Field Leathers

[Blackadder]

They write:
"カラ―「BLACK」は茶芯、「D.BLACK」は黒芯となります。"
So 'Black' is chashin/tea (brown) core and 'D. Black' is kokushin/black core, similar to the two black colours used by Freewheelers and alluded to by Carlos in his post above, which they call 'Black Jack' and 'Rude Black' resp..

In the pic posted by Carlos it says, that FWs normally use 'Rude Black' which has a grey black core for the LaBrea, but at that time they used the 'Black Jack' with the red brown (russet?) core, that they had used for the Speedmaster and the Dustbowl jackets before.

I just checked my JoeMcCoy car coat on RMC's site.
https://www.realmccoys.co.jp/catalog/products/detail.php?product_id=4495&pg=

There it states: "タンニン鞣しピグメント仕上げ" which translates as "Tannin tanned pigment finish".
When I bought the coat, I asked the guy from RMCs, if the black would over time reveal brown and he affirmed that.
Tannin tanned is probaly vegtan.
So the recreation of the vintage tea core seems to be mostly vegtan leather with pigment dye, brown leather underneath and then black on top, but not an impenetrable layer, but rather one which will wear off with time.

My understanding is that makers like RM nowadays uses brown aniline dyed HH with a black pigment top coat to artificially enhanced the "teacore" effect while the old vintage stuffs we often see are pigment finished raw tanned hide.
The D Black is only available in J-100 but most if not all regular issue RM jackets are brown core. FW on the other hand likes to switch the colour every year in cycle so Rude Black one year then to Vintage Black then perhaps to Black Jack hence a brown core black FW is rarer. FW does that all the time. For example, the aviator vest changes from sepia brown in year 1 to khaki in year 2 then back to sepia brown the next year.

 

[Blackadder]

I didn’t mean it was bad by any means. Just I don’t like pre-distressed or super fast fading. Some look good and look ok. Like Thedis wash he used love how that comes out. But in any case didn’t mean to sound like I don’t like it, or think it shouldn’t exist. Just a personal preference thing. Not big on pre-distressed or the really really fast fades.

Perfectly understandable. You said it right that there is a market for those products.
1) pre-distressed for anyone who just want the look right away;
2) easy to fade for people who like to do the wear and tear process but simply don't have the time and chance to finish it in their life time due to having too many clothes, the climate or not being able to wear casual clothing on work days.

 

[red devil]

Interesting. What is it about fading and wear that they appreciate so much and why?

They appreciate long lasting tools and clothing made by competent craftsmen, it is not only limited to leather jackets and denim. A sushi chef will enjoy the aging of his garment, will be happy to use his knives for decades while seeing it getting shorter from regular sharpening, etc...

 

[indigoeagle]

FW on the other hand likes to switch the colour every year in cycle so Rude Black one year then to Vintage Black then perhaps to Black Jack hence a brown core black FW is rarer. FW does that all the time. For example, the aviator vest changes from sepia brown in year 1 to khaki in year 2 then back to sepia brown the next year.

Very interesting with RMC's process. That makes sense: brown aniline dyed leather and then a black pigment dye on top.
Yes, I've seen that with the Brakeman. There they have switchted between Canyon Brown and Tatanka Brown and probably others.

What is it about the combination-tanning (コンビネーション鞣し), a mix of veg (植物タンニンなめし) and chrome tanning?
I've seen that for some RMC and also Addict jackets?
Why would they choose that and what are the differences in ageing and regarding the leather optics?

 

[Cornelius]

Brief interruption with a pair of book recommendations for those Loungers going a bit mad in lockdown; two titles which came to my mind reading the discussion above: Ametora by W. David Marx, and In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki.

 

[Marc mndt]

Back to topic. Does anyone have a FL on order right now? I would love to see some more pics of his work posted here.

 

[Berto]

Back to topic. Does anyone have a FL on order right now? I would love to see some more pics of his work posted here.

I’m in the process, waiting for leather samples.

Customized Idaho.

and looking forward to see the new designs by year end.

 

[Marc mndt]

It will be cool to see some more intricate designs, now that he has the skiving machine plus the Reece buttonhole machine on its way.

 

[red devil]

My pattern is in development, should be ready in two to three weeks I think

 

[willyto]

My pattern is in development, should be ready in two to three weeks I think

What did you order?

I am very interested in the Cossack.

 

[red devil]

A D pocket from the Tanaka book

 

[Blackadder]

Very interesting with RMC's process. That makes sense: brown aniline dyed leather and then a black pigment dye on top.
Yes, I've seen that with the Brakeman. There they have switchted between Canyon Brown and Tatanka Brown and probably others.

What is it about the combination-tanning (コンビネーション鞣し), a mix of veg (植物タンニンなめし) and chrome tanning?
I've seen that for some RMC and also Addict jackets?
Why would they choose that and what are the differences in ageing and regarding the leather optics?

Horween Chrome Excel is a highly praised combination tanned leather.
Both veg tan and chrome tan have their own pros and cons therefore tanneries try to combine the two to make a more versatile leather.

 

[indigoeagle]

Horween Chrome Excel is a highly praised combination tanned leather.
Both veg tan and chrome tan have their own pros and cons therefore tanneries try to combine the two to make a more versatile leather.

Yes, of course.
I have a few boots and leather items made from Horween Chrome Excel, very nice.

To bring the focus back to the thread here.
For me it's important to know about the characteristics of leather.
And I've had a few leather jackets, that have a great design, fit and craftsmanship, but I didn't really like the leather.
Sometimes it was too shiny. Or it just wouldn't age. Or also too soft.
So, I'd prefer a vegtan or at least aniline brown core with the pigment dye on top.
Of course everybody has different taste, preferences and expectations. Some want the jacket to look the same as when it was new.

It would be interesting to hear what Greg is saying about this.
Possibly there are some members here in the process of having a jacket made by him and also interested in these points, who could ask him. For sure, he knows all about it.

 

[Jin431]

Will receive a mock up jacket for a modified Idaho hopefully this week

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Very cool. How accurate have the fit jackets been? I have yet to do fabric to leather in terms of fit jackets and have only had leather fit jackets previously. With fabric being so different, I'm curious how well the measurements translate. I'm not trying to be skeptical because I'm going to get something from Greg myself, I'm just curious about it.

 

[Jin431]

^^ it's my first time to do the mock up jacket as well, the first jacket Greg made for me was just based off of measurements I gave him.

The front of this jacket is based off of @Marc mndt recent project with FL, he also had the mock up jacket sent to him and if I remember correctly he only had minor adjustments made to the actual leather jacket.

 

[handymike]

@Jin431 since you are still in design phase, I think the side straps look odd with the lower kidney panel and no half belt. You might consider adding a false back belt, or eliminating the straps if you want a more moto vibe.

 

[Jin431]

@Jin431 since you are still in design phase, I think the side straps look odd with the lower kidney panel and no half belt. You might consider adding a false back belt, or eliminating the straps if you want a more moto vibe.

That's what I thought too, the attached photo below is the one I requested. I dunno why Greg made it as tall as the one in the mock up jacket but I'm guessing he matched it to the height of the bottom band of the front of the jacket.

 

[handymike]

This is a great reason to have the fit process! It gives you time to ask questions and discuss these choices before the leather is cut. I would have a conversation as one isn’t like the other to my eye.

 

[Jin431]

^^ agreed, to my untrained eyes the mock up jackets back looks more like an hour glass shape compared to a more V shaped reference jacket