Ask a Question, Get An Answer About Outerwear

[Trouser Bark]

If you want the design to work correctly as a rider you want the waist and the belt to be synched down so tight that if you came off the bike at speed the friction of the pavement wouldn't yank the jacket up allowing the pavement to remove your now unprotected midsection.

If you don't rely on the jacket as a rider you don't need that tightness.

 

[jchance]

1960s Cal, minimal wear, not yet broken in. Are the faint diagonal stripes below the neck pointing from bottom right to upper left the natural stretch marks of horsehide? Are they indicative of horsehide? Is it possible for cowhide or steerhide to have such stretch marks?

Some other photos of the grains if helpful:

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

The marks look too faint to really conclude anything - could just be an imprint from wear/storage.

Usually, those marks you're thinking of appear from thicker sections of the horsehide called the "draw" which are from the backbone area of the horse - that area gets worked heavily which leads to those marks. Normally thicker pieces of hide are used for the yoke and in such a case, those lines would be fairly noticeable like in the pic below. You won't really run into this kind of pattern with cow or steerhide.

Also found a cool example of a Cal with some crazy draw

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

Closest I've seen anything resemble those marks from horsehide is sheepskin

 

[newtojackets]

Here's a bit cheaper - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007176461127.html And even cheaper here https://www.dhgate.com/product/new-men-thick-fur-jacket-classic-b3-bomber/1053981603.html

I would be tempted to tell the seller that I have a bridge to sell him (but made in Japan).

haha thanks a lot for the sense check!

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

So what do you guys do with your cinch strap slack?

I just leave them like so lol
Maybe an out-of-sight, out-of-mind thing

 

[jchance]

When people talk about “prewar” vintage leather jackets, what decade or year they are talking about?

I’m assuming World War II, 1939-1945, and not World War I (too early). So “prewar” means before 1939 or before 1945?

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

When people talk about “prewar” vintage leather jackets, what decade or year they are talking about?

I’m assuming World War II, 1939-1945, and not World War I (too early). So “prewar” means before 1939 or before 1945?

Yeah, that's my understanding that the "war" in pre/post-war refers to World War II.
So pre-1939 and post-1945 respectively.

 

[jimboyogi]

Forgive me if this has been answered in the 240 previous pages, but I did a search and got nothing specific.

Cowhide and elbow/sleeve creases. Does cowhide get deep permanent sleeve creases?

I have some experience and seen many pics of how elbow creases set into horsehide jackets, and how this effectively shortens the sleeves. Seems to happen more the thicker the hide?

I just picked up a hardly used Schott cowhide jacket, and there are the beginnings of sleeve creases, but they don't seem as deep, defined or permanent as those in my horsehide jacket. The sleeves are a touch long on me, so creases shortening the sleeves would be a good thing

Any information or links to previous discussions appreciated.

 

[jchance]

According to Google AI,

heavyweight: 1.4 mm or above (3.5 oz or above). They can stand up on their own. For example, Schott’s heavyweight is 3-3.5 oz, Vanson’s comp weight is 3.5-3.75 oz, and Lost Worlds’ heavyweight is 3-4+ oz.

mid-weight: 1.1-1.3 mm (2.75-3.25 oz)

light-weight: 0.8-1 mm (2-2.5 oz)

 

[jchance]

What do you do to the edges of leather where the top acrylic layer has worn off?

 

[Pandemic]

What do you do to the edges of leather where the top acrylic layer have worn off?



View attachment 721644 View attachment 721645 View attachment 721646

I’m interested to hear what others here say, as I have a jacket with a notiocbly lighter base versus top color which will age like this.

For minor abrasion wear on my first CXL jacket I got good results with Fiebing’s Antique Paste

 

[TartuWolf]

Forgive me if this has been answered in the 240 previous pages, but I did a search and got nothing specific.

Cowhide and elbow/sleeve creases. Does cowhide get deep permanent sleeve creases?

I have some experience and seen many pics of how elbow creases set into horsehide jackets, and how this effectively shortens the sleeves. Seems to happen more the thicker the hide?

I just picked up a hardly used Schott cowhide jacket, and there are the beginnings of sleeve creases, but they don't seem as deep, defined or permanent as those in my horsehide jacket. The sleeves are a touch long on me, so creases shortening the sleeves would be a good thing

Any information or links to previous discussions appreciated.

Short answer: it depends more on thickness than animal hide. Thick cowhide will definitely get deep permanent sleeve creases. Even thick goat will.
Cowhide:

 

[jimboyogi]

Wow TartuWolf that jacket ^ is stunning! Thanks for the info about it being hide thickness rather than origin determining creasing.

 

[tmitchell59]

I’m assuming World War II, 1939-1945, and not World War I (too early). So “prewar” means before 1939 or before 1945?

I use the term "pre war" to refer to jackets made prior to WWII essentially 30s jackets, then war time jackets, then post war jackets.

Broken down like this helps to show the changes in design of leather jackets, which I find interesting.

I call 1935 to early war years to be the Golden age of leather jacket design. If you follow the trail you will see the changes over time.

 

[torfjord]

What do you do to the edges of leather where the top acrylic layer has worn off?



View attachment 721644 View attachment 721645 View attachment 721646

When the top coat have worn off like this, the leather is exposed to moisture. Water and fluids can seep into the leather and could cause damage to the fibers. It can be repaired by giving it a new top coat of paint.

 

[Pandemic]

Is anyone here familiar with this Japanese maker, Black Palms Hayana:

https://unionjap.stores.jp/items/6459d0e86ebf64002cc63b35

It looks like they offer several different leathers and this pattern is a fave of mine.

 

[jchance]

Is anyone here familiar with this Japanese maker, Black Palms Hayana:

https://unionjap.stores.jp/items/6459d0e86ebf64002cc63b35

It looks like they offer several different leathers and this pattern is a fave of mine.

Small artisan shop I’ve been following.
Their shop also carries other brands: Y’2 and Union Shop, the latter of which is made in India and not worth paying attention to.

For their own jackets, they copy Peter’s back pattern. The fronts have various vintage designs. M2M stuff in any veg tanned hide you want that looks really nice.

 

[torfjord]

Is anyone here familiar with this Japanese maker, Black Palms Hayana:

https://unionjap.stores.jp/items/6459d0e86ebf64002cc63b35

It looks like they offer several different leathers and this pattern is a fave of mine.

I’d stay as far away as I could from that brand. Doing the shoulder seam like that is just ridiculous. Hard pass from me.

 

[MrProper]

Short answer: it depends more on thickness than animal hide.

My Vicenza is thinner than my CXL Steerhide and also has the creases. The RW jackets have thicker leather and a little less.
So I think it's more to do with stiffness and elasticity rather than the thickness of the leather. The type of tanning will have more effect on it.

Cowhide and elbow/sleeve creases. Does cowhide get deep permanent sleeve creases?

Yes