Dubbing my double buckle roughouts

[Pumba]

Some of you might have heard of dubbing your roughouts. I read in some articles that the US soldiers did this to waterproof their boots and also to add additional protection against chemicals. Do read this article I found:

www.90thidpg.us/Equipment/Projects/Dubbing/index.html

Since I got mine from Ner just recently, Ive decided to apply the dubbing to try out this practice. I got some dubbing wax called TECTRON SNO SEAL when my wife went to the US recently. She found it in some outdoors shop so Im wondering if they have this here too.

Anyway here's how the project went.

I started out with my new Ner double-buckle roughouts




I applied the Dubbing called Sno-seal. Its a type of beeswax which is generally used these days for waterproofing hiking boots.




I applied the wax on my sun-heated boots. I just spread them on and the heat sort of melted the wax and helped absorb into the material. You will find the difference between dubbed and undubbed boots in the pic below. The dubbed boots have gotten darker and will most likely stay that way. Ive seen colored pics of GI boots and they sport a very dark brown color, similar to what happened to my boots.




After my first coating this is the finished product




I'll be adding a second coating sometime next week to fully coat the leather. This should darken the shoe further.

There is some merit to doing this as it further protects the boots from exposure to the elements. As far as I know, boots are supposed to be dubbed at least twice a year. Some articles Ive read have stated that the soldiers would even apply brown polish to shine them.

[jimmiroquai]

Nice! I wonder if there's a local equivalent? Did this change the texture of your roughouts? I had a bad experience with a shoe repair shop once. I had sued shoes cleaned and when i got them back, the shoes lost the texture because they shined em.

[Pumba]

It still feels slightly "rough" but definitely a lot smoother now. You will get the impression that it is greasy while actually its not. It kind of feels like there is a film of something over it. Im supposed to add a second coating. Maybe once the wax absorbs properly, after the heating process (blowdrier) the old texture may return. It will still get darker on 2nd coat.

I do not know if this may work as a substitute, but Kiwi has this spray protectant for suede. I have yet to ask around the sports shops.

[medic]

There's a spray product from 3M that's an upholstery protectant. It's used on furniture and has a silicone component that's supposed to make fabric water resistant. Maybe that could work.
At the very least, shoe shine wax is supposed to do the same thing.

[Pumba]

I applied the 2nd coating already and it sort of feels smoother now. I have no idea if the texture will change again once I start using it

[labrador]

German short boots were issued as roughh out brown boots as well but you'll never see them as such in actual photos since they were also dubbed til shiny. I think this was normal treatment for leather boots in those days.

[medic]

I suppose leather tanning technology in those days were a lot different from today. But nothing beats taking care of our investment. Dubbing was a good idea. Maybe I'll wax my boots as well.
P.S., Mang Ner sure makes good footwear, eh?

[kalbs]

Dubbing was standard practice in WW2, all roughouts were dubbed. Spray wouldn't be appropriate

[Pumba]

I guess the next substitute to the Sno seal maybe Kiwi neutral polish. They look alike except kiwi is denser. Maybe the same effect.

[Pumba]

Wow reading this post, my shoes are 3 years old on October ha ha Mang Ner makes good shoes!

[DAN SAN]

actually go to the BASS shoe shop its all over the ayala malls.. they got them there..water proofing beeswax.. dexter shoe shop has their own also.. im not sure with florsheim? i sue it on my tabi shoes for water proofing purpose.. it works!