TK Boots

[capttripps]

After doing a decent amount of research and based on the fact the TKBoots.com is not stocked I decided to make my own boots. I came up with Bass Men's Amsterdam Ankle Boot both for the correct look and of course my budget. I purchased them from Amazon.com. One word of advice that I followed from others who have bought these boots go a size down from what you normally wear. I am a sz 9, but I bought a sz 8.5. With heavy socks on (for those cold trooping days) they fit perfectly.  

Items for this build are as follows:

Boots Make and Model listed above.( ya ya "No @#$% Sherlock!")

Klean Strip Acetone 1 Quart -  Home Depot  8.00 (It is a fast drying, and no residue formula. I ended up using about half the container)

Microfiber Lint Free Rags bag of 24 - Amazon 14.80 (I used two of these the rest will be for future projects.)

1" Paint Brush  and 1" Sponge Brush - Micheals 2.05

 

Tulip Slick fabric paint 4 oz bottle - Micheals 3.99

 

3/4" Sponge brushes 6 pack - Micheals 2.17

 

I took some pictures yesterday comparing the stripped boot to the original finish. Both boots are done now and I am starting the fabric paint on the elastic. Once I get a couple of layers on Ill post some pics.

 

[gazmosis[501st]]

[Fabio Fontoura]

^^^^ The post above says it all

[TK5144[TK]]

One word of advice that I followed from others who have bought these boots go a size down from what you normally wear. 

 

 

 

 

I agree!  I ordered my normal shoe size... it was WAY too big.

I went down a 1/2 size = fit perfect

[SorenM[TK]]

looking forward to the result...

[maxsteele[TK]]

Looking good! Good luck on the build! We're all counting on you.

[capttripps]

Update!

 

OK so the fabric dye "is not the white we are looking for." After 6 coats the white isn't totally white. It is more like a faint gray. I'll be going to put on two more coats today and shoot some pictures. This stuff takes 4 hours to dry and 72 to completely set so maybe after these last two coats today I'll wait until the weekend to see if the color improves.

 

On a side note: I used the sponge brush in an up and down stroke for the first 6 coats. The next 2 will be a side to side stroke. My thoughts were that putting the boot on and pulling it off the horizontal stretch would create more vertical separation cracks. Having more dye along those separations seemed wise. The big plus to the fabric dye is that it is flexible so I am not sure you need to apply it one way or the other.

 

I am thinking that if anything when I dye the rest of the boot and spread a coat or two of the Angelus Acrylic Leather Paint on the elastic that should take care of it. 

[capttripps]

OK so after the final coat had 4 hours to dry this is the result.

What is the consensus? Should I brush on a couple of more coats of the fabric dye or go with my original plan and see if the 2 coats of the leather dye will do the trick?

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

I used the Angelus white on my fabric portions and it covered well with 5-6 coats.

 

[Logon]

Good stuff!

[Haribon72[TK]]

Looks great!

[capttripps]

OK got 4 coats of Angelus on the boots. They look pretty good so far. I did hit the fabric with a coat to cover the last of the gray bleed though. After 72 hours of dry time the fabric does not crack so that is a Bonus. I am thinking 2 or 3 more coats on the paint and I'll be Golden!!!! These pics are not best its cloudy today so no natural sunlight booster.

[maxsteele[TK]]

You certainly got your blue tape to stick better than I did!  Looking great!  

[capttripps]

Well the blue masking tape I put on in two layers. I masked the sides of the soles first. Then used small pieces for the top edge and pressed it into the crease with a plastic clay sculpting knife and folded it over. It stuck pretty well.

[capttripps]

72 Hours later I have peeled off the painters tape and did a small amount of touch up. The masking didn't go as well as I had hoped and the bottom edge is a bit rough, but when you are kicking a rebels teeth in is he going to comment on the poor masking job?

 

I DON'T THINK SO! LOL

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

Nice work!

 

If you want to, you can use a fine brush and put some black acrylic paint around the tops of the soles to completely get rid of those paint bleed spots.

 

For my build, I had some unfortunate razor cuts into the paint a little higher up from the tops of the soles in a few places.  All I did there was raise up the black line I painted a little bit more and it covered them right up.  The only way you'd be able to tell is if you were looking directly at the shoes at eye-level.

[capttripps]

I would paint them like you suggested, but my hands are not that steady! I would have to get someone to do it for me. As it stands once they get scuffed up some from trooping it wont be noticeable at all. I will take more care masking my back up pair. I was thinking of a liquid masking tape that I can paint on the soles. It would get a much cleaner edge and no seep through. Something like this stuff http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/div/div3000.htm