Patent Boots Cracking?

[Clarissa24]

Hey everyone,

I am currently having a problem with my Konig K7000 Grandgester patent dress boots cracking on the inside. Basically, less than 6 months ago, I ordered them from my local tack store where I was measured, etc…and paid the extra amount for customizable options (zipper, rubber sole, patent). About a month ago I noticed a small crack in the patent on the back side of the boot near the stitching; I was pretty upset but didn’t get too worried because it wasn’t very large.

Fast forward to today - I was cleaning my boots after riding as usual, and I noticed more cracks on the side of the boots (again where the patent is), in the ankle area. One crack is over 1 inch long :eek:! I have taken very good care of them, always clean, condition, put in boot trees as well as keep them in my house. Additionally, I have a pair of regular black Konig Favorites to trade off with so I only use the patent ones about 3 days a week.

I see so many dressage riders with patent boots and surely they would not continue to purchase them if there was this cracking problem so does anyone know why this might be happening, what I could do, or if Konig has some kind of policy where they would take the boots back in and fix the cracked leather? I hate to have to break in new boots again but these are basically brand new and I have saved for them for a couple years and now they are cracked and the quality does not seem like what Konig advertises for the price.

Any advice would be helpful because I am just so disappointed with the situation. They are gorgeous boots and I shouldn’t be “afraid” to ride in them, for fear of creating more cracks. Ps. I have already e-mailed the tack store owner regarding the boots and will wait to see what he says. Thanks in advance!

[BigBayHanoMare]

I wouldn’t necessarily say that many are riding in patent leather, as it is possible to get a patent leather shine on high quality leathers. It does take work, though, lots of coats of polish and buffing, buffing, buffing. And don’t forget spit, that works too! You can either spit right into the polish or spit onto the boot and buff it in. I’ve also used a flame to help get a super shine: you can either light the polish on fire briefly, so it melts a bit, or after you’ve applied polish and buffed, you can let the flame lick where you just buffed. Obviously do NOT use the flame in a barn.

The tricks you learn in ROTC…

[SnicklefritzG]

[QUOTE=BigBayHanoMare;7900169]
I wouldn’t necessarily say that many are riding in patent leather, as it is possible to get a patent leather shine on high quality leathers. It does take work, though, lots of coats of polish and buffing, buffing, buffing. And don’t forget spit, that works too! You can either spit right into the polish or spit onto the boot and buff it in. I’ve also used a flame to help get a super shine: you can either light the polish on fire briefly, so it melts a bit, or after you’ve applied polish and buffed, you can let the flame lick where you just buffed. Obviously do NOT use the flame in a barn.

The tricks you learn in ROTC…[/QUOTE]

:lol:

Didn’t the term “spit and polish” come from the military?

[INoMrEd]

Yes I think so and I’ve heard that the Lincoln Polish wax works the best.

[BigBayHanoMare]

[QUOTE=INoMrEd;7900255]
Yes I think so and I’ve heard that the Lincoln Polish wax works the best.[/QUOTE]

I’ve only used Kiwi polish, which is what we were told to use from the command.

[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7900177][QUOTE=BigBayHanoMare;7900169]I wouldn’t necessarily say that many are riding in patent leather, as it is possible to get a patent leather shine on high quality leathers. It does take work, though, lots of coats of polish and buffing, buffing, buffing. And don’t forget spit, that works too! You can either spit right into the polish or spit onto the boot and buff it in. I’ve also used a flame to help get a super shine: you can either light the polish on fire briefly, so it melts a bit, or after you’ve applied polish and buffed, you can let the flame lick where you just buffed. Obviously do NOT use the flame in a barn.

The tricks you learn in ROTC…[/QUOTE]

:lol:

Didn’t the term “spit and polish” come from the military?[/QUOTE]

Spit shine, yup! It was very much encouraged to spit shine your shoes.

[DressageLin]

There are lots of folks riding in patent boots. It seemed like every rider at Devon was wearing patent boots. It sounds like the finish was not properly baked. I looked at a pair of Konigs (new at tack store) and noticed a small area where the finish was flaking off of the boot. The tack store owner said that occasionally the finish is improperly baked and she sees this and sends the boots back. Hopefully your tack store owner can work this out through Konigs and get you a replacement pair. Good luck.

[Clarissa24]

Hi DressageLin,

Thank you! This is what makes the most sense to me as well. Yes, I have seen them a lot and originally saw the ones I have on Nicholas Fyffe where I fell in love with them. I will definitely bring up your comment regarding the baking of the finish and see what the tack store owner says. Worst case, I could also contact Konig directly; but having to break in patent boots is wayyy more painful than your average leather and it is going to suck to do it again in a 6 month period. Again, though thanks for your feedback

[Clarissa24]

Happy to say that the boots are currently back in Germany. We shall see if they are re-made or what the deal is.

[DressageLin]

You will have to update us on how the boots look when you get them back from Germany! I was planning on ordering my next pair of Konigs in patent this Spring, but I hate to hear they are even harder to break in!

[Hippolyta]

We had patent jod boots in saddle seat eq- the instructions were to rub with vaseline. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, but it did keep away cracks, at least for a while.

[Clarissa24]

I will definitely keep everyone updated. The other thought I had was that some people were mentioning that they should not place patent on the inside shaft of the boot…seems kind of like a “duh” thing but maybe not. I know when I ordered them from the tack store I was disappointed that whole boot could not be patent (they would not do the foot part) and I was worried that they would look weird. When I first saw them in the store, the Bordeaux looked very red and the patent with the non patent foot/toe section looked a little obnoxious but when I put them on they looked great. The more you break them in the better they look but now that I am thinking about it more, I think they should do just put the patent on the outside shaft of the boot (because that’s all that you see riding anyway and the patent on the inside makes it a little trickier to feel your horse…).

But second time around (after breaking in my Konig Favorites) I found them easier to break in because I broke them in with my hand before I rode most days instead of only breaking them in through riding which is excruciating. I would probably not recommend the K8000 but would instead stay with the traditional K7000.