BellyTank
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 7,061
Of course, as you mention Schwammy, Lambskin is far too unsustantial for this type of treatment- it's much more suited to more rugged hides such as Horse or Steer- those which would normally take years to wear-in. The "hot water treatment" is good for loosening up a new jacket- making it more comfortable and taking out the "squeak" of a new jacket.
I'm sure someone with a Lambskin jacket would see the logic in not applying hot water to it...
Attached are pics of 2 a fellow flight jacket enthusiast's repro A-2s which he has aged with this technique.
-the following is his text-
"Repro Jacket Aging
These photos are of two jackets that I've aged, using the hot water technique and sanding, wrinkling, and even finish removal. The results are quite realistic if one wants a jacket to look older and more used than it is. For the hot water technique, I simply let the leather sit under running hot water for about 30 seconds, and then dry it off (not letting the non-leather elements get wet). I then wrinkle the leather and try to get the natural texture to come out, sometimes with very vigorous mashing. Afterwards, I let the leather sit naturally, or wear the jacket, as the leather really is wet all the way to the inside. Since the leather's been mashed, the natural texture comes out and it looks a lot more like the older leather, rather than stiff and straight. The modern techniques of tanning tend to add a little too much of the pigment on the leather, and it becomes too stiff and featureless, so hot water relaxes it. I've never seen a finish completely removed, but only softened to a state of looking more natural. The McQueen jacket is a prime example. It takes a little while and will hurt the hands after about ten minutes, so you may take a couple days to get a jacket softened."
-The Russet jacket is a Real McCoys New Zealand pre-war "Werber" contract and the Seal brown example is a copy of the Virgil(Great Escape)Hilts, Roughwear Clothing A-2. These are premium repros in Horsehide and pretty expensive but similar results would be obtained with other Horse or Steer jackets.
BTank.
I'm sure someone with a Lambskin jacket would see the logic in not applying hot water to it...
Attached are pics of 2 a fellow flight jacket enthusiast's repro A-2s which he has aged with this technique.
-the following is his text-
"Repro Jacket Aging
These photos are of two jackets that I've aged, using the hot water technique and sanding, wrinkling, and even finish removal. The results are quite realistic if one wants a jacket to look older and more used than it is. For the hot water technique, I simply let the leather sit under running hot water for about 30 seconds, and then dry it off (not letting the non-leather elements get wet). I then wrinkle the leather and try to get the natural texture to come out, sometimes with very vigorous mashing. Afterwards, I let the leather sit naturally, or wear the jacket, as the leather really is wet all the way to the inside. Since the leather's been mashed, the natural texture comes out and it looks a lot more like the older leather, rather than stiff and straight. The modern techniques of tanning tend to add a little too much of the pigment on the leather, and it becomes too stiff and featureless, so hot water relaxes it. I've never seen a finish completely removed, but only softened to a state of looking more natural. The McQueen jacket is a prime example. It takes a little while and will hurt the hands after about ten minutes, so you may take a couple days to get a jacket softened."
-The Russet jacket is a Real McCoys New Zealand pre-war "Werber" contract and the Seal brown example is a copy of the Virgil(Great Escape)Hilts, Roughwear Clothing A-2. These are premium repros in Horsehide and pretty expensive but similar results would be obtained with other Horse or Steer jackets.
BTank.
