butts and straps

[Ron Nossaman]

I'm in the middle of a couple of Baldwin butt and catcher replacement jobs,
and I find a half dozen bridle straps installed upside down. What I want to
know is, what's the intended fundamental purpose of upside down bridle straps?

Now for the real questions. One of these actions had the post formula
change disaster Corfam, and both butts and catchers were like quarry tile,
buffed up and everything. The other has a tan butt leather, stiff but not
hard, and the sticky black catcher. Is the tan butt stuff pre-disaster
Corfam? It looks likely. And what is the sticky black stuff? It's of
similar texture except for the sticky outer surface, but I've never heard a
name put to it. 

Ron N