How To Repair Man Made Boots

Sorry the photos and explanations don't really help, but would be a bit expensive to post back to the UK.

I have never used the quick shine stuff on these boots. Used to sometimes use Paddywax (however that's spelt) on my school shoes for speed many moons ago, but have only used Kiwi polish on these. Tried the sponge ended quick shine stuff on other shoes but never liked it. You can buy it here but I've always preferred Kiwi polish or Meltonian shoe cream. There's something satisfying about giving your shoes a real clean, polish and brush up to a shine. I sometimes use water and polish to get a real shine on some of my fashion shoes.(Never been in the army though, so perhaps I'm just weird).

Can see how a build up of a non-porous treatment could cause problems, but sure it's not the case on these.

smmultiservices post seemed to explain it more as he suggested that mass produced riding gear is treated with a waterproof coating and is not traditionally tanned leather. He also suggested that these should, in fact, have been treated with a silicon shine type polish rather than the wax variety. I tried contacting the manufacturer, Regent, but got no reply from them, so it's difficult to know, though it states quite clearly on the boots 'Leather uppers', there were no instructions with the boots for any specialist care.

I am 99% sure the boots are leather, though I can't smell it as everything here has a slightly musty odour and I have to say that the surface doesn't look exactly like leather, it seems to have a man made pattern to the inside that looks as if it is something that has come from the processing. Possibly from some sort of base when the leather was pressed out or coated. The edge certainly looks like leather, though I am no expert, have been trying to examine it with other edges under a magnifier and it is definitely one piece 2mm thick and not layers. The bizarre thing is that these are the only pair of leather shoes that have gone like this, all the others are fine, though none of the leather is as thick as these boots.

Whatever has caused the cracking and flaking has happened within the last 12 months - they were perfect before - and the only thing that has changed from their storage in the UK is the humidity, temperature and ventilation here. It's as if they dried out completely and the surface just cracked up. Similar to the way soil goes when there's no rain for months.

Anyway, I am just hoping that the Edge Kote will work, but would definitely be interested in advice on any preparation needed before applying. Don't want it all to flake off again.... :roll: