my wife uses oil of ulan

http://www.valleycountry.com.au/catalogue/horse_rider/for_the_stable/leather_fabric_care/leather_dressings_conditioners/ge_wy/ge_wy_leather_dressing_175kg

what's good for old hard leather (saddle bags)?.......leave them out in the sun with no oil, that make them hard

I had a problem such as this, the leather seats in my car went hard over the years. I must have tried every leather dressing available with no success. I think once the leather has gone hard and stiff you might be stuck with it I am afraid.

I just had a thought, you could try a very liberal application of pure lanolin, inside and out. Leave it to soak right in for a coupla days perhaps. Cheaper than any leather dressing I should think and it is probably the major active ingredient anyway.

I used Dubin to soften and protect my Baseball gloves and boots

I use Dubin on most of my leather, doesn't seem to damage the stitching for me.

Seems to work OK, particularly on my johnny rebs. I've had those boots for over 20 years and given them all sorts of abuse. I've been shin deep in muddy trenches and they haven't leaked, and I put it down to the Dubin.

However, Dubin does leave a greasy film so it will rub off onto anything that touches it, clothes, skin etc, so it can be messy....

And I reckon Lurker makes a good point. I think Dubin helps old stiff leather, but much better to keep it treated from the start.

I've used skidmores, with good results. Check there web site.

www.skidmores.com

I have leather jacket and boots 19 years old and I use "Effax" It's $25.00 for 400ml, but goes a long way.

Bought some from retail shop that deals with horse harness ect. I bought mine from Horseland (Adelaide)

It's a liquid goo, works great .

Neats Foot Oil. Good for old tool handles as well.

Try washing them in warm soapy water, a good scrub,
to remove all the old wax & dirt first.
Then dry and reshape, packing boxes in bags for shape,
Then apply Lanotec (wool fat) or Bee's Wax.....

Love those bags in your photos Wayne.

I used Harley leather dressing on an old military WLA that the bags were cracking on and it turned out great. Use your bare hands to rub it on and really rub it into the leather. Goop it on. Let it sit on overnight and then buff it off with a soft cloth. You may have to do a couple of applications. The directions say to apply with a cloth but don't because it just soaks up a bunch of product and costs you money. Use your hands and take your time. Last time I checked it was like nine bucks for a tub of it. It will make them water proof too. Do your boots and jacket while you're at it.