1950s Sears Hercules Half-belt

[Hawk_Eye]

My interest in half-belts was inspired by pics of James excellent Aero. After looking the last few weeks, I stumbled upon this one in Toronto just today, made of front quarter horsehide, with a chocolate bar style conmar zip. The size tag is inside the sleeve strangely enough, tagged 48. The only issue is the pictured gouges in the horsehide on the back, they dont seem to be in any danger of enlarging but I would like to do something about them. They dont go all the way through the leather, maybe I can close them up with something? I've heard mention of something called shoe goo, would that help? Anyways, heres the pics, this is my first civilian styled vintage leather jacket.

 

[Fenton]

awesome jacket, the fit is spot on and it suits you very well. As for the gouges, I'd take the jacket to a tailor specialised in reparing leather garments. I don't know if doing something yourself - without sufficient know-how - is the best idea. But perhaps other forum members can offer advice-
cheers for positng the pics!

 

[OneEyeMan]

Don't know about the Shoe Goo, but that's a killer jacket! :eusa_clap
I'd recommend a coating of Pecard's or something similar with a hair dryer on low to speed up the soaking in.
Great find.
Lenny

 

[fishmeok]

Hey hawk- great find! I've been looking for a large size like that to base a pattern on. There is not much you can do about the gash except back it up on the inside with another piece of leather. I'd pecard the jacket and let it go.

Another thought- I can back it up for you in exchange for letting me borrow the thing for a week or so so I can make a pattern. PM me if you are interested.
Cheers
Mark

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

"Shoo Goo" is basically contact cement in a tube.

I wouldn't.

I'd chaulk those gouges up to character and love that jacket as is!

 

[jamespibworth@n]

Well what a great old Hercules!

I have tried gluing up cracks with little success, the glue has to be malleable or the crack becomes stiffer than the leather and, well cracks again!

As already suggested I feel the best way is a ‘supple’ piece of leather stuck to the back with glue that won’t set hard so as to allow it to drape.

Tempting to leave it but then again if the cracks are too deep it may tear? If it were mine (apart from Pecards) I would leave alone as it would not be worn too often, but I would do something if it was to be worn a lot.

Once a gain, great old jacket!

James.

 

[Creeping Past]

That's a great find, Hawkeye.

Just a heads-up, Fishmeok. I'll be stalking you re: progress on this one if Hawkeye agrees.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

If the gouges don't go all the way through, they should be OK i would think? Just avoid wearing anything with a shoulder strap on that shoulder [huh]

bk

 

[H.Johnson]

Well what a great old Hercules!
I have tried gluing up cracks with little success, the glue has to be malleable or the crack becomes stiffer than the leather and, well cracks again!

That is exactly what Shoo Goo is - a flexible filler, intended (as it's name implies) for repairing splits in shoes and glueing on soles. I have used it to repair worse damage than this on a number of leather and sheepskin jackets over the years. The results, while not quite invisible, are much better than any other repair method I have ever seen used (apart frm replacing a complete panel, of course).

I have only ever used black Shoo Goo on black leather, and I don't know if it is available in the colour you would need for this repair.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

I ended up buying a tube of something called barge cement, which seems to be pretty highly recommened for leather repairs between both forums.

 

[Fenton]

I ended up buying a tube of something called barge cement, which seems to be pretty highly recommened for leather repairs between both forums.

let us know how well that stuff works ... I've got a vintage goat skin jakcket with cracks here and there which I'd like to repair. Perhaps you've found the ultimate solution

 

[Pilgrim]

I ended up buying a tube of something called barge cement, which seems to be pretty highly recommened for leather repairs between both forums.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!

I have worked with Barge cement quite a bit. It's great stuff and will join leather almost as strongly as the original leather itself, but it WILL NOT fix those cracks/gouges. It can be used to repair leather, but NOT cracks like that. it's used for adding patches or joining separate pieces of leather together, but all my experience in doing leatherwork tells me that trying to join the sides of those cracks will NOT work - and will create a mess of leftover cement.

NOTHING will "fix" them - period. Your goal is not to close them, but to treat the leather so they don't get worse. Shoe Goo would be an absolute, unmitigated disaster and would peel off, probably taking the dye with it....don't even think of using it.

Barge cement could possibly be used for gluing patches over cracks that went all the way through the leather, but it is not suitable for joining those cracks. And you really don't want patches all over that jacket.

What would I do? I'd go straight to one of two substances: Mink Oil or Lexol. The goal in using either one would be to add moisture to the leather and maintain its flexibility. Mink oil is more suitable for boots, so I'd first go over the jacket with Lexol cleaner, then treat it at least twice with Lexol leather treatment...and of course, I'd go very heavy on any cracked areas.

Bottom line: leather is perishable. When cracks form in leather, those are the places where it will eventually fail. When that happens, your options are to put patches over the cracked area, replace the cracked panels, live with it, or get another jacket.

 

[H.Johnson]

I simply repeat, I have used Shoo Goo many times to repair (or 'fill in) hole, rips and gouges in leather and sheepskin. When used properly, it works.

Whether anyone chooses to take my word for that is completely up to them. You believe what you believe, I'll believe what I know to be true.

 

[Pilgrim]

No offense to you intended - I didn't read the thread carefully and didn't realize that I might be contradicting someone from an earlier post. My opinion remains unchanged, but it is a respectful difference of opinion.

:eusa_doh:

 

[Hawk_Eye]

I mostly intend to use it to repair the lower tear, which has created a flap of leather that when pressed down makes it look invisible, and I think it can can be glued without being seen., the larger upper one is a bit of a pickle and I'll probably just leave it.

 

[H.Johnson]

Quite so; no offence taken. I should have added 'it worked for me...' to my post. If anyone is sufficiently interested, I will try to take a photograph of a repair done to a sheepskin jacket in this way - filling in a row of stitch holes that were left after a pocket was moved.

No offense to you intended - I didn't read the thread carefully and didn't realize that I might be contradicting someone from an earlier post. My opinion remains unchanged, but it is a respectful difference of opinion.

:eusa_doh:

 

[himelator]

Repairs

Quite so; no offence taken. I should have added 'it worked for me...' to my post. If anyone is sufficiently interested, I will try to take a photograph of a repair done to a sheepskin jacket in this way - filling in a row of stitch holes that were left after a pocket was moved.

The standard in repairs of vintage jackets has always been vintage repairs. First the way to avoid cracking is to make sure oil is put into the skin. Tanning involves adding oil back to the skin and over time this can dry out breaking the fibres causing cracking. Any oil will do but beef tallow like lexol is preferable to mink oil or neetsfoot or the more volatile oils that might break down the leather. The second solution is to open the liner a bit and take a patch of leather and glue the crack from the backside using leather cement which is fexible contact cement. This ensures the strength from behind to make sure the leather doesnt split. Finally most repair guys will stitch with cotton over a split to make it stronger...but if you dont want to ruin the aesthetic dont do that! In Toronto, you can find your repair goods at Capital Findings look it up in the phone book, after almost 100 years of business they will help you

best
Himelator
http://vintageleatherjackets.blogspot.com/

 

[Pilgrim]

The standard in repairs of vintage jackets has always been vintage repairs. First the way to avoid cracking is to make sure oil is put into the skin. Tanning involves adding oil back to the skin and over time this can dry out breaking the fibres causing cracking. Any oil will do but beef tallow like lexol is preferable to mink oil or neetsfoot or the more volatile oils that might break down the leather. The second solution is to open the liner a bit and take a patch of leather and glue the crack from the backside using leather cement which is fexible contact cement. This ensures the strength from behind to make sure the leather doesnt split. Finally most repair guys will stitch with cotton over a split to make it stronger...but if you dont want to ruin the aesthetic dont do that! In Toronto, you can find your repair goods at Capital Findings look it up in the phone book, after almost 100 years of business they will help you

best
Himelator
http://vintageleatherjackets.blogspot.com/

Nicely said, and I agree on the Lexol. You make an excellent point about patching from the backside (inside), and that sounds like a perfect application for Barge cement. In my somewhat limited experience it has no peer as a contact cement for leather...and patching from the inside of the garment with great care should result in a nearly invisible repair.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Here she is a few days after some Pecards. Im very happy with the result.

 

[Tiller]

Here she is a few days after some Pecards. Im very happy with the result.

Looking great Hawk Eye :eusa_clap. Well done!