New Boots

[welshchris77[TK]]

Hi people,

I recently bought these jodhpur boots €30 from Adverts.ie, while waiting for armor, the guy told me they are a leather like material so bought them and also bought some acetone €10 and angelus white leather paint €20 while waiting for them to arrive in the post, got the boots in the post yesterday but they are rubber not leather or even a leather like material! .

I read somewhere in a forum that plasti dip spray works on the rubber type Jodhpurs but its not available where I live and costs a fortune to get posted from US or UK, something like €30 or more for one spray tin!!!! including postage.

Alternatively I could 'write off' the boots or sell them on as I have seen real leather Jodhpur boots delivered from the UK to me for just over €30, I could then use the acetone and paint I already have on them.

Any thoughts on the style of the two types of jodhpurs in terms of accuracy and using them to get clearance when I get my armor?

 

The rubber Jodhpurs:-

 

 

 

The Leather Jodhpurs:-

[CommanderZel]

From what I know, leather is the most accurate way to go with boots. If you've got a way to get leather boots for 30 Euros, then I'd say to go for that. I've never seen boots that cheap, but if you've got a supplier then as far as I know that's definitely preferable.

That being said, I have no idea about whether or not rubber boots are acceptable. I don't know enough about boots to chime in there.

 

However, this is from the 501st CRL for TKs:

 

• Boots are above ankle height and made of white leather or leather-like material.

Edited July 7, 2015 by CommanderZel

[welshchris77[TK]]

Thanks Tomas, yes I believe leather is a better way to go too, also for comfort, I get hot feet and they sweat a lot so I imagine leather would be better as far as been able to breath!.

€30 does sound cheap for leather boots so I'm a little dubious about buying them, they seem like a reputable company, if they are good though could pave the way for a new supplier for troopers in europe on a budget.

[CommanderZel]

Well definitely make a post about the leather boots if you end up choosing to go that way. I'm sure it'll be very helpful!

[Mcott65[TK]]

They look very similar to the jodhpurs that I used should be fine, the leather one's i mean.

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/30033-white-leather-dye/

Edited July 8, 2015 by Mcott65

[welshchris77[TK]]

The very same boots as the leather ones I just ordered Mark from 'trotters UK', what fabric dye did you use on the elastic?, I'm wondering if I could use the angelus brand leather paint I have for the elastic also, do you think acetone would be ok to prep these boots before painting? 

[Mcott65[TK]]

I used acetone to prep my boots but don't put to much on in one go I softened the toe on the right one. I used a fabric paint for the elastic maker Tulip colour snow I got it from hobbycraft. Sorry don't know about angelus but I wou say try it and see.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Will do, thanks for the advice Mark!

[Mcott65[TK]]

Best method I found for removing the black was to use one of those sponges with green scouring pad. Dip in the acetone and lightly scrub then use some cloth I used old tshirt to wipe the area down dip the cloth a bit as well it will help get the softened polish of . When I did mine I used about three tshirts and four sponges .Just keep going back over till the boot starts to show grey ,that's the leather under the Polish, just take time over it and the dye will stick well . Don't worry about removing all the black you won't or at least I couldn't. Good luck.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Thanks for the followup Mark, I know the sponges your talking about alright, they have them in tesco and i have plenty of old t-shirts too, looking forward to getting my teeth into something while I wait for my armor, it really helps when someone has previously tackled something and gives good pointers!!!!, I tried a little bit of the leather dye as a test patch out of curiosity on the rubber jodhpurs and it actually stuck fairly ok, I don't think it would be hard wearing but could paint them if I have any left over from the leather ones and keep them as a backup pair.

[welshchris77[TK]]

I got my Leather jodhpurs yesterday but there is a bit of a problem with them  . They feel awfully tight for a UK size 10 and there is a ridge (seam line) on the inside running down the heel, the right boot isn't too bad but the left boot's ridge is sticking out about 10mm, maybe they will soften up over time and not be an issue but at the moment they are no way as comfortable as the 'rubber  like' Jodhpurs and I don't fancy trooping in them for hours. I have emailed the company to see what they have to say about it, I hope they don't ask me to send them back as postage cost wouldn't make it worth it!.

Were yours like this Mark?

 

The new boots

 

The ridge (seam line) I mentioned

Edited July 16, 2015 by welshchris77

[Mcott65[TK]]

Hi Chris yes my boots are the same with the seam in back but I had not seen it until you pointed it out, the boots are loose fitting in that area but snug fit in the width nothing a bit of wearing in won't fix i don't think.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Hey Mark did you find your boots very tight too?, what size are you, I'm a size UK10 and these say 10 but seem awfully tight unless they are a US10 in which case they are a size9, maybe they will loosen up after a while if not.

[welshchris77[TK]]

After doing a 'test patch' of the Angelus paint on the back heel of the rubber jodhpurs I found that the paint was surprisingly hard to get off!. The paint is quite flexible so Im going to take the plunge and paint them and if I have enough paint left will also do the leather ones another time, I could send the leather ones back but wouldn't be worth it for the postage cost.

 

Rubber Jodhpur before painting

 

Give them a once over with some acetone and a clean rag

 

Here is the compressor and airbrush I have, only a cheap one from Lidls (or was it Adli, I forget), really need a header tank or a new compressor as the pressure fluctuates too much even with a regulator on it, the angelus could do with being thinned too but I don't have the recommended thinner by Angelus, just takes longer as can't push the paint through as good.

I also used a slightly better dual action gravity feed airbrush (not pictured) to see if it would help but was only slightly better, I'm a newbie to airbrushing by the way, dam they take a lot of cleaning!!!

I could have just used a brush but a sprayed finish looks so much better!.

 

Blue Painters tape to mask of the sole and foot hole

 

 

Paint loaded up and ready to go!. I have the boot on a turntable made from an old spice rack (I think) I got from a charity (goodwill) shop, its on bearings so easy to spin around as I spray.

 

 

And so it begins!!!! 

 

Its more awkward than I though holding a camera in one hand and an airbrush in the other to take a pic, especially when I'm holding the airbrush with my right hand and the camera in my left which is designed for right handed use  maybe use a tripod next time.

Anyway after 5/6 coats (I lost count) Im satisfied it looks 'white enough'!, I probably left about 20/30 mins between each coat and helped it along (very gingerly from a distance) with a hot air gun.

I used a brush to finish off the elastic areas as they were taking too long to turn white just using the airbrush, I know a lot of people use a separate fabric dye for the elastic but I'm going to go ahead and just use the Angelus Paint.

They are in a safe place away from dust now until I get my Angelus Acrylic finisher to give them a protective top coat, I don't know how well these boats will stand up to trooping/scratches etc but I guess I will eventually find out!

 

First coat

 

 

Many coats latter

 

 

Tape all peeled off after lightly scoring the tape/paint line with a sharp blade and remarkably very little clean up with a knife!

 

I will get some pics when I have them top coated and in natural daylight as they look much 'Whiter' in real life!, I'm happy so far with the outcome though

Edited July 17, 2015 by welshchris77

[Mcott65[TK]]

I'm a Uk size 11 and that is what I orderd I think they are only just an 11 as my heel to toe is a snug fit also, with my heel right to the back my toe is nearly touching and a narrow fit . Thy are not uncomfortable just close fitting. I have not really walked around in them to much yet but think after a bit of breaking in they will be fine,

[welshchris77[TK]]

Im sure mine will loosen up once they have been broken in and be fine also, If I can get away with the rubber ones though I'm going with them as they are so comfy, maybe I'm spoilt as so used to wearing my Birkenstock Sandals 24/7, since last summer they haven't left my feet only to go to bed 

Edited July 17, 2015 by welshchris77

[Mcott65[TK]]

Yes they are a bit like wearing dress shoes when I am nearly always in trainers or my toetectors both of which are wide fitting.

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Really, REALLY nice job on these, Chris!

[trooper96[501st]]

Nicely done!

[welshchris77[TK]]

Thanks Joseph and Bryan 

[welshchris77[TK]]

Ive had an idea that could 'theoretically' be better for masking off the sole line and save time and any clean up.

Start by masking off the sole line with painters tape but the opposite way (wrong way) around, sounds crazy but bare with me, then paint 'artists masking fluid' (latex based) over the rubber sole overlapping some of the tape too, then when its dry score the edge where the tape and masking fluid meet and carefully peel away the tape, paint boots, again score the line and remove masking fluid, this 'should' stop any bleed through and clean up as long as the masking fluid sticks to the rubber sole long enough for the painting process.

If someone wanted to try it they could do a test area on the bottom of the sole first.

Just throwing ideas out there!.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Finally got my Angelus finisher yesterday and coated my boots, it went on really good with the airbrush, I couldn't decide whether to go with normal, high gloss, matte or satin but in the end I went with satin, put 3/4 coats on.

Here they are all finished!

 

Looking very pleased with myself

 

 

The kids wanted in on the action!

Edited July 25, 2015 by welshchris77

[welshchris77[TK]]

I've decided to also paint the Rhinegold leather jodhpurs I have and started working on them.

First a good scrub with acetone.

 

 

The black dye seems to be never ending coming off so I decided to use some 320grit cloth sandpaper to speed things up!

I have also kept the original paper and cardboard inserts inside the boots and additionally stuffed them with rags to help the boots hold there form and prevent deformation by the acetone, maybe they would be ok but another member mentioned that acetone can sometimes do this if the leather becomes saturated so I'm not taking any chances!

 

 

side by side comparison with the finished rubber jodhpurs, I might have gone a bit overkill with my sanding, they look more like old cowboy boots now!  , no going back now!

you can see the variation in profile between the two boots also.

 

Does anyone have any views on which look more screen accurate (shape wise) so far?

apart from the fact that one is white and the whites ones only have one elastic pull tag.

 

Next is masking off the soles and spray painting, pics to follow!

[SeanTX]

So you didn't thin the white paint at all?

[welshchris77[TK]]

Hi Sean, no the first Jodhpurs I used neat from the bottle but the airbrush had trouble pushing it, the second pair I have thinned the paint by maybe 20/30 percent and it is much better!, it does take more coats though, have about 5/5 coats on them but have run out of the angelus, the boots looks good but the stitching and elastic still need more paint, hence no pics yet of those, the paint is quite pricey for me including postage so I might just use regular acrylic paint to finish them off, I do have loads of the Angelus finisher to top coat them when I'm done, been busy with DIY lately around the house, will get back to it soon!.

Edited August 14, 2015 by welshchris77