How do I "break in" heavy horsehide?

[ButteMT61]

Tumble it in a clothes dryer on no heat for a couple of hours. It did wonders for my heavy steer hide Highwayman.

Daniel, do you have pics of that? I just bought one and am waiting on it...

 

[Daniel Hunter]

I'll snap some tonight.

 

[Edward]

Re OP..... just wear the damn thing. Seriously. I've bought two FQHH jackets new from Aero, and all they needed was worn regularly. All these "aging and breaking in leather" "techniques" I keep reading about remind of the kids back in the eighties that used to cut holes in the knees of their new jeans...... lol

 

[Fifty150]

Can you get away with wearing it at work, if you can wear it everyday at work wear it as much as possible?

If you can't wear it to work, then get a new job that you can wear a leather jacket to.

I'm old fashioned. The best way, for me, to break in any leather is simply to wear it. No other method will allow the leather to form to your body for the best fit. Can you imagine taking new leather shoes, like say expensive shell cordovan, and putting those in the dryer?

Wear your jacket. Break it in from wear. And enjoy it.

 

[frussell]

I'm in the process of breaking in an FQHH Long Half Belt. I can understand the need to break it in faster, but I'll just try to wear it in naturally, as my experience with leatherwork tells me that quick and dirty fixes usually have long term harmful results. Horsehide is tough, and has long been my favorite for making spur straps, chaps, etc.., but the stitching is what usually suffers from over-treatment or washing/drying. My main problem now is that I have a 12 day old newborn at home, and the jacket is too hard to hold the boy in, much less burp him over my shoulder without him sliding to his doom. I've only had it on twice now, and I still feel like if I fell down, I'd be like a turtle that has been turned over. I guess there's worse problems to have! Frank

 

[ButteMT61]

Congrat's Frank! Just keep the errant "spraying" from said newborn away from your new jacket lol

 

[frussell]

Thanks. Actually, I was thinking the "spraying" might help me break it in quicker, if I can get uniform application!

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks. Actually, I was thinking the "spraying" might help me break it in quicker, if I can get uniform application!

Uniform, maybe. Might not smell too good tho