Meet the Russells

[QUOTE=Dave Fuller;4546]Next to my dog and a couple of shotguns, my favorite hunting gear would have to be my Russell boots. Just put a fresh coat of bacon grease on my Bird Shooters in preparation for my Grouse trip.[/

I'll second that Dave. I've had a pair of 11D Russell Birdshooters for 25 years, still wear them-I'm a tad fussy about three things re: outdoors and hunting/shooting- proper gun cleaning and care, quality ammo (handloads included) and quality foot wear- My favorite dress shoes are Johnson and Murphy and Bass, and my favorite huting boots are W.C. Russell and Red Wing, and I don't skimp on the sox, liners and foot powder.

I'd use bacon grease but my first choice is Sno-Seal, as my Lab "Khartoum" loves BLT's and those Russell's are not his, they are mine.

[Setter Man]

15-years ago I bought a pair of Russell Sheep Hunters, thinking they woudl be the 4x4 of all boots. (What the hell was I thinking?) A couple of years ago I sent them back and had them resoled with Birdsuooter soles and they are much mire enjoyable. I have been planning to dress the boots but I am not sure what I want to use. Bacon grease - not going to happen as I have a hard enough time already keeping my dogs from chewing on my boots and shoes. Sno-seal is certainly an option but what else have you used?

Thanks,

JDG

[QUOTE=Jay Gardner;4640]15-years ago I bought a pair of Russell Sheep Hunters, thinking they woudl be the 4x4 of all boots. (What the hell was I thinking?) A couple of years ago I sent them back and had them resoled with Birdsuooter soles and they are much mire enjoyable. I have been planning to dress the boots but I am not sure what I want to use. Bacon grease - not going to happen as I have a hard enough time already keeping my dogs from chewing on my boots and shoes. Sno-seal is certainly an option but what else have you used?

Thanks, Jay- I think those Sheep hunter series soles were often called waffle stompers, heavy treads that would plug up with gunk and mud and clay. I have also used Mink Oil on the Birshooters- I think I once read about putting leather boots after being treated into a warm oven to "set" the Sno-Seal or Mink Oil- probably the same guy that suggested washing the many times fired AA red hulls in the Missus' Maytag to clean off the black powder crud--

As a former "grunt- 0311) the old trick of getting a new pair of leather boots wet and walking them dry to mold to your feet (heavy sox recommended) comes to mind, and my Russell's qualify- but my newer Red Wings (heavier and no moccasin toe style) require no treatment except removal of mud-

I can't recall what I spent when I ordered my Birdshooters, but it was money well spent and I even remember the name of the manager of their order dept. back then - Ralph Fabricius if memory serves. Doing business with small specialized American companies is, to me, more personal and gratifying than buying from Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Scheels or even L.L. Beanies!!

[Big D]

Jay - Russell includes a little tub of dressing with thier new boots. I'd call them and get some of that. I've heard it said that Sno Seal, having a lot of silicone in it, dries out the leather ( ? ), and that Mink oil softens the leather too much

[Setter Man]

Originally Posted by John Dallas

Jay - Russell includes a little tub of dressing with thier new boots. I'd call them and get some of that. I've heard it said that Sno Seal, having a lot of silicone in it, dries out the leather ( ? ), and that Mink oil softens the leather too much

Mr. Dallas, great minds think alike. I ordered a tub of their boot dressing as well as a bar of Saddle Soap last evening. You are correct - Sno-seal will stiffen the leather and really needs heat to get the seal to "set." Russell suggests that boots be scrubbed with Saddle Soap and allowed to dry before the application of a waterproof dressing so I will follow their directions - to the"T."
Jay

[QUOTE=Jay Gardner;4731]Mr. Dallas, great minds think alike. I ordered a tub of their boot dressing as well as a bar of Saddle Soap last evening. You are correct - Sno-seal will stiffen the leather and really needs heat to get the seal to "set." Russell suggests that boots be scrubbed with Saddle Soap and allowed to dry before the application of a waterproof dressing so I will follow their directions - to the"T."
Jay Thanks John- I forgot to mention that Saddle Soap (I use Feibings) first to get out the debris and soften the leather- and I open the tin of sno-seal and place it a dish of very hot water to soften it up-I do more waterfowling nowadays than grouse "chasing" so the Russell Birdshooters get plenty of "downtime" in the Fall-but when I wear them, never have worn anything more comfortable outdoors yet on my feet- well worth the $ spent!!