On 27/08/2014 09:30, nemo wrote:
I'm looking for a way to treat cracked leather.

The leather uppers of my Scarpa hiking boots are starting to develop
cracks at the sides, where the toes hinge. This is despite regular
treatment with Nikwax-type products.

Googling returns leather repair products, such as this:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/k7t3npv
Most products seem to be aimed at upholstery repairs and user feedback
is mainly about cosmetic aspects rather than durability.

The boots have completed around 1400 miles over rough terrain in nearly
3 years and the soles are fairly worn. I think they're usable for a
while longer, so I'm looking to eke out a few more miles, but expensive
repairs would be uneconomic.

Any thoughts/experiences/recommendations for a repair e.g. filler or
coating product, whether specifically designed for leather or other? Car
body filler probably wouldn't flex enough :-)

I'm afraid this sounds like the classic tale of asking directions in
Ireland (no insult implied). Sometimes the reply would be 'you need to
start from somewhere else, to get to where you are going'.

So it is with leather boots. It sounds like they have got well soaked
and either been dried too quickly or worn again before they have dried
naturally. This combined with inadequate treatment of the dry leather
with conditioner first, then re-waterproofing, has caused the leather to
crack.