Caring for my brogans

[tmattimore]

Re: Caring for my brogans

I agree with Dave totaly on this, his research is outstanding. I would add that shoe trees when you are not wearing your shoes will greatly extend the life of them. When shoes come in for repairs or rebuilds toe curl is one of the most difficult problems to correct, in some circumstances making a shoe impossible to half sole.
Tom Mattimore

[Jarnagin]

Re: Caring for my brogans

[QUOTE=Frenchie Larry] Using wax gives good protection, and wonderful finish.. but I wonder, is a wax finish correct for period ? was the wax widely used in the CW to protect military leather goods of the " standard " soldier ?




The idea where I came up with looking at waxes was from information on leather care from the US army. They recommended a heavy wax used in the storage of leather items.

The care of leather would have been a common thing known to most at the time of the Civil War. The dependence on leather for most things in a person every day life required a knowledge of the care leather needed to maintained in good shape. I have a feeling this knowledge has been lost since the advent of other products that do not require the up keep, such as a the modern rubber V belt instead of leather belting.

The other big change was chrome tanning. Chrome tanned leather do not require as much care and up keep as vegetable tanned leather. They even have washable chrome tanned leather on the market for leather clothing.

By the way the Ordnance Dept. was buying a polish in from England, and tried to copy it without luck. I have found no more information about polishes being issued but there maybe records that have not been found yet or it could become just one of those mysteries that will never be answered.

[JCbluegrassrifles]

Re: Caring for my brogans

Bob Serio at Missouri Boot & Shoe offers leather care products for his footwear. You could check that out. My method is to let them get the wear and tear that would naturally occur. I slick them down periodically with bacon grease. Some say that it is bad for the leather, that is why I do it periodically. But that is how soldiers would treat them in the field for a little moisture protection. Heel plates, hob nails, good idea. I try to avoid concrete and gravel, as some of the others have suggested. But it sounds to me like you've just got bad luck with that first pair. Get with Bob, and he'll hook you up!

http://missouribootandshoe.com/index.asp