Go to a decent butcher and get some lamb backfat, or the fat around the kidneys. Render it on low heat until the light fat has melted ,leaving the heavy fat. Pour it through one of those little strainers , you can buy at the dollar store for sieving almost anything and cool it. No, not you -----it. It should be almost white and have almost no odour. You now have the best leather preservative and softener on the face of the planet. It's full of lanolin. If it smells sheepy , take it back to the butcher and tell him he sold you mutton fat and ask for what you asked for. Also works great on shoes etc.

Calfskin this is great info thanks for posting~!

As far as nylon webbing goes:

A good way to put holes in it is to heat up an awl over an open flame, then poke holes in the webbing with the hot awl. The way the webbing melts, it shrinks around the hole slightly, leaving a natural "grommet" around the hole.

I've had good luck with the Gibraltar Kevlar Straps. The two pre-drilled holes are usually in the right spots, but it's easy to make a new hole if you want. Plus, no stretching and no drying out, and will probably outlive you and me combined!

I've used the Gibraltar replacement straps on a couple of Pearl 80's pedals that I insist on using.. I previously messed around with several grades of leather.. but do have a lot more trust in the "Kevlar" for on stage reliability.

(Calfskin) you are not just a "cattle man".... but a true man of the land...

Glenn Ford would be proud of you..

Cheers