Could I supply my own leather for an Aero jacket?

[Otter]

As I said, I like the look of the LW jackets, not seen a bad one yet. But the website just screams 1999, it badly needs updating. My 14 year old daughter can code a better site than that !

 

[robrinay]

I can't imagine that any premium maker would be prepared to put their name to a jacket made from leather they didn't approve of. In general they would almost certainly exclude all but leather they had selected. Risk assessment suggests the safest answer is NO! Nuff said!

 

[Edgar Laurel]

As I said, I like the look of the LW jackets, not seen a bad one yet. But the website just screams 1999, it badly needs updating. My 14 year old daughter can code a better site than that !

Your daughter could for sure. But that would make for a very unmanly website

 

[ton312]

As I said, I like the look of the LW jackets, not seen a bad one yet. But the website just screams 1999, it badly needs updating. My 14 year old daughter can code a better site than that !

Makes Stu's site look state of the art:
http://www.passaicleather.com/

 

[Peter Bowden]

Site has a certain charm

 

[Edward]

While I like the JL jackets a lot, and have two of them, I think Aero has a better selection of top end hides. The CXL they get from Horween is really nice, especially in the brown. And the seal Vicenza, from what I have seen from Carrie's posts, really knocks me out. I just don't think those two hides will be topped anytime soon. Unfortunately I don't think JL has a channel for them.

To the best of my understanding, the specific Horween Chromexel FQHH that Aero use isn't avaialble anywhere else. They do sell other treatments of FQHH to other makers, but the stuff Aero get is tanned in a very specific process that doesn't go elsewhere. I'm sure Denny or Holly could put us right on that if they're about, though.

I guess I mentioned "Aero" since I know their work to be of the highest quality. It occurs to me that I might find something local. Are there recommendations for something in the New York area? Schott is here, but I don't think that they do custom work. BTW, I don't think that Aero offers 'roo any longer. This pic, posted by Lemon328i is of an Aero Roo jacket with a wonderful color:

I was watchingh developments with the Roo myself as I gather it can be a fantastic hide forf Summer wear. Last I gathered, Aero had decided not to put itg into their standard rotation because it wasn't available in big enough quantities. I think the closest hide in terms of properties to the Roo is probably their veg-tanned goat.

I think they are called Battered Tan and Battered Seal.

They are indeed.

Is he really that "strange"?
If I was interested in one of his jackets should I aproach carefully?

Stuart has..... a unique approach to customer service, and a very clear vision about what makes a quality leather jacket. For him, it's allabout the heavy hides - I know one of his repeat buyers once asked whether he might have a lighter hide for a less heavy jacket (for warmer weather, really) - Stu's response was simply "Perhaps you just aren't manly enough for one of our jackets." Personally, I've always leaned to the opinion that someone that obssessed with being manly clearly has some sort of psychological hang-up, but there you go. Plenty of folks are happy to buy what Lost Worlds has to offer - at least enough to keep them in business. The product from them I have seen (and owned - my B3 is Lost Worlds, though I purchased second hand from a collector) is first rate, excellent stuff. Prohibitively expensive to buy from the UK now (especially withy the pound in the toilet these days), but all other things being equal, as good as any other premium maker. If you want what he has to offer stock and aren't put off by the website, I certainly can't fault the quality of his product that I've seen.

Once you're into the premium makers in general, it becomes as much about whether you like the house style and the particular way they do business as anything else.

 

[Otter]

Makes Stu's site look state of the art:
http://www.passaicleather.com/

Oh heck no !

And Edgar, don't worry she is in to genetics and microbiology. I even bought her a joke Christmas present, looks like a standard NASA logo t shirt which she already has, but actually reads "NERD". She loves it.

 

[Edgar Laurel]

To the best of my understanding, the specific Horween Chromexel FQHH that Aero use isn't avaialble anywhere else. They do sell other treatments of FQHH to other makers, but the stuff Aero get is tanned in a very specific process that doesn't go elsewhere. I'm sure Denny or Holly could put us right on that if they're about, though.



I was watchingh developments with the Roo myself as I gather it can be a fantastic hide forf Summer wear. Last I gathered, Aero had decided not to put itg into their standard rotation because it wasn't available in big enough quantities. I think the closest hide in terms of properties to the Roo is probably their veg-tanned goat.



They are indeed.



Stuart has..... a unique approach to customer service, and a very clear vision about what makes a quality leather jacket. For him, it's allabout the heavy hides - I know one of his repeat buyers once asked whether he might have a lighter hide for a less heavy jacket (for warmer weather, really) - Stu's response was simply "Perhaps you just aren't manly enough for one of our jackets." Personally, I've always leaned to the opinion that someone that obssessed with being manly clearly has some sort of psychological hang-up, but there you go. Plenty of folks are happy to buy what Lost Worlds has to offer - at least enough to keep them in business. The product from them I have seen (and owned - my B3 is Lost Worlds, though I purchased second hand from a collector) is first rate, excellent stuff. Prohibitively expensive to buy from the UK now (especially withy the pound in the toilet these days), but all other things being equal, as good as any other premium maker. If you want what he has to offer stock and aren't put off by the website, I certainly can't fault the quality of his product that I've seen.

Once you're into the premium makers in general, it becomes as much about whether you like the house style and the particular way they do business as anything else.

Thanks Edward.
I am really impressed by the look of LW jackets, the hides seem to be something really special also.
I have plans for aquiring one of his jackets but I'm/was unsure about my approach and what to expect for an answer from "The Manly Mens Man" Stu.

 

[Sloan1874]

The thing with Stu is to make sure you get the measurements for his jackets as I get the impression that they can be a bit eccentric - running quite large.
Personally, while I can get behind the quality of LW's stuff, his choice of hides has never done anything for me, but that's a taste thing.
As to the attitude, I think I reads that he's v popular with ex-military personnel, so maybe he plays up the 'no s%$¥' shtick for their benefit.

 

[Edgar Laurel]

I recognize LW doesn´t have the plethora of hide choices of other jacket makers, Stu works mainly (and manly) above all with horse hide, black and russet colours (sometimes navy, cream and even had an olive coloured hide)and also works with bison leather.
At times, quite "eccentric" hides like finnish moose appear to be available.
Not a very impressive variety for sure. But the quality seems top notch.

 

[Guppy]

To the best of my understanding, the specific Horween Chromexel FQHH that Aero use isn't avaialble anywhere else. They do sell other treatments of FQHH to other makers, but the stuff Aero get is tanned in a very specific process that doesn't go elsewhere. I'm sure Denny or Holly could put us right on that if they're about, though.

While we're waiting for them to answer, I have one of the limited edition Schott-Context CXL-113 jackets, which is made in Horween Chromexcel FQHH. I don't know for certain whether it's a different process from the Horween CXL FQHH that Aero used in my Aero jackets, but as far as I can tell, it's every bit as good leather. Not the heaviest Horween I've ever handled, but every bit as good quality. I'm not an expert, but I know what I like. If only Schott used this leather in more of their products, I would certainly own more of their jackets.