Did I do a bad thing? Anyway, it worked!

[Vespizzare]

I bought a nice jacket from Johnson Leathers that I posted about previously. When I posted a pic, someone said it would be better all around when the leather "relaxed." It hasn't been that cold lately, so I didn't have that many occasions to wear it and the leather (CXL cow) never *did* relax.

Anyway, I used to work in box offices and along the way I received a Christmas gift from a baseball team consisting of an authentic major league baseball bat (with my name burned in). I put the jacket on the bed and keeping away from seams, I gave it a good working over. The the result is "relaxed leather. It is sooooo much more supple now, like a well broken in leather jacket should feel like when you wear it. Ive been wearing it *a lot* recently and it definitely is way different.

I've never seen this technique posted so do other people do it sometime on a stiff leather jacket?? I can't believe I discovered a new thing.

 

[Fanch]

Sounds like your version of "tumbled" cowhide.

 

[nick123]

Not a bad thing...a very very bat thing!

 

[navetsea]

spank the stubbornness out of your jacket

 

[ton312]

You gave it the De Niro!

 

[Peacoat]

My Johnson Leathers dedicated MC jacket still isn't nice and soft. It is broken in and is comfortable to wear on the MC, but it is nowhere near "soft." I may give your method a go. My three Aero jackets are broken in but not quite on the soft side. I probably will let them break in by wearing them.

 

[ButteMT61]

Battered hide? You know, it sounds like a good idea and fun. Maybe I can even drop the Xanax if it works

 

[Seb Lucas]

Film costumers have done this to break in leather for movies for years so no harm done.

 

[Superfluous]

Thats pretty cool . . . I may have to try that.

 

[kirkaero]

I would try sitting or sleeping on the jacket first. However desperate times call for desperate measures. I owned an Aero Selkirk that made my elbows bleed while trying to break in the arms. I should have used a bat on that one. Thanks for the information.

 

[ButteMT61]

I slept on one most of this year. Didn't do much. Out comes the bat.

Warriors... Come out and plaaaaaaay!

 

[GHT]

Anyway, I used to work in box offices and along the way I received a Christmas gift from a baseball team consisting of an authentic major league baseball bat (with my name burned in). I put the jacket on the bed and keeping away from seams, I gave it a good working over.

Sounds like the corporal punishment regime of a 1950's school.

 

[willyto]

All these years watching people get beaten up by bats in the movies and they were only trying to help the guys to break in their jackets. We got it all wrong.

 

[breezer]

or just chuck it in the washing machine - cold wash - another technique uses by movie costume departments to 'break down' a jacket.

 

[Monitor]

I slept on one most of this year. Didn't do much. Out comes the bat.

Warriors... Come out and plaaaaaaay!

Right... Did that too and I even slept wearing it and all it did was got it three or four creases which look out of place.

So it's axe handle time because there are no baseball bats where I reside.

 

[navetsea]

how about trolling into a local boxing gym and throw insult at random people there, btw wear helmet.

 

[willyto]

how about trolling into a local boxing gym and throw insult at random people there, btw wear helmet.

Actually why not leave the jacket hanged on the punching bag for a while? That could actually work. Thousands of punches in the leather, that sure softens the leather.

 

[Sloan1874]

I leave new jackets on the floor of the living room and just trample on it whenever I'm passing. Helps to start the process.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Get drunk and pass out a few times somewhere. Authentic rebel breaking-in (TM).

 

[ButteMT61]

We're finally getting a clue as to how people REALLY break-in their new jackets! I never bought this, "Pecards" or "just wear it" crap either. Thread bookmarked. I gotta try some of these. If I don't come back, you'll know which I attempted...