My first pair of Redwings were these 875 Moc-toes. It was one of the first items I bought that I knew I’d have for a long time, so I did my research on how to take good care of them to make that happen. Keeping the leather in good condition is the most important aspect of taking care of your boots. The soles can be replaced over & over again, the stitching can be redone on the welt, but if the uppers get dry and crack, that’s extremely difficult to repair. I’ve been wearing these for about a year and a half, and have been oiling them with of Obenauf’s Leather Protector(LP) since day one.
I’ve had a few people ask me about leather conditioners and how to use them on a pair of work boots, so I’ll tell you how I do it. First off, I know that no one uses LP as frequently as I do on leather goods. So I’ll say this: If you do not want your leathers to darken – I would avoid using the LP and just use a leather oil – as they will not darken near as much as LP. It’s extremely simple.
Stuff you’ll need: Obenauf’s LP, your hands.
- Clean the surface of your boots; remove any dirt/salt on them. You can use a shoe brush for this, or your bare hands. You can use a damp rag to remove any surface stains.
- Remove the laces. Oiling the tongue of the boots creates those neat lace marks you see on mine.
- Apply the LP all over the boots using your bare hands. Your body heat lets the LP soak into the leather deeper.
- Place your boots outside in the sunlight for thirty-minutes. This really allows the oil to sink in and the boots to take on a darker hue in color.
- Take a clean cloth and wipe off any excess oil.
- Lace them back up and wear ‘em.
See, super easy. It really is important to keep your leather uppers well hydrated and protected from the elements. Leather dries out, and you don’t want to let that happen to a good ol’ pair of Redwings. This stuff is really cheap (that tub will last you ALONG time) compared to the price of a new pair of boots. Oh, and it’s made in the USA.
