'Fluffy' Aero Sheepskin - how long does it take to wear down?

MeachamLake · Nov 25, 2017

When I was down at the Eastman shop last week, for comparisons sake I tried on one of their B6s. I was immediately struck two things - firstly, how much more crinkly and stiff the exterior of the jacket was (Aero's is buttery soft from the get go), and secondly by how much shorter the pile of their fleece was versus Aero.

I recall Holly telling me that the original WW2 specs demanded 1/4 inch shearling, but they go for 1/2 inch to prolong the life of the jacket. This is a good enough reason for me, but at the moment my B6 is still looking very fluffy around the cuffs and hem...has anybody with an Aero sheepskin got any experience of it "wearing down"? How long does it take on average?

Sloan1874 · Nov 26, 2017

My Irvin has flattened and worn down considerably over the past few years. One of the cuffs is a bit bald at the edge, partly from wear and tear but also maltreatment on my part - I discovered that if you do get sticky stuff on it, you have to be a bit careful cleaning it. You may remove the offending stain but also risk stripping the lanolin, I that's what it is, which keeps it soft, making it prone to wear.

SpeedRcrX · Nov 26, 2017

Sloan1874 said:
My Irvin has flattened and worn down considerably over the past few years. One of the cuffs is a bit bald at the edge, partly from wear and tear but also maltreatment on my part - I discovered that if you do get sticky stuff on it, you have to be a bit careful cleaning it. You may remove the offending stain but also risk stripping the lanolin, I that's what it is, which keeps it soft, making it prone to wear.

What did you clean it with ?

I have indigo color from my jeans that have rub off on my B3. Sam advice to clean it with some kind of hand cleaning detergent that you would use for cleaning woollen items.

I haven’t try yet. I’m a bit afraid of doing it, to be honest.

Cooper A-2 · Nov 26, 2017

All my shearling repros, GW, ELC, AERO, went through at least two consecutive HWT.
It softents the outer skin ( during drying on a styrofoam clone of my torso and arms, I oil the outside every 6 hours +/-).
The fleece becomes denser and curly ( hence shorter)...the real WW2 original look!.
Plenty of other Irvin ( and other jacket ) owner did the same with perfect results.

MeachamLake · Nov 26, 2017

Cooper A-2 said:
All my shearling repros, GW, ELC, AERO, went through at least two consecutive HWT.
It softents the outer skin ( during drying on a styrofoam clone of my torso and arms, I oil the outside every 6 hours +/-).
The fleece becomes denser and curly ( hence shorter)...the real WW2 original look!.
Plenty of other Irvin ( and other jacket ) owner did the same with perfect results.

I wonder if it's possible to just apply some hot water treatment to certain areas of the fleece (i.e. the most visible ones on the collar and cuffs?) The leather itself is super soft and doesn't need any more softening up, it's just the fleece is incredibly fluffy and at the moment is wacky and all over the place.

I like the much more dense and curly look you're talking about, just like the WW2 originals.

Cooper A-2 · Nov 26, 2017

MeachamLake said:
I wonder if it's possible to just apply some hot water treatment to certain areas of the fleece (i.e. the most visible ones on the collar and cuffs?) The leather itself is super soft and doesn't need any more softening up, it's just the fleece is incredibly fluffy and at the moment is wacky and all over the place.

I like the much more dense and curly look you're talking about, just like the WW2 originals.

Sure, you can dip the cuffs, collar and other aeras in hot water, but I believe you may see some “ border lines or differences” inbetween treated and not.

Sloan1874 · Nov 26, 2017

SpeedRcrX said:
What did you clean it with ?

I have indigo color from my jeans that have rub off on my B3. Sam advice to clean it with some kind of hand cleaning detergent that you would use for cleaning woollen items.

I haven’t try yet. I’m a bit afraid of doing it, to be honest.

*Urgh* I'm still irritated about this. I think I used washing up liquid (dish soap, as it's known in the US), which looking back now was a terrible idea - if there's one thing that's designed to strip the oils from a shearling, it's it that. I would use diluted silk/delicates cleaning detergent, it's what I've used subsequently to lift indigo dye marks. I would just go with the softest cleaning fluid you can find, water it down and test it on a small section.

SpeedRcrX · Nov 26, 2017

Sloan1874 said:
*Urgh* I'm still irritated about this. I think I used washing up liquid (dish soap, as it's known in the US), which looking back now was a terrible idea - if there's one thing that's designed to strip the oils from a shearling, it's it that. I would use diluted silk/delicates cleaning detergent, it's what I've used subsequently to lift indigo dye marks. I would just go with the softest cleaning fluid you can find, water it down and test it on a small section.

Thank you for your advice, I will try it this week with a Woolite or Mir Laine product.

Sloan1874 · Nov 26, 2017

I think that sounds a good idea. Dab, don't scrub. Get it plenty wet and let it dry naturally.

devilish · Nov 26, 2017

To curl up the fleece on my BoB I took a spray bottle of hot water and misted just those areas. Then very gently ‘crunched’ them a little with my hands. Which were slightly greasy from working all day. Then left it to dry naturally.
Walking in the rain a few times will have the same effect and is probably what got the originals that way. After all they were mostly based here, in sunny old England.

MeachamLake · Nov 26, 2017

devilish said:
To curl up the fleece on my BoB I took a spray bottle of hot water and misted just those areas. Then very gently ‘crunched’ them a little with my hands. Which were slightly greasy from working all day. Then left it to dry naturally.
Walking in the rain a few times will have the same effect and is probably what got the originals that way. After all they were mostly based here, in sunny old England.

Yeah, that sounds like a good technique...I’ll find my spray bottle. Did you use hot or boiling water for this?

I actually have just been out at a Christmas market and got caught in a sudden freezing downpour. I guess that will help! Like you said, those guys back in the day didn’t give a damn what happened to their jackets...

Cooper A-2 · Nov 26, 2017

SpeedRcrX said:
Thank you for your advice, I will try it this week with a Woolite or Mir Laine product.

Baby shampoo is the best I guess. Shampoos found in all those organic and bio Eco shops are great as well.

Cooper A-2 · Nov 26, 2017

MeachamLake said:
Yeah, that sounds like a good technique...I’ll find my spray bottle. Did you use hot or boiling water for this?

I actually have just been out at a Christmas market and got caught in a sudden freezing downpour. I guess that will help! Like you said, those guys back in the day didn’t give a damn what happened to their jackets...

Or got a “dip or a drink” in the Channel after a “bad” encounter sponsored by “ Borsig, Spandau and Mauser technology”

MeachamLake · Nov 26, 2017

Cooper A-2 said:
Or got a “dip or a drink” in the Channel after a “bad” encounter sponsored by “ Borsig, Spandau and Mauser technology”

That would make for some authentic distressing to my jacket...does anybody have a plane I could borrow? @Cooper A-2, would you shoot me down?

This sounds like a perfect plan...

devilish · Nov 26, 2017

I used just hot water from the tap.
Word of warning, don’t use baby shampoo to clean wool/shearling. It’s actually worse than adult shampoo for stripping grease or oils out things. I was advised by a doctor to stop using it. I had thought it would be gentle on my scalp but he said that babies hair and scalps are oilier than adults. The shampoo is formulated for this. It won’t sting your eyes but it isn’t gentle in the right way.

Cooper A-2 · Nov 26, 2017

MeachamLake said:
That would make for some authentic distressing to my jacket...does anybody have a plane I could borrow? @Cooper A-2, would you shoot me down? This sounds like a perfect plan...

Not worth trying this dip/drink exercise ...too salty...

Jejupe · Nov 26, 2017

I am thinking of ordering a shearling jacket from Aero. I really like the look of ANJ-4, but by the looks of it, I think it would be too thick and cumbersome for me maybe 99% of the time. So I am thinking maybe I should go with B-6.

Do you guys have any good ideas for ordering such a jacket? Any good customizing tips?

Davy Crockett · Nov 26, 2017

I Didn't do anything to my Aero B6 other than wear it, I didn't baby it never hung it on a hanger (I never do with any of my leather jackets) in around 8-12 months it had lost the "fluffy" look and settled down nicely.

D

rocketeer · Nov 26, 2017

To those talking about lanolin in fleece, if you handle freshly sheared wool it is very oily, you really would not want to use it in a raw state, as in un spun that is. Though talking jackets of course this is a fleece on hide so to speak, so the hide would still have to be tanned, washed and dyed etc. How much lanolin would be left in the fleece I wonder?
Feeling new sheepskin jackets they are soft, but not usually over oily.
Just some thoughts, J.

Sloan1874 · Nov 26, 2017

You're probably right, J. Whatever was left on the fleece was stripped away by the washing up liquid, that's for sure.

'Fluffy' Aero Sheepskin - how long does it take to wear down?

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