Alternate to Sno-seal

[AgnesNitt]

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/13-amazing-uses-for-wd-40 See slide 9.

Someone Try it on some old boots first and report back!

[sarahspins]

Doesn't surprise me at all - it was originally developed as a water repellent

[FigureSpins]

I've heard this before...I think a member posted it as a common alternative.  I have an ancient pair of skates that no one will use - I'll give it a try and report back later.

[AgnesNitt]

I googled around and it's supposed to make leather 'softer' as well.

[Loops]

Hey guys- what's the verdict on this?  I just got my new skates, and need to sno-seal them before the blades arrive....only I can't seem to get sno-seal in France.  The hiking forums talk about straight up Bees-wax (warm it up, first obviously) which I even have in the house.....any thoughts?  I'm not so excited about WD-40, and I'm sure my coaches have other suggestions, but you know.....curious!

[FigureSpins]

Go to a store that sells outdoor footwear, like hiking boots and ask for waterproofing treatment.

[taka]

Amazon.fr has Sno-seal! I have the 100g tube as it is easy to dispense & store and lasts a really long time.

I need to reseal my boots before skating tomorrow - thanks for the reminder!

[Loops]

Doh- why didn't I think of Amazon.....  I do for almost everything else....Thanks!  Although I'm curious about just plain 'ol beeswax, too.....

You know- the head coach (who does all the sharpening, and blade mounting), said they don't seal their skates!  He puts silicone under the blades, but that's it.  No one's skates are rotting either.  Kinda makes me wonder if this is really necessary.  Not that I'm going to take the risk though.

[fsk8r]

Sno seal is just a wax so I'd be inclined to just use the bees wax. I've used it in the past and it didn't have any adverse affects.

[FigureSpins]

Sno Seal is wax plus silicone; plain bees wax would build up a sticky coating unless you were able to melt in/wipe off all the excess. 
(I'm imagining people walking around with fuzzy, dust-covered heels, lol.)

[Loops]

This is interesting.....the prices on Sno-seal, are not/  It's obviously imported from the UK on Amazon.fr with those shipping prices that don't correspond to Royal mails rates!  I might try the beeswax, see how it goes .... don't want fuzzy heels, either!  Blech.

Fsk8r, did you melt it, or just rub it off a solid, then wipe like you would on furniture?

Then when I'm either stateside or in the UK I can pick up a tube of sno-seal or NikWax stress free. 

In any case, this is a step up from the varnish I used to use.....that stuff was nasty.  And messy!

[fsk8r]

sno-seal isn't common in the UK. It's an American product which some skate shops have imported. That might explain the postage rates.

I think I just rubbed and wiped like with furniture. That way you're not adding too much so you're not building up the sticky coating.
I'm sure melting as well would help. I'd treat it in the same way you use sno-seal.
As a wax it will behave in a very similar manner, even without the addition of silicone.

[blue111moon]

I've used Butcher's Wax, which is the stuff they use to keep bowling alleys slick on my skates before.  Just like with Sno-Seal, I heat the soles with a hair dryer,  smooth on a little wax with a cloth then heat it again until the wax soaks into the sole and disappears.  I've looked at the chemical content of both products and they aren't that dissimilar;  The Sno-Seal has less smell, that's all I can tell.  And since my boots last for decades, I expect it must work.  A big can of Butcher's Wax is cheaper than a tube of Sno-seal, plus I can use it on my furniture and cabinets as well. 

Which reminds me, It's probably time to seal 'em again.

[Loops]

Ok, so while I'm either waiting for a Nikwax delivery from the US, or find an alternate product here (will look into butcher's wax), I did a little experiment.

I took some beeswax pellets that I had lying around and tossed them into a ramekin used as a double boiler.  I melted them, but it solidified immediately and was too hard to use; given that my hairdrier burns my hands, I don't know what it would do to the glue in the boots.  So I consulted our good friend google and asked around.   Many websites suggested adding terpentine to the mixture (I googled Homemade beeswax leather waterproofer), because that apparently helps keep the wax soft as well.  Some add both terp and oil.  I don't like the way terpentine smells, and didn't have any on hand anyway.  Sunflower and linseed were the most popular, followed by olive, but that was more for soft leather like coats and hats.  Plus it does go rancid- blech.

I also discovered that sunflower oil has an uberlong shelf life, it basically doesn't go rancid, and since my cooking oil happens to be sunflower I added just a little- less in volume than I had in beeswax, and voila, I had a wax that doesn't solidify so quickly and still gets pretty hard when it cools down.  I'm just not sure how anything too soft (think softened butter) would be long term on the boots.

I kept it melted in the double boiler while I applied it to my soles.  It seems to have worked.  I could probably apply more, and might, since I'm rather impatiently waiting for the store to give me information on the arrival date of my blades.  While the soles feel waxed, they're not sticky at all.  I'll be keeping an eye on it to see how long it lasts. 

I'm saving the remainder, and next time I melt it down, I might even add a little more oil, just to aid in spreadability, but the composition I had worked pretty well. 

[dlbritton]

I just got new Riedell 255 TS boots (another thread) and waiting for blades. Should Sno-Seal be applied to the entire exterior of the boot or just the sole bottom and heel?

Once the blades are mounted do you just apply it to the parts that can be reached? I assume you don't unmount the blades each time you reapply Sno-Seal.

[Skittl1321]

I just got new Riedell 255 TS boots (another thread) and waiting for blades. Should Sno-Seal be applied to the entire exterior of the boot or just the sole bottom and heel?

Once the blades are mounted do you just apply it to the parts that can be reached? I assume you don't unmount the blades each time you reapply Sno-Seal.

Only to the sole and heel.  I don't think it will even absorb into the upper of the skate.

Once the blades are mounted, you don't unmount them.  To be honest, I never get around to doing mine again... but you should and then you just melt it around the blade and it can soak in a bit under them.

[dlbritton]

How difficult is it to apply Sno-Seal properly to the sole?

My boots and blades arrived last week but I am waiting to get the blades mounted. The guy that does the mounting has been out of town.

The rink has someone else apply Sno-Seal if I wish them to do it but he will not be able to do it for another 2 weeks. I don't see waiting that long to start using the skates (assuming I can get the blades mounted soon). I can get Sno-Seal at REI in town if I do it myself.

As an aside, they do a temporary mount for "alignment" then a permanent mount once the blade is positioned correctly. Is it safe to skate some on the temporary mount (no spins or turns, just forward and backward stroking and glides) or is that strictly for just doing a few glides to position the blade correctly?

[FigureSpins]

It's not difficult at all.  Follow the directions and you can DIY.

Temporary mount is ok for stroking and crossovers, even spins.  Jumps are okay at first, but will eventually loosen the blade (ask me how I know.). Some people swear it doesn't matter for jumps, so ymmv.

[jjane45]

Temporary mount is ok for stroking and crossovers, even spins.  Jumps are okay at first, but will eventually loosen the blade (ask me how I know.). Some people swear it doesn't matter for jumps, so ymmv.

Good reminder, just tightened the screws on my temp mounts. A front screw on left boot got quite loose. I was really pushing for FO edges don't know if that mattered.

[dlbritton]

It's not difficult at all.  Follow the directions and you can DIY.

Temporary mount is ok for stroking and crossovers, even spins.  Jumps are okay at first, but will eventually loosen the blade (ask me how I know.). Some people swear it doesn't matter for jumps, so ymmv.

Thanks for the feedback on both issues. I will pick up Sno-Seal tomorrow and see about getting my boots as well. They are at the rink waiting for the temporary mount. Hopefully they will be able to do the mount soon. I am so ready to get out off rental skates.

[dlbritton]

I was able to pick up Tectron "Original Formula" Sno-Seal at REI, but the can is different than I am used to seeing for Sno-Seal. The label lists beeswax only, no mention of silicon.  Directions say to heat leather to 120 degrees with blow drier or in an oven to apply.

I also found Nikwax waterproofing wax at a different outdoor store. It is in a squeeze tube and has an applicator sponge so it would probably be much easier to apply.

Any opinions as to which one might be better.

[Loops]

I'm curious about this too, so interested in what people have to say.

As a question- I had a hard time heating my boots with a hair drier- lost some skin on my hands.... and thought about putting them in the oven.  BUT that's how they heat-mold them.....is 120 (F, I assume) hot enough to affect that?  My skates didn't feel particularly warm when they brought them out to me......

I tried setting mine on top of the radiator....but that didn't work either- probably mostly because the heat isn't on that high yet.

[dlbritton]

As a question- I had a hard time heating my boots with a hair drier- lost some skin on my hands.... and thought about putting them in the oven.  BUT that's how they heat-mold them.....is 120 (F, I assume) hot enough to affect that?  My skates didn't feel particularly warm when they brought them out to me......
.

Heat molding for Riedell's is in an oven at 140 F. Not sure if 120 F would soften the foam or not. But I was told by Riedell that boots can be heat molded several times. In fact they could be returned after heat molding if a blade had not been attached.

(Flying by the seat of my pants now, but I guess if you feel they did change shape you could reheat and remold them again. Please break out the flamethrowers if I am totally off base here.)

[taka]

I think the brand of sno seal I have is Atsko. It is in a white / blue / navy tube (or sachet / can etc) with snowflakes and symbols for lots of different sports on it. Like this...

I heat the sole alone with a hairdryer (gently), not concentrating on 1 spot but moving the hairdryer around the sole. I use a clean cloth to apply a layer of sno-seal and play the hairdryer over the sole until all the sno-seal has melted and is absorbed by the leather sole. I repeat this until nothing more is absorbed. My boots themselves don't get more than around body temp warm but I do have to watch out for the hot blades!

[dlbritton]

I think the brand of sno seal I have is Atsko. It is in a white / blue / navy tube (or sachet / can etc) with snowflakes and symbols for lots of different sports on it. Like this...

Does the Atsko brand have beeswax and silicon? The description of the tube is what I am familiar with.  Does anyone know if silicon makes the beeswax easier to apply or last longer?