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Jasonissm

Practically Family
Messages
597
Anyone who has experience with 2nd street JP?
They're good, chain of stores, they even have a few in the US now. Only is they may apply Japanese sales tax if you buy with a proxy. Don't think they ship internationally directly, but will be around 10%, it is already factored into the price though on their official site. As it's a chain, they process a lot of stuff so there may be some small damages they overlook or not included in the photos. Overall, pretty good, prices are reasonable, I've bought quite a few items from their physical locations.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,718
Anyone who has experience with 2nd street JP?
2nd Street JP also sells on the Rakuten platform (Japan's Amazon)

And using "FromJapan" proxies you can get an additional 10% off when they run the Rakuten Ichiban promos. Happens about once every month, always just Wednesday/Thursday Japanese time. This is sort of another way of getting things sans Japanese sales tax which is 10%, on used goods. If you purchase brand new goods from stores directly they can deduct the sales taxes, but not on used goods.

Unfortunately for all EU residents you will still be on the hook for the expensive import fees. The EU VAT taxes are quite high compared to rest of the world, but at least 10% off will give you a lower base to calculate taxes from.

Japanese market has some really cool stuff, watch out for sizing/measurements, look at all photos, use translation apps.

All credits about From Japan goes to Blackadder.

If you see an overpriced jacket on Ebay that ships from Japan, chances are it is on the Yahoo auction for at least half or in extreme cases one third of its listing price on ebay.

Image3.jpg
 

Damon141

Practically Family
Messages
928
Vintage Leather.

I know many of you have had a fair amount of vintage pieces pass through your hands.

I know this isn’t an easy or exact answer type of question but can members please help me understand and recommend a medium and heavy weight leather that compares to what might have been used in the 1940’s on a half belt or aviator style jacket?

I know Shinki is a top choice for many, I appreciate this and if everything goes smoothly then I will have 3 different Shinki jackets this year. But I feel like I’d be missing out if I chose only one type or brand of leather, same thing with tanning, I’m not opposed to any method.

At some point would like to have a jacket created in a similar leather, something tells me by looking at how well many jackets have stood up to the hands of time, many were probably pretty stiff and heavier leathers possibly chrome tanned like Lost Worlds uses.
I also wonder what Himel Bros used for their Beck 333 jacket they made a video about recently, they say it was a special Horween leather they developed for them alone, but is that likely that Horween would do that for a couple dozen at best jackets worth of leather? Idk I guess it’s possible but it’s hard to separate marketing from truth.

Thanks
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,870
Location
East Java
Will open pores vegtan last for 40 70yrs? As an object its possible, but will it be wearable without cracking allover unless it is being stored and cared properly, no doubt as breast plate or as scabbard, or horse saddle it will last, but they are cooked into woodlike, however supple object like a jacket made from vegtan will it be wearable after 40 50 60 yrs I have doubt, unless it is being monitored and cared for that entire time, when left in a storage box somewhere for few decades im afraid it would turn into a mummy and suffer from dryrot
 

Blackadder

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,826
Location
China

barnabus

One Too Many
Messages
1,493
Location
Britain's oldest recorded town
Anyone here familiar with a UK brand called 'Interstate'? Are they any good?

I had a 70s era Interstate cafe racer jacket. It was nice enough but unremarkable. Leather was thick but not especially characterful, zips very heavy duty.

Sizing was comically small though - it was sized 40 and I'm a 39 and I literally could not do it up. I don't just mean it was snug, either. I could not physically get the zip anywhere near coming together.
 

Observe

One Too Many
Messages
1,208
Van someone ID this probably 60s mc jacket?

At first glance I thought it was a Fidelity Indian Ranger but it's not.

View attachment 484726 View attachment 484727 View attachment 484728 View attachment 484729 View attachment 484730 View attachment 484731 View attachment 484732

Looks like a Golden Bear
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/golden-bear-mens-motorcycle-jacket-38.96627/
Could be a sample judging from the handwritten tag.
At first glance I thought it may be a GB as well. Collar, zippers and overall design are all very similar to mine.
 
Messages
10,632

Aloysius

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,984
I know this isn’t an easy or exact answer type of question but can members please help me understand and recommend a medium and heavy weight leather that compares to what might have been used in the 1940’s on a half belt or aviator style jacket?

Heavy weight leather in the sense that fetishists prefer today wasn’t really a thing in the ‘golden age’. The WWII spec for flight jackets was 2.5-3oz (1-1.2mm) horsehide. I don’t know the spec for goatskin but can confirm that my WWII goatskin is the same thickness, so I would imagine it was the same.

Show that to someone today and he’ll screech that you’re pushing a cheap mall jacket on him.
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,340
can members please help me understand and recommend a medium and heavy weight leather that compares to what might have been used in the 1940’s on a half belt or aviator style jacket?
Most of those vintage jackets would be considered lightweight today. Comparable to what ELMC uses on their Californian which is 2.5oz. Though my Windward and Hercules halfbelts weigh even less.

Imo Greg's Italian cow is a great choice for a halfbelt or aviator style jacket. Not too heavy yet thick enough to hold some nice sleeve creases.
You buying it? It is a design you don’t own yet.

It's too small but apart from that I need to slow down on the buying. My closet space is limited to +/- 40 leather jackets and with 4 full custom projects in progress I'll already have trouble storing those. I used to have jackets that could be moved on in order to make room for new ones but right now I have a rack full of grail pieces that are here to stay. Definitely first world problems.
 
Last edited:

sshack

A-List Customer
Messages
384
Location
California
Most of those vintage jackets would be considered lightweight today. Comparable to what ELMC uses on their Californian which is 2.5oz. Though my Windward and Hercules halfbelts weigh even less.

Imo Greg's Italian cow is a great choice for a halfbelt or aviator style jacket. Not too heavy yet thick enough to hold some nice sleeve creases.


It's too small but apart from that I need to slow down on the buying. My closet space is limited to +/- 40 leather jackets and with 4 full custom projects in progress I'll already have trouble storing those. I used to have jackets that could be moved on in order to make room for new ones but right now I have a rack full of grail pieces that are here to stay. Definitely first world problems.
4 custom projects??? Any previews?
 

Observe

One Too Many
Messages
1,208
Most of those vintage jackets would be considered lightweight today. Comparable to what ELMC uses on their Californian which is 2.5oz. Though my Windward and Hercules halfbelts weigh even less.

Imo Greg's Italian cow is a great choice for a halfbelt or aviator style jacket. Not too heavy yet thick enough to hold some nice sleeve creases.


It's too small but apart from that I need to slow down on the buying. My closet space is limited to +/- 40 leather jackets and with 4 full custom projects in progress I'll already have trouble storing those. I used to have jackets that could be moved on in order to make room for new ones but right now I have a rack full of grail pieces that are here to stay. Definitely first world problems.
I'd like to see a shot of the jacket closet/room if possible lol.
 

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