Calling on all AERO "Happy Days" Jacket owners...

[Dagenham Dave]

Cheers. Is the Seal Jerky considerably lighter and thinner than the FQHH?

 

[Fanch]

My input would be to go with seal Vicenza over seal jerky for a nicer hand/feel, and a much better drape. My Mulligan is seal jerky HH, and my two Sheenes are russet and black Vicenza. IMO the difference is night and day. The Vicenza HH was not available when I ordered my Mulligan. Nothing wrong with the seal jerky HH but am of the strong opinion Vicenza is well worth the additional upcharge, and then some!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Cool - well I did advise you when you started that FQHH is hard to get use out of in Melbourne. It's so beautiful to look at and so utterly impractical for our climate. It's also not a great deal of fun to wear in my opinion.

I've found the most practical leather down here is 2.2oz. A nice goatskin could work. The leather I wear in Melbourne the most is a calfskin utility jacket by a local maker and a Brooks cafe racer - both under 2.2oz.

I'd be interested in trying a light horsehide one day.

 

[jacketjunkie]

If it's supposed to be more lightweight, I'd also consider goatskin. Seal brown goatskin with russet knits looks amazing and the jacket will have an amazing patina in 70-80 years!

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Cool - well I did advise you when you started that FQHH is hard to get use out of in Melbourne. It's so beautiful to look at and so utterly impractical for our climate. It's also not a great deal of fun to wear in my opinion.

You're right Seb. I should have listened in the first place. And I particularly agree with your last statement - "It's also not a great deal of fun to wear in my opinion."

Which Aero leather is most like this 50s original below in your opinions?

 

[Seb Lucas]

There's nothing especially unique about the hide of that vintage jacket. The hide is flat and uniform - the character it has is the age and the wear to the surface dye. Mid-weight steer hide would give you similar properties. To copy that look you probably need a surface spray dye that wears off and shows a lighter color underneath to get that effect. Then give it ten years. Some of the hides used by Aero to make A2's look like that. Aero's battered hides give you that pre-mottled look.

Incidentally you also do not want quilting in your new jacket as it will be too warm.

The hides on those period bomber jackets I have seen in the flesh are either mid-weight horse or steer and sometimes goat.

I would be wanting a hide that is no heavier than 2.2 oz. See the Aero website under Mid-Weight Leathers. When I spoke to Aero about this, mid-weight ranged form 2.2 to 2.5 oz.

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=1297

 

[Dagenham Dave]

There's nothing especially unique about the hide of that vintage jacket. The hide is flat and uniform - the character it has is the age and the wear to the surface dye. Mid-weight steer hide would give you similar properties. To copy that look you probably need a surface spray dye that wears off and shows a lighter color underneath to get that effect. Then give it ten years. Some of the hides used by Aero to make A2's look like that. Aero's battered hides give you that pre-mottled look.

Incidentally you also do not want quilting in your new jacket as it will be too warm.

The hides on those period bomber jackets I have seen in the flesh are either mid-weight horse or steer and sometimes goat.

I would be wanting a hide that is no heavier than 2.2 oz. See the Aero website under Mid-Weight Leathers. When I spoke to Aero about this, mid-weight ranged form 2.2 to 2.5 oz.

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=1297

That's why I love the look of the FQHH, because like the vintage jacket in the pictures I posted above, its hide is flat and uniform. I'm not sure any of the mid-weight horsehides offered by Aero give that flat and uniform look, especially Vicenza.

Below is another vintage jacket that has in my opinion the same flat and uniform leather look I like:

Is this Aero jacket's leather similar?

 

[Seb Lucas]

That vintage jacket doesn't especially look like FQHH to me DD. I don't have anything to add to the leather question. Good luck with your choice.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

That vintage jacket doesn't especially look like FQHH to me DD. I don't have anything to add to the leather question. Good luck with your choice.

I haven't really made my self clear in that last post. I agree that these vintage jackets don't look like FQHH. But I felt when ordering my jacket, that Brown Front Quarter Chromexcel Horsehide was the closest in terms of colour and smooth finish to the leather on the vintage ones above. Not ever owning an Aero jacket in FQHH, I was unprepared for the "shock to the system" in how damn heavy and stiff it is, as warned by another member in a much earlier post. And stupidly I ignored your warnings too Seb!!!

But I love the design and the fit of my "Happy Days". So I'm trying to work out which MID-WEIGHT Aero leather will give the closest look and drape to these vintage jackets. And it appears to me that out of all the Aero leathers, FQHH appears to be the only one that is smooth and uniform. Or am I wrong?

 

[Sloan1874]

Goat has a fine grain but tends to be uniform in appearance and is a medium weight leather with a good drape. It's hard wearing, though, so won't take on a vintage look easily. You could go for a medium steer hide, which is a smooth leather with an even appearance. It should give you a similar look, though perhaps not with the same depth of colour, that you get from the FQHH but much more wearable for you.

 

[Harris HTM]

I own a Happy Days in black vicenza (http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/happy-days-jacket.86785/). Lovely jacket. The vicenza compared to FQHH is lighter but not a light-weight leather, it has substantial thickness. The main difference is stiffness, the vicenza being supple (but not lambskin soft) right from the beginning.

 

[ProteinNerd]

They do have some light weight horse apparently. Epauletny use it in some of their custom Aero jackets, Thurston can also have jackets made in that so it is out there, I havent seen it mentioned on their website though. I'm waiting on some samples...

It's probably worth emailing them and explaining exactly what you are after and having them send you some samples.

 

[Harris HTM]

They do have some light weight horse apparently. Epauletny use it in some of their custom Aero jackets, Thurston can also have jackets made in that so it is out there, I havent seen it mentioned on their website though. I'm waiting on some samples...

It's probably worth emailing them and explaining exactly what you are after and having them send you some samples.

there is what they call italian soft horsehide, my girlfriend's mc jacket is made of this, I have uploaded some photos here:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/aero-black-soft-steerhide.90965/page-2

 

[Fonzie]

I have two Aeros, a black FQHH and an oil pull mid weight brown HH. The difference between them is like day and night.
The mid weight brown oil pull is like wearing an old t-shirt compared to the FQHH starchy stiffness, it would definitely work well in a Happy Days model.
I recommend you look into it, it has no break in process, the colour has lots of depth and variations and is really easy to wear, probably my most comfortable jacket.
It doesn't produce sleeve creases though if you're into that feature but it's very pliable right from the beginning.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

there is what they call italian soft horsehide, my girlfriend's mc jacket is made of this, I have uploaded some photos here:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/aero-black-soft-steerhide.90965/page-2

I really like this Italian Soft Horsehide in the smooth sections:

However, it is a bit grainy for my liking on the front right-hand chest piece:

Is it a mid-weight? Does it come in brown?

 

[Fonzie]

oh, and being in Oz myself too I feel that the oil pull is much more of an all rounder for this climate. I love the FQHH and I'm glad I ordered my Sheene with it, but I'm positive that I won't order any more of this leather as it is not practical for the climate of South Australia, I think.

 

[Harris HTM]

I really like this Italian Soft Horsehide in the smooth sections:

View attachment 82035

However, it is a bit grainy for my liking on the front right-hand chest piece:

View attachment 82036
Is it a mid-weight? Does it come in brown?

It is lighter than vicenza, I'd say it is rather lightweight. No idea if it comes also in brown. As the jacket wears in the grain becomes more evident keep in mind.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I haven't really made my self clear in that last post. I agree that these vintage jackets don't look like FQHH. But I felt when ordering my jacket, that Brown Front Quarter Chromexcel Horsehide was the closest in terms of colour and smooth finish to the leather on the vintage ones above. Not ever owning an Aero jacket in FQHH, I was unprepared for the "shock to the system" in how damn heavy and stiff it is, as warned by another member in a much earlier post. And stupidly I ignored your warnings too Seb!!!

But I love the design and the fit of my "Happy Days". So I'm trying to work out which MID-WEIGHT Aero leather will give the closest look and drape to these vintage jackets. And it appears to me that out of all the Aero leathers, FQHH appears to be the only one that is smooth and uniform. Or am I wrong?

All this you made very clear already and I answered it. Mid-weight steer.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

All this you made very clear already and I answered it. Mid-weight steer.

Seb, this was in relation to your thinking that I suggested that the vintage jacket looks like FQHH. I was only trying to clarify. And I'm only trying to get this one right, because it's a lot of time and money to get it wrong again.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Goat has a fine grain but tends to be uniform in appearance and is a medium weight leather with a good drape. It's hard wearing, though, so won't take on a vintage look easily. You could go for a medium steer hide, which is a smooth leather with an even appearance. It should give you a similar look, though perhaps not with the same depth of colour, that you get from the FQHH but much more wearable for you.

I can't seem to find any pictures of medium steer hide in brown on the Aero site.