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Finds and Deals - Leather Jacket Edition

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,315
I have a friend who works at a very well known Los Angeles based jean Maker. He makes 20 dollars an hour. He is highly skill and has been working in the trade for 30+ years. Additionally, I became friends with a motorcycle suit repair man at a local S. Cal establishment. Sadly, He makes the same. Highly talented work does not financially reward. The owner of the business quoted me 680 for a two-hour repair job.
Ok maybe my $75 estimation was off. Here in the Netherlands you might pay a plumber $75 an hour. But that's if he's self-employed. And the Netherlands is not equal to the rest of the world of course. Cost of living here is much higher as compared to some other countries.
 
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Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
Ok maybe my $75 estimation was off. Here in the Netherlands you might pay a plumber $75 an hour. But that's if he's self-employed. And the Netherlands is not equal to the rest of the world of course. Cost of living here is much higher as compared to some other countries.
But you are much happier as a nation, so I think it is worth it!
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
What's your point, I'm missing it.

Let's say skilled machinist labor costs $75 an hour and it takes 10 hours to make a jacket. Add $500 cost for Shinki and hardware. Add marketing and design costs. Add shipping costs to retailers. Add 30% retailer markup. Add 20% VAT. Add all kinds of other costs (workshop, insurances etc etc). And suddenly you'll understand why that jacket costs $2k+.

Now for the price of vintage jackets: There's a very limited market for a used jacket with 22" back length, weak seams and possibly a musty smell. Most people don't want that: they want new, fresh shinki smell, modern fit, readily available, no surprises. And the possibility to return if it doesn't fit.
Just curious...by "most people," are you speaking of the general public, or is there a segment of the leather jacket cognoscente that is really into the newer/repro stuff. I am admittedly ignorant. I only keep up with a couple of threads on this forum, and my perception is that many on those threads like the vintage stuff. If there are two different camps, is one predominant? Thanks to anyone for the enlightenment.
 
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Blackadder

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,828
Location
China
Just curious...by "most people," are you speaking of the general public, or is there a segment of the leather jacket cognoscente that is really into the new stuff. I am admittedly ignorant. I only keep up with a couple of threads on this forum, and my perception is that many on those threads like the vintage stuff. If there are two different camps, is one predominant? Thanks to anyone for the enlightenment.
What is vintage? Older than 30 years? To the 30 something, 70s is vintage. To the teens, 90s is vintage. It is why forums and facebook groups mostly base their discussion on style.
I do have some friends who would not buy "vintage" clothes even though they do like certain vintage style.
 

Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,834
Location
SoFlo
1950s Butwin cop jacket, XL "the real deal", $599. @tmitchell59 knows it, a beast. Rare.


butwin.jpg
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,315
Just curious...by "most people," are you speaking of the general public, or is there a segment of the leather jacket cognoscente that is really into the newer/repro stuff.
I would say both. Within my Instagram bubble I hardly see vintage jacket guys. Yet there's like a million Lewis leathers / RMC / Freewheelers / FCL / Aero / Schott etc type of guys
 

Mysteryo

One Too Many
Messages
1,312
Location
Nantes (FR)
Never seen anything like this, at least what I can tell from the horrible pictures! I can say it is c.1950 with that label and zipper. What a very odd jacket. Looks to have a badge holder? Weird belt, weird pockets, just weird.

This is at a time when Sears was sorta "experimenting" with designs, perhaps a prototype for a new model. I have one early Sears MC jacket I don't think was ever in their catalog. I have seen another MC jacket with this label, but it is not the same jacket. I will look it up.

Thanks for posting this most interesting Hercules, certainly one for the Book if not the Back.
Hi guys
I have the exact same jacket without brand tag, and was wondering who could have made it.

After some time I found this listing on eBay of that same jacket with a « Mayer-Krom Co » label.
After some researches I discovered it was a shop in Milwaukee! This drove me to imagine it might have been made by Monarch (very nice details, French seams all over…)
This post opens a new perspective, maybe monarch manufactured this jacket for Hercules…
 

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Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
I have a friend who works at a very well known Los Angeles based jean Maker. He makes 20 dollars an hour. He is highly skill and has been working in the trade for 30+ years. Additionally, I became friends with a motorcycle suit repair gent at a local S. Cal establishment. Sadly, He makes the same. Highly talented work, is sometimes not financially rewarded in his case. The owner of the business quoted me 680 for a two-hour repair job.
...concerning leather repair.

An old tradesman in Wisconsin told me that towns there 50+ years ago were somewhat self-sufficient. Every town had a shoemaker, a blacksmith, a seamstress, etc etc. When old Mr Smith was nearing retirement, if he did not already have an apprentice, folks in town would meet and select a kid to learn the trade because they needed someone in town who could service the local people. And the kid would have the comfort of knowing that everyone in town would give him their business, and, in that sense, he could be assured of making a living. Costs were reasonable because there was low overhead.

The tailor and shoemaker I remember as a kid worked on everything imaginable. Forget specialization...they HAD to do everything because they were the only game in town. This model is long gone in the US. I am curious if other parts of the world still have this model today, or if it has disappeared everywhere. Wouldn't it be wonderful to drive 10 minutes down the road and get your leather jacket worked on. :)
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,732
Location
Illinois
1950s Butwin cop jacket, XL "the real deal", $599. @tmitchell59 knows it, a beast. Rare.


Yes I owned one that was very heavy. Nice jacket that no one seemed to want. Sold it cheap.
 
Messages
17,496
Location
Chicago
...concerning leather repair.

An old tradesman in Wisconsin told me that towns there 50+ years ago were somewhat self-sufficient. Every town had a shoemaker, a blacksmith, a seamstress, etc etc. When old Mr Smith was nearing retirement, if he did not already have an apprentice, folks in town would meet and select a kid to learn the trade because they needed someone in town who could service the local people. And the kid would have the comfort of knowing that everyone in town would give him their business, and, in that sense, he could be assured of making a living. Costs were reasonable because there was low overhead.

The tailor and shoemaker I remember as a kid worked on everything imaginable. Forget specialization...they HAD to do everything because they were the only game in town. This model is long gone in the US. I am curious if other parts of the world still have this model today, or if it has disappeared everywhere. Wouldn't it be wonderful to drive 10 minutes down the road and get your leather jacket worked on. :)
I have this resource with the cobbler in my neighborhood. Theodore shore repair (a 3 minute walk). For less intense work I bring my jackets to him, he's fixed suede skirts for my wife. He is actually amazing and insanely affordable. He has a near perfect yelp review with something like 600 reviews and he has been at this location for as long as I can remember.

Same with my Rogers Park Russian Tailor( 10 minute drive). She can do just about anything you ask, she is expensive. She builds men's suits, fur coats, sweats, literally just about everything you can imagine. Huge Tailoring shop and a dry cleaning business. I don't think these instances are as rare as you think, but they likely do not exist in suburban America.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
I have this resource with the cobbler in my neighborhood. Theodore shore repair (a 3 minute walk). For less intense work I bring my jackets to him, he's fixed suede skirts for my wife. He is actually amazing and insanely affordable. He has a near perfect yelp review with something like 600 reviews and he has been at this location for as long as I can remember.

Same with my Rogers Park Russian Tailor( 10 minute drive). She can do just about anything you ask, she is expensive. She builds men's suits, fur coats, sweats, literally just about everything you can imagine. Huge Tailoring shop and a dry cleaning business. I don't think these instances are as rare as you think, but they likely do not exist in suburban America.
...found this. "The Shoe Service Institute of America reports that shoe repair shops have dwindled from 100,000 in the 1930s to 15,000 in 1997 to about 5,000 today. The industry may be facing extinction, but business is booming for the cobblers who remain."

The first time I ever walked inside the cobbler nearest me I thought I was transported back 50 years in time. I wondered how the guy could be in business. Turns out he gets shoes from all of the surrounding states and is totally overwhelmed. He can sew anything leather and is also insanely inexpensive.

I tell my hs kids to forget college and learn a trade like this. In years to come, leather workers will be in much demand, especially considering the push for sustainable goods. My kids look at me like I am crazy.o_Oo_O
 

photo2u

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,351
Location
claremont california
...concerning leather repair.

An old tradesman in Wisconsin told me that towns there 50+ years ago were somewhat self-sufficient. Every town had a shoemaker, a blacksmith, a seamstress, etc etc. When old Mr Smith was nearing retirement, if he did not already have an apprentice, folks in town would meet and select a kid to learn the trade because they needed someone in town who could service the local people. And the kid would have the comfort of knowing that everyone in town would give him their business, and, in that sense, he could be assured of making a living. Costs were reasonable because there was low overhead.

The tailor and shoemaker I remember as a kid worked on everything imaginable. Forget specialization...they HAD to do everything because they were the only game in town. This model is long gone in the US. I am curious if other parts of the world still have this model today, or if it has disappeared everywhere. Wouldn't it be wonderful to drive 10 minutes down the road and get your leather jacket worked on. :)

That was the way it was in my small town in California. We had about 3 shoe cobblers and similar trades man. Today, in my town, we have only one. He is good, but very expensive. For this reason, I do my own shoe repairs. My work is just a good as his. I can honestly tell you these type of trades are no longer being practice. In Mexico, is dying very fast. There was a time when cobblers had to hire additional people to run the smaller shops. Now, nobody wants to do it because of the Chinese cheap shoes that has control of the market. In my town or nearby for matter of fact, there is not a single leather worker that I can trust. This is happening all over California. Just to give you an example, My friend owns a tortilla factory. He pays a nicer salary than the average, but he cannot keep his employees because they just do not like the work. There is no skill labor to work in such food production industry. He fears that the neighborhood tortilla factory will be a tradition of the past. Hard to believe, but true.
 
Messages
17,496
Location
Chicago
...found this. "The Shoe Service Institute of America reports that shoe repair shops have dwindled from 100,000 in the 1930s to 15,000 in 1997 to about 5,000 today. The industry may be facing extinction, but business is booming for the cobblers who remain."

The first time I ever walked inside the cobbler nearest me I thought I was transported back 50 years in time. I wondered how the guy could be in business. Turns out he gets shoes from all of the surrounding states and is totally overwhelmed. He can sew anything leather and is also insanely inexpensive.

I tell my hs kids to forget college and learn a trade like this. In years to come, leather workers will be in much demand, especially considering the push for sustainable goods. My kids look at me like I am crazy.o_Oo_O
My guy charges me $2 for seam repairs, regardless of the severity. I will never forget the first time, I had no cash (cash only business, best kind) and he let me walk out without paying. Earned a customer for life that day!
 

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