I've ridden my '75 Fuji S-10S's original hard leather 'Brooks-clone' Fujita Belt saddle for over 55K miles in the past 40+years. It has never been an issue. Yes, the saddle and my butt have to come to some sort of understanding, but (no pun intended) that takes several hundred miles at the start of EVERY riding season. Yeah, I get flabby and out-of-shape in the off-season, and my sit bones notice, too!
But (there's that word again), once we - meaning my hard leather saddle and I - come to an agreement, I never get 'saddle-sore' for the rest of the year. Is it because it is an 'ass-hatchet'? No. I've tried to ride hard plastic- or plastic-backed saddles and we've (my butt and saddle) have never broken in to each other like a suspended leather saddle like a Brooks (or clone) can.
You've got to give a leather saddle the 'seat time' to break in to your own personal physiology.
Yeah, the 'problem' with a leather saddle is having it get wet.. Initially, getting it wet while riding on it helps with the break-in process by allowing it to form to your individual sit-bones/fit. After that, treat it with a good penetrating silicone treatment on both top- and undersides and you'll be good for years with seasonal periodic re-treatments. I've had mine for 44+ years now, that alone should tell you something!