Here is a link.....with some ideas for softening up leather....http://www.wikihow.com/Soften-a-Leather-Belt

I usually keep it on a watch stand (like you) so that the lug part gets rounded eventually and will fit more comfortably around the wrist bone area. The usual saddle soap method will work of course. I am lazy so I have on hand some Armour All haha! and squirting a bit on the leather will soften it up but darken the leather somewhat...it is good for dried out leather straps....( do this for the wife's leather bags too!)
Otherwise, just wear the watch as often as you can to let it form to your wrist....I have heard some guys soak stiff rubber straps (seiko divers) in hot hot water for a short time........you could try this with the stiff new leather and let it dry out on your stand! ehehehe!

 

Here is a link.....with some ideas for softening up leather....http://www.wikihow.com/Soften-a-Leather-Belt

Thanks for the link and related tips/info, Thian.

 

A couple of drops of neatsfoot oil or (if you can get it) mink oil will soften the leather.
The drawback is it will usually darken it.

 

A couple of drops of neatsfoot oil or (if you can get it) mink oil will soften the leather.
The drawback is it will usually darken it.

Thanks. Darkening shouldn't be an issue in this instance as the strap is black.

 

Wear the watch and wash your hands.
Make sure the straps gets totally wet for a few minutes.
Continue to wear the watch and let the strap dry.
It will not soften but it will form itself after your wrist.

And yes, we boil the stiff Seiko rubber straps.
Put it in a round cup with the buckle on the hole for your wrist, poor boiling water over it several times, cool it with cold water. The strap will again not soften, but will keep the form of the cup.

 

If I trust the water-resistance of a watch, I'll wear it in the shower, and continue to wear it until the strap is dry. Generally, that will persuade the strap to conform to my wrist. A second treatment is sometimes necessary.

 

If I trust the water-resistance of a watch, I'll wear it in the shower...

I used to do this but read that the metal of your watch can expand rapidly under a hot shower, away from the rubber seals, so even a diving watch shouldn't be treated like this to be on the safe side. Before I realised this, I used a (mostly)plastic Casio thermo watch to measure the temperature of my bath, leaving it submerged for several minutes, but the co-efficient of expansion of plastic case and rubber seals were probably similar, so it stayed watertight, but I still cringe, thinking back.....

 

Update. Thanks for all the suggestions. What seemed to work somewhat was just keeping the strap by the computer and manually working/flexing it while viewing this enlightening site. It's wearable now, but I decided to put it on a watch I've put up for sale (not here) and keeping the more flexible strap that the FS watch was equipped with.