Restoring of old jackets

James Miller · Feb 23, 2008

Could any one give me a little feedback on if I'm doing more harm than good.

I have been restoring some old leather jackets with new linings and new knit cuffs and waistbands. I even try to save the original label. Re-dying and reconditionig the leather. I'm doing this as a hobby. Now I have too many and my wife says she is sick of seeing all these jackets hanging around. so before I can start on new ones I'm going to have to git rid of a few, like 30 jackets.

Some of the jackets fit me and some don't but I enjoy doing this. Is it bad to restore them or should I have left them alone. If the leather is good I figured it would help keep them around and wearable for many years.

Did I do any harm in restoring these jackets. I wouldn't mind hearing some insight on this topic.

tonypaj · Feb 23, 2008

I guess that it doesn't make much sense to mess too much with anything of historical value, like original A-2s and like.

However, if it's "just a jacket" I don't see how restoring it makes it worse. But then again it depends on the person doing the restoring, I would not trust myself with that any more than I would trust myself with fixing old watches. I just wear the stuff, heavy duty...

John Lever · Feb 23, 2008

Sounds like a very useful hobby. You must have learned a good deal during the various stages , did you do all the work yourself if so what can you pass on to the rest of us ? Some photographs would be interesting to see particularly if you plan some sales.

fishmeok · Feb 23, 2008

I think if you do a good job restoration is not a problem, particularly if it's an unpatched A-2. I think the only problem would be with jackets that have a known operational history and provenance. WWII jackets have become artifacts, something to be preserved and recorded. It can also depend heavily on the jacket though, if you have something that is rotting away then you have to do some level of preservation just to stabilize it.

I don't think this really applies as much to civilian jackets right now (except for Buco's and the like which are HOT these days) maybe in another 50 years or so when the get REALLY rare.
Cheers
Mark

James Miller · Feb 24, 2008

Just a Hobbie

Well Most of the jackets that I'm restoring are 40' and early 50's civilian Leather. I couldn't afford to own 40 plus original military jackets. I have purchased some of the old military ones but most of them are ready to fall apart. So I have been getting some old motocycle bomber's with slash pockets and working on them. They used some really nice horsehide back in the day.

I have started on making a jacket from scratch. And I have a enough Hide to hopefully make two jackets. So if every one thinks Civilian jackets are junk I guess I'm not doing much harm. I have payed over 300.00 USD for some of the old jackets and spent another 100 just to restore them not to mention the countless hours. I must say that I have learned a lot about working with leather. I have found that some of the newer made repos are really made better and will last longer. The few Aero's I have Are tough as nails and I'm really pleased with them.

Well I have a few old Civilian jackets Jackets that are size 40, 44, and 46 that are A little snug for me that i'll be getting rid of. I don't think I'll have trouble because every time I wear one of my old jackets someone always offers to buy them.

Thanks for the feedback "I may be wasting my time" but I'm having fun! and after I clear out some of my jackets I'll be looking for somting else to restore.

drjones · Mar 5, 2008

i need to know too

I have an old flight jacket (not a collector...just one ive had forever) that has gotten VERY wet (I got caught in a rain storm/monsoon here in arizona while wearing it). Now its kinda ....wrinkly. Im not sure how else to describe it. Is there a way to recondition it back to the way it was?

DRJONES

James Miller said:
Well Most of the jackets that I'm restoring are 40' and early 50's civilian Leather. I couldn't afford to own 40 plus original military jackets. I have purchased some of the old military ones but most of them are ready to fall apart. So I have been getting some old motocycle bomber's with slash pockets and working on them. They used some really nice horsehide back in the day.

I have started on making a jacket from scratch. And I have a enough Hide to hopefully make two jackets. So if every one thinks Civilian jackets are junk I guess I'm not doing much harm. I have payed over 300.00 USD for some of the old jackets and spent another 100 just to restore them not to mention the countless hours. I must say that I have learned a lot about working with leather. I have found that some of the newer made repos are really made better and will last longer. The few Aero's I have Are tough as nails and I'm really pleased with them.

Well I have a few old Civilian jackets Jackets that are size 40, 44, and 46 that are A little snug for me that i'll be getting rid of. I don't think I'll have trouble because every time I wear one of my old jackets someone always offers to buy them.

Thanks for the feedback "I may be wasting my time" but I'm having fun! and after I clear out some of my jackets I'll be looking for somting else to restore.

Feraud · Mar 5, 2008

I would like to read more about jacket restoration.
Did you learn through trial and error, a book, etc.
How tough is it to replace the knits on an a2?

Alan Eardley · Mar 5, 2008

Feraud

I learned partly through working for a firm that made leather jackets (mostly about construction) but mainly through experience. Several of the UK repro manufacturers were kind enough to spend time showing me some of the methods they use. Mainly it has been, as you say, trial and error.

Replacing the cuffs on an A-2 is not difficult as the stitching is not visible when finished. I have had a few original A-2s apart that have had their cuffs replaced and the replacements had been hand-sewn. I could tell that before opening them up.

It is most important when doing this job to make it strong and sew a straight seam. You need to open the lining so that you can turn the sleeve inside out. If you are replacing the waist knit you will be doing this anyway. With the sleeve inside out, fit the cuff between the lining and the outer so that it protrudes the correct amount, clamp it with small bulldog clips and sew through the original holes using two needles single threaded 'glovemakers style'.

Make sure the cuffs are OK then close up the lining (hand stitching again). Job done! That's how I did this cuff on a WW2 Dubow.

Good luck

Alan

HDRnR · Mar 5, 2008

I think its great to restore them so they get used. I don't see the point in perfectly good horsehide sitting in a closet. I've had my local tailor fix several old jackets for me that needed linings or seams fixed. They might not be restored to period specs but they work just fine. I actually got some real nice motorcycle jackets in horse real cheap and only cost about fifty bucks to restore.

Estevan · Mar 6, 2008

Even if the jacket has historic value like my BNB Bronco....I see nothing wrong with having a pair of period cuffs sewn on. This one had tattered replaced cuffs when I received and a broken replaced zip. I had ELC replace the cuffs and a period zip. Nothing wrong IMO.

James Miller · Mar 8, 2008

Well!

I'm glad to Know I'm not the only one that hates to see old jackets die. It's always good to keep a jacket original if at all possible but come on some of these old jacket would not be of any good to any one if the knitting and liners are rotted off. Thats why I like to restore them. As the gentelman stated above about installing the sleeves. Thats pretty close to the way I do them.

Restoring of old jackets

James Miller

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James Miller

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