Five Star Leather Jackets

[Berto]

my vest has arrived. so far satisfied
I would have imagined the fur to be a little fluffier. Just like my other vest, only shorter. But it's actually almost better for the summer. The cxl leather of the pockets is very hard. I can hardly imagine turning it into a jacket. But let's see how the leather develops.
I think i will wear this vest quite often

some quick pictures fresh out of the box.
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Congrats MrProper. Your vest looks stunning.

Those pockets are huge !!! and the color contrat is perfect.

Regarding the fur, I like a lot.

¿is that Seal 10mm?

 

[MrProper]

Congrats MrProper. Your vest looks stunning.

Those pockets are huge !!! and the color contrat is perfect.

Regarding the fur, I like a lot.

¿is that Seal 10mm?

many thanks
yes, it is the 10 mm seal. the reinforcements are seal steerhide.

 

[Canuck Panda]

my vest has arrived. so far satisfied
I would have imagined the fur to be a little fluffier. Just like my other vest, only shorter. But it's actually almost better for the summer. The cxl leather of the pockets is very hard. I can hardly imagine turning it into a jacket. But let's see how the leather develops.
I think i will wear this vest quite often

some quick pictures fresh out of the box.
View attachment 340513 View attachment 340514 View attachment 340515 View attachment 340516 View attachment 340517 View attachment 340518 View attachment 340519 View attachment 340520 View attachment 340521 View attachment 340522

Great Vest!
I have to add a vest on my list soon. Thanks.
That looks like the same fur he uses for the collars. Once they get wet they curl up and looks fluffier.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Looks promising!
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Holy Crap. Looks bullet proof. I think the dark brown leather is even thicker. Can't wait till you get it.

 

[ton312]

Holy Crap. Looks bullet proof. I think the dark brown leather is even thicker. Can't wait till you get it.

Where is yours!?? Was hoping to hear your thoughts and see your pics sooner than later!

 

[MrProper]

Looks promising!
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I'm looking forward to your verdict and the actual color. I like it very much so far. Am I just not sure if the leather is not too hard for a jacket? But if, then I think about a cafe racer.

 

[ton312]

I'm looking forward to your verdict and the actual color. I like it very much so far. Am I just not sure if the leather is not too hard for a jacket? But if, then I think about a cafe racer.

Yeah I’m worried about stiffness. Might have to get out the ‘Ol aluminum bat and give it some persuasion. I’m just dying to receive it. The curiosity about this hide is more than I can stand.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Pics First:

The 5Star Wax on Steerhide:
1. Shawn upgraded his packaging.
2. This steerhide is about 4/5 oz. My jacket was still made with skived edges. Ton312 It looks like yours would be made without skiving, please comment when you get yours.
3. This steerhide is not drapey. Medium temper. I prefer soft temper, especially at this thickness. But I asked for CXL so that's that.
4. My other experience with 4/5 oz leather was a SB Horween LUX jacket, SOFT temper. I would really recommend this for the thicker hides. The Horween is heavily tumbled/milled, pigment finish and no wax. It's thick and soft. Makes the jacket a lot more wearable. I remember seeing here that Shawn has a milling drum at his facility. Armor jackets is cool but not for everyday. See photos for comparison. They are the same thickness and almost same size, but the softer hide will wrap around the body instead giving me huge lats.

The Green one is Wrangler Horsehide, which is just Horween cavalier with fancy name for the retailer I think. I bought from Maverick and sent to Shawn. I always wanted green leather jacket. But maybe not this green. This is like Lewis Leather green, but with pull up. The jacket is basically a size 39 in Aero's 50s pattern which doesn't exist until now. This is where Shawn's strength is. I am in between size.

Back to the heavy leather:
1. Horween has been perfecting their Chromexcel leather for almost a hundred years. No one is gonna surpass them overnight. As much as I don't like Aero's pricing for custom jackets, they got the Horween CXL market cornered. I bought some 2nds Horween CXL HH to send to Shawn, and it will cost about the same as a new Aero jacket on sale with 25 off.
2. Horween CXL is heavily treated with wax before its aniline finished and then glazed. No matter how many times I wash the damn thing the wax don't come out. Shawn's wax on leather lose the wax after washing, like wax cotton jacket.

Gotta go. Will be back.

 

[handymike]

Thanks for the comparisons!
Gotta say that the pattern on the green one is excellent!

 

[ton312]

Pics First:
View attachment 340528
View attachment 340529 View attachment 340530
The 5Star Wax on Steerhide:
1. Shawn upgraded his packaging.
2. This steerhide is about 4/5 oz. My jacket was still made with skived edges. Ton312 It looks like yours would be made without skiving, please comment when you get yours.
3. This steerhide is not drapey. Medium temper. I prefer soft temper, especially at this thickness. But I asked for CXL so that's that.
4. My other experience with 4/5 oz leather was a SB Horween LUX jacket, SOFT temper. I would really recommend this for the thicker hides. The Horween is heavily tumbled/milled, pigment finish and no wax. It's thick and soft. Makes the jacket a lot more wearable. I remember seeing here that Shawn has a milling drum at his facility. Armor jackets is cool but not for everyday. See photos for comparison. They are the same thickness and almost same size, but the softer hide will wrap around the body instead giving me huge lats.
View attachment 340531
View attachment 340532
The Green one is Wrangler Horsehide, which is just Horween cavalier with fancy name for the retailer I think. I bought from Maverick and sent to Shawn. I always wanted green leather jacket. But maybe not this green. This is like Lewis Leather green, but with pull up. The jacket is basically a size 39 in Aero's 50s pattern which doesn't exist until now. This is where Shawn's strength is. I am in between size.

Back to the heavy leather:
1. Horween has been perfecting their Chromexcel leather for almost a hundred years. No one is gonna surpass them overnight. As much as I don't like Aero's pricing for custom jackets, they got the Horween CXL market cornered. I bought some 2nds Horween CXL HH to send to Shawn, and it will cost about the same as a new Aero jacket on sale with 25 off.
2. Horween CXL is heavily treated with wax before its aniline finished and then glazed. No matter how many times I wash the damn thing the wax don't come out. Shawn's wax on leather lose the wax after washing, like wax cotton jacket.

Gotta go. Will be back.

Both outstanding!!!

 

[Hh121]

Pics First:
View attachment 340528
View attachment 340529 View attachment 340530
The 5Star Wax on Steerhide:
1. Shawn upgraded his packaging.
2. This steerhide is about 4/5 oz. My jacket was still made with skived edges. Ton312 It looks like yours would be made without skiving, please comment when you get yours.
3. This steerhide is not drapey. Medium temper. I prefer soft temper, especially at this thickness. But I asked for CXL so that's that.
4. My other experience with 4/5 oz leather was a SB Horween LUX jacket, SOFT temper. I would really recommend this for the thicker hides. The Horween is heavily tumbled/milled, pigment finish and no wax. It's thick and soft. Makes the jacket a lot more wearable. I remember seeing here that Shawn has a milling drum at his facility. Armor jackets is cool but not for everyday. See photos for comparison. They are the same thickness and almost same size, but the softer hide will wrap around the body instead giving me huge lats.
View attachment 340531
View attachment 340532
The Green one is Wrangler Horsehide, which is just Horween cavalier with fancy name for the retailer I think. I bought from Maverick and sent to Shawn. I always wanted green leather jacket. But maybe not this green. This is like Lewis Leather green, but with pull up. The jacket is basically a size 39 in Aero's 50s pattern which doesn't exist until now. This is where Shawn's strength is. I am in between size.

Back to the heavy leather:
1. Horween has been perfecting their Chromexcel leather for almost a hundred years. No one is gonna surpass them overnight. As much as I don't like Aero's pricing for custom jackets, they got the Horween CXL market cornered. I bought some 2nds Horween CXL HH to send to Shawn, and it will cost about the same as a new Aero jacket on sale with 25 off.
2. Horween CXL is heavily treated with wax before its aniline finished and then glazed. No matter how many times I wash the damn thing the wax don't come out. Shawn's wax on leather lose the wax after washing, like wax cotton jacket.

Gotta go. Will be back.

No comments on movement? Some extra leather on the back will help the movement I guess.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Thanks for the comparisons!
Gotta say that the pattern on the green one is excellent!

yeah the green a bit bright even for me. but the thing with Shawn is custom sizing. this helps when I am between two sizes that usually have the biggest jump.

 

[Canuck Panda]

No comments on movement? Some extra leather on the back will help the movement I guess.

Movement is actually really good. Shawn's pattern is actually very good in this sense. Very mall brand fit but I just recently realize this was also how the original Lewis in the 1920s was built. Will write about this with my bro science back up soon.
It just doesn't drape, the side gussets do not wrap around the body because the thick leather simply does not want to bend. The leather needs to be softer.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Yeah I’m worried about stiffness. Might have to get out the ‘Ol aluminum bat and give it some persuasion. I’m just dying to receive it. The curiosity about this hide is more than I can stand.

I will try that to soften it more. Washing it didn't do the trick. It did nothing to it except I got some bleeding paraffin wax at the seams.
This hide also has "mane marks". I think he uses cow's front shoulders instead of sides. Mine actually has the mark down the middle. I asked for it though. I didn't know it was possible for cows, less pronounced than horse but still there.

 

[handymike]

I think the issue with the side panels might be accentuated with the elasticated waist. A strap would allow the side to lay flat.

 

[Wardo1974]

Looks promising!
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Looks amazing. I can't wait to get the bootlegger clone in the same leather.

 

[jacketjunkie]

I think key with using a hide as thick as that is to size down rather than up tbh. It may be super uncomfortable out of the box, but the break-in will be faster as the leather is worked more when you move. Also, less excess material hanging once it is broken in. It‘s insanely much bulk compared to excess material on a thin hide or cotton and will stand out more as that.

Also, I‘d avoid multi panel designs.. The less seams you got, the less places where like 4 layers of leather are in one spot.. these 1 cm knots will never break in.

I think I will order a very basic work jacket design without side panels, one piece back, one piece fronts, two handwarmer pockets and that‘s it.

 

[jacketjunkie]

Is there any record of how that thick natural hide ages in the sun yet? Is it an actual naked hide that will bake in the sun and darken?

 

[jacketjunkie]

Just arrived today. Cossack in cream Shawn “CXL”. The leather feels nice and a little sandy. Nice character and marks where we scratch it. The color is not as I expected though. And for some reason even having let a few cm here and there for a comfortable fit, my arm movement is restricted forward and up and it pulls the jacket up. Perhaps needs to break in? I’m really annoyed by the restrictions. For the rest I’m happy.

Have you worn yours and can comment on color fading in sun?

 

[Cornelius]

my vest has arrived. so far satisfied
I would have imagined the fur to be a little fluffier. Just like my other vest, only shorter. But it's actually almost better for the summer. The cxl leather of the pockets is very hard. I can hardly imagine turning it into a jacket. But let's see how the leather develops.
I think i will wear this vest quite often

some quick pictures fresh out of the box.
View attachment 340513 View attachment 340514 View attachment 340515 View attachment 340516 View attachment 340517 View attachment 340518 View attachment 340519 View attachment 340520 View attachment 340521 View attachment 340522

Those rivets were a brilliant idea. Perfect measurement for your pattern per usual.