the leather after applying the wax?

Hey I likee the video, however I had a doubt. I use leather boots to ride my motorcycle, and this will be very helpful when it rains, but dont you think the wax will melt with the heat of the engine beeing too cloose to the boots?

How about putting bees wax on rough out?

Actually just recently discovered Skidmore’s beeswax and they have a good leather water proofing

I am curious about what style of boots that gentleman brought in? Can anyone help me to figure it out?

Sno seal is great stuff

I'm at about 30-40 hours into breaking my new boots in. Can I add beeswax before the full break-in is complete?

Will this method work better than something like Sno-Seal? My concern is preventing damage to the leather from road salt. It's frustrating to want good leather boots, but living in an area where everything is covered in salt in the winter! I tried Sno-Seal, but it didn't seem to work that well.

I had made a pvc boot dryer with a blow dryer , when i would wax my boots i would heat the boots up from the inside. I would heat them up for 15mins before i added my wax concoctions

Got keen targhee 2 boots size 10 and the last pair lasted almost two years but dryed out and ripped on the left left side and left on one boot and left side of the other boot as well and never put anything on them to keep them from drying out, want to waterproof them even better then they already are and also keep them from drying out but wear them everyday to work in the mud and rain an weedeating grass a good bit what can I do and use to make sure they last this time around lol? Thank you

How long should you wait to do this? I've been wearing my boots for about 2 weeks now. The person I ordered them from told me not to put anything on them until I brake them in. She said not to use the nicks greese until they are broken in because the leather needs to breath to form to my feet. Is this true? I'm worried about them in the rain because they seem to just soak up water like a sponge

Would love to see this done with some roughout boots to see how it changes the look of the leather,

Those boots look really amazing! Are the Traveler Boots made in steel toed?

I'd just warm.melt it in a can and apply with a half inch brush. Probably a bit more consistent coverage.

How often should the wax be re-applied?

This was really cool to see done. Along the same lines, I'd love a video showing waxed flesh care and re-waxing since I'm considering my next Nick's purchase already 🤣

sno-seal and a hair dryer or any type of lighter has been my go to for past 48 years - much easier than pure beeswax - beware, one caveat is a heavy beeswax or sno-seal will make your boots considerably less breathable if not completely unbreathable

i use a double boiler melt the wax and brush it on with brush then smooth out with rag - no heat gun. 💪

Nicks guy is like " yeah you F up a nice boot" 😂

Can I do this to a new pair of Nicks???

By adding the wax wouldn't it block the pours from being able to take in the conditioner as well as not allowing the leather to breathe. Just curious. Thank you.

The exact video im looking for, but can i do this on roughout?

That’s great! Thanks for this video! Can you tell me if the same method is good for chromexcel leather too?

Should you apply a wax based product to brand new boots before you even wear them ?

Does this work on rough out?

Same process for roughout?

Will you still need to do a periodic clean with saddle soap and if so, what would that do to the finish?

Beyond the heat gun. It would be best to heat it up in the microwave or a double boiler and paint it on while heat gunning it at a distance. You'll have alot more control...

Does this affect breathability?

I assume this will work the same way for rough out lowers on my builder pros?

What I wanna know is the jacket Grant wears. Badass

How do you keep water out of the screws on logger boots soles? Or are they sealed tight already. I really want to get a pair from you guys but this is the only thing that is deterring me.

The BEST method to condition and waterproof your boots is to thoroughly clean them with warm water and saddle soap. Allow to air dry overnight without heat. Apply Nicks Leather Oil, then a light coat of Nicks LP. Finish with a coat of Skidmore's Beeswax Waterproofing or Sno-Seal and then melt it in with a hairdryer (much safer for the leather than a heat gun) and rub in by hand while still warm. This is a much easier way than using a block of beeswax. Oil is a superior conditioner to beeswax, which is the best waterproofer, so use both for ultimate boot care.

How does it work with rough out

I'm guessing this would greatly affect the breathability of the leather? Also, it would probably be easier to melt the wax in a double boiler and brush it on.

Sir what is the size of the redwing 877 eyelets?

(Recipe Included) - I use a tinning solution on leather. "Tinning"; as in "tin-cloth." Recipes vary a bit. But, in general, all the good tinning recipes have more in common than they do in contrast. If you see a recipe with ingredients like mineral spirits, paint thinner, turpentine, etc...you're looking at a modern "cheater" version that should NEVER be used on leather. I call it a "cheater" recipe because those volatile materials are only there to help the solution cure faster. _Patience is a virtue!_ The recipe I use is measured out by weight (not volume), each ingredient serves a specific purpose, and there are no ingredients added simply to cut corners, cost, hurry the cure or serve as a filler. When I mix this up specifically for leather, it's: 39.5% boiled linseed oil, 59.5% bee's wax, and 1% pine tar (for cloth, reverse the quantities of the B.L.O. and the Wax). DO NOT DO THIS INDOORS!!! That 1% pine tar might only be about a teaspoon's worth (depending on how much tinning solution you mix up), but it is potent and noxious stuff! And, even outdoors, you might get a headache, or even get nauseous from it. Avoid open flames, obviously. As all of these components are HIGHLY flammable! I use an electric hot-plate. Throw the three ingredients into a double-boiler, allow it to liquefy while gently stirring. When it's a uniform liquid, grab a paint brush and apply liberally! You might wonder, "if the pine tar is so horrible to work with, why bother with it at all!?" Well, bee's wax actually evaporates, albeit slowly. Though, it does evaporate faster in high-heat, arid environments, as well as in direct sunlight. Pine tar, when heated up, bonds molecularly to the other two ingredients, greatly inhibiting that evaporation. The boiled linseed oil lends the solution its ability to fill the space between fibers and partially "amberize" (not a real word...I know) into a sort of natural, non-toxic rubber. Though, the bee's wax will keep the cured outcome from resembling rubber, in any way... This stuff goes a looong way. One cup of solution would probably do a couple pairs of boots, and maybe a few pairs of gloves too. Be aware, this stuff reeks like a railroad tie in direct sun at noon, when it's fresh. But, after about a week or so, it will cease to smell like much of anything, maybe retaining a faint whiff of pine tar. At which point it's cured! Any spare solution you have, can be poured into a tin and used as a conditioner; even cold. I guess it makes sense for a person who's never heard of this to ask, "why tinning?" Because it more than doubles the durability of pretty much anything you apply it to (that's largely the linseed oil's contribution), as well as water-proofing it (mainly the wax). It also makes the item flame retardant. Tin-cloth is the original FR gear. And even to say "retardant" isn't doing it full justice. It pretty much will not burn, even if you throw it into a stoked fire. It eventually just sort of hardens and falls apart. But you'll be waiting quite a while for that to happen! heh... The last quality it adds to whatever you apply it to...I'm not really sure how best to describe. It coats the fibers and seals them. Once it cures, it will need to be warmed up (like with a heat-gun) in order to apply more. Dirt can't cling to the fibers, in the same way teflon-coated fabrics repel dirt. Dirt can ride on top, but it will not tend to work its way into the fibers. A quick brushing cleans things right up! If you have doubts, try this on a scrap piece of leather, or a cheap pair of leather gloves. I take no credit for this recipe, as it's been around for over a thousand year. It's been used on ship's sails, hemp ropes, Egyptian cotton to make rain-gear...pretty much any absorbent-fiber product. Oh, and I almost forgot! This solution was also used on wood too! Bows, tool and weapon hafts, gun stocks, furniture, pretty much anything... High-end gun-makers like Holland & Holland and Mauser still uses it to this day (but, shhh, don't tell. it's a trade-secret!). [WARNING] Pine tar is known to the state of cancer to cause California!

Hair dryers get plenty hot to melt beeswax, if you are a newbie or amateur, take the extra time. Especially on a $500 dollar pair of boots. Heat gun can go bad fast if you don't know what you are doing like this guy.

Does this work with roughout leather?

Would this method work on the builder pro?

Very nice video. This thread is definitely for us folks serious about boot care. I would most appreciate comments and remarks from all readers on the subject of polishing work boots. I condition my boots thoroughly when new, numerous times, with a proven oil. After that, I begin a weekly polishing regimen with just standard polish and buffing, and occasional saddle soap cleaning monthly. I have found over the years that a polished boot is the most waterproof. And, a quick brushing with a soft shoe brush cleans them up instantly. I work construction, and my boots receive heavy wear. Constant layers of polish make them the best looking boots on the job, the easiest to clean, and the most waterproof. I have had boots resoled as many as three times and the cobbler is amazed. Just haven’t come up with ANY way to keep them from getting so dark. Any thoughts from anyone on polish?

What boots where those in the video

How does this compare to a lazier method like Obenauf's?

Yup. Wax them. I prefer to use only beeswax. Never dries out. Never gets crackly. Melt it in and enjoy the waterproofing.

I don't know. There are options for high quality leather balms, creams, and neutral polishes that utilize pure beeswax as the primary ingredient. I know, it's not the same as only using beeswax and it's not necessarily the "DIY" method, but it's certainly a lot more efficient and clean while still providing protection from the elements for the leather. Still though I appreciate the video from Nicks and pitching the DIY option. Not necessarily my thing but could still be a fun project for others.

Does anyone know where he got that vest? I love that vest.

Pro trick heat the wax up in a coffee can or pan and use a small paint brush

If you heated the beeswax in a pot and bushed it on would it be the same effect?

This is gonna sound hokey as shit but since all my boots are black, a few were brown but ended up black, I actually used used diesel oil to waterproof and treat the leather. The used oil was abundant and free, I found that trick out by accident after i tripped on a drip pan and spilled some over the toe of a pair of pac boots I had.

What would be the difference between using bees wax and mink oil? Which one is better? Also does the bees wax leaves a oily residue in the surface or it feels like the leather is dry but is waterproof?

So would this help quite a bit for protecting the boots from metal dust in a welding shop?

*Those boots are barely dirty lol 😅! It would be interesting to see you all clean waaaay dirtier boots! Can you do that sometime? You can put them to the rest with your products and anything else you like!*

I honestly made my own water proofing with my sadly not any Nick handmade boots