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Five Star Leather Jackets

hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
I guess I'm really dense - how the heck does one enter in the discount code on their checkout process? I can't find a way...
When I did it, I just used the regular ordering process on their site. There was a field for a promo code, maybe you overlooked it
 

hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
I read somewhere earlier in the thread about a recent batch of horsehide shrinking in the rain, did anyone else experience that? That is kind of a bummer if widespread, especially since I paid already
 

hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
Sorry to double post, but i was wondering if any five star sizing gurus here can help me. I specified to shawn that i wanted my hem a certain length, as the first jacket i got was very wide at the bottom. I used the measurements of an aero i have. Today i was idly looking at thedi jackets since i realized the five star i ordered is a copy of the thedi hektor. Anyway i noticed the sizing for all the stock jackets had a hem line an inch or so wider than the shoulder. This started to make me worried because my hem was an inch shorter than the the shoulder i specificed. Are the stock thedis just sized like that for off the rack sale at thurston bros? Or do i need to send an emergency whatsapp to shawn
 

Hobbes1

A-List Customer
Messages
392
Sorry to double post, but i was wondering if any five star sizing gurus here can help me. I specified to shawn that i wanted my hem a certain length, as the first jacket i got was very wide at the bottom. I used the measurements of an aero i have. Today i was idly looking at thedi jackets since i realized the five star i ordered is a copy of the thedi hektor. Anyway i noticed the sizing for all the stock jackets had a hem line an inch or so wider than the shoulder. This started to make me worried because my hem was an inch shorter than the the shoulder i specificed. Are the stock thedis just sized like that for off the rack sale at thurston bros? Or do i need to send an emergency whatsapp to shawn
IDK about Thurston Bros, but I have experience with 5* for jackets. You will come closest to a great experience with 5* if you are extremely specific with all the measurements of every element of your jacket. Don't leave anything to chance. If you don't get all the details communicated to them, they will "wing it" with whatever they think is right. They are great at cranking out a product from your measurements but they are not...tailors....IME.
FWIW, the Thedi repro is generally good but I found I didn't like the thick leather with all of the pockets. Be sure you are asking for leather that is pretty pliable and be sure you like the lapel width. Good Luck!
 

PilotJens

A-List Customer
Messages
340
Five star uses similar "Formulars" across the board.Just measure chest Vs waist and write down that difference .If you have a difference of let's say 8 cm flat between the waist then apply that number when you want to make a bigger or smaller jacket (difference between the chest and waist).

Look at a jacket that fits you great shape wise and measure that difference.
Also compare that difference between your actual chest and waist measurements .

Also if you make a really slim fitting jacket get a bit more room in the lining if you fear a tight fit.For example I got a goat hide halfbelt with big sleeves and slim body .I stretched the body (with wearing a pillow) two sizes bigger .

However my Steerhide Cossack has very little extra lining and it fits quite tight .
 

PilotJens

A-List Customer
Messages
340
Maybe some exciting news for the people that hate the colour of their russet goat or Steerhide.
I experimented again with the sample kit of five star and found out that fiebings leather dye can redye the leather without Sanding and acetone prep work. I noticed that my steer Cossack v2 looked slightly darker then my v1 that hasn't been conditioned and worn that much .

So I applied dark brown dye to some swatches and tested it for colour transfer .Once you cleaned the leather with a wet rag and paper towels or newspaper the dye doesn't rub of .From milk chocolate to dark chocolate.

The distressed hides are also promising giving you a hide with high and low contrast that could probably be a nice candidate for different colours like burgundy.
I also dyed a piece of conic/unfinished goat green :)
 

PilotJens

A-List Customer
Messages
340
My bootmaker suggested trying to dye the conic since he offers his boots in any (not too specific) colour by dying either natural veg tanned leather or white/beige chrome tanned leather with dyes before assembling
 

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Zoo

One of the Regulars
Messages
112
Maybe some exciting news for the people that hate the colour of their russet goat or Steerhide.
I experimented again with the sample kit of five star and found out that fiebings leather dye can redye the leather without Sanding and acetone prep work. I noticed that my steer Cossack v2 looked slightly darker then my v1 that hasn't been conditioned and worn that much .

So I applied dark brown dye to some swatches and tested it for colour transfer .Once you cleaned the leather with a wet rag and paper towels or newspaper the dye doesn't rub of .From milk chocolate to dark chocolate.

The distressed hides are also promising giving you a hide with high and low contrast that could probably be a nice candidate for different colours like burgundy.
I also dyed a piece of conic/unfinished goat green :)
Maybe check to see if the dye is waterproof? Years ago, it was not, and would transfer to whatever touched it.
 

PilotJens

A-List Customer
Messages
340
So far it seems that not a lot of dye rubs off .I took that piece and let it soak in a glass of water . After that it pressed and rubbed a paper towel on it .It doesn't seem to transfer a lot .My Cxl burgundy boots transfer a similar amount.I think a coat of sowseal and waterproofing spray would do the trick.I will test it further maybe by dying a whole jacket . I assume the paint they use is quite absorbent in order to have more options to further add finishing like added or reduced shine etc.
 
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MJCR

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Lancashire, UK.
I took the plunge and ordered a standard A2 1939 Werber Sportswear Military Flight Distressed Goatskin. Basically an ‘off the rack‘ size as an experiment. Hopefully it will fit (It should do). They just sent pictures and it’s been shipped! Overall I was delighted by the customer service And quick turnaround. Here are the photos they sent.
 

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hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
I took the plunge and ordered a standard A2 1939 Werber Sportswear Military Flight Distressed Goatskin. Basically an ‘off the rack‘ size as an experiment. Hopefully it will fit (It should do). They just sent pictures and it’s been shipped! Overall I was delighted by the customer service And quick turnaround. Here are the photos they sent.
Congrats, looks good! When you say off the rack, do you mean using their sizing charts? Because man those are some bizarre size charts
 

MJCR

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Lancashire, UK.
Congrats, looks good! When you say off the rack, do you mean using their sizing charts? Because man those are some bizarre size charts
Yeah, I just picked the nearest sizes to another jacket I had from elsewhere. I just wanted to see what it was like. I’ll order another with more exact sizes if it doesn’t work out. The 48” didn’t seem to outlandish for me, though, but we’ll see. Impulse buy and all that. I’m just looking for a cheap beater jacket, so if it fits close enough that’s good enough for me.
 

hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
Got my QC pics of the whiskey horsehide aviator this morning
 

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hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
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Kennyz

Familiar Face
Messages
77
Location
Ohio

hughesovka

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
NYC
Yep, I see now that it's like the Thedi. The hide color looks cool in the photo's!

Ken
Yeah i realized it was a thedi copy after I ordered it. The details on the back look so well done that someone must have sent Shawn one. The whiskey finish does look really good in the photos, I know some of their hides are kinda matte but that looks like it has a lot of character

huh apparently bill kelso makes a version of this jacket also, and Kurt Russell was wearing a version in Escape from New York! Really falling down a rabbit hole here. I guess this is one of those public domain designs with that little pocket on the chest and the vertical zipper that a lot of stores were making versions of back in the day. Either way it looks like Shawn did a really nice job, gotta wait a week before I can try it on.
 
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