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Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,415
Location
SoFlo
This old CHP I got a while back has been a bit smellier than I like, so I gave it a soak and wash in the bathtub with some Castille soap. It's probably the liner causing the smell more than anything. Jacket was obviously heavily worn and probably never cleaned by the original owner, some CHP biker cop I assume. It's drying out now but the smell is even worse than before I washed it, have I awoken some demonic entity from within the jacket or will the smell dissipate when it's fully dry? I expect it'll take a full week to completely dry. Also, a load of blue dye came out of the jacket in the tub. Is this chrome salts from the tanning process or residual leather dye? The jacket is probably 50 years old, if that helps.
My guess is some leather dye came out. Yes, wet leather smells bad for some reason, it gets better when it dries out. One week is about right for thick cop jacket leather. When I wash old jackets I make sure I knead them well to get all the crap out when wet. Loads of dyes come out.
 

hieu

A-List Customer
Messages
323
Location
Hanoi, Viet Nam
Does any know who the maker is for these jackets? I've come across a few of them. They look somewhat similar to Langlitz Cascades but are usually unlabelled. I've been considering them as an alternative to the Cascade since they're much cheaper.

Screen Shot 2023-02-03 at 11.57.11.png

https://www.etsy.com/listing/732513...et&ref=sr_gallery-1-15&organic_search_click=1

Thanks everyone!
 

Jasonissm

Practically Family
Messages
524
I see a lot of these Kett jackets with a design similar to the Lewis Lightning floating around. Found a few posts on the Lounge (some going back to 2013) but not so much information on these (maybe I'm not looking in the right places)

Anyone have thoughts on these and their quality?

Pictured: 70's Kett I found on Yahoo
i-img1200x800-1674829569c2jqbf14.jpg i-img800x1200-16748295698vhr1a14.jpg
 

Daniel Veit

One of the Regulars
Messages
164
Vintage Crown Zippers

Hi all ,
I am looking to source a vintage no.8 crown Zipper (brown tape) for my next field leathers jacket. I tried to google it, but came up (almost) empty. Could you direct me to plattforms where these zips are usually traded? Sorry if this should be obvious, but I am relativly new to this all.
Also: Which (crown?) zipper for the breastpocket would you recommend to go along the crown mainzipper?

Cheers,
Daniel
 

Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,415
Location
SoFlo
Vintage Crown Zippers

Hi all ,
I am looking to source a vintage no.8 crown Zipper (brown tape) for my next field leathers jacket. I tried to google it, but came up (almost) empty. Could you direct me to plattforms where these zips are usually traded? Sorry if this should be obvious, but I am relativly new to this all.
Also: Which (crown?) zipper for the breastpocket would you recommend to go along the crown mainzipper?

Cheers,
Daniel
^^
These are tough to find and expensive, but maybe @photo2u can hook you up.
 

Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,415
Location
SoFlo

pasghetti_western

New in Town
Messages
1
Location
Canada
Hi all, hope you're doing well. new here, have a question about Aero's A2 fit as I'm trying to nail down the sleeve and back length. My size 40 highwayman was ordered at 25" arms (have since crumpled down to like 24"/24.5"), and the back was 26" (around 25.5" now as it's not perfectly flat anymore). If I want roughly the same fit in terms of the sleeve length and back length of the non-knitted highwayman, should I ask for the same measurements on an A2, or tack on a bit? I should mention I'm looking at a 42-15142 contract, in a size 42"
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,130
Not quite an outerwear question, but a leather spending question.

Do you think Cordovan Shell is over the top for belts? Should it be just for shoes/boots.
 

Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,415
Location
SoFlo
Not quite an outerwear question, but a leather spending question.

Do you think Cordovan Shell is over the top for belts? Should it be just for shoes/boots.
I would say it's perfectly fine for formal wear. Not so much for casual/jeans/heritage etc. I think rugged belts look better with casual wear.
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,782
Location
the Netherlands
Not quite an outerwear question, but a leather spending question.

Do you think Cordovan Shell is over the top for belts? Should it be just for shoes/boots.
I own three shell belts (2 Carmina's and a Crockett n Jones) and they're perfect for both formal and more casual wear (I do wear shell dress boots with jeans).
Indeed they're made in three pieces.
The Crockett n Jones is a perfect belt and better than the Carmina's, the last ones have some finishing issues (I still wonder why people bash Alden and praise Carmina for attention to detail and quality control, both brands have the same issues, but I guess this happens when opinions are based on influencers, instagram accounts and internet fora rather than hard facts and first hand experience).
20230209_085028.jpg
 

TartuWolf

Practically Family
Messages
905
Location
Tartu, Estonia
So I agree with @Will Zach , should be fine for formal wear, but I would not recommend it as a daily wear / casual belt.
Although it depends on how you wear your belt - does it actually do manual labor, stay under tension and actually hold your pants or is it floating and hanging around just for the looks.
Not a good idea to wear a multi-piece belt under constant tension in my opinion.
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,782
Location
the Netherlands
So I agree with @Will Zach , should be fine for formal wear, but I would not recommend it as a daily wear / casual belt.
Although it depends on how you wear your belt - does it actually do manual labor, stay under tension and actually hold your pants or is it floating and hanging around just for the looks.
Not a good idea to wear a multi-piece belt under constant tension in my opinion.
I don't think that under normal circumstances (that is the belt under a constant slight tension) they would fail but indeed I would avoid any manual labour with these. Especially the Carmina's, the overlap is minimal and there are far less seams connecting the two strips compared to the C&J (which at the overlap by the way has the optimal shape for smooth force transfer from an engineering point of view).
 

Jasonissm

Practically Family
Messages
524
I don't think that under normal circumstances (that is the belt under a constant slight tension) they would fail but indeed I would avoid any manual labour with these. Especially the Carmina's, the overlap is minimal and there are far less seams connecting the two strips compared to the C&J (which at the overlap by the way has the optimal shape for smooth force transfer from an engineering point of view).
I think not from just that but the fact that shell cordovan is not thick enough to be belt material on its own so it needs additional leather as a core or lining, usually bovine leather. In the case for the Carmina one linked above, lined with calf, and I find if you flex it enough times, the glue will come apart eventually (usually at the main hole used). The stitching will still hold, but the edge finishing will separate, in my experience. So I prefer one piece of thick leather for my belts, J&FJ Baker bridle leather is my favourite.
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,782
Location
the Netherlands
I think not from just that but the fact that shell cordovan is not thick enough to be belt material on its own so it needs additional leather as a core or lining, usually bovine leather. In the case for the Carmina one linked above, lined with calf, and I find if you flex it enough times, the glue will come apart eventually (usually at the main hole used). The stitching will still hold, but the edge finishing will separate, in my experience. So I prefer one piece of thick leather for my belts, J&FJ Baker bridle leather is my favourite.
Yeah, I see what you mean and I guess you're right, then the weak point is indeed not the overlap and stitching of separate strips but the hole edge itself.
 

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