Himel "The Imperial"

Tom71 · May 8, 2020

handymike said:
Just wondering...how many seams are done french/ flat?
It looks like the shoulders are overlapped, is it also the case with the side panels? Also, is there a drop between the back hem and front point, how much? I’m curious about Himel’s tweaks.

Most of the seams are flat. Exceptions are shoulder-seam (good eye!), the seam between the rear- and the side panel (but not side to front) and where the arms are attached to the main body. And of Course: yoke and halfbelt.

There is a minimal front-drop of half an inch max (the whole Body is Pretty shaped, so the jacket never really Rests completely flat.

jeo · May 8, 2020

Beautiful!! Perfect fit too!

Glad to see Dave has made this part of his lineup.

Here's mine:

Tom71 said:
Most of the seams are flat. Exceptions are shoulder-seam (good eye!), the seam between the rear- and the side panel (but not side to front) and where the arms are attached to the main body. And of Course: yoke and halfbelt.

There is a minimal front-drop of half an inch max (the whole Body is Pretty shaped, so the jacket never really Rests completely flat.

This is very interesting as the shoulder seams on mine are flat/french seamed.

It also looks like the hand warmer pockets on yours are smaller and slightly higher up than mine and also looks like your chest pocket is lower than mine. It very well could be that they are proportionally identical and my perceived differences are just because of the different sizes. Although custom, mine is around a size 34. I also wonder if our leathers are from the same batch.

Anyway enjoy and wear it in good health!!

Carlos840 · May 8, 2020

jeo said:
Beautiful!! Perfect fit too!

Glad to see Dave has made this part of his lineup.

Here's mine:
View attachment 233715

This is very interesting as the shoulder seams on mine are flat/french seamed.

It also looks like the hand warmer pockets on yours are smaller and slightly higher up than mine and also looks like your chest pocket is lower than mine. It very well could be that they are proportionally identical and my perceived differences are just because of the different sizes. Although custom, mine is around a size 34. I also wonder if our leathers are from the same batch.

Anyway enjoy and wear it in good health!!

The shoulder seams on yours are not french seams, they are a regular folded seam (semi flat felled) they are the same as Tom's...

jeo · May 8, 2020

Carlos840 said:
The shoulder seams on yours are not french seams, they are a regular folded seam (semi flat felled) they are the same as Tom's...

If I'm not mistaken, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the discussion was about the top shoulder seam, which is french seamed on every original Hercules as well as every reproduction that I've seen, yet it isn't on Tom's and not the seam that connects the sleeve to the body, which is a regular folded seam. I may be getting the terminology wrong if that top seam isn't considered a shoulder seam.

jonesy86 · May 8, 2020

jeo said:
Beautiful!! Perfect fit too!

Glad to see Dave has made this part of his lineup.

Here's mine:
View attachment 233715

This is very interesting as the shoulder seams on mine are flat/french seamed.

It also looks like the hand warmer pockets on yours are smaller and slightly higher up than mine and also looks like your chest pocket is lower than mine. It very well could be that they are proportionally identical and my perceived differences are just because of the different sizes. Although custom, mine is around a size 34. I also wonder if our leathers are from the same batch.

Anyway enjoy and wear it in good health!!

That one is sweet too!

ton312 · May 8, 2020

jeo said:
If I'm not mistaken, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the discussion was about the top shoulder seam, which is french seamed on every original Hercules as well as every reproduction that I've seen, yet it isn't on Tom's and not the seam that connects the sleeve to the body, which is a regular folded seam. I may be getting the terminology wrong if that top seam isn't considered a shoulder seam.

View attachment 233761

Yep that top seam is indeed a French seam. I don’t think that type of seam would be a good choice for attaching a sleeve. I’ve never seen one that way from any maker. Both gorgeous jackets here. Wonder if there’s a Himel Arcadia possibility?

jeo · May 8, 2020

ton312 said:
Yep that top seam is indeed a French seam. I don’t think that type of seam would be a good choice for attaching a sleeve. I’ve never seen one that way from any maker. Both gorgeous jackets here. Wonder if there’s a Himel Arcadia possibility?

I'm pretty sure Himel will be game, it's just a matter of getting John to agree to loan the pattern.

ton312 · May 8, 2020

jeo said:
I'm pretty sure Himel will be game, it's just a matter of getting John to agree to loan the pattern.

As much as I’m trying to move away from repros and the associated cost...I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want an Arcadia. I have loved that pattern for as long as I can remember. Had some chances and couldn’t get ‘er done. That could be a final frontier for me in the repro/new game. I know I’d wear the snot out of it.

handymike · May 9, 2020

It's interesting the subtle differences between the GW and the Himel. They all look great IMHO.
Wear them proudly guys...You look marvelous!

J Leather Investigater · May 9, 2020

Tom71 said:
View attachment 233629 View attachment 233630 View attachment 233631

Super cool jacket, love it. I have an oil tanned shinki cr that is heavier than l.w. 3.5 oz so i know that it feels heavier than tea core, or wax shinki. Thats a cool pattern, toms stylin!

Tom71 · May 9, 2020

jeo said:
Beautiful!! Perfect fit too!

Glad to see Dave has made this part of his lineup.

Here's mine:
View attachment 233715

This is very interesting as the shoulder seams on mine are flat/french seamed.

It also looks like the hand warmer pockets on yours are smaller and slightly higher up than mine and also looks like your chest pocket is lower than mine. It very well could be that they are proportionally identical and my perceived differences are just because of the different sizes. Although custom, mine is around a size 34. I also wonder if our leathers are from the same batch.

Anyway enjoy and wear it in good health!!

What a great jacket, Jeo!

You are rght about the shoulders. I have to say, I have never come across a shoulder seam that is sewn flat. I prefer mine, but that is just my presonal preference, of course.

I have looked at handwarners and chest-pockets, but I really cannot say if they are any different from yours. I do note that your contrast-stitching is a bit more bold. Mine is a very subtle purple, so the contrast is barely noticeable. Maybe that pronounces the shape of the pockets in your jacket and creeates a different appearance??

Tom71 · May 9, 2020

John D Maccarter said:
Super cool jacket, love it. I have an oil tanned shinki cr that is heavier than l.w. 3.5 oz so i know that it feels heavier than tea core, or wax shinki. Thats a cool pattern, toms stylin!

Thanks, John! I do remember your Shinki CR and your comments re weight and substance. There´s more to Shinki than I first thought...

Tom71 · May 9, 2020

Aaah!! Woke up to a Saturday for which I head plenty of wear-time planned. Now it´s raining so hard that I will break out the LW Ryder. I am not normally babying my jackets, but I am not ready for fast-aging of The Imperial just now. I really want to preserve it as it is for a while. Am I sounding completely silly?

Carlos840 · May 9, 2020

jeo said:
If I'm not mistaken, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the discussion was about the top shoulder seam, which is french seamed on every original Hercules as well as every reproduction that I've seen, yet it isn't on Tom's and not the seam that connects the sleeve to the body, which is a regular folded seam. I may be getting the terminology wrong if that top seam isn't considered a shoulder seam.

View attachment 233761

You are indeed correct, seeing your fit pic i wrongly assumed we were talking about the one going around the shoulder and attaching the sleeve to the body, not the one going from neck to shoulder, my bad.

nick123 · May 9, 2020

Congrats many times over!!

jeo · May 9, 2020

Tom71 said:
What a great jacket, Jeo!

You are rght about the shoulders. I have to say, I have never come across a shoulder seam that is sewn flat. I prefer mine, but that is just my presonal preference, of course.

I have looked at handwarners and chest-pockets, but I really cannot say if they are any different from yours. I do note that your contrast-stitching is a bit more bold. Mine is a very subtle purple, so the contrast is barely noticeable. Maybe that pronounces the shape of the pockets in your jacket and creeates a different appearance??

There's light reflecting off of the jacket in that first pic I posted and I now see how it looks like my jacket has contrast stitching but it doesn't, it's dark brown leather and dark brown stitching.

Anyway, yours is absolutely gorgeous! Can't wait to see it develop and brake in!

sweetfights · May 10, 2020

jeo said:
Beautiful!! Perfect fit too!

Glad to see Dave has made this part of his lineup.

Here's mine:
View attachment 233715

This is very interesting as the shoulder seams on mine are flat/french seamed.

It also looks like the hand warmer pockets on yours are smaller and slightly higher up than mine and also looks like your chest pocket is lower than mine. It very well could be that they are proportionally identical and my perceived differences are just because of the different sizes. Although custom, mine is around a size 34. I also wonder if our leathers are from the same batch.

Anyway enjoy and wear it in good health!!

John makes such exceptional jackets!! Really superb.

58panheadfan · May 10, 2020

Side by Side comparison

dudewuttheheck · May 11, 2020

That is one beautiful jacket. In fact, both of them are incredible. This is a jacket I would really like to have, but I have absolutely no need for one with my Caboose.

Monitor · May 11, 2020

Fits you perfectly, really, and it's such a lovely jacket! Talk about getting your money's worth. Can't think of anything else to add but that's actually a good thing.

Himel "The Imperial"

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