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Does HorseHide become buttery soft?

Powerband

Practically Family
Messages
846
Not sure about “buttery” but my Half Belt horsehide has become amazingly soft and pliable after several months of wear.

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tropicalbob

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3,954
Location
miami, fl
Am I the only one who finds that term irritating? I see it quite a bit on ebay and always ask myself why anyone would find it appealing in a leather jacket. One of the main appeals for me is the protective, armor-like feel of the jacket. On ebay or in ads for dept. stores, designer labels, etc. it's usually used as denoting the quality of the leather, when what they're actually selling is cheap, standardized lamb. Also, I've always found my fqhh jacket to be gratifyingly stiff when I first put it on but then relaxing after five minutes or so of wearing. I've never found it restrictive at all.
 

ProteinNerd

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3,902
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Sydney
The masses seem to think it’s better so the term gets used a lot. It does sound comfortable....

I remember years ago before I found this place and I was looking at a mall jacket in a local department store, the salesman said the softer the leather, the better the quality....I’m sure he believed it and it wasn’t just a sales technique.

It’s just what people think.
 

itsallgood

One of the Regulars
Messages
179
I have a new Chromexcel pull up jacket that I'm breaking in. I find working in the yard, in the direct sun, seems to soften it more than anything else. Zip it up and fill a barrel with weeds, especially. The bending over, getting up, twisting, turning, all in the warm sun. The jacket is noticeably different after.
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,371
Location
California
I have a new Chromexcel pull up jacket that I'm breaking in. I find working in the yard, in the direct sun, seems to soften it more than anything else. Zip it up and fill a barrel with weeds, especially. The bending over, getting up, twisting, turning, all in the warm sun. The jacket is noticeably different after.

I agree. My steerhide Highwayman went pretty limp on me this week. Have been doing yardwork in it. Not soft-there is such a thing as heavy soft leather and that isn’t it, but more armory-yet-flowey if that makes sense. Comfortably al dente.
 

jacketjunkie

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,321
Location
Germany
My horsehide Teamster got very soft too. Softest/most pliable hide I have experienced yet is bison, though. Both my SB Roadster in Horween 3,5 oz Bison and my johnson Leather Car Coat in unknown tanneries 3,75 oz bison were softer and more pliable than any horsehide or steerhide I have experienced so far. I wish Aero stocked Horween Bison, i loved that stuff from SB. Heck, if the later re-stocked that bison, I might even get another jacket from them!
 

Dr H

Call Me a Cab
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2,007
Location
Somerset, UK
The Shinki horsehide used on my Journeyman is wearing in very well, but it is medium weight and was quite flexible from day 1.
 

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ProteinNerd

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3,902
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Sydney
That zipper change is a thing of nightmares! What happened there?

Yeah it was like that when I bought it....I’m not really bothered tbh, I want this jacket to look as beat up as possible but yeah, it looks like a home job to me...
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
Yeah it was like that when I bought it....I’m not really bothered tbh, I want this jacket to look as beat up as possible but yeah, it looks like a home job to me...

Great example of what happens when you take your jacket to the local dry cleaner for repair.
Looks great overall though, but that's a pretty shoddy repair!
 

Powerband

Practically Family
Messages
846
My wife had sarcastically teased me about how stiff my new FQHH by saying, “If your dead horse ain’t showing rigor mortis, then it’s a pile of sh*t.” Then she rolled her eyes and adjusted her cashmere sweater.

I’ve adopted that saying to describe mall jackets. (Thanks, sweetie!)




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Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
It will soften and drape, but you're in the wrong game if you're hoping for 'buttery soft' leather. Reminds me of the Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham story of his utter obsession with finding the most comfortable shoes he could find. It ended with him owning a pair of moccasins that were so soft that he couldn't wear them outside his house.

Well, he could afford the best after how he shafted the Stones - doesn't he own all their sixties publishing rights?

Am I the only one who finds that term irritating? I see it quite a bit on ebay and always ask myself why anyone would find it appealing in a leather jacket. One of the main appeals for me is the protective, armor-like feel of the jacket. On ebay or in ads for dept. stores, designer labels, etc. it's usually used as denoting the quality of the leather, when what they're actually selling is cheap, standardized lamb. Also, I've always found my fqhh jacket to be gratifyingly stiff when I first put it on but then relaxing after five minutes or so of wearing. I've never found it restrictive at all.

EXACTLY. When ads read "buttery soft!" about leather, I stop reading. I associate it with low quality hides that you could tear with your bare hands. Sub-mall lamb. Typically after a couple of weeks even my heaviest new leathers have been perfectly comfortable, though. There's no need whatever to artificially accelerate the break-in - just wear the damn thing.
 

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