Boot Oil vs Mink Oil - What's Best for Red Wing Heritage Boots?

[@Stridewise]

Check out THE TOP 10 BOOTS you can buy (in under 10 minutes!)! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5zYeayvmsuBfac

[@AUXdrone]

You’re absolutely wrong about ingredient disclosures. Not only does red wing provide full sds publications on their website, they also provide ingredient disclosures. The all natural boot oil is pine pitch and mink oil. That’s it, two ingredients. I.e. red wing’s leather cream, they list: LEATHER CREAM 97095 INGREDIENT NAME (INCI OR IUPAC) CAS # FUNCTION WATER 7732-18-5 DILUENT SPECIALTY AMINES WITHHELD EMULSIFIER C11-15 ALKANE/CYCLOALKANE 64742-47-8 MOISTURIZER NEATSFOOT OIL 8002-64-0 CONDITIONER DMDM HYDANTOIN 6440-58-0 PRESERVATIVE IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE 55406-53-6 PRESERVATIVE They aren’t being “cagey” at all lol.

[@Stridewise]

@@AUXdrone Dude if it's not on the product or on the product page on their website they're not being transparent. I shouldn't need to hunt so far to find that information out

[@AUXdrone]

@@Stridewise hunt so far? Dude, it’s clearly accessible on their website…in fact the link is on every, single page on their website. And as far as the all natural boot oil goes, yeah the information is listed on the product page as well, “Our All Natural Boot Oil blends pine pitch and mink oil…” How on earth is that not transparent? Lol

[@Stridewise]

@@AUXdrone www.redwingshoes.com/accessories/care-products/Leather-Cream-97095.html this where are the ingredients on the product page?

[@Stridewise]

@@AUXdrone www.redwingshoes.com/accessories/care-products/All-Natural-Boot-Oil-97103.html?cgid=care-products the boot oil just says it contains pine pitch and mink oil, not if that's all it contains

[@drzaius844]

I only use mink oil, as it was recommended by the shop gal at Redwing. It works really well at conditioning the leather, keeping it supple, and I like the darker color anyway. My only concern is preserving the leather as long as possible, I don’t really care what shade of brown it is. I’ve had mine for 6 years, and I wear them probably 360 days a year, to work and on my motorcycle. I finally resoled them last year by RW, and they are going strong - just a small hole in the tongue where an eyelet grommet has worn through over time. No biggie. Love them. Mink oil for the win.

[@CowboyState]

What style?

[@redram5150]

I worked in a concrete plant and put my boots through Hell. I was tired of buying Brahmas from Wally World every six months, but needed to make sure whatever I bought was gonna last If I’m spending 3-4x bargain basement footwear. Several coworkers whose opinion I respected recommended Carolina Boots and Mink oil. Four years later, and I still wear those boots daily. They are in need of a resoling at this point, to be completely honest. About every three months I have a three day weekend. When I get home I use dish soap and a stiff brush to scrub my boots down, laces out. After they dry in the sun or on a heater vent, the following morning I oil them with a hairdryer and a rag. Once they’re reoiled and wiped down, they spend the remainder of the weekend in the sun or on a heat vent. More than once I’ve been asked if I bought new boots after returning to work. And my legs and back feel much better with quality boots As someone who has never been vain or judgey about my footwear beyond “That looks good, I’ll have that...”, I REALLY, REALLY ENJOY cleaning and oiling my boots. It’s very meditative... like waxing a car or building an engine. If I know spending more money means I’ll get more for my money, I appreciate that.

[@destineennicholasgallagher3315]

This is Nicholas I have the Carolinas and brahmas and a bunch of others but I needed a stronger boot for doing large construction and just spent the $600 on the Nick's custom boots out of Spokane Washington. U should check those out, custom built for your feet.

[@redram5150]

@@destineennicholasgallagher3315 I’ve heard only good things about Nick’s. But I couldn’t justify the cost relative to my income. And I don’t see how I’ll get any more life from them to justify the added cost.

[@destineennicholasgallagher3315]

@@redram5150 my thing was I go through 2 Sets of Ariats or Justin's a year so I'm already spending $600 a year in boots, mine get absolutely abused. So my custom hot shots r supposed to be a 5 year boot, so far I've got 1.5 years in them now and they are doing awesome , just gotta keep em clean and oiled and they look like they are still brand new the bottoms still have great tread on them and I got the tall logger heel and my feet haven't felt this comfortable in a long time. I'm in my feet for 16 hours a day and no pain.

[@harrylime5147]

I was a meter reader in Pennsylvania for 19 years. That was my favorite job of my life now that I’m retired and look back on it. They paid me to stay in shape. No two days were the same.I walked for about five hours a day.I learned a lot about shoes. One thing is, you cannot buy cheap shoes For work. I actually wore a new pair of cheap shoes out in two days ,Actually both shoes started to come apart at the stitching. They just fell apart. I think they were gorilla brand shoes,a copy of wolverine 6 inch shoes that were my favorites. They looked just like them and they were 1/3 the price so I bought them. I have learned that if you use oil‘s on your shoes and the shoes are glued rather than stitched, the oil‘s tend to not only make the shoe grow and stretch on your foot And actually look like an old wet stretched out shoe.but it also softens the glue grip on the leather bond between the shoe and the sole..Sometimes using liquid silicone can act like a solvent and cause the glue to give up its grip on the sole also. I also learned that is with cleated souls like Vibram soles with deep tread can cause you to trip on carpeting and they can catch as you roll over the edges of steps as you walk down causing you to lose your balance. I am not a big fan of the speed lace open hooks at the tops of shoes. They catch on your pant legs, and sometimes pull the threads out of your pants if they’re heimed.. Wolverine shoes used to make a 6 inch unlined buckskin Colored smooth leather work boot with a black hard rubber looking sole, it was softer than a hockey puck but it looked like it was made out of similar material. They were my favorite work boots, I went through about eight pairs of them over the 19 years, and I never wore the soles out on any of them. They had good traction, a soft quiet walk, and they broke in quickly. After lots of service,The tops would separate from the soles because my shoes were wet by 915 every morning walking in the grass reading meters. And then in the evenings being dried by a fan, I tried to keep up with leather conditioners to keep the leather from drying out from that harsh wet/Dry/wet/dry cycle they were in, but I usually did get two years out of a pair. I always switched to insulated winter boots for cold weather then Heavy duty winter boots for snowday, I would read average 500 meters at individual houses walking through the grass and on concrete up-and-down steps up and down lawns over fences through bushes,In and out of private homes, in and out of businesses and apartment buildings/in and out of mall utility rooms behind industrial parks, ECT. I walked fast because I got to go home and get ready to start my second job, so the shoes really got punished. I have learned that you cannot have a flexible sole shoe. You have to have a stiff so shoe for walking on all types of services. It makes your foot flex and all directions if you have a soft soul and your feet will be killing you within two hours I have also learned that there is no such thing as waterproof. I did have a pair of Timberland elk hide boots, they’re very dark brown, they were winter boots with calf lining. They were expensive, but they were the only boots I ever had that were actually waterproof by the factory. The inside of the shoes actually rotted out before the elk hide gaveup it’s water resistance. I had them for about 12 years, I only wore them on snow days. I guess I should have rinsed them out with a mixture of baking soda and water to get the acid from my skin out of the leather lining every year. But other than that, there is no such thing as waterproof except for rubber. When you work outside, and you walk in grass, winter is not the time that your feet get wet, it is all summer, the grass is wet every morning up until about noon even if it doesn’t rain. And your feet are soaked from 9 AM on. Waxes that you apply with a hair dryer heating and work it into the leather helps with water resistance, but it also makes the shoe not breathe. I have also heard that mink oil can rot some shoes stitching... I have been using a lubricant rustproofing product called fluid film, which is an extract from wool bearing animals, I suppose that means sheep. That is lanolin, and I’ve been using it on shoes and belts, and that works for reconditioning making the shoes look good and moisturizing dry leather.. I also use it on my leather motorcycle jackets, and wallets. I originally bought fluid film to rust proof my truck, and right on the label, in the applications for use paragraph, it’s suggested using it on leather.. and I have been using it on leather ever since.. I have learned that to break in work leather boots. This sounds crazy, but it worked for me. Fill them up with water and put them on and wear them for a day. They will fit your foot perfectly like a paint job. They were going to get soaked anyway walking in the grass, so I started doing that when I would buy a new pair of work boots/shoes and it works.I would not do that with a pair of wolverine thousand miles shoes or the red wing Rangers. But work boots that are all leather, Some work shoes have a gimmick soul called a durashock absorbing sole..It has a heightened center that is not flush with the sole or on the heel. The problem with that sole that I have had is, I would have my ankle kickout sideways if I would step on something as small as a peach seed and I even fell a few times.there were a couple times I thought I broke my ankle because That durashock sole with that shock absorbing center is not as wide as the shoe sole. And I never bought those shoes with thedurashock soles again. I think they’re called Durashock soles.. they might be good for somebody working in a machine shop that doesn’t do much walking and they stand on concrete all day. But for someone that’s out walking on grass and up and down steps, I don’t think they’re very safe. I’ve turned my ankle many times with those shoes. Don’t buy cheap work boots. Joe

[@rubberducky6411]

The longest comment on you tube lol.

[@harrylime5147]

rubber ducky Thanks ducky. I can’t believe you read the whole thing., when I attended those writing courses, none of them ever covered editing. I will be careful in the future to avoid over explaining.I will be careful to avoid multi syllable words for your benefit also in the future.

[@daniyarzhumadilov9356]

Черт, да это история всей жизни с уклоном на обувь!

[@edwardyue1615]

I'm glad I read the last line 1st "Don't buy cheap work boots" haha

[@1947roswell]

World Record for the longest comment on you tube!

[@bezpop]

Having using Red Wing Leather Cream for all my RW shoes, colour unchanged! Best shoe care product ever!

[@uniquehorn1480]

If you are going to use mink oil, use it very sparingly. I just dab a little bit on my finger and spread it on the upper very thinly. As thinly as possible, just enough to hit all areas of the upper. This way, you minimize any darkening. My results doing it this way gives you the good protection of mink oil with minimal darkening.

[@henryt9254]

This is getting more complicated than a woman's facial skin care product. Personally I couldn't care less and prefer my boots get the natural wear and tear.

[@RubbelisPro]

It's as simple as bick 4 once a month or twice yearly. I don't understand all the hooplah on branded conditioners.

[@MMM88X]

It's difficult to generalize, it really depends on the type of mink oil.. I've been using Angelus "Mink Oil" spray for years and it works great, especially against water. It does darken a little bit, but eventually the oil will wear off and the leather will retain it's original color.

[@MrBlizzard769]

I’m 32 now and still have my same pair of danner I got when I was 15 . I now have quite a few pairs for work etc and I’ve always used mink oil . It softens the leather and my boots feel like a comfortable pair of slippers . I’m sure other products work well also but I like to stick to what I’ve always used . Although it’s become more difficult to find now due to animal rights activists etc .

[@melissasolis6400]

Redwing recently made a new product called heritage leather conditioner. Specificly for hydration without the darkening. Definenlty recommend it for anyone who specificly cares about the look. Great vedio once again. 👌

[@roybatty-]

This. I use the Redwing leather conditioner on all my leather boots. I apply it as soon as I purchase the boots and it hydrates the leather allowing the leather to form to your foot and break in more comfortably. It also allows the leather to break in without cracking or developing creases. Super product.

[@TheGrzzi]

@@roybatty- www.redwingheritage.com/us/USD/product/care/products/conditioner-all-natural-3-oz-97104 this?

[@hoathim2573]

Roy Batty how often should i use it on the boot?

[@kirkdunn1379]

Oil soaks into pores of leather which darkens it (same as water would)....if it doesn't change color its not penetrating...the color comes back once the oil has dried out....i don't know about the pitch tar stuff.....mink oil works really well and isn't expensive and boot will return original color.... If you know your gonna oil them buy boots a bit lighter in color.... I work in mine so could care less about fashion statement.....and can assure you no one else cares about color of your boots. Lol

[@brucetheukuleleteacher9008]

Thanks for the information. I’m definitely trying the leather cream.

[@Stridewise]

Glad you liked it, Bruce!

[@Gnorfgnegeff]

I personally use a leather fat on my red Iron Rangers to prepare them for the fall/winter season. At spring repeat that and use a colour matching shoe cream every other month. They look great in their third year, the color is almost like new and they show some wrinkles and scratches from use. I use the same method for all my other boots and it works very well.

[@splootan]

Great video as always, quick question, Iron rangers or RM Williams Gardener boot?

[@ZakHancock]

For smooth leathers (that will take a shine) I use Venetian cream. For all else I use Bick 4. Neither will ever darken leather, and work amazingly well.

[@jeffroberts9536]

I've used all of Red Wing's products...and don't like any of them. I agree with Venetian Cream, Bick 4 and Saphir Renovateur.

[@nspinicelli]

Wait I thought silicone is bad for leather?

[@bjornnordstrom]

All Mink Oil products seem to ruin the original look of the leather (!?) On my Chromexcel leather boots (1000 Mile) I use Bick 4 and a tad of Saphir Revovateur. Both are clear/ milky white/ products without any pigments. It does not darken the leather but gives it a bit of a shine. They are definitely not water proof but helps to protect the leather and keep it in good condition. Also preserves that patinated look that I like.

[@Stridewise]

I hear a lot of good things about Bick 4 and Saphir! I just got some products from a little company called Armstrong's All Naturals I'm looking forward to trying out.

[@oh_aces]

@@Stridewise bick4 will absolutely darken, possibly temporarily, unfinished leather, for example the copper right and tough will end up almost amber harness with enough bick

[@artgonzalez45]

Wwhat an irritating blabber.

[@srqsup]

What are your thoughts on the Redwing Cream vs the Redwing All Natural Leather Conditioner?

[@steezyfishing]

Concrete cowboy here. Love my red wing 877 and 875

[@Stridewise]

You forgot to call me gay

[@Citizen_0_5]

Oil mink paste for everything. Clean up and making them loon pretty. Keeps me dry through the winter all year.

[@krusher181]

I got leather cream...? Am I okay? Oh shit... I got a really good salesman. Cuz he insisted I get the leather cream.

[@Stridewise]

Yeah leather cream should be OK

[@qazmko22]

For dress, it's great.. for work, the kits they sell are perfect!!

[@JoshuaPeters3036]

Your boots actually look very over saturated with to much oil which will also darken boots, and will also damage the leather because the leather will break down really fast. Leather isnt made to be saturated. Wait until the boot actually starts to look a little dry before you put more oil dont just keep putting it on all the time.

[@tanmilne]

I like the dark oiled look actually!

[@kfung4]

Alll nature boot oil definitely darken boots, speaking from experience

[@IMAXXHEW]

Living in Pacific Northwest, my boots go through a lot. Weather ranges from below freezing/snow about 20°+F, to hard wet rain, harsh wind, and blazing hot 120°+F. I ride a motorcycle as my only form of transportation most of the time, or I walk to work about 1 mile away. My boots are not for fashion, but for purpose. I have some Iron Rangers, Moc Toes, Supersoles, and a pair of steel toes. Leathers are a mix of Charcoal rough and tough, Oro, and some other plain work boot brown. The only products I will use on them is Safeguard bar soap for cleaning, and Huberds Shoe Grease fir protecting. Safeguard is antibacterial for cleaning with foamy lathery bubbles, and Huberds is made of some kind of sticky beeswax mix with pine tar for weatherproofing and durability. It does darken the leather, but I don't really care about that. I also use Huberds on my Harley-Davidson FLSTSCI leather seat, saddlebags, and leather jackets/vests.

[@squitestubez]

A moisturizer, a cream, and a protector are all you need for any and all shoes and boots. I would never use Red Wing shoe care on Red Wing products TBH. Saphir works fine for anything (in this case greasy boot cream, and if you want to go balls out, cream polish and neutral wax). The cream is really all you need. Just use less rather than more. That's the problem with most people, they tend to overdo it.

[@SibRevs]

Hey Nick! You do great work and have a great channel. I was wondering if you can describe to me (or do a video) on medium to long term leather boots/shoe storage. Thanks!

[@johnmaus4408]

The idea to stay away from any product with animal rights as a basis is utterly hypocritical " by the animal rights people " 130 million chickens 🐔 are consumed daily across the globe. I will not detail Turkeys and pigs but all roads,golf courses,corn fields. Housing neighborhood,cotton fields were animal habits. They are ignorant of where things come from.

[@steezyfishing]

Your wrong, the red wing 875 and 877 are WORK boots made for work. Idk how they turned into fashion. But understand how the iron rangers look fashionable.

[@scottperkins3696]

This whole message is bull excrement. The smart oil to use is a mineral oil that will NOT ever dry out. ie a petroleum oil that was in the ground for 30 million years. ie motor oil is the best choice. Any oil from a plant or animal will dry out is a few years. I have high school boots from more than 50 years (1968) where I painted the boots with thirty weight QuakerState. This oil will NEVER dry out when soaked into the leather.

[@frankfattore989]

All Rough and Tough leathers from RW will dramatically discolor with oil and boot dressing. Haven’t tried neatsfoot on them yet, though.

[@jimshen0308]

Even though the leather darkens but it lightens up as time goes on

[@moritzgriebl7245]

Hey guys, can anybody tell me if the saphir medaille d'or renovateur is suitable for the moc toes? I only have that one and am wondering if I have to buy new product for my new shoes... Thx

[@ski3504]

I use Chamberlain’s leather milk. Doesn’t darken my tobacco Thorogoods....

[@cuttcorners]

Try money's worth boot conditioner if you want to moisturize your boots it smells decent compared to other products. I don't believe this is intended to water proof, it just makes the leather look soft and supple. Bickmore Bick4 will give you a slight waterproofing with moisturizing characteristics. Both Products will not darken your leather for more than 20 min to an hour. Use redwing boot paste to waterproof seasonally as you see fit. You can also Boot paste the stiches and use money's worth on the the rest of the boot to restore natural color without having to completely coat the boot with Boot paste. For whatever reason, walmart had he money's worth, and my local grocery store had a pretty intense shoe care section compared to anywhere ele's in town. Bickmore bick4 can be found on amazon.

[@craigbrown2385]

I wish I had watched this video BEFORE I ruined my iron rangers. I didn't need my boots to be weather proof for the 30 foot walk from the parking lot to the office, but the salesman sold me mink oil with the boots which completely altered the color. I have winter boots and i have work boots. these were supposed to be cool copper boots for the office that are now a dark crap color.

[@AMARUT180]

Stop yer yick yack and start cleaning those filthy boots.

[@Stridewise]

Never

[@AMARUT180]

@@Stridewise ... Only joking bud good video.

[@kirkdunn1379]

With mink oil the natural color will come back.... I know this with my danner boots...I smothered them with mink oil day 1....day 2 wore em for 30 min and they hurt...day 3 wore them for an 1hr not comfy but better and threw another coat of mink oil....day 4 wore em again for another 1hr.....day 5 boots are ready for all day use...boots are noticeably softer and broken in to my foot I am a wuss when it comes to breaking in boots....some take couple weeks (as well as danners I've heard) When I break em in I cinch them tight as I can possibly lace them up....some wear boots really loose...since I do it in short periods I crank em down to break the leather down

[@sigourauwerx6988]

did you ever try red wing neatsfoot leather cream? Im expecting my 5th pair of RW's this week, IR 8119's in oxblood, and these will be the first ones I will actually care about retaining the colour if possible. With my harvesters in amber, engineers in black and some vintage 956's I didn't mind to darken them so i used kinda anything greasy 😅

[@Voivod74]

Hi, I just purchased my Beckman 9011 and I want to know a product for conditioning much deeper than the cream my boots, even though the weather in my area is not as harsh as NY or Toronto: it is mild basically with a prolonged period in the heart of winter. I would like something more than the cream Red wing suggests on its website but not so aggressive or heavy-duty. Thank you so much !!

[@Stridewise]

Where are you getting Beckmans from? They've been discontinued! You want something deep but won't change the color? Huberd's Shoe Oil might be a good bet, or Cobbler's Choice

[@Voivod74]

@@Stridewise From here ruggednraw.lt/online/boots/red-wing-heritage/beckman-round-9011-black-cherry-featherstone-leather/ After a closer look, amazon does not deliver the product you say (Clobber's Choice) with the dispenser. However, it does the cream www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L5GF7TS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A2FBGTL2HAGQ7J&psc=1 Reading the label they seem identical, just different format !!! I picked the latter. Happy New Year.

[@robertalexander7661]

What would you suggest for a pair of 10877s?

[@luisg6404]

I'd love to see your "ruined" rangers get cleaned up. there are lots of videos showing how to get that dark oil color off the boot. it would make for a great video.

[@ThePeterbiltrucker]

Polish your boots, then coat them with vaseline, water proof and boots last for ever

[@godsfriend4120]

Just bought some Rangers used the rw mink in can. Darkened just a little with a reddish tint. Giving it the color i wanted. So i made the correct choice because i most went with the leather conditioner

[@camarocarl7130]

You can get the original color back Mate! I over treated mine with Boot oil and mink oil. They darkened up quite a bit as you can imagine. This is how I got the leather back to original colour: Scrub them with a horse hair brush and Saddle soap. Rinse. Then put them in a large bucket of warm water. Let soak for a few hours. Totally submerge them in the water. Drain and wear wet all day. They will be comfortable and soft so they will conform to your foot-increasing comfort believe me!. Wear all day then condition with Red Wing LEATHER CREAM. Nothing else. Your boots now fit perfectly and look original as far as the shade of brown that we all love. Your welcome.

[@guesswho7625]

This is why i hate red wings. Grossly overprised and outdated designs. And erogant sale people trying to get you to drink the coolaid.

[@lordofthemound3890]

The correct answer was your first impulse, Obenauf’s.

[@marcjohnson4385]

Weren't the Iron Ranger Boot originally made for coal miners? I asked Red Wing that question they said Yes . Then I said is this the same boot? To which I was told Basically Yes, again. So it's just a matter of are you going to work in them or make a fashion statement.

[@charlesbronson240]

They’re just casual boots that’ll last a long time and will stand up to some beatings. That’s all man.

[@vertigo2112]

I just used mink oil on my redwing chukkas in briar. No issues at all.

[@gk5891]

Bick 4 if you absolutely don't want the conditioner to darken it and it won't clog the pores.

[@archstanton1628]

What code are those jet black ones? I have charcoal rough and tough ones, but yours are way blacker.

[@johnmutton799]

I use Neatsfoot oil, they darken, but not that much, then seal them with mink oil!

[@mingli852]

looks like a homeless wearing red wing boots at 0:33 overall a good video. keep up the good work!

[@Stridewise]

hahaha haven't been called that before

[@banjobones8075]

You wouldn't know anything about wearing boots for work hippster

[@johnledingham6049]

Hey Nick, after watching your video, I ran out a bought some Red Wing Leather Cream (with neatsfoot oil)...it's THE BEST things I've used on my amber harness Iron Rangers, by far. It brought the luster right back, and didn't seem to darken them at all. I used it on my copper rough and tough round toes as well with the same results. I really appreciate your advice...cheers for that!

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

I apply mink oil, then heat it with a hair dryer. It liquifies and soaks in, allowing for multiple coats. It does a fantastic job of water proofing leather.

[@robertsandgren9389]

Note regarding the winter performance of these boots. When walking (NOT remaining stationary) they are comfortable at least down to -5C, thick leather is nice! The sole gives quite good grip on ice but is less suited for slippery mud and snow. Gravel doesn't seem to get stuck NEARLY as easily in mini-lugs as it does in real lugs. I've chosen to use Red Wing boot chream on most of the boot to maintain the colour, but saphir renovateur on heel- and toe-cap. Both because the caps need more care And because I enjoy the variation in colour it creates.

[@awwnawmang]

Good Lord why is this near NINE MINUTES LONG!??

[@kentallard8852]

this confusion about the galaxy of products seems deliberate to sell more

[@centurionl]

I use the rw boot oil and it darkened my amber harness iron rangers a bit with the original application. Now i apply it every 6 months, the leather darkens for a bit but then lightens in color to the original color after the first application.

[@steveg4082]

Once a month😂 Yeah, and I vacuum my carpets weekly, too.

[@jayfritz1638]

I see you're keen on plugging Red WIng products. Red WIng mink oil is about 60% more expensive than other brands that have the exact same product. Red Wing products for Red Wing boots is not necessary.

[@Stridewise]

Well the video was made for people considering Red Wing products. None of Red Wing's stuff is on my list of the best conditioners overall kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2bPqZyZqqp9qKM

[@banjobones8075]

Those are work boots. Who cares if they darken up

[@budwhite3570]

Soooo, putting mink oil on the leather, which mink oil works by breaking down leather fibers, is supposedly a good idea?....I used to read numbers of stories of people ruining valuable leathers and even vintage collectible leathers by using "mink oil". I guess this is another one of those product commercials, meant to get someone to buy a product that softens up, reduces the stiffness in a new pair of boots, it works alright for a brand new pair of boots, which is the gimmick here, but this is what causes the boots or leather articles to suddenly stretch out and become too loose, break down, leather pulling apart, etc etc. I mean, I'd like to hear a real reason why mink oil is just supposedly great for, well, instance here, expensive red wing boots. How about mink oil on $600 boots?...think a person should break down the leather on those too,....maybe if one is rich and like just bought a pair of boots to go yuppy hiking, needing the new boots "soft" and fast", then like gets a new pair the next hiking trip next year, ...old boots in the garbage of course or donated,...all stretched out wider and slightly stretched a size or two lengthwise, too sloppy to wear then.

[@Stridewise]

Haha are you saying my video, in which I spend the whole time complaining about mink oil darkening boots, is an advertisement for mink oil? It really isn't. I said why a lot of people recommend it and why sometimes it might not be what you're looking for.

[@nikolaimendoza9568]

Hi, great video. Just a quick question though- is that "leather cream" the same as the "boot cream" that's also made by Red Wing?

[@rmcdaniel423]

No. There is a reason they are different names, with different prices, and different pages on the website. It's because they have different ingredients. They are not the "same". The boot cream (neutral or tinted) has at least some content of wax, which helps facilitate shine and polish on the smooth leathers. Many of the heritage boots have a rough vintage looking patina that is best WITHOUT that sort of shine and polish, visually speaking.

[@piotrwydmuch9413]

Cool video. Thanks. You can restore most of their original color by simply cleaning them with a saddle soap or simply some shampoo or washing liquid using a good stiffer brush and lots of warm water. Sometimes you need to repeat the process twice for the desired effect. I had a similar situation with my 8111s and i got bored by the dark color (from all the conditioning with boot oil and leather cream) and after repeating the before mentioned cleaning twice now they look incredible again. I actually put so much oil on them before that even after proper cleaning they are still oily and supple, just with much nicer color now. In the future i plan on conditioning the inside of the boot more generously as my right footbed cracked at the toe area. Besides i think that putting decent amount of oil inside will help protecting the boots overall and won't darken the leather on the outside.

[@Stridewise]

Maybe I'll try that! It'd make a good video. Thanks, Peter.

[@piotrwydmuch9413]

You are very welcome. I hope you try it. I'm looking forward to the video

[@Glassjaw003]

Mink oil also softens leather. I've used it on leathers to make them more supple. Some leather don't darken with the mink oil, depending on the finish. As for the cream. Not sure if it would darken the leather, but pure neatsfoot oil certainly will, depending on the leather.

[@Stridewise]

Yep, mink oil does soften! I must say you're the first person I've heard to say neatsfoot oil will darken leather though.

[@MomusFilms]

@@Stridewise I'll second it then: I use 100% Neatsfoot oil to deliberately darken boots and shoes. They always go a few shades deeper which does indeed "dull" the color, but I generally like it myself.

[@adurnaebrithil]

Amazing video!! I am getting a pair of red wings for christmas so this is just in time. 😁

[@Stridewise]

Delighted it was helpful!

[@Booze4Blues]

Can’t really darken Black Harness leather with either 👌🏻😎👌🏻

[@Stridewise]

Oh yeah, good point :)

[@elgatoremendado1115]

Red Wing are horrible boots, looks like wearing Tamales.

[@Freedom89984]

Bick 4 or leather cream. Oil only when you live under water.

[@acornsucks2111]

My friend, please make your point.

[@Stridewise]

you can always read the article dood

[@MrLongboarder87]

Use saddle soap and give your boots a cleaning. It should remove a lot of the oil, might need to do it more then one time but let it dry before you wash again. Recondition with whatever conditioner you like. Remember to use just enough water to get a good lather going then wipe off the soap with a clean rag. They will probably always be darker then they started out when new but after some time they will break in nice a fade a little.

[@MrHonwe]

Literally just bought a pair of Red Wing IRs without considering to by boot care products...your video helped. thx.

[@Nontacticalboy]

I have 2 pairs of redwings, an iron ranger and a safety for over 10 years. Ive put everything on it, oil WILL darken leather period. If you want the darkness to go away, just leave it without anything for a long period of time, color will lighten over time. Im talking years.

[@DinorwicSongwriter]

Best conditioner for Supersole 2.0?

[@Thekidfromcalifornia2.0]

look like you over oiled them. either one fine just only a couple times a year.

[@Thekidfromcalifornia2.0]

i just use the leather cream a couple times a year.

[@markcodysr]

This video could have been a lot shorter.

[@CH-bp3bj]

I’m literally watching this in front of a Red Wings store. Thank you for another great review! 🙏

[@Stridewise]

You got it Chris! Glad to be of help.

[@alibertylover]

I just use sigma from the foreskin fold

[@holdthatblaow]

Clean your IR's with saddle soap. That will strip the oils and then you can use the leather cream to recondition them.

[@Stridewise]

Has that worked for you personally? Everyone I talk to says once the oil is in there the boots never lighten up.

[@mnjcosby]

@@Stridewise it personally has worked for me but gradually, it worked best with red wings liquid saddle soap, wash with the saddle soap once or twice a month til desired color and only add a little cream for conditioning in between uses

[@centurionl]

@@Stridewise i did that with some dark brown bushacre 2 clark desert boots. I scrubbed with saddle soap a lot harder than needed just to experiment. I even used an old soft toothbrush. The leather lightened significantly, and looked even dry but i applied the redwing book oil and shoeshine wax and they restored nicely but weren't as dark as before.

[@prawnstar502]

more often meaning?!? every hour? every day? every week? every month? leaving me hanging here buddy

[@Stridewise]

If you wear them like 3+ times a week then condition every couple months, if you wear them every weekend or two then condition once a year

[@nickcook7408]

What about Huberds? Or LederGris?

[@gregd8098]

Hmmmm, talked to Red Wing employees...you must have a higher quality employees in your area than we have in Texas/Oklahoma. When I went in to two local stores, I taught them about the Heritage series boots (thanks to videos like yours, and a few calls to Red Wing customer service). The local folks simply didn't have a lot of experience with this line.

[@Stridewise]

Haha once I was calling stores in New Jersey the advice was getting pretty bad

[@rustyshackleford17]

It all depends on the customers for the area. The only heritage boots that he sells is the Iron Rangers

[@marcusmckenzie9528]

Dubbin, all day long, cause if i can go darker, I will :D

[@madbrainmakesnosense8229]

Thank you Nick! Love your content and you probably saved me from making a big mistake. Just bought my first pair of Iron Rangers and also got the Mink Oil from the shop where I bought the boots. But I love the rough and tough look and absolutely don't want to ruin the look and the patina that I expect from it. So maybe I will try to get the Cream somewhere over here in Germany.

[@matttherrien9608]

Buy some "Saphir Oiled/Greasy Leather Cream" made in France.

[@madbrainmakesnosense8229]

@@matttherrien9608 Thanks! I will give it a try. Meanwhile I found and bought the RW Leather Cream. I am really happy with the result. Only could last a bit longer.

[@matttherrien9608]

@@madbrainmakesnosense8229 they're both neatsfoot oil based so it's basically the same shit. Saphir has a hell of a line of leather care products.

[@GentlemansJourney]

Hey man I watch all your videos and learn so much. I did a Thursday Boot Review and then got excited about the Red Wing Roughneck Heritage boots. Just did a video on that kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXyql2mBdrqKedE and would love to hear what you think of it. I'm currently in CO and took them hiking after unboxing in the video. However, I always think back to this video as where I learned that I don't think I'll use the mink oil on my new ones. I have some work boots that I think I will use the mink oil on....

[@mrrrl795]

Personally, I think the look of your boots is improved. What are your thoughts on shell cordovan boots? Do you own any? Any cordovan reviews in the pipeline?

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

Thats the cream de le creme of leather...... Cordovan leather is the strongest leather used for footwear and leather goods. Its made out of the skin of a horses ass.................

[@jeffroberts9536]

@@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo - Only Saphir Rénovateur for shell Cordovan. Cordovan has a very different care strategy than regular leather.

[@oofyeet5935]

You basically did not come to any conclusion. Red Wing tells you what to use on their site.

[@Stridewise]

I think my conclusion was pretty clear?

[@euchrewacko]

@@Stridewise I agree. No conclusion.

[@ritesideofthefence5857]

More frequently is what I meant to ask

[@postdylone6141]

That colour change from amber harness actually looks extremely good

[@Stridewise]

Haha thanks man. I might try to saddle soap it out of it for a future video

[@danielpotter8957]

Saphir nappa cream for my 8085s

[@Nickpaintbrush]

Ive heard WD40 works well!

[@maguefe]

I've used both. Same results

[@ritesideofthefence5857]

Do you to condition more intense in wet climate or dry arid ?

[@truusjespetter-kwakuitschi5168]

Why the fuck would you care if yer leather darkens when waterproofing ??

[@Stridewise]

Because some people like the look of their leather.

[@Ryan-fm9uj]

Most informative video i have found on the RW boot care products. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jmaegm]

It's not rocket science BOOT OIL is the best because it has mink oil and pine oil. I didn't mind darkening my Redwing boots because preserving protecting them is far more important. With the boot oil when they get scratches just rub hard on the scratches and they disappear leather returns to normal. So definitely protect all your leather purchases. As I'm watching this video I just finished applying Redwing boot oil on a bran new black Samsonite business full grain leather case I bought inside office depot it was super faded dirty and after 3 coats it's better than new. I applied until it wouldn't took longer to penetrate kinda stayed on top longer.

[@ELEVOPR]

What about the Boot Protecting Spray? Doesn't that weather proof the boot? Could you spray the boot after applying the Cream? Thanks again for another great video.

[@ypure3859]

once a month conditioning sounds too much. i was told by the store once every 6 to 12 months

[@Stridewise]

yeah it is. i've changed my tune: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmnXqK1ml8aViM0si=KNKJeZogrA0iJj_l&t=303