Aero Teamster Issues and Questions

[firstoar]

Hello Everybody
It has been a long time since I posted here about considering my first Aero jacket. 2016 to be precise. I'm coming up on 9 years of owning a teamster and I have questions that I'm hoping people can help me with.

Notes about my jacket:
- The jacket is an Aero Teamster in Dark Seal Vicenza Leather, with cotton drill lining for the back and cotton sateen for the sleeves
- I was custom fitted for the jacket by Thurston Bros. in Seattle
- Maintenance. The only thing I've ever done to maintain my jacket is about every two years or so, I apply a coat of vaseline.
- In use from about september to around april/may
- Worn with, t-shirts, sweaters, most things with no collar.

Issues I have with the jacket:
1.) Collar curl, the right tip of my collar lies flat, but the left tip of my jacket, curls up, I've tried to uncurl it by bending it the other way repeatedly but it just curls back. I've been told, I may have to try the "water method" but I'm not sure what that means or how to do it. (see attached image)

2.) Back of jacket. I'm not entirely sure if this is an issue or not, but it does look kinda strange. note the 'x' pattern creases, and the weird curls in the back panel up near the top. Is this par for the course? Or does this mean that something happened either during fitting or making that makes the jacket curl and wrinkle this way. ( see attached image) really curious to know if this is just the nature of this style of back, or if this is uncommon.

3.) Lining tear around armpit. While I've been very impressed with how well the lining of the jacket has endured, unfortunately I have a tear around the armpit of my right arm. I was hoping this I would be able to get this repaired but I was told that it is relatively minor issue and that I would be able to solve it using "armpit guards" I've never heard of these. Is this a common thing that happens with linings are armpits? Is the solution of armpit guards something that people have heard of or done themselves? (see attached image)


General Questions:
a.) As mentioned the only thing I've put on my jacket is a coat of vaseline every two or three years. Google seems split as to if this is a good idea. Have I damaged my coat by doing this?

b.) I've used a suit hanger for as long as I've had the jacket, not knowing any better, apparently this is not the kind of hanger to use. After 9 years, have I "damaged" (damaged is the right word, but I don't know what word is) is it worth getting a proper 'straight' hanger?

c.) maintenance. Is there a process to cleaning/maintaining a jacket that I should observe? What should I be doing to maintain my jacket. I see several people suggest a mild leather conditioner. I have a brush for the coat, but no leather conditioners, and was told not to use a leather cleaning service because of what they might use on the jacket (not that there is one around where I live anyways).

d.) After 9 years of use, have my habits done anything to the jacket that is irreversible?

I would like to thank anyone that has taken the time to read this, I don't know where else to turn, and any advice by people who have dealt with this kind of thing before, I'd welcome hearing from you. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[PilotJens]

The lining tearing is pretty normal after 9 years of continues use .The leather seams rub on the lining.
The leather on the back looks weird.Can you post more pictures form further away?

 

[El Marro]

That’s awesome that you are wearing the hell out of your teamster and enjoying it for the last eight years, this is something we don’t see all that often around here to be honest.
First, I would say that you are totally fine using Vaseline on the jacket. John Chapman of Good Wear told me that Vaseline is all he uses on vintage jackets that need treatment.
Regarding the back, it certainly does look like an odd crease pattern going on, but it is very hard to say what caused this since the jacket is eight years old and has been worn a lot. I would not suspect that this is due to anything that had happened during construction of the jacket.
I have one jacket that has an unfortunate crease horizontally across the middle of the back, and this was absolutely due to it being folded into a box that was too small and shipped across the country. The creases on your jacket do not look like that to me. Do you have any photos of the jacket when it was new?

 

[Marc mndt]

2.) Back of jacket. I'm not entirely sure if this is an issue or not, but it does look kinda strange. note the 'x' pattern creases, and the weird curls in the back panel up near the top. Is this par for the course? Or does this mean that something happened either during fitting or making that makes the jacket curl and wrinkle this way. ( see attached image) really curious to know if this is just the nature of this style of back, or if this is uncommon.

Do you wear it a lot while driving your car?

 

[zebedee]

It all looks pretty normal to me. I get creases like that in Aeros (and probably Simmons Bilts if they were heavier hides). The 'x' creases are from sitting in a longer jacket a lot (probably). I get that effect when I'm flying long haul on my Maxwell and Work Coat.

Vaseline is unlikely to be needed, but also unlikely to cause harm. Lining is normal wear and tear and a tailor can fix it or Aero might be able to get it done. I'd just get a tailor to patch the lining with a similar fabric. I stitched the lining on my Maxwell myself with some amateurish red and black stitching that was a bit of a field repair.

Not sure if the creasing is irreversible, but it's also not unsightly or a defect. The lining is definitely an easy-to-mend sort of thing.

 

[Tom71]

Great job, making the jacket your own! Fit pictures would be appreciated.
A few remarks to your queries:

1. Soak the collar in warm water and de-curl, fixating with a paperclip or else. Don‘t expect a perfect result.

2. Probably from sitting down in the jacket over extended periods of time. This seems pretty “settled in”. Not that it’s a problem apart from aesthetical preferences.
You could try to attach a weight to the hem of the jacket when hanging it up and see how it goes.

3. Totally normal after long use. You can:
- stitch it up yourself. If you have my skill level, it may look unsightly, but it will prevent the fabric from tearing away further.
- have a repair person do it at very little cost.
- have a repair person install a leather protector. Some makers use it, as the armpit is a classical weak spot for the liner. Nothing more than an oval shaped piece of leather covering the area, sometimes with “breath-holes”. Creates abother weak spot at the edges of the protector, of course, but personally I never had any damage there.
- You can of course send to Thurston/Aero for a complete replacement when the time comes. The leather will hold up forever, so it’s not a bad investment should the lining deteriorate further (can happen at the hem, the cuffs, anywhere with friction).

a. People use all sorts of treatments. Ken of Aero told me he does regular shoe cream. So, I do likewise. I guess, anything that nourishes the leather when it gets to dry helps, but you don’t want to seal the topcoat and thereby eliminate breath ability of the leather.

b. I always use coat hangers. Never “damaged“ anything. Of course, the shoulder structure is best supported with a long-armed hanger with broad tips, but I never bothered.

c. I’d stick with a common sense approach:
- When dirty, sponge off with a damp cloth
- when wet, dry in natural warmth but away from direct heat (not directly at a radiator).
- when dry, use nourishing as above.
There are unlimited numbers of care products. I am no expert, but others may chime in.
I too wouldn’t use a professional cleaning. Never know what they’re up to….

 

[4444Design]

All the phenomens you described in your question seem to be totally normal for a jacket of this age and use.

You actually put the jacket to the purpose it was built for.

The only thing that would MAYBE bother me would possibly be the issue with the collar but seems to be an easy fix anyway.

Anything else just tells the story that you frewuently wear your AERO.

Just my 2 cents ...

 

[Canuck Panda]

Congrats on your jacket.

I also used Vaseline on some of my jackets. Not as long as you, maybe two years, and it's holding up. Vaseline gives a good shine no other can do, but if too much it gets a bit sticky and takes a lot more buffing to take it out.

Creases are normal, they look cool. Collar roll is normal too.

You can add a corduroy patch over the armpit area to cover up the holes. But it's fine, just shows character.

Leather looks great for 8 years often worn.

 

[firstoar]

Hi All, wanted to say thanks to all that have contributed. Some of you asked to see the full back of the coat, so here is that image.

In regards answering some of your questions:
- Yes, I drive/sit a fair bit with this jacket. If that is the case that the back of jacket looks like this because of sitting/driving, is the style of the back that contributes to that? (ie would a flat back, or three panel back, not be as likely to get this 'issue'?)
- Re. jacket being shipped with the back crease in it. I certainly don't recall this being an issue when I got it in the mail. I think it developed over time.

Glad to know the Vaseline didn't do damage to the coat.

How often should a jacket be cleaned if it sees regular use? Is the process buff with brush, use damp sponge with a little bit of dish soap, let dry and condition with some sort of leather conditioner, followed by another brush buff?

If I understand correctly, I might be able to mitigate the collar curl if I dump the collar (the whole collar or just the curling part) in warm water and then try to pin in place/form that I want it to be? Do I then just let it dry like that? Is this something that needs to be done repeatedly for an effect?

I'll try to find a tailor in my area to apply some patches. I don't think I want to pay for a complete relining yet.

Really appreciate all the time and effort people took to respond. Thanks very much.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Spot wetting the towel should be enough moisture to train the collar tip. Warm water, not cold, not hot. Can even use a bigger clip like from a clip board. Vicenza may shrink a bit, but your jacket has been around for a while so it could have already settled. If not then you might want to wet clip the other collar so they stay symmetrical.

i wouldn’t spend the money for full reclining, there’s no need. A lot of jacket has patched armpits from the factory for this very reason.

Other than Davs Highwayman I think your jacket is one of the most well worn jackets.