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I'm looking to make some slim wallet/credit card holders with ~4 oz leathers. Can anyone comment on the strength and durability of 4 oz Horween CXL vs 4 oz Hermann Oak or W&C Bridle leathers? Under regular use, is there any discernible difference between the above leathers when it comes to durability? I'm primarily worried about the sharp edges of plastic credit cards potentially cutting through the suede/flesh side of the leathers.

I read several posts on this forum that many neatsfoot oil are in fact compounds and not 100% pure natural neatsfoot oil - which is deemed superior. Can anyone recommend a good and affordable brand of 100% pure natural neatsfoot oil? Is the "Fiebing's 100% Pure Neatsfoot Oil" a good choice? http://www.amazon.com/Fiebings-100%25-Pure-Neatsfoot-Oil/dp/B000FJP4NO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1451230455&sr=8-4&keywords=neatsfoot

Does anyone know where Orion gets their leathers for their belts? What is the general opinion of their belts on the forum? How do their leathers compare to Wickett and Craig and Hermann Oak leathers?

Even after using the leather as a belt for about a year, I shouldn't need any conditioning? More broadly though, is Lexol conditioner appropriate for high-end pure vegtan leathers?

When someone is saying that they're selling "9/10oz Hermann Oak chocolate Bridle Leather Belt/Strap Blank" what does the "strap" mean? Does strap simply mean that it's a belt-shaped piece of leather? Because on Hermann Oak's website, they do have a line of leather called "Strap" leather.

I purchased 1.5" strips of ~10-11 oz HO Bridle (not English Bridle) and Harness leathers from a seller on eBay. To a beginner like myself, both leathers feel and look almost identical. Should this be the case? Both are very stiff, hard, with little stretch, and a relatively smooth surface. Is Lexol conditioner appropriate for both leathers?

Forgot to mention that there is also a Dark Brown piece. So I have another set that has English Bridle stamped on them and they feel drastically different compared to these. The english brides feel sort spongy and squishy, while these have no squishiness at all and are very oily on the surface.

Yeah actually Saddleback Leather products are what inspired my question. I was under the impression that pure chrome-tan leathers do not age or develop a well-worn patina. But I believe all of Saddleback's products are pure chrome-tanned, yet they seem to age beautifully.

I requested a sample swatch from Wickett and Craig and there were these swatched in a separate keychain by themselves that were unlabelled. Does anyone know which of their line of leathers these are? They are all quite firm and very oily. I've been unable to get a hold of W&C to inquire.

Does chrome-tanning a leather automatically render it unable to develop a patina and age over time? Or is it because of some protective finish that is applied on top of the chrome-tanned leather? i.e., are there any chrome-tanned leathers that will age, creased, and pull-up like vegtan leather?

What is the best conditioner for pure vegetable-tanned leathers such as those from Hermann Oak or Wickett and Craig? Is Lexol conditioner appropriate? Is Lexol also appropriate for conditioning Horween's CXL leathers?

Thanks! Just what I was looking for

Which tannery does Rolls-Royce, Bentley, or other high-end automakers get their upholstery leathers from? Likewise, where do European haute-couture fashion houses such as LV, Hermes, Chanel get their handbag leathers from? Is there a way to characterize these types of leathers that they use? i.e., are they all pure chrome-tanned, finished leathers?

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll go ahead and try the bridle leathers. Would a 9-10 oz Bridle leather from HO or W&C stretch over time? i.e., should I make the belt slightly tighter to accommodate potential stretching? And how do the "English" Bridle leather blanks from Weaver compare to the leathers from HO and W&C? I can't seem to find the name of the tannery that the Weaver leathers are from.

Thanks for the answer! I won't be tooling/stamping/carving or dyeing the leather. The pieces I received were labelled as just "Bridle" and not "English Bridle." There are descriptions on HO and W&C's websites describing the qualities of each, but I don't really understand what the difference between them are.

Hi guys, I'm quite new to the world of leatherwork and am hoping to make some belts as holiday presents for family and friends. I made a 1.5" belt using 9-10 oz Horween CXL, but was recently told that CXL is not the ideal leather for even casual belts because the leather stretches. Someone recommended I look into Hermann Oak and Wickett and Craig vegetable-tanned leathers. I managed to purchase a 9-10 oz strip of Hermann Oak Bridle (not the English Bridle I don't think) and 9-10 oz Wickett and Craig Bridle. I just have a few questions: Compared to CXL, the two vegtanned leathers were both extremely stiff and almost cardboard-like. Is this normal? Is it appropriate to use Lexol conditioner for both the two vegtan leathers and also CXL? Will Lexol help soften the two vegtan leathers? Out of the Hermann Oak and W&C offerings, which of their line of leathers is the optimal leather for making belts? Thanks a lot!