Leather choices ...

[Pandemic]

I am trying to narrow down my choices for a first custom leather jacket. I am looking for a rich brown mid to heavy weight.

Natural light isn't great outside right now (we are currently being battered by a tropical storm), but I took some pictures of my initial sortings.

Top contenders:

Not out of the running yet:

I think I've ruled-out:

Would welcome any input from all you knowledgeable folks on these selections!!

 

[Boyo]

Who will be making the jacket? and what style?

 

[Pandemic]

Simmons-Bilt SxS cross zip, like @John D Maccarter’s here:

 

[Psant25]

very hard to tell from a small leather sample as there is variation within the same hide. I would keep it simple with a color you like and a reputable tannery like horween

 

[Psant25]

Simmons-Bilt SxS cross zip, like @John D Maccarter’s here:

View attachment 263674

Very nice ! Great choice

 

[El Marro]

I’m guessing Simmons Bilt based on the Blattwerk and Clayton samples. I cannot even venture to offer an opinion regarding the samples you have selected because they all look too damn similar on my tablet.

 

[Carlos840]

I would say pick whatever you like, our opinion is worthless we are never going to wear that jacket, you are. Just keep in mind that the jacket you end up receving might be made from a hide that looks nothing like the sample you handled...
There is a lot of variation between batches, and IMO samples are pretty much a waste of time, i don't even bother asking for them anymore!

 

[ABCD]

IMO samples are pretty much a waste of time,

I disagree. If you're relatively new to the world of leather jackets, or even if you have a few nice jackets already but you haven't handled dozens of jackets like some of us, a sample can be helpful in deciding between different types and finishes. Goatskin, horsehide or cowhide, pigment dyed or aniline. Chrome or vegetable etc.

Also, the color in real life is always different from the color on your screen. All those brown tones are especially difficult to capture on photo / screen. Or these black horsehide samples for example, one has more red tones than the other.

 

[Boyo]

All the samples look nice, and I would imagine you'll get a great jacket regardless, but, The only insight I can offer is if you view the reverse side of each sample you can see if the color penetrates through the entire hide or is just a top coat. as the jacket wears in you can expect the undertone to show through.. which is great if you like that, not so great if you don't.

 

[Seb Lucas]

IMO samples are pretty much a waste of time, i don't even bother asking for them anymore!

Very true. What they provide the buyer with is an illusion of choice.

Mind you I am not fussy. When I buy a jacket, I just pick black or dark brown.

 

[Robbie79]

IMO SB's swatches are simply too small for making a final decision. IMO Himel's swatches are much larger (5-7 times larger, at least mine were) which gives you a better impression on how the jacket would look like. I also received about 10 different swatches from Debs (SB) and 6 from Himel....decision was easy. Why don't you ask her to provide you with much larger ones or your two or three favorite colours?

 

[Jin431]

That's a lot of options to choose from, you probably can't go wrong with whatever you go for. good luck on your first custom order, may it be the first of many. TFL effect.

 

[Pandemic]

I’ve asked SB to send me pics of these leathers made-up, but in the meantime I found examples of the Lux and the Milan right here on the forum:

 

[Pandemic]

I’ll take a few more days to play with the leather samples and think about it, but I’m pretty much sold on the Horween Milan.

At 3oz, the weight is probably just what I need. When I set out on this adventure, I justified this purchase by telling myself I already have a heavy leather jacket, but this is going to be different because it will be mid weight. That said, part of me still drifts into the thought of heavier = better.

 

[navetsea]

while leather texture might be interesting to look up close probably more interesting as small swatches like that, but ultimately the choice is just down to thickness and whether the leather have good crease memory or soft springy that hard to set in creases.

 

[Pandemic]

while leather texture might be interesting to look up close probably more interesting as small swatches like that, but ultimately the choice is just down to thickness and whether the leather have good crease memory or soft springy that hard to set in creases.

Thanks. I’ve spent the last week scrunching up and stretching these little scraps of leather! It’s really hard to gauge the thickness/weight, but I got an email this morning telling me the weights of my top four faves.

The Milan doesn’t seem to make hard (knife edge type) creases, not a lot of pull-up colour variation, stiff but not too heavy and doesn’t scuff badly.

 

[Pandemic]

Looks like SB just overhauled their web page with some better pics of their leathers:

https://simmonsbilt.com/pages/leathers

 

[handymike]

From the link, the Lux looks great.

 

[Monitor]

Looks like SB just overhauled their web page with some better pics of their leathers:

https://simmonsbilt.com/pages/leathers

Good page! Simple, informative. Good stuff.

 

[nick123]

I really like that light brown Horween Lux.