Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative

Dakotazeb

Dakotazeb

Well-known member
I first learned of it about 10 years ago while working on a hotshot fire crew. I've been using it ever since. I put it on everything now. Good stuff for sure.
 
I'm a member of another forum, all the Alaska guys swear by Obenauf's for their boots.
 
I've used beeswax (or actually that softened stuff in the blue can, SnoSeal maybe) on my boots for years and swear by it. I still wear a pair of hunting boots from 1992 that are still waterproof and not completely worn through although I have hundreds of miles hunting in them.

edit - this thread got me thinking so I went to the experts in all things hunting boots - Russell Moccassin. Here is what they say:

http://russellmoccasin.com/leather_care.html
 
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Looks to me like Russels have some type of personal or financial arrangement with Obenhauf's. :)

Sno-seal and Obenhauf's are both made from a beeswax base, I believe.

Good stuff for all leather or leather+rubber pacs--but if you have any nylon or synthethetic fabric on the boots OR have a gore-tex liner in the boot (as many do these days) I've read and been told by many that Nikwax is the only way to go.
 
I've read that Sno-Seal is beeswax cut with mineral spirits. The belief is it goes on easily, but ends up weakening the leather. (Just what I've read on the inna'net)
 
It is my understanding that Obenhauf's had gore companies Ok to use on leather boots with gore-tex linings.

I can't say about the others. I tried Nik-wax a couple times and did not care for it's performance.

As stated you do not want to be putting any of that on cordura or other materials besides leather.
 
I've been using Obenhauf's for the last couple of years and have liked it. Seems to be good stuff...my boots hold up well so guess Obenhauf's has something to do with that. I can't remember where I bought mine, but I remember a salesman told me it was good stuff. I don't normally listen to salesmen to closely, but for some reason I did that time!
 
I used that Nikwax and chucked it in the garbage.

Have used Sno-seal for years and can't say I've had any issues with leather weakening or being adversely affected especially since my go to hunting boots are over 15 years old. They are worn to hell but still waterproof. The soles are awfully thin though and I've sno-sealed them since I got them.

edit- this thread got me to order some Obenaufs. They had some special deal that had their leather oil, protector and some silicone stuff so I got it. I've got some expensive leather furniture that has needed some sort of treatment, especially a leather chair/ottoman but I've been afraid of screwing it up with something else. My oldest boots were dried out and I was going toput sno-seal on them but did the leather oil as a test and I have to say I was amazed. Leather feels like new. soft, supple and resists snow. Did the chair and at first i freaked because it darkened so much but after a day I'm amazed again.

The real kicker is my Rawlings brief case (baseball glove leather) that has sit in the sun on the passenger seat of my car for 15 years. One side is bleached out, dry, stiff and the other not much better. Leather oiled it and almost like new. What's wierd is the Obenauf's make the leather smell like new rather than smell like the oil/conditioner. etc.

I'm really impressed. going to hit my good boots with the LP before I go to the Packers - bears game Sunday. bears fans like to throw beer when they lose so my boots had better be waterproof!
 
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