Custom Aero leather jacket

[Aloysius]

I suppose this shows how little I know about this stuff still. Not a lot of practical experience with leathers, more so just what I read.

For drape, Jerky and goat are perhaps the strongest contenders, because they were selected for their resemblance to WWII flight jacket hides, which had a nice draping quality, not stiff and creased like heavy jackets.

I like both types but I think from what you’ve mentioned, the A-2 hides are closer to ideal.

 

[Fonzie]

Regarding Jerky, I got the following statements from Aero:

"We no longer stock oil pull horsehide, but do have jerky. This is a mid-weight leather, which is a tea-core leather (as CXFQHH is) which means its tanned on a lighter base which will begin to show through with age."

"Jerky – vegetable based dye, crust is dyed in UK, tea core base, shows more red tones over time when breaking in."

"whereas jerky almost bounces back to it’s shape so never really moulds."

That answer my question perfectly. Leathers that done drape we’ll scare me a bit due to my build. I’m 5’7” and I workout a lot, 165 pounds, 42 inch chest and 32 inch waist, if things don’t drape they tend to be really really boxy and unflattering on me.

I think you’re confusing things. Sharp moulding and drape are not the same thing, much the opposite really.

I have five Aeros at the moment:
2 x Vincenza, 1 x Jerky HH (poor name choice as explainer earlier), 1 x CXLFQHH and 1 x Oil pull.

The two Vincenza, black and blackened brown are completely different to each other, the black is stiffer, with very pronounced creases and more matte, and the blackened brown is softer and with some shine, I’ve had for four years and the brown shown is minimal.
The panels in the BB are a mix of very grainy and very smooth, it’s still quite shiny and drapes very well, it’s very close to goat hide in hand and very comfortable.
The CXLFQHH has shown the brown core very fast and ages very fast too, the characteristics are well known here.
The British Oil pull feels thinner, doesn’t crease much and drapes like cotton.

The jerky does crease, but less pronounced than CXL or Vincenza. It shows the brown core but not as fast as CXL and doesn’t age as quick, drapes very well and doesn’t stay boxy. It’s my grab and go as well as the BB Vincenza.
To put it simply, if I had to combine everything I like out of the 5 aeros I own into one leather, the jerky would be it.

 

[Rwarren]

I have five Aeros at the moment:
2 x Vincenza, 1 x Jerky HH (poor name choice as explainer earlier), 1 x CXLFQHH and 1 x Oil pull.

The two Vincenza, black and blackened brown are completely different to each other, the black is stiffer, with very pronounced creases and more matte, and the blackened brown is softer and with some shine, I’ve had for four years and the brown shown is minimal.
The panels in the BB are a mix of very grainy and very smooth, it’s still quite shiny and drapes very well, it’s very close to goat hide in hand and very comfortable.
The CXLFQHH has shown the brown core very fast and ages very fast too, the characteristics are well known here.
The British Oil pull feels thinner, doesn’t crease much and drapes like cotton.

The jerky does crease, but less pronounced than CXL or Vincenza. It shows the brown core but not as fast as CXL and doesn’t age as quick, drapes very well and doesn’t stay boxy. It’s my grab and go as well as the BB Vincenza.
To put it simply, if I had to combine everything I like out of the 5 aeros I own into one leather, the jerky would be it.

That actually sounds very promising, does the jerky have pronounced grain after some wear? I do like the grains of aged CXL and Vicenza, I just don’t like how wrinkly Vicenza can get if that makes sense

 

[MrProper]

I have five Aeros at the moment:
2 x Vincenza, 1 x Jerky HH (poor name choice as explainer earlier), 1 x CXLFQHH and 1 x Oil pull.

The two Vincenza, black and blackened brown are completely different to each other, the black is stiffer, with very pronounced creases and more matte, and the blackened brown is softer and with some shine, I’ve had for four years and the brown shown is minimal.
The panels in the BB are a mix of very grainy and very smooth, it’s still quite shiny and drapes very well, it’s very close to goat hide in hand and very comfortable.
The CXLFQHH has shown the brown core very fast and ages very fast too, the characteristics are well known here.
The British Oil pull feels thinner, doesn’t crease much and drapes like cotton.

The jerky does crease, but less pronounced than CXL or Vincenza. It shows the brown core but not as fast as CXL and doesn’t age as quick, drapes very well and doesn’t stay boxy. It’s my grab and go as well as the BB Vincenza.
To put it simply, if I had to combine everything I like out of the 5 aeros I own into one leather, the jerky would be it.

Really interesting how different the same leather of different batches is. MyCXLFQHH took a long time for the brown to come through and the BB Vicenza had already shown some brown after the first few days. So just the opposite as with you.

 

[Aloysius]

I just don’t like how wrinkly Vicenza can get if that makes sense

This isn't all that common, to be clear, and you probably have to ask for extra grainy Vicenza.

 

[Fonzie]

This pics are not super recent, it’s the middle of summer here in Oz, but the jackets look pretty much the same apart from the CXL that looks way more brown and aged, it’s like if every time I wear it, it ages like five years compared to how the other ones age.

Seal brown Jerky HH:

Black Vic.:

 

[Fonzie]

The last one is the CXL, and this one is the Bb Vincenza:

 

[Fonzie]

Apologies for the crappy pics, my phone just uploaded the software and seems to have a mind of its own.

 

[Rwarren]

Apologies for the crappy pics, my phone just uploaded the software and seems to have a mind of its own.

No don’t apologize, this helps a lot, being able to visualize this stuff is great. Do you notice any difference between BB Vic and black Vic?

 

[Fonzie]

Heaps different, I don’t even know why are they both called Vincenza, they vary wildly.
The black vic is closer to Jerky HH and the BB Vic is closer to goat-hide, weirdly enough.
It’s known that Vincenza varies a lot between batches, my black vic one I got years ago from another fellow TFL member, @ProteinNerd , and he reckons it was one of the first Aero Vincenza offerings and that it is closer to Shinky HH (in his (very knowledgeable words, I haven’t handled Shinky myself, but from pictures, looks true).

 

[Rwarren]

Heaps different, I don’t even know why are they both called Vincenza, they vary wildly.
The black vic is closer to Jerky HH and the BB Vic is closer to goat-hide, weirdly enough.
It’s known that Vincenza varies a lot between batches, my black vic one I got years ago from another fellow TFL member, @ProteinNerd , and he reckons it was one of the first Aero Vincenza offerings and that it is closer to Shinky HH (in his (very knowledgeable words, I haven’t handled Shinky myself, but from pictures, looks true).

This is obviously not at all related to my aero purchase as they don’t offer shinki, but what is it like? I’ve seen so much near mythical praise of it.

 

[Fonzie]

I can’t help you there, I haven’t handled Shinki, but the previous owner had a few Shinki leather jackets and compared it to this particular batch of Vincenza as very similar.
I can tell you though that my black vic is super nice, I love it.

 

[Rwarren]

I can’t help you there, I haven’t handled Shinki, but the previous owner had a few Shinki leather jackets and compared it to this particular batch of Vincenza as very similar.
I can tell you though that my black vic is super nice, I love it.

How long have you had your black Vic jacket? It looks great and doesn’t look like it’s wrinkled, I like some grain but not when it’s wrinkles

 

[Boyo]

If you nail the fit of the jacket, the Leather choice hardly Matters.

 

[Liveinstyle33]

I have Vicenza, Badalassi and Horween steer.
Badalassi is my favorite. The squeak gives way to a creak after a short time and that also becomes quieter and less over time. I find it less dramatic than I had feared after the reports here. The shine fits top to the black and makes the jacket cooler than the rather matte Vicenza.
The Badalassi is great to the touch. A bit waxy and oily and soft, although it is stiff.
Vicenza in comparison feels rather dry to the touch, if that makes sense.
If you don't like grain, I would consider Horween steer, which is a bit smoother and less shiny. It's not a midweight leather then, but I don't think it's that big of a difference from Vicenza and Badalassi. The Horween is more like Badalassi than Vicenza.

Edit:
Maybe the Horween would really be something for you. No squeak, smoother, a little less shine, even a little more waxy to the touch and there are many good examples that this ages well.

Bottom Badalassi, middle CXSH, top Vicenza. Unfortunately, all of them shine the same in the picture. In fact, the Vicenza is the most matte.
View attachment 482758

Badalassi:
View attachment 482762

CXSH:
View attachment 482760

Vicenza:
View attachment 482759

Badalassi and CXSH
View attachment 482761

My horween steer Jacket has a lot of pronounced grain in it. Some sections, mostly in the front are smooth, but much of it has a very visible grain to it. One jacket is not like the other, even if it is the same species of animal and tanned the same way from the same place.

If he gets a horween tannery steer jacket, it might not be as smooth as you are saying it will be.

 

[Fonzie]

How long have you had your black Vic jacket? It looks great and doesn’t look like it’s wrinkled, I like some grain but not when it’s wrinkles

I think 5 years now, I ordered it custom via Thurston Bros. I wear it probably the most out all, super comfy.

 

[Fonzie]

I think 5 years now, I ordered it custom via Thurston Bros. I wear it probably the most out all, super comfy.

Sorry, this is for the blackened brown, the Black Vic I think it’s around 6 years old all up.

Edit: it’s 8 years old, I’ve had it for 5 of those I think, here’s the original review:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/premier-vicenza-half-belt-with-speedway-back.81359/