Wolverine 721LTD Shell Cordovan 1000 Mile Boot Review

[ElDave]



You are correct that I am spending way too much time worrying about this. But this being my first pair of nice boots, I can actually do very little about my obsession. 



The one on the bottom is perfect. The one on the top has been like that for since day one, and has gotten a little worse over a week. Is it too much to ask to want them to look the same. I have no problem developing patina, but come on.

A few thoughts -

1) Leather will have some imperfections. It's a dead animal's skin, after all. I have some cordovan boots where the horse was obviously scarred. I actually like it.
2) As Crane's said, that leather looks really dry. If you're an urban hiker and the worse your boots will see is a puddle on the street, then get some polishing cloths (available at any shoe store), some Saphir Renovateur (try Kirby Allison's Hanger Project), and a good brush. Wipe the boots down with a slightly damp rag, brush them, let them dry, apply the Renovateur, brush vigorously.

 

[MarioImpemba]

Pee on it. The ammonia will bleach the dark spots.

 

[izzyfuld]

Pee on it. The ammonia will bleach the dark spots.

sick idea

 

[jcell]

They won't look the same no matter what you do. Each piece of the boot is most likely made from different hides or at best different sections of the same hide. That means each piece/boot will age differently. This is the whole allure of full grain leather. From what I'm seeing the color is through and through just like mine so again that's not the issue. It also looks like the dark area on the top boot is indigo rubbing off on to the leather. You are wearing these with jeans right? It's normal if you are. They also look like they need a good dose of boot oil as well. They look dry and dry leather is very prone to staining. Of course that's something else I don't worry about either. It's all part of the patina process which once again good full grain leather is known for.
Brand new...

Wolverine Boots Tan Addison 1 by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
This is nothing compared to some of the crap these boots have seen...

Oh No My Addisons are Ruined! LOL! by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
No joke, this is how I get the crud off my boots when I'm out hiking. I do it all the time.

Cleaning Your Addisons Trail Style by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
Just another day of hiking scree looking for artifacts...

Addisons2 by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
Wiped down with Filson boot oil just because they were dry...

Wolverine Addisons by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
If I wanted to I could easily clean them up with lexol, treat them with boot oil and snoseal them and they would look awesome. I've done this time and time again with my 721s and original brown 1Ks and have posted plenty of before during and after pics. Just because I can here's an example...
Trashed after another day of hiking scree covered shorelines and wading knee deep in water...

Original Brown 1K after one day of hiking (2) by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
Cleaned up and ready for going out. If I really wanted to I could have redressed the sole edge and rubbed out the little scuffs in the toe boxes. Then again I don't worry about things like this.

Final Step B by DYSong Photography, on Flickr

Final Step A by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
Same goes for the 721s...
Shell does wear better but the 721s have seen just as much abuse as the other two pairs....

Wolverine Addisons 721LTD Original by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
Simple maintenance and a lot of water brushing they looked like this. The pics don't do the boots any justice at all. Rich red, black cherry and brown undertones abound. Another example of patina which shell is also known for.

721LTDs Waterbrushed (3) by DYSong Photography, on Flickr
If this doesn't get you to stop worrying about them nothing will.

Yeah, I know. I should just stop worrying about them. I want them to develop a nice patina. Any thing is fixable I guess.

A few thoughts -
1) Leather will have some imperfections. It's a dead animal's skin, after all. I have some cordovan boots where the horse was obviously scarred. I actually like it.
2) As Crane's said, that leather looks really dry. If you're an urban hiker and the worse your boots will see is a puddle on the street, then get some polishing cloths (available at any shoe store), some Saphir Renovateur (try Kirby Allison's Hanger Project), and a good brush. Wipe the boots down with a slightly damp rag, brush them, let them dry, apply the Renovateur, brush vigorously.

I may try a colored boot cream first, only because that is what someone else recommended on the shoe care forum. Problem is I wear them in the rain, mud, ect, not just the street. Who knows. We will see how I feel after the Filson boot oil and the sno seal. Funny thing though, you all said it looked dry, and that was after it just had 2 treatments of Conditioner. I used plenty.

 

[Crane's]

Well your idea of plenty and mine are most likely very different. How did you apply it? Now I'll ask you a few simple questions. Does the guy on the shoe forum own a pair of these boots let alone 3 pairs? If so do they wear them in pastures full of cow **** or walk along a river bank with knee deep black muck? You say you are going to wear them in environments similar to what I wear mine in. Really? Who's advice is worth listening to? You keep worrying about color and want to keep fixing it. It's not broke and around here we don't fix things that aren't broke. Over time these tan boots of yours will darken significantly. If you manage to take care of them the color will eventually become a warm light golden brown in a decade or so. That's what aniline dyed full grain leather does over time. It darkens and there is nothing you can do about it.

Do what you want, they're your boots. Hopefully you won't hear me tell you I told you so down the road.

 

[ElDave]



Yeah, I know. I should just stop worrying about them. I want them to develop a nice patina. Any thing is fixable I guess. 
I may try a colored boot cream first, only because that is what someone else recommended on the shoe care forum. Problem is I wear them in the rain, mud, ect, not just the street. Who knows. We will see how I feel after the Filson boot oil and the sno seal. Funny thing though, you all said it looked dry, and that was after it just had 2 treatments of Conditioner. I used plenty. 

I honestly don't mean to be rude, but two things:

1. If two people with experience in high end shoe care both tell you the same thing, maybe there's some merit to it.

2. If you're incredibly worried about color variation in a pair of work boots that will be used in a work boot manner, why did you buy tan? Why didn't you buy dark brown or black, where the color variations that will inevitably happen would not be very (if at all) noticeable?

 

[Crane's]

Hell ElDave, to me it's not a matter of taking care of good leather products as much as it is with taking care of this specific product. Over the last three years I've explained all the why's how's and documented it all with pics to boot. But then again I'm also the guy who wears leather jackets in the rain with no ill effects but hey what do I know? LOL!

 

[bicktrav]

Crane's, I'm curious as to whether you'll be getting the 744s? If so, are you going to put them through the ringer the way you have your other 1000 miles? Would love to see another thread like this one.

 

[jcell]

I honestly don't mean to be rude, but two things:
1. If two people with experience in high end shoe care both tell you the same thing, maybe there's some merit to it.
2. If you're incredibly worried about color variation in a pair of work boots that will be used in a work boot manner, why did you buy tan? Why didn't you buy dark brown or black, where the color variations that will inevitably happen would not be very (if at all) noticeable?

In regards to 1. Good point.
2. Also good point that I am thinking about as well. I guess I just liked the way the looked and felt, and read Crane's review of them and liked how they looked beat up. I think the fundamental flaw I'm having is I don't like how mine are looking all beat up. If that makes any sense. His seemed to lighten and they look cool. Mine are starting to fade and look not so cool. Well the right shoe is at least. Left is fantastic.

Hell ElDave, to me it's not a matter of taking care of good leather products as much as it is with taking care of this specific product. Over the last three years I've explained all the why's how's and documented it all with pics to boot. But then again I'm also the guy who wears leather jackets in the rain with no ill effects but hey what do I know? LOL!

Really the reason I Was worried about the color was because I don't quite know how sno seal works. My thinking was that because that area is fading in terms of color, then it would start to gray and not turn that golden brown color like I wanted. I guess that thinking is fundamentally flawed. I meant no offence by may statements. You have told me what you do to these shoes and I thank you for that. I'm confident that you know what you are talking about.

 

[Crane's]



Crane's, I'm curious as to whether you'll be getting the 744s?  If so, are you going to put them through the ringer the way you have your other 1000 miles?  Would love to see another thread like this one.

As much as I would like to I do have to draw a line in the sand and stop. I'm sure the 744s would do just fine. Now if they do a shell boot in say whiskey or natural shell yeah it would be game on.

In regards to 1. Good point. 
2. Also good point that I am thinking about as well. I guess I just liked the way the looked and felt, and read Crane's review of them and liked how they looked beat up. I think the fundamental flaw I'm having is I don't like how mine are looking all beat up. If that makes any sense. His seemed to lighten and they look cool. Mine are starting to fade and look not so cool. Well the right shoe is at least. Left is fantastic.
Really the reason I Was worried about the color was because I don't quite know how sno seal works. My thinking was that because that area is fading in terms of color, then it would start to gray and not turn that golden brown color like I wanted. I guess that thinking is fundamentally flawed. I meant no offence by may statements. You have told me what you do to these shoes and I thank you for that. I'm confident that you know what you are talking about. 

A lot of the differences you see in color saturation is due to different lighting. Right now my boots are much darker than when they were new. Welcome to one of the nightmares of photography. Even though you conditioned your boots they still look dry. Lexol is a light conditioner and can't hold a candle to Filson boot oil for conditioning. You'll understand this once you get the boot oil and use it. The snoseal will also darken the leather up a bit. Once these treatments seep in the boots will lighten back up so don't fret that either. While we are on the subject of mine versus yours there is no way they can be compared. Your boots are new, mine aren't. My boots have seen things for days on end that yours will most likely never see. Hell my boots are just beginning to get a patina on them. It takes years not days, weeks or months for leather to age. Another thing to keep in mind is your boots will never look like mine. How they age and how the patina develops is unique to an individual user. Even if you went where I went and did what I do your boots might look similar but that's about as far as it will go.

 

[bicktrav]

Crane's, is Filson Boot Oil good to use on chromexcel and cordovan? Or is it good for just one of the types of leather? Also, what's the difference between Filson's Boot Oil and the Obenauf Leather Protector that they sell? I know you've gone over this stuff, but I've been searching through the threads and with the hundreds of pages, I'm having a hard time locating your thoughts.

 

[Crane's]



Crane's, is Filson Boot Oil good to use on chromexcel and cordovan?  Or is it good for just one of the types of leather?  Also, what's the difference between Filson's Boot Oil and the Obenauf Leather Protector that they sell?  I know you've gone over this stuff, but I've been searching through the threads and with the hundreds of pages, I'm having a hard time locating your thoughts.  

Bridle leather, Chromexcel, Predator and Cordovan are all vegetable tanned leather in whole or in part. Filson boot oil is specifically made for vegetable tanned leathers. There's nothing in it other than the oils and waxes that's used in the tanning process. If I didn't have a steady stream of Filson boot oil and snoseal I would be using Obenauf's products. LP was specifically invented to protect leather footwear in really nasty environments. Sound familiar? Obenauf says they made the oil to protect things like horse tack, saddles, boots and so on that are used in less harsh conditions. That should sound familiar as well. Many people have used Montana pitch blend but I'm not to sure about it. It has pine tar in it and it's my understanding that this component isn't all that good for leather. Same goes for Wolverine boot oil. It has the essential oils and waxes but there's pine tar in it. Other things to avoid is petroleum products and animal fats like real mink oil.

So for general care Filson boot oil or Obenauf's oil.

Gonna expose them to water, mud, muck, cow crap and so on you use Snoseal or LP in addition to boot oil.

 

[jcell]

As much as I would like to I do have to draw a line in the sand and stop. I'm sure the 744s would do just fine. Now if they do a shell boot in say whiskey or natural shell yeah it would be game on.
A lot of the differences you see in color saturation is due to different lighting. Right now my boots are much darker than when they were new. Welcome to one of the nightmares of photography. Even though you conditioned your boots they still look dry. Lexol is a light conditioner and can't hold a candle to Filson boot oil for conditioning. You'll understand this once you get the boot oil and use it. The snoseal will also darken the leather up a bit. Once these treatments seep in the boots will lighten back up so don't fret that either. While we are on the subject of mine versus yours there is no way they can be compared. Your boots are new, mine aren't. My boots have seen things for days on end that yours will most likely never see. Hell my boots are just beginning to get a patina on them. It takes years not days, weeks or months for leather to age. Another thing to keep in mind is your boots will never look like mine. How they age and how the patina develops is unique to an individual user. Even if you went where I went and did what I do your boots might look similar but that's about as far as it will go.

Ahh now I understand. I forgot to tell you how I applied it. First pass I put it on a cloth and then went over the shoe. Second pass, I put it on my finger and then would rub it into a small area. Then more, and rub in. And I'd keep doing this. I didn't really think there was a wrong way to do it. If you've got a suggestion, I'm open to a new method. I was apprehensive about spraying the lexol right onto the shoe.

Bridle leather, Chromexcel, Predator and Cordovan are all vegetable tanned leather in whole or in part. Filson boot oil is specifically made for vegetable tanned leathers. There's nothing in it other than the oils and waxes that's used in the tanning process. If I didn't have a steady stream of Filson boot oil and snoseal I would be using Obenauf's products. LP was specifically invented to protect leather footwear in really nasty environments. Sound familiar? Obenauf says they made the oil to protect things like horse tack, saddles, boots and so on that are used in less harsh conditions. That should sound familiar as well. Many people have used Montana pitch blend but I'm not to sure about it. It has pine tar in it and it's my understanding that this component isn't all that good for leather. Same goes for Wolverine boot oil. It has the essential oils and waxes but there's pine tar in it. Other things to avoid is petroleum products and animal fats like real mink oil.
So for general care Filson boot oil or Obenauf's oil.
Gonna expose them to water, mud, muck, cow crap and so on you use Snoseal or LP in addition to boot oil.

Very, very informative. Please god tell me I bought the right stuff. http://www.filson.com/products/boot-oil.55101.html
That is the stuff I got. Do I put it on the same way I put on the lexol, or do I use the hair dryer like the sno seal.

There was also this at filson. I did not buy it. I did not think it was the right stuff. http://www.filson.com/products/filson-s-oil-finish-wax.69033.html

 

[Crane's]

The wax is for retreating oil finished tin, cover and shelter cloth. It's not made to treat leather. You got the right stuff. Now get an old rag and literally soak it with boot oil and wipe the entire boot down with it. Apply it liberally and I do mean liberally as in wet. You'll be surprised how fast it absorbs into the leather. Let them sit for a day and wipe them down with a dry rag and you're done. The boots will be a tad darker and feel oily. That settles down in a week or so as the oil penetrates and you wear them. When they get scuffed all you need to do is rub the spot with your thumb and it should disappear. If not a dab of oil rubbed in will fix it. After a week or so of treating them with oil you can treat them with Snoseal for added protection. Wipe them down with a damp rag, brush them and then follow my Snoseal instructions that are posted in this thread. They'll be more or less bullet proof after that. Retreating is subjective. Over time you'll learn when they are dry or need to be treated with oil and or Snoseal. Now if you go hiking in knee deep water all day with them they need to dry for a couple of days and treated with boot oil inside and out. In general you do want to apply boot oil every once and a while to the smooth leather inside the boot. The reason should be obvious.

 

[bicktrav]

Bridle leather, Chromexcel, Predator and Cordovan are all vegetable tanned leather in whole or in part. Filson boot oil is specifically made for vegetable tanned leathers. There's nothing in it other than the oils and waxes that's used in the tanning process. If I didn't have a steady stream of Filson boot oil and snoseal I would be using Obenauf's products. LP was specifically invented to protect leather footwear in really nasty environments. Sound familiar? Obenauf says they made the oil to protect things like horse tack, saddles, boots and so on that are used in less harsh conditions. That should sound familiar as well. Many people have used Montana pitch blend but I'm not to sure about it. It has pine tar in it and it's my understanding that this component isn't all that good for leather. Same goes for Wolverine boot oil. It has the essential oils and waxes but there's pine tar in it. Other things to avoid is petroleum products and animal fats like real mink oil.
So for general care Filson boot oil or Obenauf's oil.
Gonna expose them to water, mud, muck, cow crap and so on you use Snoseal or LP in addition to boot oil.

Thank you. Great information!