Restretching Leather Boots

[twitch]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone out there has tips for tuning up old boots that have been sitting all winter. My Leather boots have become very stiff and shrunk up a bit over the winter, I think they may have been wet when they were stored away. Anyone have an advice of getting them back to shape or what not?

Thanks,

[TheHamsterizer]

It depends, if they are thick, though leather like vibergs or viking caulks you can use mink oil on them. Spread it on and use a hair dryer to get it to soak in. Make sure the boots are clean first! If they're hiking boots mink oil is supposed to be bad for them, it will soften the leather too much and take years off the life of the boots. Sno-Seal or Nikwax would be better. Personally I'd just use a cloth and water to soften up hiking boots. Wear them a couple of days before working, then clean them and waterproof them with Nikwax.