Problems with leather cracking after dying

[Sturmtrupp702]

I've been making leather wrist cuffs lately and I'm having problems with the straps drying and looking like they're going to crack I'm dying them with feibings pro dye and a dauber usually 2 or 3 coats then as soon as they're dry I'm putting feibings leather lotion on what should I do different 

[chiefjason]

If it just looks like it's going to crack you may not be getting the dye into the leather well enough.  I've had a few pieces with a lot of "pull up" where the grain really shows because the dye didn't get into the leather deep enough.  

If it's actually cracking you probably have a piece of leather that's bad.  I've had it happen when I ordered straps in a weight I don't buy sides of.  But they basically break in half as soon as you flex them after dyeing and conditioning.  

In my experience leather does not "kind of crack".  It's either  the grain pulling up, or it's ruined.  No in between.  

[Sturmtrupp702]

http://imgur.com/a/MN3D6XF

This shows what I'm talking about 

[chiefjason]

2 hours ago, Sturmtrupp702 said:

http://imgur.com/a/MN3D6XF

This shows what I'm talking about 

 There does look to be a crack on that edge.  It also looks like belly leather.  Couple be a combination of old/dry leather and belly.  If you are buying sides, cut your straps closer to the spine.  If you are buying straps or by the foot, you kind of get what they send you unfortunately.  Belly leather is softer, usually nappier on the flesh side, and tends to separate and wrinkle like that when bent.  

[farns005]

Are you oiling the leather prior to or after dyeing?  Oil based dyes really take the oil out, especially on less quality leather.  Adding oil/ conditioning back before you bend it and it cracks may help.