Five Star Leather Jackets

[MrProper]

@MrProper I've been reading this and other threads now for two months and have admired the fit you achieve with your jackets. If you would be able somehow to send me your order PDF that would be a massive help towards me pulling the trigger on a first 5* order . If you would also include your own body measurements as well I could then work out exactly what details I should send to get the best possible outcome . Hope that's not too cheeky !

Check pm pls.

 

[CombatWombat]

I think 5 Star definitely makes a good jacket but (and they will admit as much) they are not on the same level as some of the more established brands. There are issues that seem to plague 5 Star patterns and they have, as of yet, not been able to figure them out. Leathers have been getting better and better. Patterns are stuck and seemingly random.
Construction is typically very good.

They are also under tremendous scrutiny….even though they are by all means a “budget brand” this fact does not disqualify them from going under a microscope. This is where they show weakness. The sleeves are almost always wrong. Not universally because I’ve seen (and had) some that are better than others. They are masters of copy and that’s why they’ve done so well with the military crowd, who have supplied originals for that purpose.

The civilian jackets have not enjoyed the same hands on study and I think it shows.
I also believe the quality control could be improved. Not with regard to materials, absolutely with regard to pattern and instinct of design. There is little or no instinctual understanding of design and that’s where problems arise.

Well like you've mentioned, us "military crowd" send in our collections of original Dubrow and Cable's and Roughwears......so he can pull them apart and study them.....so he and his workers can get the patterns and hardware right
No-one is sending in civil jackets to him so he's having to work off period pictures, which isn't the best way to design jackets

 

[ton312]

Well like you've mentioned, us "military crowd" send in our collections of original Dubrow and Cable's and Roughwears......so he can pull them apart and study them.....so he and his workers can get the patterns and hardware right
No-one is sending in civil jackets to him so he's having to work off period pictures, which isn't the best way to design jackets

Yes I agree. That said, I do believe there are some things that should be intuitive to a jacket maker, and this is sometimes lost on 5 Star. Sleeve construction, for example, is quite often problematic. If you look at this 5 Star’s sleeve:

Vs this Aero sleeve:

You can clearly see something is amiss with the 5 Star sleeve. It does not articulate in the right way, nor is it attached to the body of the jacket in a way that would allow it to.

To be clear, I do still think 5 Star makes a great jacket, but they do have something to learn about patterning (particularly the sleeves) on these civilian jackets. He’s 90% of the way there. I still hold that 5 Star is without competition in terms of value. You simply cannot get a jacket made to the quality level they offer anywhere for the same investment.

 

[MrProper]

I think I've written it before: as I understand it, 5* is not a jacket maker, but a contract manufacturer that makes large numbers of pieces for larger companies according to their specifications. I.e. the patterns are almost certainly provided by the clients or it is cheap goods, where it simply does not matter how the sleeves or the rest of the pattern is.
That's why it also works quite well when you pour 5* with details, which are then usually also implemented well. As soon as it needs the arts of a real jacket maker, the air gets thin fast.
If you order from 5* assuming that they are real jacket makers, you may be disappointed.
Ours and the aviator jackets are just Shawn's hobby and that's where 5* has made a huge leap in the last 2 years. Who knows, maybe in 5 years they really will be a jacket maker.

 

[rcdcr]

Yes I agree. That said, I do believe there are some things that should be intuitive to a jacket maker, and this is sometimes lost on 5 Star. Sleeve construction, for example, is quite often problematic. If you look at this 5 Star’s sleeve:
View attachment 441691
Vs this Aero sleeve:
View attachment 441692
You can clearly see something is amiss with the 5 Star sleeve. It does not articulate in the right way, nor is it attached to the body of the jacket in a way that would allow it to.

To be clear, I do still think 5 Star makes a great jacket, but they do have something to learn about patterning (particularly the sleeves) on these civilian jackets. He’s 90% of the way there. I still hold that 5 Star is without competition in terms of value. You simply cannot get a jacket made to the quality level they offer anywhere for the same investment.

What do you think the solution for civilian jackets would be? To send a jacket for them to copy the area where the sleeve attaches?

Also - would be interested in the measurement PDF as well

 

[ton312]

What do you think the solution for civilian jackets would be? To send a jacket for them to copy the area where the sleeve attaches?

Also - would be interested in the measurement PDF as well

Yes this probably would be the best way to go …but it won’t be me sending one.

 

[bn1966]

Sent my Trucker to 5* & got a great replica in return

 

[rcdcr]

Dumb question but ... You'd get the jacket back, right? Like if I sent them a jacket to copy the collar and maybe sleeves, they wouldn't deconstruct the jacket, would they?

 

[LibertyValance]

Dumb question but ... You'd get the jacket back, right? Like if I sent them a jacket to copy the collar and maybe sleeves, they wouldn't deconstruct the jacket, would they?

I read this whole thread over recent weeks and I'm pretty positive I recall someone saying that Shawn doesn't harm a hair on your jackets head if you send one to him . I'd wait for others to confirm though before sending . I may have misremembered or hallucinated ( It's one helluva thread )

 

[bn1966]

Got my original jacket back in one piece following cloning

 

[LibertyValance]

Got my original jacket back in one piece following cloning

As you're also in the UK @bn1966 do you mind divulging the cost of shipping both ways and the cloning cost and leather used if it's not too much trouble . I'm weighing up different options at the moment . I also know a lady here in Northampton who used to make leathers at one of the old manufacturers in town . She's really good but it works out expensive. I'll probably end up trying both just to satisfy my own curiosity in the end but getting a handle on comparitive costs versus ease of access would be a helpful insight.

 

[bn1966]

As you're also in the UK @bn1966 do you mind divulging the cost of shipping both ways and the cloning cost and leather used if it's not too much trouble . I'm weighing up different options at the moment . I also know a lady here in Northampton who used to make leathers at one of the old manufacturers in town . She's really good but it works out expensive. I'll probably end up trying both just to satisfy my own curiosity in the end but getting a handle on comparitive costs versus ease of access would be a helpful insight.

Think it was a tad under £300 in all if my memory serves me which isn’t guaranteed. Deerskin Trucker..very nice and well made, identical clone of the denim type 3 jacket I sent. It’s worth getting in touch with Shawn on FB for a quote.

 

[LibertyValance]

Think it was a tad under £300 in all if my memory serves me which isn’t guaranteed. Deerskin Trucker..very nice and well made, identical clone of the denim type 3 jacket I sent. It’s worth getting in touch with Shawn on FB for a quote. View attachment 441979

Thanks @bn1966
As I thought , my choice of leather and local maker = >2x cost of Shawn for probably the same excellent quality workmanship . Thanks again.

 

[MrProper]

Thanks @bn1966
As I thought , my choice of leather and local maker = >2x cost of Shawn for probably the same excellent quality workmanship . Thanks again.

However, it should be remembered that not every leather from 5* is recommended.
From my own experience I can recommend premium goat in black (seal is also possible, but definitely not Russet), brown pull-up Horsehide, black 2mm Horsehide and the Shearlings.
What I did not like: deerskin, old version Black Steerhide, russet premium goatskin, seal capeskin (lambskin).
black suede was ok, but I am not a specialist.

 

[LibertyValance]

However, it should be remembered that not every leather from 5* is recommended.
From my own experience I can recommend premium goat in black (seal is also possible, but definitely not Russet), brown pull-up Horsehide, black 2mm Horsehide and the Shearlings.
What I did not like: deerskin, old version Black Steerhide, russet premium goatskin, seal capeskin (lambskin).
black suede was ok, but I am not a specialist.

From what I've seen in this thread the black premium goat seems to be the go to safe bet . However I still randomly picture in my mind your's and @ton312 's awesome halfbelts in the 2mm HH

 

[bn1966]

Thanks @bn1966
As I thought , my choice of leather and local maker = >2x cost of Shawn for probably the same excellent quality workmanship . Thanks again.

The deerskin worked IMHO on the Trucker but I wouldn’t recommend it for anything else based on personaL preference on drape . I had a goatskin G-1 that didn’t work out fit wise but the leather was good.

 

[MrProper]

From what I've seen in this thread the black premium goat seems to be the go to safe bet . However I still randomly picture in my mind your's and @ton312 's awesome halfbelts in the 2mm HH

Yes, the 2 mm HH is great. Probably the best leather from 5*. Unfortunately, it is no longer available. But there is the new 2 mm cow for it, which is possibly just as good. But no one has tried that yet, I think.

 

[CombatWombat]

His goatskin is probably the best I've come across..... and that includes Buzz Rickson, ELC, Aero (which is a 80's one so could be better brand new) and Thedi.... though Sheely I've been told manages to find fantastic hides

 

[Marc mndt]

I'd love to have a 1:1 copy of my Levi's type II in roughout. Do they by now stock quality button fasteners (not the ones that jiggle)?

 

[Marc mndt]

His goatskin is probably the best I've come across..... and that includes Buzz Rickson, ELC, Aero (which is a 80's one so could be better brand new) and Thedi....

@torfjord owns both a 5* goat and a Thedi goat. Judging by the pics those are worlds apart (with the Thedi being much much nicer).