Freewheelers LaBrea

[red devil]

Rude Black is just the color, not the leather. I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere that the leather is produced by Shinki.

They have used shinki in the past, not sure if they still do.
When I asked them what they were using, they told me "combination tan"

 

[Dr H]

The leather will be Shinki, Freewheelers don’t offer customisation e.g. sleeve length.

 

[Carlos840]

Congratulations Carlos. It does not get any better than Freewheelers. The workmanship is otherworldly. Unfortunately, none of their leather jackets fit me. As you noted, their leather jackets are very v-shaped with broad shoulders and narrow chests -- I do not have sufficiently broad shoulders. Additionally, the sleeves are often too short for me. The Brakeman is close, but no cigar. Thus, I am relegated to their non-leather jackets (I have the Brodovitch, Burnham and Utility).

Thank you, you should really take it as a case by case with them, because as much as this one fits me, the San Mateo and the Centinela would not. Both of them are much shorter and less V shaped. It seems the fit varies a lot from model to model.

Rude Black is just the color, not the leather. I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere that the leather is produced by Shinki.

Not sure what you mean, from what i have seen they have two different blacks, Rude black which is black on grey, and Black Jack, which is tea core (black on brown). No idea who makes it.

The leather will be Shinki, Freewheelers don’t offer customisation e.g. sleeve length.

Freewheelers offer full customization, it is a 100000jpy upcharge.

 

[red devil]

Thank you, you should really take it as a case by case with them, because as much as this one fits me, the San Mateo and the Centinela would not. Both of them are much shorter and less V shaped. It seems the fit varies a lot from model to model.

True, I tried different jackets while I was at their shop, some worked and some didn't.

Freewheelers offer full customization, it is a 100000jpy upcharge.

Yep at that price they will adapt the pattern

 

[red devil]

The leather will be Shinki, Freewheelers don’t offer customisation e.g. sleeve length.

The black jackets I tried at their shop were not shinki

 

[Mich486]

That rude black looks a lot like black Vicenza leather to my eye (I know it’s not).

Love the design of the jacket!


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[Dr H]

Yes, I appreciate that they’ll charge a big premium for customisation (about $900 on top), I really meant within the price (sorry, didn’t make that clear).

 

[Mysteryo]

Wow, I'm SOOOOO jealous!
Hat's off, man!

 

[Guppy]

Not sure what you mean, from what i have seen they have two different blacks, Rude black which is black on grey, and Black Jack, which is tea core (black on brown). No idea who makes it.

Not sure what was hard to understand about my comment.

The question was "what leather is it?" not "what color is it?"

You answered "rude black" which is FW's name for one of their colors. That doesn't tell what the leather actually is. It'd be good to know the Tannery (which, as I said, I think I read somewhere that Freewheelers use Shinki), the animal (HH? Cow? Deer?), the tannage (vegetable? oil?), weight, etc.

 

[Dr H]

I believe that this one is likely to be Shinki Horsehide (my jackets are both medium weight). My Journeyman is finished with a fairly glossy surface; the Brakeman is slightly heavier (yet still medium weight), but looks more like a typical veg tanned hide.

 

[Carlos840]

Not sure what was hard to understand about my comment.

The question was "what leather is it?" not "what color is it?"

You answered "rude black" which is FW's name for one of their colors. That doesn't tell what the leather actually is. It'd be good to know the Tannery (which, as I said, I think I read somewhere that Freewheelers use Shinki), the animal (HH? Cow? Deer?), the tannage (vegetable? oil?), weight, etc.

The question was "What do they call this leather?" to which i answered "rude black", i mentioned it is horse in the op.
No idea where the leather was tanned, it does look very different from my Himel shinki and my DD Shinki, but is similar to the shinki i have seen used by RMC. Who knows? It is nice leather...

 

[Guppy]

The question was "What do they call this leather?" to which i answered "rude black", i mentioned it is horse in the op.
No idea where the leather was tanned, it does look very different from my Himel shinki and my DD Shinki, but is similar to the shinki i have seen used by RMC. Who knows? It is nice leather...

Right, they call the COLOR Rude Black. The other color it comes in is the same leather, but they have a different name that they call that color. Maybe it's harder to get accurate information due to the language barrier.

In any case there's no question it's good stuff. It looks fantastic on you, too. Congratulations.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Superb in every way, congrats Carlos! Your review made me think of Tom Cruise's character Nathan Algren in The Last Samurai, who describes the Japanese people in his journal as " . . . an intriguing people. From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue." As seen in the workmanship of your outstanding LaBrea.

 

[navetsea]

great fit zipped and open, interesting and the very nice review of a great looking jacket, congrats Carlos, I'm curious to see how the grey undertone would show later on.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

WOW!!!! What a stunning jacket! I had the fortune to try on a La Brea as well as other jackets from Freewheelers last year. All of their jackets are insanely well made. I would love to pick one up some time soon. As you mention, the stitching is almost unbelievably good and that very much appeals to me!

That fit on you is perfect as well. Great pick up!

 

[dudewuttheheck]

The question was "What do they call this leather?" to which i answered "rude black", i mentioned it is horse in the op.
No idea where the leather was tanned, it does look very different from my Himel shinki and my DD Shinki, but is similar to the shinki i have seen used by RMC. Who knows? It is nice leather...

I have met a couple people from Japan who are very much in the know on this subject. The horsehide leathers that Freewheelers use are all Shinki. I am not sure about the Deerskin, but I was told that Freewheelers simply has the clout to get some custom Shinki colors. Flat Head still gets the very first choices for Shinki skins, however, but Freewheelers does get to have some pretty cool colors made such as their olive as used on the Journeyman.

 

[red devil]

I have met a couple people from Japan who are very much in the know on this subject. The horsehide leathers that Freewheelers use are all Shinki. I am not sure about the Deerskin, but I was told that Freewheelers simply has the clout to get some custom Shinki colors. Flat Head still gets the very first choices for Shinki skins, however, but Freewheelers does get to have some pretty cool colors made such as their olive as used on the Journeyman.

So does that mean Shinki makes "combination tan" as well?
Will have to ask the shopkeeper again next time I am in Tokyo

 

[Dr H]

I have met a couple people from Japan who are very much in the know on this subject. The horsehide leathers that Freewheelers use are all Shinki. I am not sure about the Deerskin, but I was told that Freewheelers simply has the clout to get some custom Shinki colors. Flat Head still gets the very first choices for Shinki skins, however, but Freewheelers does get to have some pretty cool colors made such as their olive as used on the Journeyman.

Prior to my Journeyman purchase I was discussing the subject of Shinki hides with the proprietor of Hoosier (one of the major outlets for Freewheelers) and he confirmed that the deerskin was Shinki as well.

 

[marmalademan]

Length is ******** spot on! Belt Police won't be happy though, so keep tour head down Carlos. I for one however find this thread refreshing

 

[Monitor]

Some day I'll have a jacket as nice as this... Though never one that'll look as good on me. No need to repeat what you already know. Perfect!

Very impressive hide this is. Doesn't look brand new, which is a good thing. Looks as if you've had this jacket for a while. It's good they've used French seams wherever they could, really lifts the jacket. Belt is impressive.

Didn't even notice the jacket ends at the belt. It'd be ruined if it was half an inch longer. Perfectly proportioned as it is and anyone saying otherwise should momentarily be banned.