Do try this at home: leather jacket repair tips

[Canuck Panda]

@Marc mndt
The spot treatment looked like it work very well on the back. But TBH I think this coat is one size too small for you even after stretching. It's more modern day 38/40, and you're 42. The shoulder/back feels tight right? I can see why you would put in all the time to make it work though, it is very nice coat, I would too try to make it work.
I am guessing this leather is more chrome tanned than veg tanned right? I tried your soak and stretch method on a few of my jackets before but I didn't document them. The 5Star chrome tanned always turned out better than the veg tanned vicenza, which would actually shrink about 1/4" to 1/2" once fully dried even when it did stretch when soaked. Just wanted to point that out veg tan can be very tricky with water and heat. Chrome no problem.

 

[seres]

I recently managed to stretch up the too short sleeves....

I did the same thing with horsehide Vicenza from Aero. Soak the sleeve, and then gently stretch as it dried over a 24 hour period. I was able to get about 1 inch extra length.

 

[Marc mndt]

But TBH I think this coat is one size too small for you even after stretching.

You're right, it is too small. But this jacket is way too cool, I need to make it work. It's tight but it doesn't feel restrictive. It looks ok right?

I am guessing this leather is more chrome tanned than veg tanned right?

I guess chrome tanned. Is there any way to tell?

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

You're right, it is too small. But this jacket is way too cool, I need to make it work. It's tight but it doesn't feel restrictive. It looks ok right?

View attachment 358529



I guess chrome tanned. Is there any way to tell?

that looks great. No complaints from me LOL.

I did something similar to the wet sleeve technique but to the gut area. Got the jacket wet. While wearing I wrapped a big sweatshirt around my lower waist to create more bulk. Worked great until I got greedy and moved the line up further to get more stretch above the belly button. At that point I think there was too much tension on the zipper and it came apart.

Was trying to figure out a way to the lay the jacket open, hang it along one side and then attach weights to the other side to pull it. I chickened out because not sure the stretching would be uniform over so much area. I think with the sleeves, it's a smaller patch and at least mentally seems like it can be more controlled.

 

[Canuck Panda]

@Marc mndt Very slim fitting. But looks great! I get the extra effort now.

The only way to know if it's chrome or veg is burn a very small strip, like match stick sized. If there is blue tint white crystals ash after burning, that's chrome salt. Veg tan will burn clean no salt like crystals remaining. Next time I get a chrome hide I will take some photos. If there is no tag saying its veg tan or chrome tanned then there is no way to know, for vintage jackets. For some reason I thought this one was Californian Chrome Tanned Steerhide jacket.

 

[Marc mndt]

The only way to know if it's chrome or veg is burn a very small strip, like match stick sized.

I think this jacket has endured enough of my torturing. I'm not going to set it on fire lol.

Funny. @Monitor told me the other day that stretching only works with vegetable tanned leathers. I think it works with both. I got an extra inch chest width out of my FL:

Vegetable tanned:

 

[Canuck Panda]

@Marc mndt I tried to stretch my Aero vicenza A1 in olive green. I got it up about 1/2" to an 1" when wet. But it dried to 1/4" - 1/2" smaller than it was originally. It could be my laundry room is too warm? Or the cotton drill lining shrank too? I don't know. My olive vicenza was not stretchy at all in the right direction.
My five stars I washed them all trying to imitate the Thedi look, and they all worked well, except my waxing skills still needs some work.
That's why I thought there was a diff between veg and chrome stretching. But my experience was based off one veg jacket so.
I am gonna give my FL a stretch job too now seeing your success.

 

[Will Zach]

^^
Did you dry it under tension? When thoroughly dried under tension it should not shrink back.

 

[ton312]

You're right, it is too small. But this jacket is way too cool, I need to make it work. It's tight but it doesn't feel restrictive. It looks ok right?

View attachment 358529



I guess chrome tanned. Is there any way to tell?

Stretch or no stretch I am exceedingly jealous. I couldn’t even get it on for a pic. I think it looks great on you! Trim and neat. Perfect Halfbelt if ever there was one. I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my days looking for it’s twin in my size. Probably without any luck.

 

[Peacoat]

You're right, it is too small. But this jacket is way too cool, I need to make it work. It's tight but it doesn't feel restrictive. It looks ok right?

View attachment 358529

It looks good to me. If it isn't restrictive, it isn't too tight.

 

[Will Zach]

I would like to share some results on treating naked cowhide with Pecards. As many here know, naked cowhide absorbs oils and other liquids (such as water) like crazy because it has no topcoat. In the process it darkens considerably, which is an optical effect of the liquid phase on the fibers (same as you spill some liquid fat on Kraft paper - you see a darker stain because the fibers are wetted). In substrates such as leather or paper which have a robust topcoat on this darkening effect is barely noticeable. In fact, this effect is absent on my bright yellow Shields CR which has a darn near impermeable topcoat. I will have a separate post on that. Back to the topic - there is much discussion how permanent this darkening effect with oils is on naked cowhide. I think it never goes back to the original color if the color is reasonably bright to begin with. I am planning to post pics in a few months intervals to see how the color changes.

I picked up a Fidelity racer in uncoated cowhide off Ebay for $40, lol. As you see, the color is a bit bland and boring (at least to me, lol). So I treated it with Pecards, generously. I mean I slathered it on, and then hit with a hair dryer to melt it and absorb into the fibers. It absorbed quickly, with some massaging.

Before:

One day after:

 

[handymike]

It looks great now! My experience is that Pecard’s will lighten back up in 6 months or so. For more permanent darkening, I recommend Dr. Jacksons Hide Rejuvenator or Obenaufs.

 

[Will Zach]

I will post a 6-month pics. I will be happy even if it stays two shades darker. Right now it looks like four shades darker, lol.

 

[Jin431]

You're right, it is too small. But this jacket is way too cool, I need to make it work. It's tight but it doesn't feel restrictive. It looks ok right?

View attachment 358529



I guess chrome tanned. Is there any way to tell?

It looks just right zippe up, perfectly trim in the body and sleeves. how does it look unzipped?


What do you stuff it with to stretch the chest width?

 

[Marc mndt]

It looks just right zippe up, perfectly trim in the body and sleeves. how does it look unzipped?

What do you stuff it with to stretch the chest width?

Pillows from our outdoor furniture

 

[Canuck Panda]

^^
Did you dry it under tension? When thoroughly dried under tension it should not shrink back.

No, and I think that was my problem. I stretched it when wet and then just lay flat to dry. I will try to keep it stretched to dry. Good point.

I would like to share some results on treating naked cowhide with Pecards. As many here know, naked cowhide absorbs oils and other liquids (such as water) like crazy because it has no topcoat. In the process it darkens considerably, which is an optical effect of the liquid phase on the fibers (same as you spill some liquid fat on Kraft paper - you see a darker stain because the fibers are wetted). In substrates such as leather or paper which have a robust topcoat on this darkening effect is barely noticeable. In fact, this effect is absent on my bright yellow Shields CR which has a darn near impermeable topcoat. I will have a separate post on that. Back to the topic - there is much discussion how permanent this darkening effect with oils is on naked cowhide. I think it never goes back to the original color if the color is reasonably bright to begin with. I am planning to post pics in a few months intervals to see how the color changes.

I picked up a Fidelity racer in uncoated cowhide off Ebay for $40, lol. As you see, the color is a bit bland and boring (at least to me, lol). So I treated it with Pecards, generously. I mean I slathered it on, and then hit with a hair dryer to melt it and absorb into the fibers. It absorbed quickly, with some massaging.

Before:

View attachment 358688

View attachment 358691

One day after:

View attachment 358693

View attachment 358696

It literally went from cognac to burgundy! Only conditioning? No dye? Getting myself some Picard. And all this time I've been using the same Lexol I use on my car seats.

View attachment 358714



Pillows from our outdoor furniture

View attachment 358715

How did I miss those Shell Derbys yesterday. Nice.

 

[Jin431]

View attachment 358714



Pillows from our outdoor furniture

View attachment 358715

That fits just right, looks like you can even lightly layer with it. You have been on a great streak with these vintage finds!

Wow can't believe what a big difference that pillow made on stretching the chest of that jacket

 

[Will Zach]

This dude did it as well.

https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/stretching-your-jacket-up-a-size.1387/

I did it on competition weight Vanson horsehide jacket. But to stretch 4-oz chrome tanned horsehide pillows won't work. The tension you need to put on this is higher, so the risk of popping seams is higher, too. I put on two thick sweatshirts and the wet Vanson (which was a size too small) on top, and zipped up. I let it dry on me (took a day). And it worked to perfection. But the jacket was fairly new, built like a tank, so no popped seams or lining.
PS - my wife is used to my jacket crazyness, so she just rolled her eyes when I paraded around the house in two hoodies and a wet Vanson for a day. She probably thought "at least that is harmless, could have been much worse", lol.

 

[Marc mndt]

My contribution— mail it to Dena.

Though I do use the following to reinforce the zipper tape when it starts to fray. Best product I have found so far, no question.

View attachment 351741

How should I apply this stuff?

 

[Will Zach]

No, and I think that was my problem. I stretched it when wet and then just lay flat to dry. I will try to keep it stretched to dry. Good point.

It literally went from cognac to burgundy! Only conditioning? No dye? Getting myself some Picard. And all this time I've been using the same Lexol I use on my car seats.


How did I miss those Shell Derbys yesterday. Nice.

Yeah, no dye, just a layer of Pecards and a hair dryer to melt it and then massaged it in by hand.

Just be aware that ymmv - the effect is very dependent on hide, any coating on it, etc, etc. In this case the effect is the most striking I have ever seen - from a light cognac color to deep burgundy. In fact, the damn thing was *black* right after application; it began to lighten up in spots after a few hours as the remainder of Pecards worked itself in. It will continue to lighten no doubt, I just hope it will remain a couple of shades darker than the original color. What I also noticed is that different areas of wear revealed different shades of burgundy after application - this may mean that when all is said and done the jacket may show more depth and character. We shall see - I will post pics after six months.