I am trying to soften up a dry stiff bellows on a early 3x4 top handle Speed Graphic. I have used Lexol in the past with success. This bellows however just sucks up the Lexol in an instant like no leather I've seen do before. I'm wondering if anyone knows what this early bellows may be made of. Could it be a heavy black paper or cloth of some type?
thank you!

FI it's truly toasty then I don't think anything will bring it back. The trouble with lexol and other oils, is it softens the glue that holds the stay and fabric liner to the leather and you end up with a very sad mess.

LWNewcomer

Some of the early bellows were made of a composite material that reminds me of oil cloth. When it gets really old it gets stiff. I've got a couple of 3X4s like that. If the bellows fold and extend properly, I don't think there's much else you can hope for. Lexol is certainly not going to help this type of material.

The issue with all bellows and shutter cloth magic preparations is that anything which will improve leather, oil cloth, rubber or vinyl will worsen the state of the glue and textile layers, or vice versa. There can be no preparation which is able to refresh hydrophobic and -philic material alike.

Sevo

Well said.