Hi,
For leathers that aren't already dried out and need maintenance treatment more than restoration, I like Huberd's Shoe Grease. http://www.huberds.com This product has been around since 1929, contains beeswax in a pine tar base, and is very similar to Montana Pitch Blend. In fact, it's possibly the inspiration for MPB, since it's the older of the two products by over 50 years. MPB also contains mink oil, while Huberd's uses no animal fats or tallow. Mink oil's often used to soften leather. My experience with Huberd's is that it does not overly soften leather, a good quality for holsters and sheaths where one wants to preserve original shapes. Huberd's soaks in almost instantly and will leave a semi-shiny finish when buffed with a rag, but may also leave a whitish residue for a few days on some dark leathers.
For leathers that have already dried and have started to crack, or are pretty close to it, I've had good luck with Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner. It's also a beeswax product, in a petroleum jelly (petrolatum) base. http://www.fiebing.com It does a faster job of softening leather than many products I've used. It's worked well for shoes, belts, wallets and decorative trim that see a lot of flexing. If one can put the treated piece out in the sun for a while, ALC soaks in quickly, otherwise it may leave a bit of a "greasy" feel for a day or so until it's fully absorbed.
A friend who's a retired saddlemaker suggests saddle soap, followed by Lexol. I've tried Lexol in the past and must have gotten an old jug or something, cuz it seemed like it was kinda "sour" and left a sticky surface that didn't seem to soak in or dry properly. Whatever product one likes, I've found it's a good idea to clean the leather first with saddle soap to get dirt, salt (sweat), and other contaminants off the surface before treating it.
Rick C
