bees wax for water proofing

[sparky911]

Have you ever heard of using bees wax to water proof your footwear?

I have some leather boots that I don't want to darken by rubbing in mink oil, I'm thinking the bees wax won't make them much darker and still give water protection.

 

[Black Hand]

Beeswax by itself will make the leather stiff, and in some cases, rock hard. I wouldn't recommend it. Stick with the mink oil, or experiment and mix mink oil with beeswax (enough to make a paste). Just my experience.

 

[George Holton]

I have used beeswax and linseed oil paste

 

[reddogge]

I like Sno-Seal.

 

[gsptarget]

ditto on the sno seal

 

[50cal.cliff]

My vote goes for Pure Neatsfoot oil. When I was a youngun I only had one pair of boots a year. My folks didn't have alot of money! They had to last from one winter to the next winter.
I ran a trapline all winter in water and in snow, twice a day. I would come in and dry my boots by the heater cause they had to be dry by morning. Would coat them with neatsfoot everyday with a small paint brush.
The neatsfoot will darken the leather some but, that's what you want something that soaks into the leather. Pure Neatsfoot is good for the leather and will make the water resistant I wont say waterproof because if I eneded up satnding in the creek they would absorb some water mostly because it came in aroung the tongue and laces. Make sure it says Pure Neatsfoot or leave it alone! Good stuff :wink:

 

[bucktales]

+2 on Sno-Seal
And I'll use a handheld hair dryer on low heat to melt it into the seams.

BTW, not splitting hairs here, but boots made out of rubber are truely waterproof.

 

[sparky911]

I know sno seal works but it darkens the leather if it is a lighter color

 

[sparky911]

+2 on Sno-Seal
And I'll use a handheld hair dryer on low heat to melt it into the seams.

BTW, not splitting hairs here, but boots made out of rubber are truely waterproof.

not if the water is deeper than the boots! :thumbsup:

 

[sparky911]

HEY look what I found!!

I thought Sno Seal was Mink oil or otherwise animal fat based.
Turns out they have a bees wax sno seal :thumbsup:

I didn't know that :wink:

SNO-SEAL 7 Oz. Beeswax Waterproofing

SNO-SEAL Beeswax waterproofing lubricates leather and protects against drying and deterioration far longer than greases, oils and animal fats. SNO-SEAL is a natural wax and, unlike other products, will never weaken, decay, or break down leather or seams.

Caution: SNO-SEAL will somewhat darken all leather. Not recommended for suede or split leather. Spot test if appearance is important.

It does warn against darkening a bit, but I think I'll try it

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

I have used beeswax and linseed oil paste

Bob, don't you mean neatsfoot oil?

 

[kayja]

I grew up on a dairy farm and anyone else that has knows that nothing rots leather faster than cow manure and cow pee. Like someone else here we got one pr a yr when school started in Sept.. when we got home the shoes got a coating of neatsft oil, after that they got a coating of snow seal every other night, they got one trip to the cobblers for soles and heels but they lasted a yr. we found that neatsft oil had to be used sparinly on the harnesses as too much would rot the leather.

 

[tx-hunter]

i use sno seal on all my boots. i love it. it also works good to rub on canvas for a water proofer.

 

[Poor Private]

Traditional Civil war canteens were lined with bee wax to keep the iron from rusting. Thats why if you have a reproduction you hadn't otta put coffee or anything hot in one.