S.B. Foot Cigar Featherstone

Red Wing Heritage incorporated Cigar Featherstone into the Beckman 9016 round toe boot, which has been discontinued and is no longer in production. The leather has also been utilized by other heritage boot makers, including New River Boot Company in their Barksdale model. The discontinuation of the Beckman 9016 has made these boots sought-after items in secondary markets where they command attention from collectors and enthusiasts.

Cigar Featherstone exhibits the standard characteristics of Featherstone leather while presenting a distinctive medium brown coloration. The leather features a smooth, polished surface with a semi-aniline finish that provides medium to bright luster. The full-grain construction maintains the natural grain patterns of the hide while the finishing process creates a protective top coat that enhances scratch resistance compared to less-finished leathers like Chromexcel.

The leather displays a smooth, glossy finish that feels slightly waxy to the touch and presents significantly stiffer hand when new compared to more heavily oil-tanned leathers. This initial stiffness requires substantial break-in effort, with users reporting that Cigar Featherstone takes serious work to break in, especially compared to the ease of Chromexcel. Despite this demanding break-in period, the leather softens with wear while the protective finishing layer helps maintain the leather's appearance over time.

The manufacturing process uses top 3 to 5 percent of available blue stock hides from heavy Texas steers, selected for best grain and appearance. The sides are drum dyed using a premium coloring formula and combined with a select wax and oil mixture that provides exceptionally high water and stain resistance. No pigments are used during tannery finishing, as the transparent finish method enhances the natural appearance characteristic of Featherstone leather.

The leather's thickness and toughness make it more durable than softer leathers, with the ability to take beatings better than Chromexcel while remaining less flexible. The smooth surface shows scuffs and scratches more readily than roughout or heavily oil-tanned leathers, necessitating attention to care protocols to maintain the polished aesthetic characteristic of Cigar Featherstone.

Red Wing Heritage used Cigar Featherstone in the Beckman 9016 round toe boot, which has been discontinued. The boot featured a 6-inch height with round toe construction, utilizing Goodyear welt construction with a Vibram Roccia combination leather and rubber sole. The boots incorporated waxed cotton laces with metal eyelets and were built on Red Wing's standard Beckman last in D width. The gusseted tongue construction provided enhanced weather protection while maintaining the refined aesthetic appropriate for dress boot applications.

The Beckman 9016 represented Red Wing Heritage's application of Cigar Featherstone to their premium dress boot collection. Named after Red Wing founder Charles Beckman, the line was also marketed as the "Gentleman Traveler" collection, emphasizing boots that could be polished for professional appearances while providing durability for daily wear. The model maintained Goodyear welt construction quality that allows for resoling, extending the lifespan of the boots through proper maintenance.

Beyond Red Wing, Cigar Featherstone has been utilized by other heritage boot makers. New River Boot Company has incorporated this leather into their Barksdale service boot model, demonstrating the leather's appeal within the broader heritage footwear community. These applications showcase Cigar Featherstone's versatility in both traditional Red Wing designs and custom boot making.

The discontinuation of the Beckman 9016 around 2018, followed by the reintroduction of the Beckman line in 2024 with updated specifications and different leather options, has made original Cigar Featherstone Beckman boots increasingly rare in the secondary market. They command attention from collectors and enthusiasts of Red Wing Heritage footwear who value the discontinued leather's unique characteristics.

Cigar Featherstone maintenance follows the care protocols established for smooth-finished leather by Red Wing Shoes. Initial cleaning requires removing surface dirt with warm water and a soft bristle brush, taking care not to oversaturate the leather. For heavier soiling, Red Wing Shoes Leather Cleaner should be applied with a clean cloth or brush, working the cleaner into affected areas before wiping away with a damp cloth. The leather must then air dry naturally in a cool, dry location, as heat can damage the finish and remove essential oils.

After cleaning and drying, Red Wing Shoe Boot Cream provides conditioning and color enhancement specific to Featherstone leather. The Brown Boot Cream variant was created specifically for Cigar and Antique Cigar Featherstone smooth-finished leathers, containing high quality waxes, lanolin, and dyes designed to hide surface scuffs and scratches while maintaining the characteristic cigar brown tone. The cream should be applied with a clean, soft cloth using gentle circular motions, allowing the leather to absorb the conditioning agents. Once the cream has been worked into the leather, a soft horse-hair brush can be used to buff the surface and restore shine to the finish.

For ongoing protection against environmental elements, Red Wing Leather Protector spray creates an invisible barrier against water, dirt, oil, and mud without significantly altering the leather's appearance or feel. This protective treatment should be applied by lightly misting the footwear from six to eight inches away in a sweeping motion, and reapplied periodically based on wear frequency and exposure conditions.

General care practices include alternating wear with another pair of boots to allow the leather to rest and dry naturally between uses, particularly after exposure to moisture. When not in use, boots should be stored with shoe trees or packed with newspaper to maintain their shape and absorb residual moisture. Regular surface cleaning removes debris that can gradually wear the finish, while periodic conditioning prevents the leather from drying out and cracking. The wax and oil treatment applied during manufacture provides high water and stain resistance, but this protection requires maintenance through regular conditioning to remain effective.