Beval overlay girth leather: won't darken?

[Saskatoonian]

Got a very nice looking girth last summer from Beval - overlay with a little fancy stitching, not too much, and cushy - just a straight up decent looking girth. But there’s something weird about the leather - it doesn’t darken with oil. Am I missing something? It’s this one, if anyone’s curious -

http://beval.com/GIRTH-THICK-PANEL-ELAS-2-SIDES#

Any tips? It’s ok, but would be nicer if it darkened like normal.

a little update: Beval suggested I clean it with glycerine and then oil. Tried that, along with (on other occasions) castile and hydrophane cleaner. Strange!

TIA!

[riverinthewoods]

Have you tried to use olive oil?

I was a former employee, so I know the girth you are talking about. I feel like the leather on here would harder to darken given the material. I feel like it is a ‘tougher’ feeling leather that wouldn’t take much oil like a saddle or bridle would soak it up.

[AmmyByNature]

Did you try the actual darkening oil from hydrophane? The one specifically labelled “darkening?”

[Saskatoonian]

I’ve used olive oil, as well as effax lederbalsam and akene, but no, not actual darkening oil. I’ve never used that for anything and … yeah, suffice to say I’ve been at this a while. Maybe I can drum some up at the barn … what even IS it?