Calling all leatherworking experts! Artificer, Nighthawk, Donnie from Wyvern, anyone else with expertise ?!? I bought a set of Slade Wallace equipment for the new Boer War impression for which I'm collecting/making gear, and it needs to be renovated before it can be used.

The Problem

The leather of the Slade Wallace set that I bought is NOT PERIOD CORRECT, in that it has a patent leather-type finish, which has a hard, shiny surface. I would really like to find a way to get the surface into a period correct condition, as such sets are expensive.

Here is a close up of the offending surface:



The Solution?

On another forum dedicated to Victorian Wars, someone in the same fix stated that they had sanded off the improper finish to render the leather "natural" again ["Buff" is the term used in the British Army for the natural, or unfinished rough out leather surface]. I am looking for some specific advice about

(1) whether sanding the leather to remove the outer surface is a good idea or not;

(2) specific suggestions as to how to sand it, and what to use, i.e., what number grit sand paper, or if steel wool is recommended, what number steel wool?

(3) Are there any tools that are appropriate, like a power sander, or should this be done strictly by hand?

Here is an example of what the correct "natural" or "buff" surface looks like. A substance called Blanco is then applied to this surface to render it white, the white as you see Victorian era soldiers wearing in movies like "Zulu", or "Breaker Morant". However, the leather must be in this condition BEFORE it is made white:



I hope that several of you great leatherworkers will have some good ideas and strategies. Thank you in advance. Regards, BobsYourUncle