Fine Creek Virginia Beach-Shrink to Fit-

[tmitchell59]

Too much to write out and it is a visual so need to watch the Videos.

Start with the "Damage" video

The jacket was found after 24 hours in the Rain! Left By Accident! by ME in my backyard and it was raining. Completely soaked. I brought it in and it had no finish damage. I decided to put it in the drying, got loose from bag and came out like this.

I used a marker to color some of the damage.

I forgot I did this video, getting dark and just wearing the still very wet jacket.

This is the current look of the jacket with measurements and Fit.

These are the measurements from the Self Edge website and the "new" numbers that I discuss in the Video

 

[sweetfights]

Fantastic video's Terry. With very little wear the FineCreek leather sure does mold quickly.
You are right on as usual!!

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Some of us call this the "Shrinki" method. I love it. At least a handful of my jackets have been soaked and then put in the dryer to help touch up the fit. You got to be real careful mostly because of wavy zippers and sagging liners. But with a button style, jeez, you could go days in there. LOL

If you're wearing your jackets in the real world and getting rained on and then sun comes out, etc. etc. over and over again, this is basically what happens. I love it, especially on that kind of style with the teacore.

 

[tmitchell59]

Some of us call this the "Shrinki" method

I like that! My is the accidental Shrink. This jacket was beyond wet it was water logged.

Fantastic video's Terry. With very little wear the FineCreek leather sure does mold quickly.
You are right on as usual!!

Shrink to Fit like those old 501 Levis I used to wear. It has the feel of a new stiff Denim jackets, just what I was wanting.

 

[tmitchell59]

 

[ton312]

But the result can’t be argued with! I’ve done this with lesser quality stuff and been happy with result. I would have been on pins and needles with a high value jacket!

 

[Canuck Panda]

In theory you could wet stretch it back to original size. But it will take a lot of work.

Most leather are pre shrunk at the tannery, but some are toggled dried to avoid shrinking. This is what Horween has to say about that:
https://www.horween.com/blog/2010/08/06/technique-toggling-and-drying

I prefer the pre shrunk leather because it's low maintenance for me. The quickest way to break in new leather is to get it completely wet and wear it until dry. I do this all the time. Faster drying with a towel wrapped on the outside.

Most motorcycle leather jackets do not shrink. Some are even almost water proof.

It rains 9 months out of the year where I am at. I need my jackets to handle water like champs.

Heat dryer is tricky though. It's faster but it will also dry up the fats and oils faster and more work is needed to put them back into the leather afterwards. I am lazy. It's actually less work in the end if I didn't use the dryer.

There is difference between wear marks and paint peeling. The leather surface was not cleaned well before they apply the pigment finish, that's why it's peeling in sections. It's not your dryer or what you did. Peeling is the tannery problem. If there is warranty then it should get replaced. It's like if you don't prep your wall well (sand and prime) before painting it will peel off in sections. If the prep work was done to standard, there be only small chips, but no peeling.

 

[sweetfights]

Great topic on Fine Creek- especially for anyone considering purchasing the Richmond I have for sale currently in the classified section.

 

[Jin431]

that turned out well if it fits you perfectly now lol thanks for the detailed review and video.

 

[TREEMAN]

Good info as usual Terry ….

 

[roadking04]

I really want to say THANK YOU for all your AWESOME videos. They are a great asset here. Videos are SO much better than still pictures. You really get to see the jacket move and flex. I wish we could upload videos to this site only, without having to go through YouTube. I wish we had more VIDEOS of jackets.

As far as your Fine Creek goes, I think the fit improved. I know you wear a variety of fits ( i think I have seen you in anything from a 40 to maybe a 48). I always thought your FC trucker was a size too big, but it looked really comfortable. Now it looks more fitted, but still comfortable. I am glad you are happy with the fit. Looks great.

Once again, a big thanks for all your time and effort dedicated to the lounge.

 

[navetsea]

Looks great, black painted leather is easy, if you want to fix touch up since its just a layer on top, but anyway apart from that pleat the rest of the distressing looks the part and the fit looks nicer.

 

[sweetfights]

Makes me even more torn and tempted to keep mine if someone doesn’t jump on it.
Terry’s willingness to share is a blessing to the community.

 

[tmitchell59]

Makes me even more torn and tempted to keep mine if someone doesn’t jump on it.

I thought about your jacket through out this process. I saw it come up for sale again. I was going to write you and tell you of my "shrink to fit" experience, It was not an experiment but an experience that worked out well for me.

Transferring my "experience" into a successful experiment would interest me. No doubt about it, my jacket shrunk significantly, the process does work, but how do you control?

I knew others have used water soaking techniques but:

1. Do you water treat for "fit tuning" ? Have you seen shrinkage like I posted? Do you shrink to create a new fit?

2. My recipe was one for disaster, can a recipe be created to control the shrinkage and prevent the finish damage?

3. Mine was very limited in the dryer, low heat, short time. I was not confident. The damage came from banging around in the dryer, my fault.

I did my shrinking by accident. I did not have to agonize about the outcome, or make a choice, it just happened. Not sure how I would feel.

 

[tmitchell59]

I really want to say THANK YOU for all your AWESOME videos. They are a great asset here. Videos are SO much better than still pictures. You really get to see the jacket move and flex. I wish we could upload videos to this site only, without having to go through YouTube. I wish we had more VIDEOS of jackets.

Thank you for the nice comments! This is a whole different topic and I could not agree with you more. I was almost ran out of here when I first posted a video years ago! I don't see anyone doing it now. I've said this before; I have the largest leather jacket content on youtube that I have found! Why?

I do know a member here sent me a video he had done, but I don't think he has done much more. It was good to see.

I do not understand why more video presentations are not done. Jackets are not static, they move, they make noise, they change in the light, etc. Only a Video can capture those moments.

I will continue with the youtube videos and continue posting them here. I'm old and it is easier for me to rant in a video!

I suggested we have a TFL youtube channel.

 

[roadking04]

^^^ I fully agree. Videos are so much better. I am glad you keep posting them. I think it would be easier to talk on a video than try and post pics and type. lol. Maybe we need a thread with videos only, and links to videos, all in one place. A TFL channel would be awesome.

 

[marker2037]

The jacket certainly fits you better now Terry, so congrats on that happy accident. However, I would be pretty upset at that topcoat just peeling off if that was my jacket, regardless of the instance of how it got there. It doesn't make any difference if you left it outside or if you were riding your motorcycle in the rain, I wouldn't expect peeling.

But if you're ok with how it looks, then all good!

 

[willyto]

Well it certainly looks better now shorter. I always thought it was pretty long to begin with.

Shame about that topcoat flaking though.

I advise against dryer. I've done it twice but would never do it again unless it's like 5 min at the top and then wear it.

One of the leather jackets became really stiff, lifeless and the other basically crumbled in pieces (Goatskin).

 

[tmitchell59]

The jacket certainly fits you better now Terry, so congrats on that happy accident. However, I would be pretty upset at that topcoat just peeling off if that was my jacket, regardless of the instance of how it got there. It doesn't make any difference if you left it outside or if you were riding your motorcycle in the rain, I wouldn't expect peeling.

But if you're ok with how it looks, then all good!

I take responsibility for the damage. The jacket was not just wet it was laying on the ground through a lot of rain. Many jackets were not have survived as well.

All is good!

Well it certainly looks better now shorter. I always thought it was pretty long to begin with.

Shame about that topcoat flaking though.

I advise against dryer. I've done it twice but would never do it again unless it's like 5 min at the top and then wear it.

One of the leather jackets became really stiff, lifeless and the other basically crumbled in pieces (Goatskin).

I had adjusted to the fit now I have a "new" jacket.

It was a educational process!

 

[jonesy86]

I

I take responsibility for the damage. The jacket was not just wet it was laying on the ground through a lot of rain. Many jackets were not have survived as well.

All is good!



I had adjusted to the fit now I have a "new" jacket.

It was a educational process!

I hope you like the new fit and “river washed look”, as much as you liked the original look. I have been admiring that jacket since you got it. I think it still looks pretty cool. One off!