I have had three pair of Chippewa Engineering boots. The first pair I bought at LL Bean in Maine back in 1996. I worn them out, not being the smartest on how to care for them. I bought a second pair and again, wore them out. Then I bought a pair of Chippawa rejects from Sportsman's Guide for $59 around 2005. These were Chippewa Apaches with steel toe. I still wear these, having a resole once. But...I have another pair of Engineering boots that have been in the box for 15 years or so. I have noticed the boots from 96 and around 2000 were built heavier and just felt different than the later pair of Engineering boots. I have been thinking a few times in the last month of getting them off the garage shelf and giving them a treatment. Worst part about any of the Engineering boots or the Apaches is the break in is brutal! Pain, pain, pain! Feels like under your feet is made of a plywood plank.
Cool man. Chippewa’s heritage line used to be great . I went through 2 pairs from 2014- 16 . Working in a metal scrap yard as a burner. I put them through that test and they held on . The best way to get the engineers to look like a RW 8111 is to just treat them with neutral boot cream , if you’re treating the ones in the garage . And you’re right they’re hard to break in , that’s some thick leather . Never owned Apaches but I like them and I can always spot them in the wild , they look good .
I have a pair I bought of them used from eBay they are a little heavy, but that's to be expected for the model of engineer boots. The leather is thick, and the best part is that they are American made not china or mexico or India, they all American and they fit the build of America's heritage wear, going to wear them with raw denim . I absolutely love these boots going to try and find the black ones they are worth resoling. They are close to 300 new if you can even find them new. I think they are discontinued
Hope you find the black ones in good shape . They are discontinued and Chippewa’s new heritage line is not the same as before. They are built overseas . I found mine for $100 bucks and got very lucky finding them almost new .
Do you think they'll return to their factory color after some more wear? I conditioned my Chippewa 6 inch lace up apache chocolate with Safir's Rennovateur. Can't say I like that result! I was fine with the leather darkening. But, not only did it become too shiny, the leather also lost it's slightly sanded/nubuck texture. I managed to clean some conditioning off using soap but still couldn't get all the original texture back. Now the leather is a bit dry but I'm not sure what to use next. So, cautionary tale for friends out there.
You might have to do a cleaning with saddle soap that will remove most of the oil from the boot and hopefully get the leather back to natural form . I would try that first. Or You can wear them for i while and see how it develops patina and decide if you like that . But I would wear it for a while to let the wear do it’s job .
I wouldn’t use the term ruined . Just not gotten the desired result. Try the saddle soap method and see the new result . Or again, wear them be patient and let the wear and tear do it’s part .
@@Deivinovas I would. I ruined my Katahdin’s with Obenauf’s and looking at your result, they look the same. The leather looked 100x better before you conditioned them.
I have had three pair of Chippewa Engineering boots. The first pair I bought at LL Bean in Maine back in 1996. I worn them out, not being the smartest on how to care for them. I bought a second pair and again, wore them out. Then I bought a pair of Chippawa rejects from Sportsman's Guide for $59 around 2005. These were Chippewa Apaches with steel toe. I still wear these, having a resole once. But...I have another pair of Engineering boots that have been in the box for 15 years or so. I have noticed the boots from 96 and around 2000 were built heavier and just felt different than the later pair of Engineering boots. I have been thinking a few times in the last month of getting them off the garage shelf and giving them a treatment.
Worst part about any of the Engineering boots or the Apaches is the break in is brutal! Pain, pain, pain! Feels like under your feet is made of a plywood plank.
Cool man. Chippewa’s heritage line used to be great . I went through 2 pairs from 2014- 16 . Working in a metal scrap yard as a burner. I put them through that test and they held on . The best way to get the engineers to look like a RW 8111 is to just treat them with neutral boot cream , if you’re treating the ones in the garage . And you’re right they’re hard to break in , that’s some thick leather . Never owned Apaches but I like them and I can always spot them in the wild , they look good .
I have a pair of these. I like them.
I have a pair I bought of them used from eBay they are a little heavy, but that's to be expected for the model of engineer boots. The leather is thick, and the best part is that they are American made not china or mexico or India, they all American and they fit the build of America's heritage wear, going to wear them with raw denim . I absolutely love these boots going to try and find the black ones they are worth resoling. They are close to 300 new if you can even find them new. I think they are discontinued
Hope you find the black ones in good shape . They are discontinued and Chippewa’s new heritage line is not the same as before. They are built overseas . I found mine for $100 bucks and got very lucky finding them almost new .
Do you think they'll return to their factory color after some more wear? I conditioned my Chippewa 6 inch lace up apache chocolate with Safir's Rennovateur. Can't say I like that result! I was fine with the leather darkening. But, not only did it become too shiny, the leather also lost it's slightly sanded/nubuck texture. I managed to clean some conditioning off using soap but still couldn't get all the original texture back. Now the leather is a bit dry but I'm not sure what to use next. So, cautionary tale for friends out there.
You might have to do a cleaning with saddle soap that will remove most of the oil from the boot and hopefully get the leather back to natural form . I would try that first. Or
You can wear them for i while and see how it develops patina and decide if you like that . But I would wear it for a while to let the wear do it’s job .
Nope never will. Boots ruined.
I wouldn’t use the term ruined . Just not gotten the desired result.
Try the saddle soap method and see the new result . Or again, wear them be patient and let the wear and tear do it’s part .
@@Deivinovas I would. I ruined my Katahdin’s with Obenauf’s and looking at your result, they look the same. The leather looked 100x better before you conditioned them.
@@DeivinovasI actually need to do a video on using Saddle Soap on my ruined Katahdin boots. Maybe this weekend. 👍