# folding back oberon?



## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

Since using my javoflip cases I have become used to folding back my covers which is something I NEVER used to do.  Does it damage the leather of the oberon to do this.  I know a lot of people do it so I just wondered.


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

The red Sky Dragon cover for my Klassic Kindle has been left folded open on numerous occasions, sometimes overnight. I can see no damage to the cover, it just looks better with age! (mine and the cover's  )

edit to add.  The Sky Dragon cover is 20 months old, I am considerably older.


----------



## Jessi (Jun 19, 2009)

I don't think it has much effect on the leather. It shows creases more if you fold it back, but when it gets folded back the right way, you can't tell it has been bent backwards. The Oberon's are great quality and are meant to last. I don't think folding it back a few times is going to mess it up.


----------



## Tam (Jan 7, 2010)

My Oberon is a Blue roof of Heaven that I bought used on eBay, and it folds back perfectly and doesnt show any signs of wear from doing so. However, I do recall someone posting photos on here some months ago of their Oberon that appeared to have gotten visibly creased from folding it back. That doesnt seem to be the norm, though...


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

I wonder if using a leather conditioner makes a difference in whether the cover creases when folded.


----------



## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

Lots of photos have been posted of Oberons folded back. Oberon says it's ok to do, but the creases are obvious and go against the grain of the leather. Personally, I don't like it. I posted photos of my da Vinci that had been folded back. I thought it looked bad. 

Also, Oberon says not to use any conditioner other than theirs on the Oberon. Maybe you can search older posts for the photos. I will not fold back my Oberon for any reason. It's up to each person though.


----------



## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,20329.0.html

This link shows a blue Oberon that has been folded back. I am still looking for my post with photos.


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

GinnyB said:


> Lots of photos have been posted of Oberons folded back. Oberon says it's ok to do, but the creases are obvious and go against the grain of the leather. Personally, I don't like it. I posted photos of my da Vinci that had been folded back. I thought it looked bad.
> 
> Also, Oberon says not to use any conditioner other than theirs on the Oberon. Maybe you can search older posts for the photos. I will not fold back my Oberon for any reason. It's up to each person though.


Thanks. I'd want to keep it as nice as possible.


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

My Butterfly has no creases at all, and I fold it back completely flat.
















As for conditioner, I've been using Apple Brand Leather Care for about the last year and my covers are all in fantastic condition. No, it's not the one that Oberon sells, but I bought it at my local leather store. It doesn't change the cover at all, just softens it and gives it a rich sheen.


----------



## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Chiming in again after luvmy4brats, my butterfly cover seems to be the best one that folds back - no tension at all, and no sign of creasing either.  I guess the spine is built into the design of the cover.


----------



## clawdia (Jul 6, 2010)

I'm getting The Wave in navy blue next week, just waiting for it to come.  Got it used to save $$$.  

If I ever get another one, it will be a butterfly - I'm in love with the butterfly.  The fact that I know it would fold flat just makes me all the more sure it'd be the one I'd want.


----------



## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

Thx for the info everyone I am beyond shocked at how easily the Medici in purple folds back but the design is amazing and I don't want to damage it. So far I haven't noticed it but it's been a day


----------



## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

clawdia said:


> I'm getting The Wave in navy blue next week, just waiting for it to come. Got it used to save $$$.
> 
> If I ever get another one, it will be a butterfly - I'm in love with the butterfly. The fact that I know it would fold flat just makes me all the more sure it'd be the one I'd want.


I have this Hokusai Wave cover and it folds completely flat and did from the beginning.


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> My Butterfly has no creases at all, and I fold it back completely flat.
> 
> As for conditioner, I've been using Apple Brand Leather Care for about the last year and my covers are all in fantastic condition. No, it's not the one that Oberon sells, but I bought it at my local leather store. It doesn't change the cover at all, just softens it and gives it a rich sheen.


Great! My Butterfly should be delivered on Friday. I'm so glad I chose it. It's also purple and it's my first Oberon!


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

Luvmy4brats, I love your skin. It looks like it has butterflies!


----------



## Jessi (Jun 19, 2009)

Ooooh, I'm jealous! The purple butterfly is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy it!


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks Jessi. I'm on pins and needles!


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vet, This picture makes it look purple, but I actually have the sky blue. My first Oberon for my K1 was the purple Butterfly and I loved it.

The skin I'm using now is a custom Hummingbird skin that cagnes designed that goes with my brand new Hummingbird Oberon:










The skin I used before was a blue Butterfly skin that cagnes also designed:










I loved the Butterfly skin so much that I sold my velcro Butterfly Oberon and bought one with corners. You can see that the first one I had was more of a pebbled leather. I did carefully remove the butterfly skin, so I still have it, but it was time for a change. I had that one on for about 9 months, which is a record for me. Usually I'm lucky if they last a month (nothing wrong with the skin, I just get bored easily.)


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

Those are stunning! I'd love one in purple!


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vet said:


> Those are stunning! I'd love one in purple!


send cagnes a PM, she might already have one with a purple background, if not, I bet she'd be able to do it pretty quick. She's designed skins for a bunch of people here on KB.


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> send cagnes a PM, she might already have one with a purple background, if not, I bet she'd be able to do it pretty quick. She's designed skins for a bunch of people here on KB.


Oh, I'd love that! I'm off to do that right now! Thanks!


----------



## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

You know luvmy4brats, I see lots of decals on this board, and they are all gorgeous, but I still keep coming back to your original butterfly one as being the best one I have ever seen.  How many months have I been posting that now?     Just look at it now, how classy and pretty is it looking!


----------



## Patricia (Dec 30, 2008)

luvmy4brats said:


> My Butterfly has no creases at all, and I fold it back completely flat.


I was so impressed that you have no creases at all (and how flat you fold yours back) that I ordered some Apple brand leather conditioner from Amazon. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## Mandy (Dec 27, 2009)

Mine stays folded back more than it does closed, and shows absolutely no sign of wear or any creasing on the spine. I've never used any leather conditioner either.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Be careful; some people have tried different conditioners from that recommended by Oberon and have not been happy. (Although maybe that's what you ordered, I don't know what they recommend.)

Betsy


----------



## OberonDesign.com (Nov 30, 2009)

We do not recommend anything but the leather products on our site. We do not sell them.

More than one person has been unhappy using various conditioners because it can alter designs and colors


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

I'm wondering whether to condition my new Oberon once it's delivered. Who conditions their Oberon covers?


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vet said:


> I'm wondering whether to condition my new Oberon once it's delivered. Who conditions their Oberon covers?


I do and I use Apple Brand Leather Conditioner with great results... And no, it's not what Oberon sells, but It's got my stamp of approval.


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

Do you knowif Amazon sells it?


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vet said:


> Do you knowif Amazon sells it?


Clickable link>>


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks! Your covers always look so nice!


----------



## robjond (Nov 19, 2009)

I have taupe Avenue of Trees.  I have been folding it back for 9 months and it still looks beautiful.  In fact, the older it gets the better it looks.

I have never used conditioner on it.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Luv you need to bring your conditioner to one of the DC gatherings. That way I can use some (grins)


----------



## CaroleC (Apr 19, 2010)

I am making progress on "breaking in" my Oberon Tree of Life DXG cover so that it folds back better. My cover was unusually stiff and folded back less well than the Oberon DXG covers that some others received, perhaps due to the individual variation that occurs with hand crafted leather work. I have not used any leather conditioner or product, so this improvement is just from pinching and creasing the fold while reading, and opening and closing the cover repeatedly (more frequently than necessary for reading). I would imagine that as time passes it will improve. At some point I might send off for the conditioner that Oberon Designs suggests.

Anyway, here's the photo of how it folded on July 16th, the day I received it, when it was still pretty stiff, followed by the photo of how it folds back today, July 24th:

















It's improving! Slowly but surely. Both of these photos were taken from a vantage point near the bottom of the Kindle. The following one was taken today also, but from a vantage point near the top of the Kindle and it doesn't look as good:










So, I will have to focus my efforts more on the top of the fold. I am hoping that when more broken in it might fold as nicely as Luvmy4brats' Oberon.

(As an aside, notice how easily accessible the on/off switch is in the last photo... it is not covered by the strap at all).


----------



## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

Pushka said:


> You know luvmy4brats, I see lots of decals on this board, and they are all gorgeous, but I still keep coming back to your original butterfly one as being the best one I have ever


I agree. Luvmy4brats butterfly combo is my favorite; I was searching the board for a picture of it the other day because I hadn't seen it in so long.


----------



## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

My purple medici folds pretty easily and has from the start.  But I love the spine of the medici and I'm not sure I want to take a chance on damaging/creasing it but over the last couple of weeks I know now that if I want to ever use it for more than a few minutes I'll have to fold it.  my Left wrist(my bad side) will not allow me to hold it bookstyle very comfortably and it drives me nuts to leave the front lying flat open.  wish I new what to do because I don't want to give up on it but don't want to have to change every 10 minutes either.


----------



## Vet (Apr 25, 2010)

My new purple butterfly folds back perfectly. I don't like reading with it this way, but thought I'd try it. Maybe it's the purple leather. The cover is rigid enough, but the leather is quite buttery; very nice to touch!


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

ProfCrash said:


> Luv you need to bring your conditioner to one of the DC gatherings. That way I can use some (grins)


I'll try to remember it.


----------



## DD (Nov 9, 2008)

GinnyB, Oberon doesn't sell a conditioner of their own but recommends using leather lotion. Here is what their website says about leather care:
"A light, even coating of 'Leather Lotion', a product available in most shoe repair shops, can be applied. The application of any cream or oil will darken the color of leather. Never use gooey stuff like Mink Oil, Neats Foot Oil or oily dressings."

I googled 'leather lotion' and found the one I use made by "Cadillac". It's available through Amazon:



To everyone:
About creasing, I don't think it's possible to say "the Butterfly cover doesn't crease when folded back". Leather is a natural material. Consequently, every piece is unique in texture, softness, even the way it takes color. For instance, I have a DaVinci in saddle that is folded back almost constantly for the last 8 months and there is no creasing at all on the spine. But GinnyB's DaVinci creased. Also, I've seen two purple ROH's. One was heavily pebbled and very stiff at first, the other was smoother and very soft and supple. Its the nature of the material and the beauty of it.

I just didn't want anyone to think that a particular pattern always folds back easily or doesn't crease and then be disappointed.


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I agree with DD. I personally have had good experiences with my covers not creasing. I do think opts bevause I've used a leather conditioned on them regularly. I use apple brand (link up thread)  

My new hummingbird is starting to really fold back nice and it's not interfering with the lovely design on the spine


----------

