Italiansxs, thanks. I'll be in Yuma in 31 days but may take you up on your offer before then. I now have more info and may have a solution to my problem.
Spoke with the company that owns the Barge formula (Quabaug, they contract out the manufacturing). They told me that the old formula has not been packaged in the convenient 2-oz tubes since 2008 and there is virtually no stock left anywhere in the country. All the tube product is the new formula in the blue/black packaging. The leather craft websites and BBS's have a lot of guys griping about the new formula and looking for alternatives. Quabaug also told me that the old product is still sold in SoCal in quarts and gallons, but they have advised their dealers and distributors to sell ONLY to professional shoe repair shops because of liability concerns. Their dealers are not supposed to sell to saddlery and tack shops, nor to farriers, but some may still be selling under the counter. I went through most of the SoCal Equestrian Directory on the phone and not one shop had any old formula Barge available. I finally found some in quarts at a business that caters to Hollywood film grips and set decorators. Will try to buy it tomorrow and be glad to have it, if they will actually sell it to me.
Tandy can order it, prepaid, in gallons or in quarts. If you want a quart, you have buy buy a case of 12. Tandy does not have a substitute.
