Trigger Mike Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 While stationed in Germany I bought some matterhorn boots and left them in the basement for the last 18 years. It snowed finally a decent snow down here so I got them out and they are still warm, but they were covered in white that I suppose is mildew(most of which came off in the snow) but the tongue is stiff as a board and no longer forms to my leg. How do I loosen it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooleemee Edd, SASS No. 68719 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I'd wash them carefully with warm water and saddle soap. I had some cowboy boots that happened to while overseas. I thought they were ruined permanently, but not so! They didn't crack at all. As I recall, I sprayed them on the inside with some disinfectant. After that, I wore them a lot (I think that I put them on slightly damp, actually) and tried to keep a good amount of flexible polish or waterproofing on them. I still have them. The mildew "antiqued" them and they never had the same light brown color anymore, but they are still good boots. I'm sure that others will have better solutions, but it worked for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 I'd wash them carefully with warm water and saddle soap. I had some cowboy boots that happened to while overseas. I thought they were ruined permanently, but not so! They didn't crack at all. As I recall, I sprayed them on the inside with some disinfectant. After that, I wore them a lot (I think that I put them on slightly damp, actually) and tried to keep a good amount of flexible polish or waterproofing on them. I still have them. The mildew "antiqued" them and they never had the same light brown color anymore, but they are still good boots. I'm sure that others will have better solutions, but it worked for me! thanks. No one else commented so you must be right. I just worry about how to protect the waterproofing in the boots as I do recall we were to never polish them or it would ruin them and their waterproofing built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I had some Matterhorns but I prefer the modern Rockies I have for really cold weather. Use some Pecard oil to get the leather back in shape. Saddle soap will tend to dry the leather out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Clean them really well, saddle soap is okay for this, then rinse them to get the saddle soap back out. Good cleaning is essential. Rub in some good leather conditioner or something like neatsfoot oil. I reconditioned a seventy year old baseball glove for my wife's great uncle a few years ago using this process and it came back to life great. Rawhide lacing sometimes needs to be replaced, and organic threads sometimes break down but if the leather hasn't been attacked too badly by one or another of the parasites it will usually revive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 thanks all. I'd like to take care of good boots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 thanks all. I'd like to take care of good boots back in the day folks swore by mink oil You may want to use Pecards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascade Charlie, SASS # 48668L Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I think that you'll find LEXOL conditioner and LEXOL cleaner to be just about the best stuff out there now days. http://www.google.de/search?q=lexol+leathe...ved=0CE4QqwQwBg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadeye Doug Dalton SASS#65449L Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 If you use up your saddle soap on your boots, what are you going to use to wash your saddle with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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