Input Please: Ordering 2 Jackets from Johnson Leathers this week

[jfive67]

Hi All,

After years of narrowing down my preferred leather jacket styles and having difficulty finding the exact specs I want, I'll be making the pilgrimage to Johnson Leathers on Tuesday. I'm planning to get two jackets ordered, a buco style cafe racer and a G-1 style jacket. I'l list the specs that I'm thinking below. Let me know if I'm missing anything crucial from a functionality standpoint. Also, I'm still not positive which leather that I want for each. For the CR I'd prefer a thinner horsehide and with the G-1 i want a grainy leather that is more supple (perhaps a milled CXL or horsehide). Let me know what you think!

Cafe Racer

• MJ-100 / NC-200
• 2oz Chromexcel Black overdyed brown horsehide
• Scoop hem
• Bi-swing arm/Gusseted back with an extended lower back panel/drop tail
• Black, non-contrast stitching
• Hidden antique Brass Zippers with brown fabric, braided zipper pulls on main and sleeve zips
• High start zipper, one way
• Two slanted chest pockets. Closed toward main zipper with diamond pulls
• Two vertical zipped handwarmer pockets, closed with zippers down (zipped to prevent pocket drooping)
• Buco style collar with Brass snap
• Left inner vertical pocket with snap
• Right inner horizontal patch pocket deep enough for sunglasses/ iPhone
• Lightweight wool/cotton blend lining
• Cotton sateen sleeve lining

G-1

• Base pattern Ma-2/m-120/a2
  
• 2oz Dark Brown Goatskin or Milled CXL (would prefer a cooler, greyish-brown)
• Black ribbing
• Black mouton (removable)
• 2-way Nickel zipper with black fabric
• Front patch pockets with 2 way entry
• Two inner horizontal pockets with snap
• No epaulets
• Action back
• Quilted lining
• Cotton sateen sleeve lining

 

[El Marro]

It looks like you have put a lot of thought into this, there are only a couple things that occurred to me to mention and they are:
1. I would go with brass over antique brass on the cafe racer. Real brass will age and darken as the jacket evolves, while antique brass keeps the same artificial finish it had on day one until that begins to chip off and then it really looks funky. Just my opinion.
2. If you are planning on using the handwarmer pockets to warm your hands then pocket zippers are really annoying. If not, then they are a great way to keep the pockets from sagging as you mentioned.

I hope you have a great time during your visit to Johnson Leathers and I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with.

 

[Peacoat]

If Allan is there during your visit, please tell him I said hello. I have two JL jackets that I worked with Alan on. Plus, I know him from TFL.

 

[raf]

A link to the Mfr's/Vendor's web site will be helpful.

 

[Alan@JohnsonLeather]

If Allan is there during your visit, please tell him I said hello. I have two JL jackets that I worked with Alan on. Plus, I know him from TFL.

Yes, I am there on Tuesdays and Saturdays because I still love what I do.
Hope all is well Peacoat

 

[nirvana42]

How was the process to order your jackets? I've purchased a couple of JL jackets second hand and have been impressed with them (I think their trucker type 3 pattern is my favorite leather/suede trucker) so I may take the plunge at some point and get a custom one from them.

 

[jfive67]

@nirvana42 I placed the order a few weeks ago. Awaiting mueslin mockups to be delivered in December. Damon was great to work with. Extremely patient with my very specific demands. Thanks again to @El Marro for his zipper inputs. Will keep this thread posted with updates!

 

[Peacoat]

How was the process to order your jackets? I've purchased a couple of JL jackets second hand and have been impressed with them (I think their trucker type 3 pattern is my favorite leather/suede trucker) so I may take the plunge at some point and get a custom one from them.

A simple process. I worked with Alan. Have heard that Damon is equally knowledgeable. It is a good group to work with.

 

[TheDonEffect]

How was the process to order your jackets? I've purchased a couple of JL jackets second hand and have been impressed with them (I think their trucker type 3 pattern is my favorite leather/suede trucker) so I may take the plunge at some point and get a custom one from them.

You should definitely do it, I typically work with Damon there but they're all great. I've done full custom with special requests for leather like CXL which back then they didn't stock regularly, but my most recent jacket was one of their stock designs in their stock goat leather with a few alterations and I find for me that works best and saves a few bucks from going full custom.

The whole process is fun, almost like going to Savile Row and getting a suit made, but way more casual and these guys love what they do. If you can visit them, absolutely do it. You can try on their entire catalog to get good feel of what works for you, it's pretty amazing how different each model hangs on your body, and these guys know what will work for you. My advice is try them all on, odds are you'll find something that will work for you, and then you can nip and tuck as necessary. You can then choose all the details so that by the end, even if the jacket may not look custom, it will absolutely be tailor made for you.

 

[tuanhng614]

You should definitely do it, I typically work with Damon there but they're all great. I've done full custom with special requests for leather like CXL which back then they didn't stock regularly, but my most recent jacket was one of their stock designs in their stock goat leather with a few alterations and I find for me that works best and saves a few bucks from going full custom.

The whole process is fun, almost like going to Savile Row and getting a suit made, but way more casual and these guys love what they do. If you can visit them, absolutely do it. You can try on their entire catalog to get good feel of what works for you, it's pretty amazing how different each model hangs on your body, and these guys know what will work for you. My advice is try them all on, odds are you'll find something that will work for you, and then you can nip and tuck as necessary. You can then choose all the details so that by the end, even if the jacket may not look custom, it will absolutely be tailor made for you.

Visiting JL store is amazing opportunity to see, touch, and try on anything they have in store.

One thing didn’t work out for me was that my size didn’t exist in stock . Size US 34 is non existent, US 36 is rare, and anything beyond that is just admirational for me