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

[JacketAddict]

Good thing you didn't have Ryan Howard do it - he would have missed and beat up the mattress.

 

[Fanch]

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.

More effective though if you are a similar size to @Big J or @casechopper.

 

[belfastboy]

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.

I have watched YouTube vis from Japan showing them breaking in a leather baseball glove. They soak the glove in water and then beat the crap out of it with a rubber or wooden mallet. Watching them do it to this fine quality leather glove is painful. But apparently there is no better way to quickly "break-in" a baseball glove. No reason why it would not work with a fine leather jacket.....although I am not going to try it!

 

[belfastboy]

Good thing you didn't have Ryan Howard do it - he would have missed and beat up the mattress.

Ouch!

 

[ProteinNerd]

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.

I've thought about this more than once but never quite gotten around to it.

 

[sweetfights]

Seasons Beatings

 

[Superfluous]

Can I wrap my ex-wife in the jacket before commencing the bat treatment?

 

[tropicalbob]

Can I wrap my ex-wife in the jacket before commencing the bat treatment?

Sure, but what about the lining?

 

[Superfluous]

Sure, but what about the lining?

It will develop a nice patina.

 

[Dav]

Given a couple of mine a back of the sofa work out, a few jabs soon gets the break in process going.

 

[Monitor]

It will develop a nice patina.

lol! Or at least you end up with a unique and fun tartan.

 

[tropicalbob]

Didn't anyone feel some sort of remorse about all this fake distressing? The day I got my Aero I sat on it a few times, but I felt like I was cheating (not to mention like an idiot) and that the jacket wouldn't reflect honest experience. Then, a few days later, I wore it when I went up to my brother's place to help him move furniture. After that, the front of the jacket was all marked up and it was pretty well broken in, but I figured that that was what leather jackets were for. Anybody feel just a teensy bit like a poser?

 

[El Marro]

Didn't anyone feel some sort of remorse about all this fake distressing? The day I got my Aero I sat on it a few times, but I felt like I was cheating (not to mention like an idiot) and that the jacket wouldn't reflect honest experience. Then, a few days later, I wore it when I went up to my brother's place to help him move furniture. After that, the front of the jacket was all marked up and it was pretty well broken in, but I figured that that was what leather jackets were for. Anybody feel just a teensy bit like a poser?

Not really. To be honest I feel much more like a poser wearing a stiff shiny jacket whose only wrinkles came from the box it was shipped in. I understand your point about breaking them in naturally though. I am an electrical contractor and I try to wear my leather jackets at work whenever possible. I have definitely gotten some strange looks from other tradesman I know, but the jackets break in and become comfortable much faster this way.

 

[Worf]

This the best laugh I've had in weeks. My what a violent and bloodthirsty lot we have here. The "Dark Side" (no jokes you swine) of the Lounge has revealed itself at last!

Mwa ha ha ha ha ha..

Worf....

One question aluminum vs. wood...

 

[ButteMT61]

One question aluminum vs. wood...

No choice - vintage jackets it's gotta be wood!

 

[Vespizzare]

I can't believe I stumbled across something totally new and helpful. The thought that I discovered something that even total heavy heads like Peacoat and Butte didn't know about is a mindblower. it's like in the play "The Starwagon," (Maxwell Anderson 1937) where a genius inventor is inspired by his assistant, who's really stupid. Nonetheless, all the off-the-wall comments generated inspire the brainiac into new thinking (BTW, the entire play is on YouTube). I feel like Jerry Lewis in France!

P.S. I have a foam mattress so the the bat really sunk in and pummeled the hide. It's possible that on a regular mattress the bat might just bounce off and not really punch into the leather that much.

P.P.S. A modest suggestion: perhaps this should be named the "Vespizzare Maneuver" going forward ;-)

 

[ButteMT61]

Termpur Pedic + Louisville Slugger. Winner baby

 

[kyboots]

Well the Slugger is down the street from my office and the Tempur Pedic is from Lexington 70 miles east of here. So I guess I have to fetch them.

 

[gtdean48]

3 softballs zipped into a pillow cover in the dryer with my Vanson Enfield tumbled with no heat. Lots of noise that annoyed SWMBO in addition to her displeasure in what I was doing to her dryer...She'd probably go for a few swings at the jacket if I was in it....

 

[ButteMT61]

I just found a rubber mallet. I'm going to try it. Might be more dangerous than a bat though as the area of impact will be much smaller. Hmmm, should I?