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Five Star Leather Jackets

js0930

New in Town
Messages
29
Location
PDX
Thanks. Just looked it up. It's in the Chicago area. Excellent. Thanks again.

Leather Sewing PDX does great work (I had them take an inch off the sleeves of a Vanson and the work is flawless), but I don’t know how easy they’d be to work with if you weren’t in the area.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
250
Leather Sewing PDX does great work (I had them take an inch off the sleeves of a Vanson and the work is flawless), but I don’t know how easy they’d be to work with if you weren’t in the area.
Where are they? I'm in the DC metro area
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
250
Leather Sewing PDX does great work (I had them take an inch off the sleeves of a Vanson and the work is flawless), but I don’t know how easy they’d be to work with if you weren’t in the area.
Ok. I looked it up. Oregon. Well, 5* are in Pakistan. Thanks. It's good to have options. The modifications I want may be a bit more demanding than shortening sleeves, as I need some puffiness taken off the waist which may involve ripping the lining.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,130
Ok. I looked it up. Oregon. Well, 5* are in Pakistan. Thanks. It's good to have options. The modifications I want may be a bit more demanding than shortening sleeves, as I need some puffiness taken off the waist which may involve ripping the lining.
@Rugby I would suggest to use a local dry cleaner / alteration type shop for your alteration. Tapering the body is not a complicated job. I got one of my SB jackets done locally in Vancouver a few years back and was less than 100 bucks.
The upside about using local alteration is the personal fitting. They will use the clips to show you how much they will take in. So you will get the exact sizing / fit you want. In the unlikely event they mess up the stitching, you will still end up with a perfectly fitted jacket for reference down the road.

Top 10 Best leather alterations in Washington, DC
  • Kim's Custom Tailor. 3.1 mi. 54 reviews. ...
  • Best Fit Tailoring. 1.3 mi. Sewing & Alterations. ...
  • Stephen the Tailor. 1.1 mi. 90 reviews. ...
  • JC Lofton Tailors. 0.5 mi. ...
  • Master Tailors of Georgetown. 1.5 mi. ...
  • Seleh's De Federal Hill. 33.7 mi. ...
  • Tailor By Bike. 0.4 mi. ...
  • Besson's Cleansing. 0.2 mi.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
250
@Rugby I would suggest to use a local dry cleaner / alteration type shop for your alteration. Tapering the body is not a complicated job. I got one of my SB jackets done locally in Vancouver a few years back and was less than 100 bucks.
The upside about using local alteration is the personal fitting. They will use the clips to show you how much they will take in. So you will get the exact sizing / fit you want. In the unlikely event they mess up the stitching, you will still end up with a perfectly fitted jacket for reference down the road.

Top 10 Best leather alterations in Washington, DC
  • Kim's Custom Tailor. 3.1 mi. 54 reviews. ...
  • Best Fit Tailoring. 1.3 mi. Sewing & Alterations. ...
  • Stephen the Tailor. 1.1 mi. 90 reviews. ...
  • JC Lofton Tailors. 0.5 mi. ...
  • Master Tailors of Georgetown. 1.5 mi. ...
  • Seleh's De Federal Hill. 33.7 mi. ...
  • Tailor By Bike. 0.4 mi. ...
  • Besson's Cleansing. 0.2 mi.
Thanks @Canuck Panda, but I've looked at a few of those and they where quite hesitant to doing modifications on leather as just about all of them don't specialize in leather sewing. I agree a local business would be much better. I will ask around some more, but it's good to have a couple of options even if they're a couple of states west of here.
 

js0930

New in Town
Messages
29
Location
PDX
Ok. I looked it up. Oregon. Well, 5* are in Pakistan. Thanks. It's good to have options. The modifications I want may be a bit more demanding than shortening sleeves, as I need some puffiness taken off the waist which may involve ripping the lining.
Mine was a comp weight Vanson with a zippered sleeve, so not the simplest. Leather Sewing PDX is where Langlitz refers people for repairs - so she comes about as highly recommended as I can imagine. Don’t know whether she’d do stuff by mail though. I did mine in person and having her show me exactly how long the sleeve would be post alteration was definitely helpful.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
250
Mine was a comp weight Vanson with a zippered sleeve, so not the simplest. Leather Sewing PDX is where Langlitz refers people for repairs - so she comes about as highly recommended as I can imagine. Don’t know whether she’d do stuff by mail though. I did mine in person and having her show me exactly how long the sleeve would be post alteration was definitely helpful.
Yeah, that's the best situation. I've got to do much more research around here in the DMV region for leather repair shops, because although rare, I've found some good deals on ebay for "pre-owned" jackets that would fit me approximately but I just don't wanna pull the trigger. Waist and sleeves being the sticky issues.
 

Gr8Lakes

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Mid-Michigan, USA
Yeah, that's the best situation. I've got to do much more research around here in the DMV region for leather repair shops, because although rare, I've found some good deals on ebay for "pre-owned" jackets that would fit me approximately but I just don't wanna pull the trigger. Waist and sleeves being the sticky issues.
Here’s my local guy. He doesn’t even advertise jackets, but has fixed a few for me (Zippers, snaps, and a relining). He currently has a zipped sleeve moto that I wanted sleeves shortened on. Dena quoted me $250 (I really don’t think she wanted the job.). He’s doing it for less than half that. Point being, if you have any leather shoe repair shops nearby, enquire about leather jackets. If a tailor can stitch shoe leather in straight line, they can sew a leather jacket. …And the smell in his shop, old building woodwork and leather… like heaven!
 
Last edited:

rcdcr

New in Town
Messages
33
I also have my own opinions about Shawn's current cossack pattern.

From the numbers on the website, it looks like a lower armhole one. Which in my experience is no good. Especially when it gets nips and tucks for custom measurements.

View attachment 411169

It would be worth it to get the cossacks made with the higher arm hole pattern block. 5Star low arm hole pattern block felt too big and too small at the same time. Example my most recent winters HB, and most of my early 5Stars.

And shorten the cuff neck height.

This is what others brands are doing for cossacks. I am not getting a 5Star cossack until I see pattern upgrades from the first generations.

View attachment 411191

I believe Shawn's current cossack was based on the Himel Heron, sizing and all. But Himel pattern is a bit different, so it's impossible to copy correctly given just the photos and measurements. That's why the current 5Star cossack looks off to me. It's best Shawn just switch to his own pattern block which would just hit it outta the park.

View attachment 411192
Himel shoulders are narrow (only) on paper, and cuff neck also looks long on photo. But I have a Himel (different design) and it fits very different in real life vs what's on paper/photo. This is not one that could be easily copied without an actual jacket.

Shawn's slim fit HB pattern block is basically a hybrid SB/Thedi armhole with Aero new shoulders. There I've said it the cats out of the bag. It's good enough to compete in the big leagues. There is no point copying what the Himel looks on paper and not use what he already has that works better. Just saying.
So I've been planning a custom cossack jacket from 5Star and this post is super helpful!
How long are the cuffs on the SB jacket in that picture, do you know? that looks like a better length for sure
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
250
He has super long wait time last time I heard, but just amazing work if done by Steve himself. If not Steve then YMMV
I'm going there on Friday to discuss details. If Steve is not available or the wait time is more than a month, I've found a backup place that, according to them, have experience in leather modifications. Getting a jacket right is an adventure. I am already compiling my pdf requirements document like @MrProper for the next attempt to a good fitting 5* jacket right off the blocks
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,130
I'm going there on Friday to discuss details. If Steve is not available or the wait time is more than a month, I've found a backup place that, according to them, have experience in leather modifications. Getting a jacket right is an adventure. I am already compiling my pdf requirements document like @MrProper for the next attempt to a good fitting 5* jacket right off the blocks
I watch his youtube videos. Maybe he can do one on your jacket alteration!
He has mentioned that he has another lady working in his shop specifically working on garments.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,130
So I've been planning a custom cossack jacket from 5Star and this post is super helpful!
How long are the cuffs on the SB jacket in that picture, do you know? that looks like a better length for sure
IMG_9620.JPG
 

Aloysius

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,267
So I've been planning a custom cossack jacket from 5Star and this post is super helpful!

The key to a good Cossack (or Five Star in general) is a three letter combination:

C H L

I watch his youtube videos. Maybe he can do one on your jacket alteration!
He has mentioned that he has another lady working in his shop specifically working on garments.

I would imagine he’s not going to let a repair go out that is subpar. They’d be allocated according to whoever does that task best.
 

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