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Diamond Clothing Buco J100 review.

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15,563
Location
East Central Indiana
All my remaining Aero jackets are lined with alpaca. I must say that none have sagged below the bottom hem, or developed wear spots, although I did have the quilted strip below the heavy shearling lining in a used Longshoreman (which I sold on) sag past the bottom of the jacket seemingly because of the lining weight.

It's one thing for a lining to eventually sag from wear, but to come from the manufacturer newly made already puffing out below the hem can only be contributed to one thing. Knowing that it is certainly going to be noticeable, but 'Good enough' (although they know it will only get worse).

It's the same with other faulty idiosyncrasies. If the maker thinks he can get away with it because other aspects surely stand out as exceptional, well then, does everything else really need to come all together (?).

Ongoing habits can easily direct me toward those with track records that offer more professional assembly and value for my money. However, consistent improvement can change everything. Yet that takes those willing to seek perfection in their craft rather than just the almighty dollar (especially so with a one man band).
HD
 

Superfluous

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i just think there was a certain amount of "this is good enough" involved.

Exactly. And one craftsman's "good enough" is another craftsman's unacceptable. As I previously noted, jacket manufacturers apply different standards and tolerances for what is "good enough." Some jacket manufacturers have very, very high standards and would not tolerate that which other manufacturers accept as "good enough."

To me this just shows a lack of attention to detail.

Exactly. Different jacket manufacturers pay more, or less, attention to detail. Personally, I prefer a manufacturer who pays very close attention to the details.
 
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Benj

One of the Regulars
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240
Location
Los Angeles
Every maker has problems and occasionally sometimes glaring defects can slip through. That said, to me it's all about the end result.

I don't like hearing that there was a weird conversation, and I definitely don't like that the second jacket wasn't essentially the best jacket that Dave's ever made. The second one you get should be better than perfect (you know what I mean.)

I had very briefly considered going to Dave for my buco, but as with pretty much everything, I'm very happy I waited and went with what I saw as "the real mccoy" so to speak....
 

Benj

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240
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Los Angeles
That jackets awesome, but how do we know that the person who posted it had an eye for detail like Carlos, or just was as honest as him?

And I'm probably at fault for this too, but maybe we shouldn't say one is better than the other unless there are demonstrable things easily seen, or you have handled both brands in question...
 

Benj

One of the Regulars
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240
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The bottom hem of the jacket where we have the hanging lining. I just wonder how the RMC J-100 finish looks like.

Here you go, what a $1400 jacket should look like:

521747b9b574541931fa2617e2c4a603.jpg


I think the question is, Carlos, would you buy a leather from dave again?
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
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8,418
Location
Glasgow
Well then, if he's still perfecting his skill, why aren't these jackets being sold at an apprentice price tag? If the guy is still learning his skill, I don't want to be paying a premium for a trainee made jacket.

We all at a good laugh at that shoddy cafe racer at Alexander Leathers page, one that was displaying errors similar to the first jacket PN received.

Bingo!
 

wanz

One of the Regulars
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115
Location
Dallas
That's a great looking jacket finish particularly at the $1350 price point. The yen was stronger when I was looking which made the RMC version about twice the price that Dave charged me. Even as a satisfied DD customer, I have to admit that I would be all over that jacket at that price. It looks like the price may have crept up a bit (at least on the RMC website) but it's still a deal on what is (in my mind) a $2,000 jacket.
 

Carlos840

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London
Here you go, what a $1400 jacket should look like:

521747b9b574541931fa2617e2c4a603.jpg


I think the question is, Carlos, would you buy a leather from dave again?

This is what mine looks like:

DSC_4170_zpsqwq0gphf.jpg


As you can see, not even, not consistent, and with a weird lump on the extreme right.
It is "good enough" but not the neatest. At least it doesn't droop a centimeter below the leather, like the first jacket he sent me did.

Saying this, i have pretty much lived in this jacket for 3 days now, and it is amazing!
What it lacks in details and precision it makes up in character and awesomeness...

Would i buy again?

Tough question... I really don't regret buying this one, and i would do it again, if only because Dave is the only one who could make me a custom sized Buco J100.
No other maker that i am aware of makes a custom J100 in Shinki hide.
Would i buy another jacket from him? Probably not... Would i beg him to make me a second J100 if this one was stolen? YES, i would!
 
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navetsea

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6,711
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East Java
wow that lining stitching is less than my minimum expectation at any price point... to be completely blunt and honest... if the lining is bigger than the leather shell, he should have made some plaids
I'm sorry

but your jacket as a whole package looks great on you, and the leather is unmatchable.
 

Carlos840

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4,920
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London
wow that lining stitching is less than my minimum expectation at any price point... to be completely blunt and honest... if the lining is bigger than the leather shell, he should have made some plaids
I'm sorry

but your jacket as a whole package looks great on you, and the leather is unmatchable.

It wasn't even that the lining was to big, the fold over was just far to long!
You could see almost 1cm hanging from the back.

white_zpssraomewa.png
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Also, if the jacket/lining are matched perfectly, and the leather shrinks - which I say happened with my Shinki GW, the lining is now longer. That's what I had to have JC fix. Henceforth and going forward in the States of America therefore, I will get a strip or have the lining stop before the hem on any new jackets - assuming that the maker will do either.
 

Superfluous

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Carlos, Putting those two photos together speaks volumes! The irregularity/imprecision of DD's jacket, and the difference in quality between the two jackets, is palpable. IMHO, you have been VERY understanding and accommodating with DD.
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
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4,920
Location
London
Carlos, Putting those two photos together speaks volumes! The irregularity/imprecision of DD's jacket, and the difference in quality between the two jackets, is palpable. IMHO, you have been VERY understanding and accommodating with DD.

The way i see it, i could either:

A: send the jacket back and get a refund, be out £100 plus and have nothing to show for it.

B: send the jacket back asking for a remake, which i doubt Dave would have agreed to, following our conversation after jacket 1 was a failure.
Also, this is still a gamble since i doubt it's possible to get a "prefect" jacket.

C: just shut up and keep the jacket and enjoy it for what it is. In the end it cost me just under £900, which is still cheaper than a £1200 RMC and it fits me better than a RMC ever will.


In a year or so the jacket will hopefully look so cool i wont even remember the imperfections... Like you said earlier, as time goes they become less and less important!
Also, i said it before and i'll say it again, even though it isn't perfect, it really is an awesome jacket, it looks even better in real life.
 
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Benj

One of the Regulars
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240
Location
Los Angeles
Since you don't seem to be too bothered by it, option C is surely the best!

But I just want to reiterate, an RMC buco costs (and has a value of) $1350 when you aren't buying it at an inflated overseas price. Just in case people think 1200 pounds is too much and go for a "cheaper" option, when in reality they can get what they really wanted for significantly less than they previously thought...
 

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