Now, there is another step you can take if water-proofing (or rather, water-resisting) is your goal. It's time consuming, but worth it. Spit shine them. Now I'm talking (after they're clean) old-school spit-shine. Military and some law enforcement guys will know about this. Using a worn, soft, cotton handkerchief, wrapped tightly around one or two fingers so the end is nice and smooth, you rub a little in your Kiwi can, then onto the boot in small, tight circles. Over and over, over and over, all around the boot. It's like french polishing to woodworkers. The buildup is slow but sure, and when it starts to shine you know you're getting there. What's happening is the polish is being forced down into the pores of the leather, in tiny increments, and is building up to where the surface is smooth and level, not pebble-grained.

I always kept the Kiwi lid with a little water in it, so I could dip the handkerchief tip into it every so often, helping the wax glide and settle into the pores. Another trick was to light the wax on fire with a match (Zippo for military guys), let it burn for 3 or 4 seconds, then snuff it out. After the wax cools for a few moments, it's nice and soft. This is good when you first start, so you can get more polish on quickly.

I'm not suggesting shiny boots. After you've built up your spit shine, then you can buff out some of the shine with a stiff brush. Wearing them out in the boonies will help scuff and dull them even more. Every so often, when you think they need more protection, apply the Kiwi with a small, round brush, then buff it out as you normally would with a shoe brush. The boots stay protect because of the underlying spit-shine.