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Johnson Leathers

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
248
Finally I got my new jacket from Johnson Leathers. Their customer service is great. I had two fittings before they made the actual jacket, and that took a bit over three months as I am on the East Coast.
Damon was very good making suggestions and listening. The jacket is CXL 4oz horsehide and I love how it smells, feels and wears.
The leather looks and feels different from my son's LW Test jacket. I'd say LW pays a little more attention to detail, as the Test has a fab on the main zipper and the Johnson just a leather strap.
 

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Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,115
I love everything about this jacket. The four pocket set up. The clean half belt back. And the snap cuffs. Well done.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
248
I love everything about this jacket. The four pocket set up. The clean half belt back. And the snap cuffs. Well done.
Thank you. I'm thinking of ordering a trucker and a car coat from JL. I like their work, the CXL HH, and the reasonable prices, as opposed to the, in my opinion, overpriced Lost Worlds.
 

motrix

New in Town
Messages
7
Congrats looks great. I have to agree. Their customer service is top notch. And they put up with me stopping by and my multiple change orders.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
248
Congrats looks great. I have to agree. Their customer service is top notch. And they put up with me stopping by and my multiple change orders.
How many items have you bought from them? I think if I lived in SF I'd make a few...deposits over there
 
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motrix

New in Town
Messages
7
Went in to have one of my jacket sleeves taken in. Tried on a few off the rack next and thing you know I'm talking about a custom and Damon is writing it up.. So will be my first. Going in for a fitting in 2 weeks. Should have it mid January.
 

Rugby

One of the Regulars
Messages
248
Went in to have one of my jacket sleeves taken in. Tried on a few off the rack next and thing you know I'm talking about a custom and Damon is writing it up.. So will be my first. Going in for a fitting in 2 weeks. Should have it mid January.
You will not be disappointed. Damon has a great eye for sizing.
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,450
Location
Illinois
Here is a Johnson Hercules size 44 that I owned and sold here. This video is 7 years old. I also owned the BK, Aero, an original remains.

This jacket was huge for a 44, this was my size. It was sold without measurements that I can find. It had all the length of a Hercules, just way too big for anyone's 44. It was well received by the new owner. I did like the weight of the leather much more than the Aero, the BK was Perfect. I also find this pattern to be quite awkward each I owned was the same.

I have an original Hercules a few feet away. Tell me what you want measured and how.

 

tek8080

Familiar Face
Messages
81
Here is a Johnson Hercules size 44 that I owned and sold here. This video is 7 years old.

Hey Terry, it says your video is unavailable as it's marked as private. Even if I click the YouTube link and try to watch it in the YouTube app. Maybe it's just me, because I am on mobile?
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,115
Thanks @tmitchell59.

Like you said there are many improvements and tweaks to this Hercules with the fancy back through out the years. I too believe there were more than just one supplier for this particular Sears model. Pre-war factories just aren't set up like the modern mass production factories and the large Sears orders would be too much for just one supplier to fill. You've got lots of experience here, almost every repro and now some originals.

Here is the Johnson video if anyone can't open the older one:

There are also the Kelso one and Aero one and GW one on his Youtube channel. Every vid is worth a look. Awesome videos.
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,450
Location
Illinois
Thanks @tmitchell59.

Like you said there are many improvements and tweaks to this Hercules with the fancy back through out the years. I too believe there were more than just one supplier for this particular Sears model. Pre-war factories just aren't set up like the modern mass production factories and the large Sears orders would be too much for just one supplier to fill. You've got lots of experience here, almost every repro and now some originals.

Here is the Johnson video if anyone can't open the older one:

There are also the Kelso one and Aero one and GW one on his Youtube channel. Every vid is worth a look. Awesome videos.
Thanks for your kind words. I get lost looking for videos on my channel! You did good!

I am at the point I believe all the Iconic Hercules we are discussing were made by Roughwear Clothing Co. One of the reasons is volume. Wards had at least 3 different suppliers in one catalog page, in part because they made very different garments. Block, California Sportswear, Roughwear all had the capacity to produce for Sears and others. Roughwear definitely made jackets for Montgomery ward while selling them under their Admiral Byrd label.

Roughwear was a large manufacture in the day. They reportable were making 12,000 A2 contract jackets a week at the peak!

So far there is little or no information on any other maker producing this jacket. It was one company and they tweaked their jackets through the years
 

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