Breaking in an FQHH jacket

[AEH]

A few days ago I got my Aero Leather FQHH jacket. And as expected, it was cardboard stiff, and practically unwearable out of the box. Even after a fair amount of hand massaging it still was so stiff that I dreaded the idea of wearing this, in all other aspects wonderful, jacket to a comfortable state.

After handmassaging

After some thinking I came up with the idea of engaging the Happy Jumper in the process of making this jacket wearable.

So this is what I did:
1. I put the jacket in a bed with a springy mattress, and covered it with a thick duvet. (I removed the buckles from the adjusting straps, to avoid damage to the leather).

2. I called the Happy Jumper (which also happens to be my 9 year old son) and told him to have a good time in dads bed.

The Happy Jumper in action

3. After about half an hour I had a much more supple jacket, still a way to go, but absolutely wearable - and an exhausted, but very Happy Jumper.

After HJ treatment

The jacket is a 1950's Halfbelt in vintage brown, with these modifications: 2" added length to body and arms (on the amazing Amandas suggestion, I am 6ft. 4"), breast pocket on the right side (I am lefthanded), 2 inside pockets, and a sloping front, 1930's style.

 

[bbc1969]

Very nice looking jacket. Very ingenious way to handle two issues. I presume the bedtime issue was easy to deal with after the workout!

 

[Peacoat]

I use a variation on that technique. I put the jacket between the mattress and the box springs, but I don't use a 9 year old boy to jump on the mattress.

 

[AEH]

Very nice looking jacket. Very ingenious way to handle two issues. I presume the bedtime issue was easy to deal with after the workout!

Absolutely good for getting the Happy Jumper ready for bed, but in the long run a rather costly method

 

[eClairvaux]

Absolutely good for getting the Happy Jumper ready for bed, but in the long run a rather costly method

The best thing about it is, that he will always remember this.
Thanks for the story, I'll let my son have go at it when my new jacket arrives...

 

[H.Johnson]

Interesting.

I've clearly been getting this wrong all along.

My method of breaking in a horsehide (or any other hide) jacket has been to wear it in all weathers for all purposes for prolonged periods of time (more than 40 years in some cases).

In spite of the error of my ways, it seems to have worked...

 

[Tommer45]

HJ you make it clear in thread after thread that you dislike hearing about how people speed up the break in process of their jackets. AEH was simply posting a cute story about him and his son. To each his own... right?

AEH, funny stuff... I'd try your method when my next jacket arrives but my 4 month old hasn't quite mastered yet!

Tommer

 

[bobjones]

I use a variation on that technique. I put the jacket between the mattress and the box springs, but I don't use a 9 year old boy to jump on the mattress.

So then who is really happier when a new jacket arrives, you or your wife

 

[Peacoat]

So then who is really happier when a new jacket arrives, you or your wife

Finally!

 

[Doublegun]

How about throwing a new jacket in the dryer (with the heat off) with some dry towels? Not quite as much fun as unleashing the kids but it might be a good way to do it.

Regarding your jacket. I covet an Aero Half-Belt more and more every day, however every day I hear/see things Loungers have done to tweak the design. Never thought about the sloping front though. Would you mind posting photos of you wearing the jacket? I am intersted to see how the jacket looks with the sloping front.

Thanks

 

[AEH]

Jacket in dryer

How about throwing a new jacket in the dryer (with the heat off) with some dry towels? Not quite as much fun as unleashing the kids but it might be a good way to do it.

Regarding your jacket. I covet an Aero Half-Belt more and more every day, however every day I hear/see things Loungers have done to tweak the design. Never thought about the sloping front though. Would you mind posting photos of you wearing the jacket? I am intersted to see how the jacket looks with the sloping front.

Thanks

Actually I was thinking about that myself, but I was afraid that it would be too tough on the jacket. My idea was to put it in the dryer inside a duvet cover for protection, and with a few of my sons' smaller practicing footballs for effect. The jacket is still a bit stiff, so maybe I have to give it a try

I will try to get some pictures taken, maybe in a couple of days.

And I must say, I really believe that each and every man (and woman) should break in their jackets as they feel right. But one other benefit from the "Happy Jumper" method is that it shows the kid that with a little thought you can do things in a smarter, and often funnier, way lol

 

[Cooperson]

Superb jacket AEH, great design and very nice looking leather. I'm with you on breaking leather in, life is too short to suffer years in an uncomfortable jacket, but each to his own I suppose.

 

[H.Johnson]

Right. Someone who pays for a jacket can do what he or she likes with it. I don't 'dislike hearing' about these 'bonding' (as I suspect) rituals that people go through with their purchases. I find some of them very amusing - my favourite being the suggestion to tape the new $600+ jacket in a PVC bag and drive a car backwards and forwards over it for a while.

I just don't think that such activities are necessary. I can't see anything wrong with just getting on with wearing a jacket, like people used to do. To each his own, as you say.

HJ you make it clear in thread after thread that you dislike hearing about how people speed up the break in process of their jackets. AEH was simply posting a cute story about him and his son. To each his own... right?

Tommer

 

[icecold]

Wow, very nice jacket, and a great story .

this is a long half belt without the flap pockets, correct? I really like the look of it, and the color is amasing. I bet in 10 years your son will be stealing it from your closet when going on dates to woo the chicks with his mad vintage style, imparted by his dad

 

[rnrswitch]

Right. Someone who pays for a jacket can do what he or she likes with it. I don't 'dislike hearing' about these 'bonding' (as I suspect) rituals that people go through with their purchases. I find some of them very amusing - my favourite being the suggestion to tape the new $600+ jacket in a PVC bag and drive a car backwards and forwards over it for a while.

I just don't think that such activities are necessary. I can't see anything wrong with just getting on with wearing a jacket, like people used to do. To each his own, as you say.

People also didn't used to post pics of their jackets online and chat about their new FQHH jacket, but we all find ourselves doing that, so there is an inherent lack of authenticity to this process, but we have come to accept that.

 

[Doublegun]

What's the difference between brown FQHH and "vintage" brown FQHH? Would it make any difference how long it takes to break a jacket in?

 

[H.Johnson]

True, practices become 'traditional' through people copying one another's behaviour. The WWW is some 18 years old. People are copying these methods of treating new jackets from what they read on forums such as this. Growing up in the 1950s, I copied my practices from people who learned theirs in the 1930s and 40s, when people regarded FQHH jackets and coats as protective (rather than fashion) clothing and 'just wore them'.

I used to think that this forum was about preserving traditions from this era in the face of modern change, but I'm beginning to change my mind about that.

People also didn't used to post pics of their jackets online and chat about their new FQHH jacket, but we all find ourselves doing that, so there is an inherent lack of authenticity to this process, but we have come to accept that.

 

[H.Johnson]

I respectfully suggest that the thing that has the greatest effect on how long it will take to make a new jacket conform to the wearer's body is the wearer, not the jacket. If you are physically very active, wear the jacket outdoors a lot and live in a climate that alternates between rain with dry periods, you will soften any given leather garment more quickly than would someone who sits around, drives everywhere and lives in a dry climate. What softens leather is repeated flexing and alternate wetting and drying. Finishes that are called 'vintage' usually affect only the surface of the leather and would probably have at best a marginal effect on how the leather 'fills' or softens.

What's the difference between brown FQHH and "vintage" brown FQHH? Would it make any difference how long it takes to break a jacket in?

 

[AEH]

Wow, very nice jacket, and a great story .

this is a long half belt without the flap pockets, correct?

It's a 1950's Halfbelt with 2" added length to body and arms, breast pocket on the right side (I am lefthanded), 2 inside pockets, and a sloping front, 1930's style. I like to have the inside pockets, but I can see that over time they will be very visible on the jacket front, because of the leather thickness in the pockets opening (bad english, but I hope you understand what I mean)

 

[Doublegun]

I respectfully suggest that the thing that has the greatest effect on how long it will take to make a new jacket conform to the wearer's body is the wearer, not the jacket. If you are physically very active, wear the jacket outdoors a lot and live in a climate that alternates between rain with dry periods, you will soften any given leather garment more quickly than would someone who sits around, drives everywhere and lives in a dry climate. What softens leather is repeated flexing and alternate wetting and drying. Finishes that are called 'vintage' usually affect only the surface of the leather and would probably have at best a marginal effect on how the leather 'fills' or softens.

You are absolutly correct about that. I plan put away my Gortex, fleece and other high-tech jackets and wear my Aero for just about everything from shopping to taking out the trash and walking the dogs, regardless of the weather. Seems like most of you own miltiple leather jackets but I am willing to bet that those who owned these types of garments back in the day only owned one and probably wore it for every thing they did every day. They were practical garments, not fashion statements.

What has captivted me about Aero is that they seem to build a very high quality product out of pretty much the same materials and processes used in the 30's, 40's and 50's. In an age where so many manufactureres have cut corners it is refreshing and exciting to find a company that appears to do things the way they should be done and I am willing to pay for that type of product to support those types of companies.