Old Knebli skates - soften leather?

[MamaBear Skater]

I have a pair of John Knebli's I had custom made around 1970. I've continued to skate in them occasionally over the years, but took my children to the rink this morning and the leather has become so hard it was nearly unbearable! Is there anything that can be used to make the leather more supple? Thank you for any help!

[Virtualsk8r]

:lol: That's how Kneibli's were made --- old fashioned style with NO padding!!! Skaters today have it made - they have no idea what skaters had to deal with in the past.

If the inside leather is still in one piece and not dissolved into chunks like mine - then you could try the old warm wet sock routine----lace them up and walk around for a bit in them. Kneibli's worked best when they were worn daily and the feet sweated to make the leather pliable.

Gel socks are the best answer - about $40 a pair. They will protect your ankles from boot bite until you can skate enough to break the old boots in.

BTW I still prefer my old Kneibli's - which look like crap and the tongue falls out - to my new skates, because Mr. K made them fit my feet so well.

[sk8tmum]

Somewhat OTT - I was looking at info about Knebli skates recently, as I discovered that SK Skates, who took on the Knebli lasts, seem to have gone out of business, and found this piece written after the sad passing of Mrs. Knebli last August at age 100. It talks about Mr. Knebli in very warm and comforting ways.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/elizabeth-knebli/article1441341/

[MamaBear Skater]

Thanks Virtualsk8ter and Sk8mum - I'ma little frightened to use the hot sock method because the leather is so old it may just disintegrate! I suppose I was hoping for some miracle leather conditioner that would return them to their former state (mind you they were never "supple," as Virtualsk8ter pointed out not what one could ever call "comfortable"!

Sad new about the Kneblis and their business - I remember as kids the dream was to own pair of "Knebs" as well called them!

[AgnesNitt]

There are several 'miracle' leather resotorers (some are flammable) and most have to be made on site of the repair as they are only usable for a short time. You can try here (http://nautarch.tamu.edu/crl/conservationmanual/File7.htm#British%20Museum%20Leather%20Dressing%20 Treatment)

And some of these won't be appropriate as they are for books that have bben in fires or water. The British museum leather treatment might work for boots.

[sk8tmum]

Is there a proper shoe repair in your locale? They can often work wonders with leather.

[Query]

A leather conditioner (like Lexol Leather Conditioner), or any boot oil (even cheap Neat's Foot oiil, though it may discolor the leather a bit) will soften leather a bit. You usually apply it inside and out, but don't apply it to suede. What you are doing is lubricating the layers of leather so they can slide against each other, and thereby make it more pliable.

Repeated heat molding (you can do it yourself with a hair drier, but use a candy thermometer to stay below about 185 degrees F) also breaks in (softens) leather, but if you do it too much, the leather breaks down.

Any boot will fit better if it is warm when you put it on - but if you keep doing this you don't want to go over body temperature (about 99 degrees F) so it doesn't break down too much.

Water (including the wet sock routine) can make it fit better, which may be all you need, but it herdens leater, and can make it rot. It also tends to make the boot a bit larger, by stretching it.

But I agree - if there is a good boot fitterr handy, use him or her. Unfortunately, many would prefer to sell you new boots.

I discuss this and other things in my boot page below.