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Frequently Asked Question

How should I best care for my boots?

Here is a general guide to caring for our products to ensure your Baxters have a long and healthy life.

Smooth leather upper – Footwear needs to have dust and grime removed with a lightly dampened cloth or sponge and then leave to dry naturally. Once dry, apply polish, leave polish to dry then buff with a soft brush or cloth.

Distressed leather upper– Apply a waterproofing agent before wearing. To clean, use a wire brush, specially manufactured for use on footwear to restore the grain of the leather. Always re-apply water proofing agent after cleaning.

Oil kip leather upper– Using a clean cloth; apply a cleaner suitable for use on oily or waxy leather. Wipe off excess and allow to dry. When completely dry apply a water proofing agent to help protect against stains.

Rubber upper–We do not recommend rubber boots be left in direct sunlight for extended periods of time as this can affect the quality of the rubber which can lead to rubber cracking or leaking.

Leather sole – Leather soles are very easily damaged by heat, leaving your boots in front of heaters, open fires etc, can very easily ruin your soles. Heat should be avoided whether the boots are wet or dry. Heat applied to leather soled footwear causes the sole to become a tarry mass which, on cooling, become hard and brittle. This greatly reduces the durability of the sole.

Damp soles should be allowed to dry out slowly in a well ventilated place that is not warmer than a normal living room. One safe way to assist the drying out of very wet shoes is to take up excess moisture by stuffing them with dry newspaper for a few hours or overnight

Leather soled footwear is best used as a dress option. Continual use in damp or wet conditions will weaken sole material. Additionally we do not recommend excessive wear on concrete surfaces with leather soles.

What sizing is your footwear made in?

Baxter Boots and Shoes are made in accordance with straight UK sizing, with noted exceptions made in fractional fitting. Fractional fitting is approximate to most ladies fashion fittings today.

What is a Last and what are the differences between the various kinds?

The Last is the form that the shoe is made around. The various styles differ in toe shape and shoe width. Here is general guide to our lasts:

Last type

Width fitting

Toe shape

Cuban Slightly narrower than a standard last Pointed toe
EE, Liberal, Stockman Standard fitting Slightly tapered toe
Rider Youth, Men’s Rider, Pinto Standard fitting Slightly rounded toe
EEE, Samson EEE, Work Boot EEE Wider fitting Generally with rounded toe

What does ‘Construction’ mean and what are the different types of construction?

Construction refers to the way in which the sole is attached to the shoe. Baxter Boots and Shoes will either have a Goodyear Welt sole construction or a Cement sole construction:

Goodyear Welt
The outsole is sewn to the welt around the edge between the outsole and upper. Goodyear Welt is regarded as the sturdiest of all shoe constructions. This type of sole construction applies to all leather sole products and most cork rubber products.

Cement Construction
The outsole is glued to the upper by adhesive, this method is used to keep boots and shoes lightweight and flexible.