Bill Kelso Westfall in Black Liberty HH

[zhz]

This how it looks like before I did HWT, if you look at the right sleeve, it is actually wider than now. So I'd say the HWT actually makes it better.

 

[ausreenactor]

In my opinion the sleeve was better untouched. Did you ask for the sleeves at this length? I know I prefer a sleeve to run past my watch. My ELC Hartmann was impractical when buttoned and had a similar look to yours.

 

[zhz]

In my opinion the sleeve was better untouched. Did you ask for the sleeves at this length? I know I prefer a sleeve to run past my watch. My ELC Hartmann was impractical when buttoned and had a similar look to yours.

The sleeve is too long before HWT, I asked for 23.5 inch. But I forgot to measure it before I did HWT. I prefer the length as it is now. Also, the left sleeve looks OK before HWT because the shape of sleeve is flatted due to packing. The right sleeve tells the true story.

 

[handymike]

Wow, your sleeves shrank that much????

 

[zhz]

Wow, your sleeves shrank that much????

It does shrank, but not that much, the credit goes to creases I think

 

[zhz]

Actually, what I did it put the sleeves in the shower (water is about 30 degree) for 5 seconds, wait it half dry and wear it until it dry. The leather became stiff with water, so very easy to develop creases and follow your body shape. If I stretch the sleeve back, the length is about the same as before, maybe 1-2cm shorter?

 

[pawineguy]

Actually, what I did it put the sleeves in the shower (water is about 30 degree) for 5 seconds, wait it half dry and wear it until it dry. The leather became stiff with water, so very easy to develop creases and follow your body shape. If I stretch the sleeve back, the length is about the same as before, maybe 1-2cm shorter?

I think the HWT did its job. It really did pull out the grain much quicker also. That could also be due to the fact the because it was stiffer, the leather really got worked around to create both the wrinkles and the additional graining.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Over 30 years I have put jackets through washing machine cycles with detergent, put them in the shower, walked for hours in the rain with them, no once has a jacket shrunk.

But on a separate issue, surely those sleeves are a mistake. I have never seen billowing cuffs like that unless there has been an error in cutting.

 

[bretron]

But on a separate issue, surely those sleeves are a mistake. I have never seen billowing cuffs like that unless there has been an error in cutting.

Don't let BK hear you say that

 

[Sloan1874]

Don't let BK hear you say that

 

[zhz]

Over 30 years I have put jackets through washing machine cycles with detergent, put them in the shower, walked for hours in the rain with them, no once has a jacket shrunk.

But on a separate issue, surely those sleeves are a mistake. I have never seen billowing cuffs like that unless there has been an error in cutting.

I believe there are many people can tell that their jacket do shrunk after HWT, e.g., Breton, he once said he shrunk a GW jacket one size smaller.
Back to the cuff, it is not really a mistake, BK made this in their standard size, but it is for people with strong arm and larger hand, I asked my friend to try it on, and it actually good on him. But I am a guy with thin arm and small hand, and I forgot to ask them to narrow the sleeve, and BK forgot to mention this to me. So I don't considering this as a mistake or error in cutting. Its more like lack of communication.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I struggle to believe that explanation zhz, but, fortunately, it's not my problem. Never seen a sleeve problem like this, no matter what size the buyer or the jacket has been. Nevertheless, as long as you feel you are listened to by the company and there's some kind of resolution that's what matters.

 

[bretron]

I absolutely positively testify to the fact that you can shrink the wholly tar out of leather. But alas, I have failed to successfully shrink the cuff width on my Aeronaut

 

[Sloan1874]

I struggle to believe that explanation zhz, but, fortunately, it's not my problem. Never seen a sleeve problem like this, no matter what size the buyer or the jacket has been. Nevertheless, as long as you feel you are listened to by the company and there's some kind of resolution that's what matters.

+1 I've dicked around with hot water, and while it's good for shaping the collar etcv, I've never really managed what I'd describe as serious shrinkage, though I've never really hammered that aspect. Might be my fault, but I think it's not worth harming a jacket if I could just send it back instead.

 

[navetsea]

maybe some leathers are un-sanforized rawr

 

[HoosierDaddy]

What is rawr..??

 

[HoosierDaddy]

This isn't the only forum where there have been comments about the extreme bottom of sleeve and cuff width of some BK jackets. They have been discussed on the VLJ. If I remember correctly...it was about some member photos posted of BK's more recent A2s that also seemed overly wide just before the knits.
HD

 

[samo]

I think that You are pushing to far now. I agree that in most cases it is not possible to claim that Your product is the best on the world. It could be claimed that in a case of very basic technical products where all the properties could be determined in physical properties i.e. Toray can easily claim that one of its carbons has the best tensile stiffness modulus and he can proof that with mechanical testing. With more complex products such claims become less convincing like who is better Boeing or Airbus, because there are so many features to be considered and in the end customer shall decide which feature is more important to him. Even worse is with the garment where design, felling and so on, as highly personal things becomes very important. So regarding jackets and at least 99% of other products no manufacturer has the rights for such claims, but everybody claims so? And If I claims something like that I am bashing my competition, not directly but I do. BK do this more directly than the others and that is all the story. Maybe it would help to see bigger picture. Maybe this is also a cultural thing, who knows maybe in Grecce the advertising is simply different as somewhere else?

 

[handymike]

I just measured my vintage Hercules and it has 5" wide cuffs. That's where I'm happy. That's also where my recently made Horsehide jacket came in. I'll need to note that.

 

[zhz]

I just measured my vintage Hercules and it has 5" wide cuffs. That's where I'm happy. That's also where my recently made Horsehide jacket came in. I'll need to note that.

my westfall comes with a 5.5" wide cuffs, which is wider than yours, but same as Andy's original.