SUP

I find that marble cracks far more easily than granite. Also stains and pits.

Springfield starts with sending excellent quality but in later orders, they tend to be careless, at least where their leathers are concerned. I have heard others say the same. They have good return policies though. Same with Tandy, with a 60 day return policy, with receipt. So you always have that option. I don't know about Weaver though.

Earthing moccasins on Etsy has patterns for wide and narrow feet but she is expensive. Dieselpunk.ro has different sizes as well. If you get his, he might give some pointers on how to widen the shoes to your requirements and his patterns are much more reasonable.

Have you tried gold or silver acrylic marker pens? Not sure how long they will last on the flesh side though.

Oh. Okay. On the flesh side I usually use an ordinary pencil, I just remembered. I got one with a rather thick lead from Temu, and it works well for that.

Ooops! Here it is. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GFL2CBC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A17VVI3BMITTB1&psc=1

Any oils and waxes will darken the leather. You could try the leather conditioner and cleanser that 'the Chemical guys' sell. It did not darken any of my leather but test it first. It might make a slight difference that might not be visible on colored leathers but visible on white.

I like these because they are in different colors. They also have single color sets, silver included. You might get the same in the UK.

I cannot, since I make my own conditioning balm. but most that you get in stores should do. Leather is pretty hardy that way.

Not sure whether this is hydrating of leather. I have heard about hydrating or re-hydration only for very dry leather. I find that for hydrating or rehydrating leathers, people recommend conditioners and leather cleansers, which, if you examine their ingredients, have water as an ingredient. I suspect some of that water rehydrates dry leather and the non-aqueous ingredients condition and keep the fibres supple, hydrated and conditioned. Personally, I just clean dry, cracking leather with saddle soap and water, wipe it clean and allow to dry. I condition with a conditioning protective balm and I am good to go.

@Dwight's suggestion is the way to oil leather with Neatsfoot oil, because too much of that oil makes leather too soft and floppy and that is virtually irreversible. That is why, as he advices, a good wetting with the oil is needed but not saturation. Allowing it to dry with the flesh side up then allows the oil to migrate to the grain side just sufficiently to oil that side as well. Same reason why you should not dry it hanging up - the oil will migrate to one side. I use a sponge to apply it as well, but it should not really matter, as long as you are careful not to let it saturate in the area where you first touch the leather with the sponge. I avoid that by wringing out the sponge first and then dabbing t on the leather first.

Yes. She is very nice, and surprisingly smart. They are not particularly known to be, but this one is.

I feed my conure fresh fruit by skewering them on a metal rod with a metal disc to hold it in place. The disc can be screwed in place but my conure has learnt how to unscrew that and is always dropping it and the fruit. So now, after screwing on the metal disc, I screw on one of those leather plugs. I wet it first and punch a slightly smaller hole and force it in place. That has defeated her up to now.

I forgot to add, after wiping with a wet cloth, immediately wipe with a dry cloth until the leather is as dry as possible. Then allow to dry completely.

I got a similar one, I don't remember now whether from Temu or Amazon, and even the cutler could not get it sharp enough! I now use it for odd jobs around the house - e.g. scraping off thickened grease and wax. I got a different one from Amazon Vine, with an angled blade, and that is sharper than my Stanley knife's new blade. Right out of the box. Pleased with that and keep it well. stropped. Amazon Vine, so paid about the same. Waiting for a proper skiving knife to come on Vine now. Their items are usually very good..

How will you use Vinegaroon to dye it? The same way. A careful wipe-down, several times, with a water-soaked cloth should suffice. Another thing. Depending on the tanning process of the leather, sometimes, after it is dyed with Vinegaroon, some of the iron acetates remain on the surface of the leather and transfer, if the leather gets wet again. Wiping it with water-soaked cloth can get rid of that as well, so that you end up with beautifully dyed leather without color transfer.

I understand that! In my teens, my friends and I used to walk along the shore in that rain and wind. Rocky shore, so not much sand to contend with. Else that would not have been possible. But great marine specimens to be found post- storm!

@fredk, like during the monsoons in Bombay, now Mumbai. 'Curl up with a good book and a cup of hot tea and biscuits' weather, we called it, while the wind rattled the windows and palm fronds lashed violently.

No. I do not use it. Even diluted, it makes the leather basic which is bad for leather. Just rinse the leather well in running water and then use neatsfoot oil sparingly, once dry.

@fredk Wow. Those must have been some winds! @dikman And people thinks it is bad and 'not organic' while unknowingly using it everywhere.

As long as it is mineral oil, I have no issues with it. It is an inert oil on leather, I've discovered.

Do you have any experience in leatherworking?

Acids and bases are not good for leather unless absolutely necessary. Oxalic acid is usually used for lightening leather. I know people use it for cleaning as well, but there are other products available that are safer on leather. Try saddle soap. A good wipe down with clean water usually maintains the pH. As for Dyeing, what @TomE explained is how many of us dye longer pieces of leather. It seems to be one of the few ways to get an even color. The dye can be reused many times until it gets used up anyway.

Henna you can get at any store selling South Asian groceries. You will probably get a reddish color with that. Like Mahogany maybe?

I wonder what they mean by 'leather oils'?