Distressing process of Alden Pics below . . .

Posted by Yurik from 1Cust123.tnt1.columbia.sc.da.uu.net on August 20, 2001 at 12:27:21:

Here’s the process I used in distressing my New Aldens. These are modeled after Temple of Doom photos, so they may be more distressed then the other films. REFER TO MK’s POST BELOW FOR PICS.

1. Polish Aldens with brown Kiwi shoe polish three times(laying it on thick and even). This darkens them a couple of shades and even puts a touch of aged variation in the brick-red leather. Make the sure the polish is hitting the twine seams and the tops and sides of the sole.

2. Here’s the tough part, but ya gotta do it. Go to a construction site, find a pile of gravel and dirt and start kicking it. Kick the gravel hard enough for your boots to sink into it. Kick toe-first(mostly), then heel first, then from the side of your boots. Okay, now that you’ve already screwed up your Aldens to the point of no return, the rest of the distressing it easy! Kicking the gravel will put heavy wear on the front, mashing the edge of the sole a bit, while giving you a clear hint where natural wear would land on your boot. Go go too nuts! Just do it enough to rough up the toes real good. There’s a lot more to do in the process.

3. Refer to film stills of Indy’s boots in order to know what areas are distressed and what areas are not in the film. In ToD’s case, the boots are distressed heavily on around the toes, as well as the heals. The distress is slightly lighter on the top of the toes and the lower boot. The middle area is predominantly untouched. Now, use 100, 220 and 400 grit sand paper, carefully sanding those areas that received a beating. Start with 100(carefully) in the spots you think would have the most distress, then to the 220 and 400. With the others areas use only 400. In lighly sanding the top of the foot, have the boots on and push your heel up, showing where the natural creases will be. Sand those creases slightly more than the rest of the top of your foot. Do the same thing above your heal at yoour ankle where the boot naturally creases. The rest of the area above your heal remains mostly untouched.

4. Now as you sand you’ll notice the distressed leather is taking on an orange hue. We’ll remedy that in a minute. Put the boots on and do something active in them. In my case, I helped some friends move. I also wore them for an entire day. The shoes will quickly conform to your foot, making those creases even clearer.

5. Next, dilute a lot of salt in a small amount of warm water. With a sponge saturate the entire boot with the salt water and keep them on. The moisture will help the leather conform to your foot even faster. The salt will slighty dry and harden the soft leather that has been distressed, as well as leave a crystalized haze, giving it a little more age. Do this twice over. Then wipe the salt off with a clean wet sponge. Let it dry, again while on your feet.

6. Lastly, take natural colored Fuller’s Earth or any natural colored theatrical dust and rub it into the distressed leather. You want the rough distressed leather to capture the dust, so be sure to rub it into it well. Add a little bit more to the un-distressed areas, then lightly brush off those same areas. The natural colored dust will greatly off-set that orange tint. Most of the dust will remain on the boot, even during wear. However, water will take the dust right off. Re-apply the dust whenever you feel the boots need it. It doesn’t take very much.

Follow Ups:

No!!!!! Patterson 15:30:46 8/20/2001 (2)
- Too much salt, and Patterson's blood pressure rises. ;) (nm) Fall Guy 15:36:55 8/20/2001 (1)
  - Ha! Good one Fall Guy! (nm) Allu 16:13:54 8/21/2001 (0)

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: Here’s the process I used in distressing my New Aldens.  These are modeled after Temple of Doom photos, so they may be more distressed then the other films.  REFER TO MK’s POST BELOW FOR PICS.

: 1. Polish Aldens with brown Kiwi shoe polish three times(laying it on thick and even).  This darkens them a couple of shades and even puts a touch of aged variation in the brick-red leather.  Make the sure the polish is hitting the twine seams and the tops and sides of the sole.

: 2. Here’s the tough part, but ya gotta do it.  Go to a construction site, find a pile of gravel and dirt and start kicking it.  Kick the gravel hard enough for your boots to sink into it.  Kick toe-first(mostly), then heel first, then from the side of your boots.  Okay, now that you’ve already screwed up your Aldens to the point of no return, the rest of the distressing it easy!  Kicking the gravel will put heavy wear on the front, mashing the edge of the sole a bit, while giving you a clear hint where natural wear would land on your boot.  Go go too nuts!  Just do it enough to rough up the toes real good.  There’s a lot more to do in the process.

: 3. Refer to film stills of Indy’s boots in order to know what areas are distressed and what areas are not in the film.  In ToD’s case, the boots are distressed heavily on around the toes, as well as the heals.  The distress is slightly lighter on the top of the toes and the lower boot.  The middle area is predominantly untouched.  Now, use 100, 220 and 400 grit sand paper, carefully sanding those areas that received a beating.  Start with 100(carefully) in the spots you think would have the most distress, then to the 220 and 400.  With the others areas use only 400.   In lighly sanding the top of the foot, have the boots on and push your heel up, showing where the natural creases will be.  Sand those creases slightly more than the rest of the top of your foot.  Do the same thing above your heal at yoour ankle where the boot naturally creases.  The rest of the area above your heal remains mostly untouched.

: 4. Now as you sand you’ll notice the distressed leather is taking on an orange hue.  We’ll remedy that in a minute.  Put the boots on and do something active in them.  In my case, I helped some friends move.  I also wore them for an entire day.  The shoes will quickly conform to your foot, making those creases even clearer.

: 5. Next, dilute a lot of salt in a small amount of warm water.  With a sponge saturate the entire boot with the salt water and keep them on.  The moisture will help the leather conform to your foot even faster.  The salt will slighty dry and harden the soft leather that has been distressed, as well as leave a crystalized haze, giving it a little more age.  Do this twice over.  Then wipe the salt off with a clean wet sponge.  Let it dry, again while on your feet.

: 6. Lastly, take natural colored Fuller’s Earth or any natural colored theatrical dust and rub it into the distressed leather.  You want the rough distressed leather to capture the dust, so be sure to rub it into it well.  Add a little bit more to the un-distressed areas, then lightly brush off those same areas.  The natural  colored dust will greatly off-set that orange tint.  Most of the dust will remain on the boot, even during wear.  However, water will take the dust right off.  Re-apply the dust whenever you feel the boots need it.  It doesn’t take very much.

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