Beating up your Aero -- advice sought

Sir Jacket · Feb 1, 2012

Loungers, I have, partly by accident, just acquired two new Aeros - a black Stockman and a customised oilpull M422A (pictures to follow). And when I say new, I mean new. They are squeaky stiff. Only now, 15 years or so after buying my first Aero, has it occurred to me that I needn't wait years for one to begin to obtain a lived-in look: I can hasten that process, but the question remains about the best way to do it. Roll around in the street in it? Sit on it? Wear it in a hurricane? (Gasp) take a shower in it?

Let me hear your methods.

With thanks,

Sir J

scottyrocks · Feb 1, 2012

I've heard of people, both here and places such as COW, put them in the washing machine. Personally, I'd just Pecard it up and wear the snot out of it. Natural distressing for me.

m0nk · Feb 1, 2012

Agree with checking on COW. That's the best place for artificial distressing advice.

OneEyeMan · Feb 1, 2012

Don't bother with the Pecard.
Aero's FQHH doesn't need anything for a long time.
Just wear the hell out of it as often as possible.
Sleep in it, walk in the rain and let it dry while wearing it,
wrestle with the kids or dogs while wearing it, roll around in an alley filled with
bricks and broken glass, etc.

Lenny

HoosierDaddy · Feb 1, 2012

No need for conditioner on new Aero.
Spray with water bottle until quite wet...and wear until dry. It will mold to the shape of your body. You can even shape collar,etc while wet.
I'm not so keen about walking around in the rain...
HD

Edward · Feb 1, 2012

Never understood the desire to make things look worn before their time. [huh] Just wear it and let it go naturally.

Maj.Nick Danger · Feb 1, 2012

Yeah, just wear it and ferget about it, it will break in before you know it. Slathering conditioners and oils and whatnot is definitely not the thing to do as over-use of such products will cause the premature demise of your expensive leather.

Philalethes · Feb 1, 2012

Sir Jacket said:
Loungers, I have, partly by accident, just acquired two new Aeros - a black Stockman and a customised oilpull M422A (pictures to follow). And when I say new, I mean new. They are squeaky stiff.

I am surprised that your oil pull would be so stiff. Mine came out of the box very soft and really hasn't needed much breaking in - just a little bit with the sleeves and the collar. Normal wear has helped greatly, and I didn't need any radical measures.

I wish someone would deliver me two new Aero's "partly by accident"

Interested to see what the G-1 looks like in oil pull.

Philalethes

Navin323i · Feb 1, 2012

I agree with the others here in regards to just wearing the jacket... my primary method of breaking in my FQHH NYPD jacket was simply just wearing it as often as possible. My jacket arrived in the month of June so it was still too hot to wear it outdoors so I'd wear it inside my house at nights when watching TV and when doing chores that required me to move my arms (vacuuming being a good example). I even played table tennis in my jacket and that helped to break it in since I was forced to move my arms to reach and hit the ball.
Congrats on your new jacket purchases and I look forward to seeing your pics!

pauleway · Feb 1, 2012

Sir Jacket said:
Loungers, I have, partly by accident, just acquired two new Aeros - a black Stockman and a customised oilpull M422A (pictures to follow). And when I say new, I mean new. They are squeaky stiff. Only now, 15 years or so after buying my first Aero, has it occurred to me that I needn't wait years for one to begin to obtain a lived-in look: I can hasten that process, but the question remains about the best way to do it. Roll around in the street in it? Sit on it? Wear it in a hurricane? (Gasp) take a shower in it?

Let me hear your methods.

With thanks,

Sir J

I just received my Aero 50's Custom Half Belt in Russet Goat. It's just a little stiff, but my job consists of a lot of driving and working outside so I have been breaking it in by wearing it about 8 hrs a day.So just wear it and enjoy!

Doublegun · Feb 1, 2012

Maj.Nick Danger said:
Yeah, just wear it and ferget about it, it will break in before you know it. Slathering conditioners and oils and whatnot is definitely not the thing to do as over-use of such products will cause the premature demise of your expensive leather.

Absolutely agree with Nick's suggestion. As someone said to me when I got my new Aero, "wear it like you hate it" and it will break in just find. No shortcuts with an Aero - just wear it and enjoy it.

Sir Jacket · Feb 2, 2012

Thanks for the advice. Don't worry I wouldn't really go anywhere near my Aero with any conditioner. Just interested in people's techniques for wearing it in a little before its time.

Slightly worried, though, about the arms on my Stockman. I asked for them to be narrowed and raised a little but it's now making them feel very constricted. Not sure to what extent that's just the leather.

Sir J

nicholasb · Feb 2, 2012

Artificial distressing always looks a bit rubbish I think. The only ready-distressed jackets that I have seen and liked are the Eastman Time-Worn.

Sir Jacket · Feb 2, 2012

I completely agree. I would never buy an artificially distressed jacket. But I don't think jumping up and down on one is the same thing. Sir J

Tony B · Feb 2, 2012

"wear it like you hate it"

Perfectly put, that is what we used to do with our bike jackets when I was a headbanger but would never of thought of putting it that way, that is spot on.

Spitfire · Feb 2, 2012

I agree on the "wear it like you hate it" thing.
I got a great advice, when I had my new IRVIN - wear it to the Pub, but instead of hanging it up, so everybody can nick it, fold it and sit on it.
Every little bit helps. Have fun.

nicholasb · Feb 2, 2012

Spitfire said:
I agree on the "wear it like you hate it" thing.
I got a great advice, when I had my new IRVIN - wear it to the Pub, but instead of hanging it up, so everybody can nick it, fold it and sit on it.

I don't like hanging the jacket up out of sight, I doubt people would steal it but you never know. Leather jackets are not that replaceable. If at home, I would use a hanger but the Aero FQHH is best chucked on the floor. It weighs too much to hang from a hook anyway.

Doublegun · Feb 2, 2012

nicholasb said:
I don't like hanging the jacket up out of sight, I doubt people would steal it but you never know. Leather jackets are not that replaceable. If at home, I would use a hanger but the Aero FQHH is best chucked on the floor. It weighs too much to hang from a hook anyway.

I would never leave my Aero un-attended. Heck, half the time I walk into a store (especially a clothing related store) people want to touch it. I have no doubt that someone would steal it if there was an opportunity. Also, it's not just the cost of replacing the jacket, it's the time I have invested in breaking it in (which was the point of the original question). Sounds pretty sentimental but the more time you spend wearing a good leather jacket the more it becomes a part of you and that's what is truly irreplaceable. A good leather jacket will improve with age - enjoy the journey.

dr.velociraptor · Feb 2, 2012

I don't have an Aero, but I bought a very stiff Horsehide jacket from another maker, I've also broke in a Vanson Model B with the competition weight cowhide the same way. I don't like the false aging on jacket, I'm not about to start washing and drying it or taking sand paper to the seams or anything. But beating on it so it isn't like you're wearing a briefcase to me is necessary, especially for a motorcycle jacket which may not be worn as a daily jacket. I spend a lot of time in that chair and when I do for a few weeks that jacket will be behind me, under me etc... This has only been a couple days of doing this and it's already breaking in quite a bit.

Before:

Now, and what I do to break it in (aside from wearing it everywhere of course:

Elmonteman · Feb 2, 2012

Ken Calder, the founder of Aero, use to say that to get that 'distressed look' he and the boys would ball a jacket up with twine and play a game of soccer with it.

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