BK Liberty Hide Questions

[Xopher]

Bill Kelso Liberty Horse.
How do you folks like it? Does it age well? Does it last or is it thin ans fragile over time.


Color Questions
How dark is the Seal in person, it almost looks like russet.

How dark is the Dark Seal? It looks almost like black on the website.

 

[Superfluous]

If you are looking for the appearance of vinyl, but made from horse hide, Liberty cannot be beat!

 

[TREEMAN]

Wow!! That bad ?

 

[Superfluous]

Wow!! That bad ?

I never said Liberty HH is bad. I personally did not care for it and sent back both of my BK Liberty jackets (notwithstanding the HUGE discount). That said, others have had better experiences with the hide.

BK's Victory HH received rave reviews from many, but BK could not obtain a steady flow of the hide. When BK introduced the Liberty hide, it was clearly a less expensive, readily available back-up for those who did not want to pay or wait for the Victory hide. BK candidly acknowledged that its Victory hide was the better of the two hides. Now that BK can no longer source the Victory hide, the Liberty alternative/back-up hide has necessarily become BK's lead HH.

 

[Xopher]

Do they use requested hides? Like horween, or are you stuck with what they offer

 

[seres]

I’ve owned 4 Bill Kelso jackets, all in the Liberty hide. The Liberty hides seem to have an overly pigmented, somewhat plastic feel, but they are aniline-dyed because they do absorb water.

None of the jackets get much wear, and none of the jackets has more than about 10 hours of outside exposure, and none, except the following, has shown any wear.

However, this one jacket, an Aero model -18775 in Russet Liberty, has given me a very bad experience.

I got caught in a warm summer thunderstorm that just drenched me and thoroughly soaked the jacket. I reached the car about a half-hour later, and as I dried myself and the jacket with a terry-cloth towel I noticed the color was wiping off the jacket. The water dripping off the jacket was orange. So I took the jacket off, and laid it flat to air dry.

The finish seemed to just wipe off on the wear areas, but remained solid on the usual untouched parts. Before the soaking, the finish was perfect, with no noticeable wear.

I realize that jackets are not raincoats. However, accidents happen and I have had jackets get wet before. But I have never seen the finish wipe off as it did on this Liberty hide.

 

[handymike]

I love that you place a color checker in your shots.

 

[Superfluous]

The Liberty hides seem to have an overly pigmented, somewhat plastic feel

Exactly! This is what I meant when I referenced vinyl, but "somewhat plastic feel" is a better description.

 

[Jeremiah]

I’ve owned 4 Bill Kelso jackets, all in the Liberty hide. The Liberty hides seem to have an overly pigmented, somewhat plastic feel, but they are aniline-dyed because they do absorb water.

None of the jackets get much wear, and none of the jackets has more than about 10 hours of outside exposure, and none, except the following, has shown any wear.

However, this one jacket, an Aero model -18775 in Russet Liberty, has given me a very bad experience.

I got caught in a warm summer thunderstorm that just drenched me and thoroughly soaked the jacket. I reached the car about a half-hour later, and as I dried myself and the jacket with a terry-cloth towel I noticed the color was wiping off the jacket. The water dripping off the jacket was orange. So I took the jacket off, and laid it flat to air dry.

The finish seemed to just wipe off on the wear areas, but remained solid on the usual untouched parts. Before the soaking, the finish was perfect, with no noticeable wear.

I realize that jackets are not raincoats. However, accidents happen and I have had jackets get wet before. But I have never seen the finish wipe off as it did on this Liberty hide.

View attachment 111041
View attachment 111042

I see what you are saying, but man that looks amazing now. as far as patina. Sure, it should not have been the result of one sprinkle, but man it looks fantastic to me.

 

[ton312]

The top coat should never float off the surface from being exposed to water. If you were under a rain storm of rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover maybe.

 

[TREEMAN]

BK has the remake of the Durable Brando Jacket.........?

 

[Jeremiah]

I have a bid on a BK Dubow contract on the bay. Its a russet but its neither liberty nor Victory HH. It was a Horse Hide out of Japan that the tannery did not meet the specs requested by BK and they did not buy any more from that tannery. It is veg tanned, but thats all that I know. It is pretty shiny and plastic looking but I am told it's pretty sweet. If I win, I will put up pics here when it arrives.
I was told it was pretty rare by Andy of BK.

 

[handymike]

That could be a collectors item!

 

[Jeremiah]

I'd like to wear it. It actually would fit me. I do know people collect them who don't wear them so I am crossing my fingers on this one. I don't have any other jacket besides my Steele and Jones Indy III jacket, but I am dying for an A2.


Here is my back up option if I don't win the BK.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Buzz-Ricks...845347?hash=item1ca4da2a23:g:URMAAOSwopRYh5GC

 

[Superfluous]

Countdown to BK Facebook post responding to this thread and disparaging TFL/me:

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Patina..?? Where? Streaked spotty finish wiping off. You can't be serious.

 

[Superfluous]

Patina..?? Where? Streaked spotty finish wiping off. You can't be serious.

 

[Benj]

yep... I love fading to brown but that jacket just looks cheap to me.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Jeez! Those photos look like an Indy Jones fan attacked the jacket with a green scourer and alcohol. If that is how it look after a small exposure to the real world imagine what several years would look like... Surely a defect.

 

[Mark]

Wow!! That bad ?

My experience of Liberty Horse hide is that it is a beautiful leather that takes on an aged look/patina quickly. It is more of a mid weight leather making it easy to wear. I love it.