Eric’s Work Boot Saga

Basics

• This page aims to cover User: Eric ‘s experience with “work boots” and care/repair of them

“Walmart Special”

• (Short of when i’m wearing Muck Boots or Chemical Resistant Boots etc) at work, I’ve been using the “Walmart Dozier” ones for a while
  • Not counting the “landfill scented” one and/or one that got coated in Natural Gas Liquids / Pipeline Tar, i think i’m on Pair 2 or so?
  • Not horrible, but for ~100 USD or so you get:
  • Might not last as long as “Proper” Redwings etc, BUT:
    • Steel Toe
    • Steel Sole (ie Puncture Resistant Boots )
    • MOSTLY Leather
      • Probably not “weld spec” (especially with tons of mig splatter etc), but if the tops are covered up by your jeans etc and/or if leather covers are used, should be fine
    • (Mostly) Waterproof, yet still decently breathable (at least compared to Waterproof Muck Boots)
    • Speed Lace-able
  • Main Issues Are:
    • While reasonably comfortable, the built in Foam Insole is NOT DURABLE (at least for me); the heel got all shredded
      • When they are new just put a more wear hardy insole (Gel / TPE etc) on TOP then that issues has been negated (at least for 1.5 or so years of use)
    • Secondly, while it is TECHNICALLY Welt Construction / a Goodyear Welt , the base tread is still only Glued On
    • At that 1 Year or so point it starts to delaminate
  • The leather itself is holding up alright, better Preventative Maintenance would probably improve this ( Saddle Soap etc)

Preventative Maintenance

Boot Scrubber

• Moreso just cleanliness than anything, but walmart had a cheap boot scraper thing, got 2 of those for by the garage so i don’t track much inside, and so they don’t have TOO MUCH stuff on them

Routine Cleaning + Conditioning

• To be honest, routine use / being around pressure washers or washing a car / walking around in the rain etc + simply brushing them off a but if it’s dry dust works alright
• Ideally though some sort of proper Leather Cleaner then Leather Conditioner may be worthwhile?
  • Don’t need to get them dress shoe shiny or anything, just keep the zombified skin moisturized i guess? Leather is weird lol
  • I’ve heard good things about Saddle Soap, so got some. If i remember correctly it’s Beeswax based?
  • Mink Oil is “traditional”, but fur farming is especially gnarly and abhorrent, EVEN IF you are fine with animal agriculture, so i don’t plan on using that
    • I’ll have to grab the links later, but Coconut Oil / Palm Oil may have had similar properties? I think the not going rancid at SOP was the main thing, Beeswax probably behaves in a similar manner
    • Granted Citation Needed
    • ALSO most “Mink Oil” isn’t even the real thing, GRANTED to an extent that’s mot the worst thing, in terms of divesting from Fur Farming etc, but the main reason is probably Cattle derived Neatsfoot Oil or whatever is cheaper. Unsure if it’s comprable performance or an Adulterant, but yeah
    • Also need to look into if some sort of Mineral Oil / Paraffin Wax type compound could fill the niche at all
    • ALL IN ALL THOUGH, those ethical considerations/research bits aside, Saddle Soap was easily available and didn’t deal with much of that so i chose it for now
  • Off Brand or DIY/OS Formulations MAY be worthwhile
    • Probably cheaper
    • Also could make different viscosity/something potentially sprayable etc
• In terms of brushes, i think Horsehair/Hog Hair are traditional/recommended
  • Semi-Synthetic Keratin would be cool as hell, either vegan or like hair cutting waste, and could also get better properties potentially (yet no M/NP Pollution issues of Plastic Brushes etc)
• All in all though this area is a bit of a lower priority

Addressing the Delamination Issue

Prevention

• I was gluing up a semi delaminated boot, and the other side did actually have some mini-peeling back cracks forming
  • Every so often dowsing the sides in a bit of Shoe Glue / Contact Cement etc, or even just Wax ‘’’may’’’ slow/prevent their spread in a manner akin to Asphalt Cement Maintenance
• Also while much less ideal, i wonder to what degree me tapping my foot/kicking those Rolling Door Latch-Lock things etc contribute to the issue
  • Either way though a work boot SHOULD be able to withstand all that, at least for a good while!

Repair

• Work Boot Repair / Shoe Repair
• Essentially gets into Leatherwork territory
  • ALTHOUGH, i would say punching through that sole, and it being on a boot, instead of some arts and crafts just sheets of leather, or precut project thing, makes it a BIT worse

Workflow So Far

• Was STRUGGLING, but what i used/figured out so far:
  • Walmart/The Brand Of Boot’s Proprietary Glue
    • Others may work fine/better, need to investigate that
    • Also 1 Tube BARELY got it done, so 2+ is probably ideal
    • Looking into prep work (almost akin to Composite Joint Prep ) may be worthwhile
      • I did a haphazard Cordless Air Duster - Isopropanol and/or Acetone - Cordless Air Duster protocol, other things may be better
        • Also IF one could get a CLEAN peel, would doing a complete “Resoling” (even if reusing the same sole) be better (Could wipe down and even sand the surfaces (or do so better) and get better glue application)
  • Finally 3D Printed Weights and/or Shoe Clamps or Boot Clamps are pretty specialized tool wise, but would come in handy. Cheap FDM 3D Printed could make it more justifiable too
• After all the prep/glue though, i also sewed them together
  • I was PLANNING on using some stuff i got, and even XPE (or was it Kevlar?) Thread
    • Most of the gear short of a Sewing Repair Kit and a Speedy Stitcher are misplaced or in storage so i rushed and didn’t use them (yet)
    • Anyhow though, use the speedy stitcher/a similar awl to push as far as you can in with the needle
    • THEN use a Thimble or similar non-hand “pusher” to push the needle flush into the sole
    • THEN i grabbed the needle with Vice Grips / Locking Pliers and pulled it through
    • Then i pulled the slack thread through and “rinse and repeat”
• I couldn’t quite grasp how to pull off a Saddle Stitch or whatever so it was probably ‘’’’not the best work’’’ , but between the needle (without predrilling/punching) making a tight fit for the Thread, and the glue kind of locking it in place, it SHOULD be pretty secure
  • Doing proper locking stitches and such/tying it at the ends is probably better though
  • Depending on the plastic, may be able to thermally bond the ends (akin to a Hot Wire Cutter / Webbing Slicer melting the ends), or use Solvents to do that
    • Not shop level, but Ultrasonic Welding might be a makerspace level solution!
  • While Curved Needles SOUNDED like a good idea (due to there being little room on that welt/perimeter), Straight Needles made it WAY EASIER to “punch” through the sole without hitting the non-outer perimeter areas etc

Internal Links

• Work Boots / Safety Toed Footwear

External Links

• The Walmart Page for the “Herman Survivors Professional Men's Dozier Waterproof 8" Steel Toe Work Boots”
  • ~110 USD as of this edit
  • Might not be Electrically Insulated Boots (or at least to a rated level) which isn’t great, but stepping on nails/slipping/dropping stuff is a far more likely risk than electrocution (when the latter can be avoided via LOTO etc, dropping stuff/stubbing your toe etc is WAY HARDER to “solve” )
  • Also no Metatarsal Guard which would be nice (may not crush your toe, but foot bones are still ripe for crunching by heavy dropped stuff!)
• A Walmart Listing for the Aforementioned Boot Scrubber
  • ~22 USD as of this edit
  • Although get 2x for nicer ergonomics
  • May be worth it to bolt it to some plywood etc so they don’t move around as much