That's how it looked to me, too.

Is that a fact?

I’ve been trying to figure out what’s in sno-seal for the longest time. How did you know it’s turpentine? Is that why it has that chemicaly smell?

exactly what i was thinking!

Spot-on comment! Congratulation on your Ranger Tab. Received mine 1964, I was with the 101st.

Obenaufs had a big drop right on the screw as well though

​@@lokoteconunoshuevotes4685screw looked tighter on that one. Also on the sno-seal it only penetrated at the screw

How did the snow seal work a year later

Same! I've used Snow Seal in an area of Michigan that gets over 140" of snow annually and a healthy dose of salt and sand. My boots have stood up for over five years without retreating and with no damage to the leather.

Hey thanks for the comment. Glad you liked it. You can see how I made the home treatment here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gsdxmbuXupyskpc.html

How are you liking the sno seal? I used it for a while, but I found it doesn't keep leather soft as well as other options

I wondered that as well.

Sounds like an interesting test. I would be interested to see your results. I've never heard of using used motor oil as a leather conditioner, but it might work well. I don't know how well it would last over time, (it might cause the leather to break down physically), but it should certainly repel water when it was freshly applied.

Past 40 years I have been using light amount of mink oil followed by moderate amount of sno-seal and I still have some boots from 40 years ago. Caveats: too much mink oil will damage the structural integrity and strength of the leather so use sparingly and too much sno-seal will make the leather completely unbreathable so use moderately if you wish to retain some of the breathable characteristics of natural leather.

I’ve used coconut oil and it works… have to apply it often … I made the mistake of over saturating my boots and it caused the leather to weaken and crack in spots… my fault not the oils… learned to apply a little wear and reapply as needed

@@CircleBrewery I have used coconut oil, but that is pretty different from a controlled test.

Yeah it’s just a pain to apply and is ridiculously sticky

Wow, Literally the combination I just used on my new boots. Don't know anything about this stuff. Hope it works!

Yes you could use multiple layers. Though I should note that since the compounds don't really sit on the surface, the idea of layers isn't necessarily applicable. With the application of heat, the compounds are absorbed into the leather like a sponge absorbs water. You can continue to apply treatments until the leather is completely saturated.

Yes I'm pretty sure that would work. I'll have to give it a test sometime.

I think at some point the leather becomes fully saturated and won't absorb any more compound. But two coats in either order are probably better than one if your leather can take it all in.

@@ShawnsWorkshop I was told never to use synthetics/chemicals on leather but have you ever tried? Maybe just at the seams by the soul of the boot

@@joeryan7024 I've never tried full synthetics. I think even Sno-Seal is mostly natural ingredients. It's probably worth an experiment, but I'm not sure what I would use. I do know one old guy who treats his knife sheath with WD-40. It seems to repel water well enough, but it made the leather much more soft and floppy. Also the smell never fully goes away. It works for him, but it's not something I'd do if I had any other product to use.

No I have not. I've never heard of it. I would be happy to give it a try though. Is there a particular brand you could recommend?

@@ShawnsWorkshop Ray holes saddle butter! I was curious how it would stand up to these im needing to order some more but figured I'd look around which is what brought me to your video! I wish I'd done this test before running out lol! The Saddle Butter is said to be ph balanced and that it doesn't darken leather which is why I bought in the first place and it really doesn't darken by much at all!!!

@@ShawnsWorkshop I appreciate this video. I was listening and glancing the other day but I watched the whole thing tonight and I just want to say I appreciate your way of doing this experiment and I am thankful for the information! I wish I'd thought to try this with the Saddle Butter because I like that it doesn't really darken leather. I've heard tan kote seals leather completely I'm thinking about getting some so I can experiment with antiques. I got into leather work as a way to make and repair horse tack since I got 2 horses and 2 ponies, all rescues and have 4 daughters. Curious since it seems this may somewhat relate to your content, have you ever tried staining wood with acrylic paint and baby wipes?! I recently mixed up an airbrush thinner recipe for acrylic paint and I think if thinned enough it may work to dye leather! (I'm still too intimidated to use the airbrush for some reason lol!) I do find that the fabric medium for acrylic paint helps leather absorb the paint alittle and helps it stick to the leather. Sharpies in alcohol work but only on wet leather otherwise it dries too quickly. I'm trying to find a way to make different color antiques and make the leather resist absorbing the antiques. Anyway I lost where I was going lol! Thank you again for this video! I'm excited for you to try Ray Holes Saddle Butter and see how it may compare to these!

@@valerieramirez3496 I have never tried acrylic paint on wood. But it might work as a stain if you thin it enough. For leather, the only serious leather worker who I know personally only uses alcohol based leather dyes. If I used an acrylic on the leather I would be concerned that it might interfere with my other leather treatments, such as the saddle butter. Its worth experimenting with though. If you ever try it, I would be curious to know how it works out.

@@ShawnsWorkshop any naptha based wood dye will mix in just fine with oil/wax re-proof based mixtures. Still likely to turn out a bit blotchy as some areas of the leather soak up a bit more than others. Personally I don't care what boots look like if they keep my feet dry and my toes intact

Sno Seal and Huberd's Shoe Grease both state "Waterproof" on their websites. Obenauf's LP states "protection against Dynamic and Static Water Penetration", and Cadillac Mink oil states "Water Repellant" on the can. They're not claiming IPX-7 submersion proofing, but I'm not going swimming in my Red Wings either. For me if it keeps out the snowmelt and road crud then its doing a good job. I'd like to make another video like this one to test even more products. What leather treatment do you use?

@@ShawnsWorkshop Obenaufs it's a leather conditioner it not a water proofer it protects the same way the oils on your skin helps protect your skin.

Salt is chemically neutral, with equivalent amounts of positive and negative ions.

Salt isn't acidic, it's neutral.

@@Boddah. @Gareth Baus You guys are absolutely right! what salts reaction to metal its ability to speed up oxidation by allowing the metal to lose its electrons which in turn makes the metal vulnerable to elements such as oxidation and degradation.

Most working tradesmen can't afford a pair of boots that cost more than their mortgage payment. Also most of the industries I've worked in provide a $150-250 boot allowance per year. Why spend your own hard-earned cash on Whites when the company is going to buy you a brand new set of Redwings every year?

@@ShawnsWorkshop The mine supplied pit boots I wore for decades were legendary for weight and strength, but unless you knew the secret to conditioning them, you did not break them in, they re-modelled your feet ! Used to soak them in hot water and keep that water hot for 48 hours. That softened them up. Then you put them on and wore them till they were completely dry ... a couple or so of days and they then conformed to your foot shape. Then we covered them in a good thick layer of grease and stuffed them in a poly bag and left them in the hot drying locker for a week or so. A touch up a couple of times a week from the grease pot in the lamp house kept them good. Totally waterproof and fitted like a pair of gloves ... so to speak ;