Field Leathers

[Marc mndt]

I am SORRY! Marc.

I didn't intend to make fun of your comment to me. Shit comes out of my mouth a lot. But I didn't mean to make fun of your comment. I do my best these days not to use swear words. But shit still comes out. Again, Sorry! Hopefully my clear intention (not make fun of your comment) has helped to clear some of the bad feeling (which I am very SORRY for)

This is a Hobby, and I've ruined it in this thread for everyone who felt upset by it. It was not my intention. I wish we could do this in person then you will see what I mean. Shit coming out of my mouth in a face to face situation cause a laughter not harm like this. I am sorry for that.

Everyone who got upset with what I posted I am SORRY. Not my intend. Before digging myself further into the hole I will stop here with words. Just know I don't have any ill intention for anyone. Sorry again.

No worries buddy, we're all just really passionate about this awesome hobby of ours.

 

[Aloysius]

So the site is listing navy pigment-finish Shinki again. (In the absence of chrome tan, pigment is my choice for the increased resistance; this is why I like my 'Blackened' Vicenza over black.)

Has he restocked it? I know he'd understandably discontinued it due to lack of demand– though the lack of demand itself puzzles me, because why wouldn't people want that beautiful navy hide?

 

[Canuck Panda]

Probably brought the navy Shinki back for a few custom orders that asked for them but still has some leftover from the bulk orders.

If he made a trucker design I bet those navy Shinkis will fly off the shelves. Or western shirt...

 

[Aloysius]

Probably brought the navy Shinki back for a few custom orders that asked for them but still has some leftover from the bulk orders.

If he made a trucker design I bet those navy Shinkis will fly off the shelves. Or western shirt...

I wonder if I can ask him to hold on to some for my jacket whenever my spot comes up…

 

[Canuck Panda]

what did you order? design/style wise...

I am sure he can hold some for you. People usually go for black or brown. Navy Shinkis are rare.

 

[Aloysius]

what did you order? design/style wise...

I am sure he can hold some for you. People usually go for black or brown. Navy Shinkis are rare.

I picked something random, made it clear in conversation with Greg that it was just a placeholder.

I think I might go with his J-82.

 

[Aloysius]

Maybe he can't or does not want to look into it, but if it is possible to make a jacket in 3mm cow, it should be possible to make a shell jacket. Only issue are the small hides.

^^^ This. It is totally doable to make a Shell Cordovan jacket.

Largest shells are about 4 square feet. Big enough for any body panels or sleeves. But that's it. The 500 dollar XXL shell is only good for, one panel in extra long or extra wide. And thus the cost will add up, very fast...

For the butt guys:

This atelier in London is making mixed horsebutt and shell jackets. Not quite pure shell, but a step closer to what you're looking for?

 

[Canuck Panda]

For the butt guys:

This atelier in London is making mixed horsebutt and shell jackets. Not quite pure shell, but a step closer to what you're looking for?

As much as I am a butt guy and a fronts guy and a everything else guy, the butts just aren't ideal for jackets. It'd be cool to have an accent D pocket or something but the edges are finished more like the painted wallets edge not folded blind stitched/top stitched. It can be done, but stiffens up the whole jacket and not really wearable.

The butts (either strips or shell) are really tanned for boots and bags and not apparel. I've tried and failed. Don't make my mistake. Money is better off spent somewhere else.

For apparel the leather can be thick, but the tanning intention is for chaps, not boots and bags. Those are tanned to hold shape, almost opposite in apparel. I am pivoting and making bags out of my butt strips...

If it's exotic leather, from Greg, I think it's gonna be his upcoming game hides, deer/elk. CF Stead I assume. Aniline uncorrected. Not jumbo thick more 3oz, but I think the European deer hides (from CF Stead) is a lot more refined than the ones we can get from the American tanneries. Not 100% sure, that is just my speculation and expectation.

 

[Aloysius]

I mean I wouldn’t want a garment made of horsebutt or shell but both of you seemed to express an interest so maybe this workshop could carry out the project is all.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I mean I wouldn’t want a garment made of horsebutt or shell but both of you seemed to express an interest so maybe this workshop could carry out the project is all.

I still am... sort of. And I do appreciate the tip on that new maker. I followed him/her. More Y3 Yamawhatever but cool. I am a strong believer in using ALL material, wabi sabi. It's just hard to make it look intended.
My obsession with shell jacket was not due to price but more about the shine. All the shell shoes I had never really need polishing and always looks shiney. I thought maybe I can have a jacket finished like that. Still looking.

 

[Canuck Panda]

FIELD LEATHERS on Instagram: "Making a Idaho jacket from start to finish #making #makingleatherjackets #fieldleathers #madewithpassion #leather #leatherjackets #shinki #shinkihorsehide #sewing #fashion #mensfashion #talonzipper #brass #brasshardware"

450 likes, 42 comments - fieldleathers on May 2, 2022: "Making a Idaho jacket from start to finish #making #makingleatherjackets #fieldleathers #madewithpassion #leather #leatherjackets #shinki #shinkihorsehide #sewing #fashion #mensfashion #talonzipper #brass #brasshardware".

www.instagram.com

 

[red devil]

For the butt guys:

This atelier in London is making mixed horsebutt and shell jackets. Not quite pure shell, but a step closer to what you're looking for?

Thanks, I am not looking for a horsebutt jacket specifically, I was just commenting on the possibility to make them

Speaking of which, LW use the whole hides to make their jackets, if you own one, chances are that there is some horsebutt somewhere, most often the kidney panel.

What I would really like is a Field jacket that fits me, I was one of those wanting to use the navy shinki.

Edit: typos

 

[Damon141]

I still am... sort of. And I do appreciate the tip on that new maker. I followed him/her. More Y3 Yamawhatever but cool. I am a strong believer in using ALL material, wabi sabi. It's just hard to make it look intended.
My obsession with shell jacket was not due to price but more about the shine. All the shell shoes I had never really need polishing and always looks shiney. I thought maybe I can have a jacket finished like that. Still looking.

Shell cordovan is just an amazing material and if a jacket pattern which would allow the small hides and be functionally wearable, and the person could afford the cost then it could be something very special.

I can share my experience with one of my Shinki Shell wallets. I received this one as a gift and sadly getting into my vehicle it had fallen out of my pocket. On an errand I noticed it was missing so I hurried home only to find it had been run over and thought there was no hope, after contacting a dozen Etsy wallet makers only one was brave enough to replace the outer layer (shell side). But he first told me about an old process called “boning” in which you use a lubricant of some kind, I used just lexol. Then you would use a bone or in my case the back of a spoon to remove any imperfections by rubbing the surface very hard.

As you can see from the pictures left to right (Christmas day, damaged, final outcome). the outcome was great and it saved my wallet. I will always remember that Etsy seller and will surely purchase something from him in the future.

 

[Aloysius]

I would not spend money on anything ‘premium’ made out of Shinki shell.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Shell cordovan is just an amazing material and if a jacket pattern which would allow the small hides and be functionally wearable, and the person could afford the cost then it could be something very special.

I can share my experience with one of my Shinki Shell wallets. I received this one as a gift and sadly getting into my vehicle it had fallen out of my pocket. On an errand I noticed it was missing so I hurried home only to find it had been run over and thought there was no hope, after contacting a dozen Etsy wallet makers only one was brave enough to replace the outer layer (shell side). But he first told me about an old process called “boning” in which you use a lubricant of some kind, I used just lexol. Then you would use a bone or in my case the back of a spoon to remove any imperfections by rubbing the surface very hard.

As you can see from the pictures left to right (Christmas day, damaged, final outcome). the outcome was great and it saved my wallet. I will always remember that Etsy seller and will surely purchase something from him in the future.

That's quite amazing, with just Lexol and arm grease you were able to bring that back. Shells are amazing material. I got them for card holders too. Last forever without much maintenance at all. Way better than any luxury brand calf crap.

I would not spend money on anything ‘premium’ made out of Shinki shell.

You mean the (Japanese) school kids back packs right? I don't know why they did that...

But Ogawa finished stuff is quite good. The price is same as Horween though, so there isn't much incentive. The regular Shinki Shells are less expensive than both of those but there is paint peeling problems, like the kids back packs.

 

[Aloysius]

You mean the (Japanese) school kids back packs right? I don't know why they did that...

It’s a perfectly good material, for what it is. They never pretended it was a ‘premium’ material, it’s just weather resistant for kids’s bags.

However, due to the Shinki fetish among people who cluelessly exalt Japanese brands, you will now see $1000+ boots made out of cheap Shinki shell lol. Ten years ago it was only being used by those low end Spanish shoe brands.

Japanese makers of all kinds will often a range from basic to premium products. Seiko is a good example. Americans have trouble understanding this, which is why they dismiss the high end Seiko because they came to know the brand through affordables.

Likewise, they encountered Shinki through their fetishized expensive Japanese products, so they assume there aren’t low end Shinki products.

 

[DamonCyclee]

Shell cordovan is just an amazing material and if a jacket pattern which would allow the small hides and be functionally wearable, and the person could afford the cost then it could be something very special.

I can share my experience with one of my Shinki Shell wallets. I received this one as a gift and sadly getting into my vehicle it had fallen out of my pocket. On an errand I noticed it was missing so I hurried home only to find it had been run over and thought there was no hope, after contacting a dozen Etsy wallet makers only one was brave enough to replace the outer layer (shell side). But he first told me about an old process called “boning” in which you use a lubricant of some kind, I used just lexol. Then you would use a bone or in my case the back of a spoon to remove any imperfections by rubbing the surface very hard.

As you can see from the pictures left to right (Christmas day, damaged, final outcome). the outcome was great and it saved my wallet. I will always remember that Etsy seller and will surely purchase something from him in the future.

That is how they restore well worn or damaged footwear with "boning" or with very fine grit sand paper and sand it away and redye. The boning essentially repeat the glass jack operation during the finishing process at the tannery.

Check out bedos on YouTube, he has a lot of videos restoring all kind of leather.

 

[DamonCyclee]

It’s a perfectly good material, for what it is. They never pretended it was a ‘premium’ material, it’s just weather resistant for kids’s bags.

However, due to the Shinki fetish among people who cluelessly exalt Japanese brands, you will now see $1000+ boots made out of cheap Shinki shell lol. Ten years ago it was only being used by those low end Spanish shoe brands.

Japanese makers of all kinds will often a range from basic to premium products. Seiko is a good example. Americans have trouble understanding this, which is why they dismiss the high end Seiko because they came to know the brand through affordables.

Likewise, they encountered Shinki through their fetishized expensive Japanese products, so they assume there aren’t low end Shinki products.

I had a feeling the shinki shells they make like you alluded to it's not same quality as the ones that they provide to Japanese makers. The shinki shell i've handled from Meermin it's not great, not even as good as the cheap Argentia shells. I got caught in the hype too, they claim it takes them 1 year to tan their shells, and horween take 6 month, longer tannning must be better right ? Nope. I think this is mostly a culture thing, the best qualities products are made for our its people, while the rejects goes to export to the companies outside of japan. This mentality pretty much applies to all things in japan.

When Hieml and Field leather started use "shinki" hides and people are hyping it up, I just sort of roll my eyes, I'm pretty sure it's not the same quality hides as the Japanese makers uses. With that being said, it's not like both of them can get Horween's FQHH (imo light years ahead of shinki, specially if you live in a area that doesn't have 99% sunshine a year. I mean how can you beat something that was meant to uses as tank gaskets in ww2?)

 

[Aloysius]

I had a feeling the shinki shells they make like you alluded to it's not same quality as the ones that they provide to Japanese makers. The shinki shell i've handled from Meermin it's not great, not even as good as the cheap Argentia shells. I got caught in the hype too, they claim it takes them 1 year to tan their shells, and horween take 6 month, longer tannning must be better right ? Nope. I think this is mostly a culture thing, the best qualities products are made for our its people, while the rejects goes to export to the companies outside of japan. This mentality pretty much applies to all things in japan.

When Hieml and Field leather started use "shinki" hides and people are hyping it up, I just sort of roll my eyes, I'm pretty sure it's not the same quality hides as the Japanese makers uses. With that being said, it's not like both of them can get Horween's FQHH (imo light years ahead of shinki, specially if you live in a area that doesn't have 99% sunshine a year. I mean how can you beat something that was meant to uses as tank gaskets in ww2?)

No, you're misunderstanding. Shinki shell is not a high end material whether you're buying it from a Japanese or foreign maker. It's made as a cheap water-resistant material for Japanese children's backpacks. At some point, cheap shoe makers started using it because "shell" was trending, and the shoes were predictably garbage, though at least the product was cheap. Now, due to the Shinki hype from the workwear community, they will specifically request "Shinki shell" on their expensive shoes/boots, even though that's a waste on something high end.

As for Shinki horsehide, the "not the same quality hides as the Japanese makers use" rumor from the workwear community about western makers who use Japanese leather is baseless. If anything, I think it's the other way around. Japanese companies often want more correction of the hide. Shinki was shopped when Chapman requested uncorrected hides.

Horween makes a lot of different FQHH products. What did you have in mind?

I agree that there's hype about Shinki, and it's often just a version of brand hype, there isn't such a gap.

 

[Damon141]

If it were an option with Fields then I would choose a mid weight combination tanned Horween leather for one of the jackets that I am waiting on. I do feel like it would last longer than Shinki especially for the one that I will ride in.

If more people would ask then he might be on board but it’s hard for a small maker to keep it in stock if nobody requests it.
I have to wonder how many jackets that Simmons Built churns out because they seem to have over 10 leather choices on hand. I didn’t realize they were a larger operation