The finish of this belt was checked immediately, although I did treat it with my own Galco leather conditioner before wearing it for the first time and I always try to pull the straps taut without abruptly bend the end backwards. The sling is strong and holds the weight of the gun well, but it no longer feels like a good new suit sling. In fact, I have a Galco belt that's almost twenty years old and will be looking better than this one in a few weeks. And yes, I've tried a few more uses of the conditioner with no success.