Originally Posted by Peterpan1

"Really? Do tell."

I used to do a fair bit of leather work. There could be a couple of things that make the saddle uncomfortable, but if it related to "breaking in", then the problem is that your bony bits are resting on the hard leather dome of the saddle, and it has not as yet confromed to them. When it comes to softening up molded leather it just takes a certain amount of force, it's going to take a long time if your weight or the pressure your rump applies, is simply insuficient. If you could locate the area where you bones contact the seat, try carbon paper, then all you have to do is give those locations, spots about the size of a golf ball, a little tap with a rounded mallet or hammer, and they will easily punch down. What you want in the end is soft little craters in a surounding field of hard upward curved leather. The seat does not care how the upset occurs as long as it is accurately performed.

Right now I imagine you could sit on your hands without undue pain. How gently would you like me to hit your hands with a hammer? When it comes to softening up the leather there are much more efficeint ways that using you sit bones, on the other hand you do have to tap the seat in the right place. Softening the whole seat top is not what you want.

Any preparation that sotens the seat will destroy the reast of the saddle that is holding up around the craters, and ruin your comfort. So don't use oils etc... Wax is a good preservative and water proofing (though I still use a cover whenver it is wet).