Leather is a fantastic material with many attractive properties that make it an ideal choice for boots to be made from. Hard-wearing, and comfortable, a pair of leather boots can last many years if they are looked after. Keeping your Blundstone boots in good condition is pretty straight forward and we will give you tips on how to prolong the life of your boots so they will look great for longer.
Notes on Leather Boot Care
Since leather is a natural material, it does require some attention and maintenance else the wear and tear of daily life and its exposure to the elements can make the material look tired and reduce its longevity. However, one of the great things about this material is that even old leather boots that look tired and worn out can be rejuvenated to a greater or lesser degree based on how degraded the leather has become.
Some of the problems that can occur if a pair of leather boots is neglected is that over time its natural oils and suppleness can diminish, eventually leading to cracking, stiffness, and a dull appearance. However, with that in mind, it is always better to keep on top of your boot cleaning and maintenance to prolong its life and reduce wear. Shoe care is a key mantra for keeping your leather footwear in good shape for years and years.
While we are focusing on how you can keep your Blundstone boots looking their best, the same techniques can be used for any other leather boots or leather shoes that you own. Look at our comprehensive guide to cleaning leather boots. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about leather care. As a side note, we do not recommend using mink oil on our boots simply because it has darkening properties and will affect the way your boots will look. The same goes for a general shoe polish that you can buy over the counter. A better option is to use Blundstone’s renovating cream polish as it will provide a better color match.
You should put together a small kit containing leather boot cleaner, boot waterproofing spray, and buffing cloth. We sell a boot care kit containing all the things you need to keep your new Blundstone boots looking good. Even if you have a pair of boots that look like they are at the end of their life, before you head to the shops to buy a brand-new pair, explore our tips on how you can restore leather boots to see if you can prolong their life.
Assessing The Condition of Your Boots
We have already mentioned the importance of regularly cleaning your boots but another thing that is worth doing habitually is assessing the condition of your boots. You should ask yourself questions as to whether they need to be cleaned, or conditioned or if there are any scrapes or cracks appearing on the boots that might need to be addressed.
The good news is that whilst not necessarily an easy task, leather restoration is completely possible, and you may be surprised at the results.
The first thing to note is that a clean leather boot is easier to assess than a dirty one so the first thing you should do is remove any dirt or grime from the boot with a damp cloth. When you assess your boot, it is a good idea to categorize any damage you find into two areas, things you can address yourself at home and issues that you’ll need to seek professional help for.
The rule of thumb is that the worse the damage the more likely you’ll need to get an expert to help with shoe repair.
You can often make an issue look even worse if a repair is done incorrectly, so it is often better to hand over your boots to a specialist or cobbler who has done the job before. Saying that, if you’re a fan of DIY and are prepared to give it a go there is a surprising number of things you can fix with a bit of care and leather cleaner.
How to Fix a Leather Boot Scuff
One of the most common issues people have with leather boots is that they can occasionally get scuffed or scratched. Some people think that scuffs and scratches add to the character of the shoe and boot. There is a good argument for this especially for boots, whereas dress shoes should normally be kept in pristine condition.
Not all scuffs are the same. Transfer Scuffs are when another material contacts the leather and leaves a residue behind. These can be quite easy to deal with. Try using a pencil eraser lightly over the area. The friction may help remove the additional material.
Another type of scuff is an abrasive Scuff. This type of scuff occurs when something contacts the leather boot, causing light damage to the surface of the leather. This changes the appearance of the leather and the area that was scuffed can end up looking slightly lighter than the rest of the material on the boot.
A light scuff mark might be fixable with just a light clean with a brush, then a going over the area with leather conditioner and soft cloth. Always clean your boots first, either using our specialist kits or using something like saddle soap or warm water.
The process for removing a deep scuff is to ensure that the leather surface is even, which might require some light sanding with fine sandpaper and then removing the dye and rebuilding accordingly. Take care with this method as you can make matters worse if you’re not careful.
Deeper scuffs might require a professional touch to recondition the area. Most good cobblers can deal with this kind of damage quite easily so it should be a low-cost repair.
Dealing with Water Damage
While water exposure such as a rain shower does not normally hurt leather in the short term, prolonged water exposure or lack of conditioning after being exposed to water can cause issues over time. Water-damaged leather tends to stiffen, harden, and cause leather dryness, and can end up cracking if not addressed. Another problem is that water can sometimes stain the leather, making it unsightly.
A note about waterproofing spray. You might think that using a waterproofing spray on your boot is unnecessary. However, leather isn’t waterproof, it is just water resistant. This means that not only can leather let in water, but it can also damage the leather over time. This is why we recommend using a waterproofing spray since this adds an additional level of water resistance for your feet but it also, and perhaps more importantly, helps protect the boot from both water and salt stains. You’ll know if your boots are protected as rain will form water droplets or “beads” on the surface of the leather. If you find the rain or water starting to soak into the leather itself, then it is time to apply waterproofing before lasting damage occurs.
For water strains, you can get specialist leather stain cleaners that can help remove the marks from the leather. You might find suggestions on the internet to use baking soda, toothpaste, and even lemon juice to clean leather. In our experience, it is better to use a tried and tested product that was designed for the job instead of household cleaners, since these can cause even worse damage if used incorrectly.
Creases & Cracks in Leather
Creases tend to occur on leather shoes quite frequently. As with most issues with leather, it is better to pre-empt the issue through proper care. The two ways to do this is to first use a shoe tree or in the case of a pair of Blundstone boots, a boot tree which, when placed inside a boot will help keep its shape. Another way to help with crease avoidance is to use a leather conditioner with a soft brush or cloth on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, one of the causes of creases in a shoe or boot is improper sizing. It’s important that you do not get a shoe that is too big (or too small) for you.
When leather dries out cracks can form, and this is why regularly conditioning leather is so important. Issues such as cracks, gouges, and tears will cause permanent damage to the leather and whilst they can be repaired, due to the nature of the issue, it is much harder to address when compared to a scratch or a scuff.
If you just want to prolong the life of your boots and are not too worried about the appearance of cracks, then ensuring that you condition the leather regularly with a buffing cloth will help prolong your boot’s life. Just use a leather conditioner and apply it to the boot with a clean cloth in circular motions. The cracks will remain, but the leather will be rejuvenated to a degree.
Some suggest using a leather filler to repair cracks and gouges in leather. However, many experts suggest that at best this is going to be a temporary fix and you might not get the best results from it. In some cases, applying leather filler can make the issue look even worse over time.
Leather filler may be more effective in an area of the shoe that moves less. For example, the vamp at the top of the shoe behind the toe box is a common area for creases since this area bends and flexes when you walk. Leather filler applied in this spot would be subject to a lot of movement and likely would be ineffective.
Leather Boot Scratches
A leather scratch can be unsightly on a pair of boots, but the damage can be hidden to a greater or lesser degree. As with creases and cracks we recommend using a leather conditioner on the area to help reduce the appearance. This will help blend in the color and reduce the prominence of the scratch. A cobbler may be able to take the repair a step further. In some instances, a scratch can be completely hidden.
Gouges & Tears in Leather Boots
A gouge in a leather boot is considered quite serious damage and will be hard to repair. Leather conditioner is your starting point if the gouge isn’t too deep, but depending on how bad the gouge is, you are much better off visiting a cobbler who may be able to repair the damage.
For severe damage such as tears that go through the leather then you may need to seek professional help to repair the damage. The good news is that many professional cobblers and shoemakers can make a lot of fixes and repairs that might surprise you. It is worth checking with a cobbler first before you throw your boots in the bin, since they may be able to add years to the life of your boot.
If you have a small tear in a leather boot, then there is a chance depending on the size and location of the cut it might be repairable. The way a cut is repaired is with a leather patch and leather cement. In simple terms, you can cover the hole with a new piece of leather and then through sanding and buffing, you can make the new patch of leather even with the existing leather on the shoe. You’ll need to ensure that the new leather patch is a good match with the existing shoe and to be honest, it’s specialist work and we do not recommend you have a go at it with your old favorite pair of boots or shoes because it will likely end with you potentially ruining the boot.
Obviously, there is a limit to what even a professional cobbler can fix so it is always worth getting your boots appraised and looked at as soon as you spot any damage. Ultimately, the worse the damage is the harder it will be to fix, and in some instances a pair of boots may be beyond repair, or the repair may be unsightly.
Other Boot Repairs
Another thing that a professional cobbler may be able to address is if you have problems with any of the stitching and seams on your boots. If you notice a problem here, speak to a cobbler to see if they can make repairs.
Sole replacement is another common repair that cobblers undertake. A worn sole can be dangerous because it can increase the chance of slipping so a resole is often a good idea. This may be less important in the dry but in the winter when it is more likely to be wet, damp, or icy it can get a lot more slippery. Slip resistance is particularly essential for work boots, and any damage to the sole increases the risk of accidents.
For Blundstone boots, a good cobbler will be able to replace the sole on the Blundstone Heritage Series boots.
With proper care and attention, even boots that look like their completely worn out can be brought back to life with professional leather boot repair, saving some money and reducing waste in the process.
As your Blundstone boot ages it will inevitably pick up some scuffs and scratches, especially given the environment our boots are often used in. An old pair of boots has character and with proper maintenance and care should last many years before you need to buy a replacement pair.
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