My brother possesses neither leather conditioner nor any interest in the upkeep of his leather goods.
Probably the last person to be noted on my denim/leather blog, though curiously he plays an important role in my experimentation with different leathers…
His lack of care – in both meanings of the word applicable here – gives me an opportunity to see how a particular piece will age if it’s been thoroughly beaten up without the slightest bit of maintenance.
Further, his habit of using only one item of any category until it falls into pieces, or until I replace it for him, means that there’s no shortage of good & honest wear.
Take his Quercus belt for example, in use since November 2010…this is the only natural belt he possesses, and it has been worn almost everyday:
This belt has aged in such a way that it is evident the owner has not fed the leather.
The portion of the strap near the holder of the belt has not had much opportunity to absorb oils, and hence the oxidization of the leather in that area has been retarded.
The result is an imbalance of darkening, with the leather appearing lighter as we approach the buckle from the pin holes.
The grain has indeed aged remarkably:
No oils, not tanning – not bad for 13 months of wear, hey?
And on his request I cleaned and fed the Quercus for him – a little more respectable now 😛
Indigoshrimp 