Dyeing and restoring old boots

**simpy1** · 16th July 2010, 00:26

Hi guys,

I may get some horrified responses for desecrating these classic MX boots, but here goes. I was looking for some boots on TradeMe for my road bike, and came across the coolest boots ever. And at a good price too! They are Sidi MX boots from the early 1980s.

So when they arrived they were a reddish colour and looked in need of a little tlc. But I love a good DIY project. So I took off the toe caps, stripped off the top layer of polish/coating with meths, and cleaned them up with sugar soap. Then over a few days I applied 2 coats of black leather dye, followed by 'Elephant' leather preserver, and a few coats of black polish. Apart from the black that got on to the shin guard (a result of poor-quality masking tape drawing dye up off the leather!), I reckon they look almost good as new. Solid, protective, waterproof and farkin sweet looking!

In terms of costs, the boots were $60, the dye cost $20, and the leather preserver $10. Polish I already had. So not suuuuper cheap, but I love them! The pics show the progression from original condition (in the first pic the left boot has been stripped and the right is still in original condition), through just dyed, to polished and finished. It did take a good couple of hours a night over about 4 nights though.