Oiling down suede (is it possible? how?benefits?)

[sinnedk]

hi gents,

I have a pair of suede boot that i like and what to give the more rugged oiled suede look like some items i have seen. I have a few questions.

1. can i myself oil down the suede?
2. will it darken the boots and make them water proof?
3. are there any bad reifications for doing so?
4. should i just get a cobbler to do it?

the effect i want is a more rugged with the benefits of water proofing.

 

[dinogj]

I did this to a pair of suede Clarks DBs and I wouldn't recommend it. Instead of coming out "rugged" they came out...ugly.
That is really the best way to describe it. I Like to think of myself as pretty okay with DIY projects but this one was a failure on my part.
I used a whole tin of the walmart brand mink oil and maybe that was my issue.

The good news is that they are now thoroughly waterproof.

 

[NorCal_1]

the best way to do this is Otter Wax, which has only been around a couple of years, and is fantastic (and all natural)

tutorials here: http://www.otterwax.com/tutorials/

I even used Otter Wax to distress a suede cafe racer and it came out great...just don't use to much for distressing purposes on suede (but more if you want it to waterproof something like boots)

Jack Knife Outfitters and Dunderoon and many others are now using it for distressing suede jackets and duck cloth or canvas jackets and vests

the stuff is great and it works

how to do suede desert boots - here: http://www.otterwax.com/blog/

 

[NorCal_1]

here's what Dunderoon did to distress a suede jacket using Otter Wax:

http://www.coolhunting.com/style/hhi-dunderdon-welders-jacket.php/

mentions Otter Wax here:

http://shop.hammarhead.com/products/hhi-welders-jacket

Jack Knife Outfitters blog mentions using Otter Wax to wax their duck canvas worker jacket and vests:

http://jackknifeoutfitters.tumblr.com/

 

[zissou]

I agree that wax is a much better route than oil. Oil will soak in too quickly, leaving the suede soaked and unable to breathe. You might also consider Obenauf's LP.

Otter wax has a great tutorial for waxing sneakers.

 

[NorCal_1]

^ I think Obenauf's is too oily, Zissou

try Otter Wax, it's great

 

[zissou]

Yeah, it is definitely more oily than straight wax...

 

[sinnedk]



the best way to do this is Otter Wax, which has only been around a couple of years, and is fantastic (and all natural)
tutorials here: http://www.otterwax.com/tutorials/
I even used Otter Wax to distress a suede cafe racer and it came out great...just don't use to much for distressing purposes on suede (but more if you want it to waterproof something like boots)
Jack Knife Outfitters and Dunderoon and many others are now using it for distressing suede jackets and duck cloth or canvas jackets and vests
the stuff is great and it works
how to do suede desert boots - here: http://www.otterwax.com/blog/

nice, thank you, but i assume this is temporary and i have to reapply every so often?

 

[sinnedk]

i also don't really want nap that badly so this looks like it will do the trick

 

[Mr. Moo]

Wolf *****.

 

[NorCal_1]



nice, thank you, but i assume this is temporary and i have to reapply every so often?

yes, you will have to reapply depending on use, just like with the petroelum based wxes from Barbour and the like, but Otter wax is far easier and cleaner to apply and maintain than the others and it's natural and won't smell like you washed them in a chemical bath

 

[NorCal_1]

Otter Wax is a great product that's only been around a few years but works very well on suede

I used it to 'antique' my cafe racer jacket but it can be used to do desert boots or any other suede boots or shoes you might want to use it on to get a distressed or lived in look. Otter Wax has tutorials on their website

here are some before and after pictures of a tobacco suede cafe racer jacket (J Crew Stockton) that's been slightly waxed using Otter Wax to give it a distressed leather look with no real damage to the fabric (ie. suede tends to get shiny in areas of wear and this can be mimicked with Otter Wax matting down the nappe)


BEFORE

AFTER

the process was simple....just rub the Otter Wax bar over the tytpical areas you would expect to see wear or rubbing of the suede with regular use. One or two wipes was all that was needed. I used a hair dryer to soak in and set the wax after it looked good good to the naked eye. The wax when applied doesn't look anywhere as "shiny" as it does in the pictures (that was due to the reflection)

Here are some pictures of the wax being applied and where it was applied to:

Note: the wax is not as shiny as it appears in these photos in real life - it looks just like regular suede wear to the naked eye

 

[TweeterTot]

I have a pair of knee high suede moccasin boots that I trimmed the fringe off for use with a Robin Hood-type of costume.

They were too new looking, so I just used good ol' Saddle Soap and rubbed some distress marks into them.

I used a very lightlyl damp rag and generously dug into the soap to dispense a good amount onto the boot. Apply heavy enough to be dark, but not in the quantity that you still see the yellowish coloring of the soap. Careful on seams or you will have clumps of undissolved soap; if this happens, re-dampen the rag and rug rigorously until the clumps dissolve. I am sure a blow dryer may melt the clumps in theory.

Here you see one is untouched and the other has been distressed with Saddle Soap alone.

 

[meso]



a Robin Hood-type of costume. 

Pics or GTFO.

 

[AAJJLLPP]

I used an oil based product on some nubuck shoes. I did not do it to distress them but rather to renew them. They look great, I did not use alot of the product, and after i used a suede brush to bring the nep back up. Just test it in a hidden part of the shoe and see how it works, you will likely need to brush it with a rough wire brush or something similar to get the suede texture back.