Five Star Leather Jackets

[Bahabp100]

Mr Shawn’s special addition to His Leather (Shawnsblood Horsehide SBHH) lol
“My blood is also part of your jackets making, two blades cut my finger at two points, just to let you know how much effort we put to make your project successful”

 

[hughesovka]

Mr Shawn’s special addition to His Leather (Shawnsblood Horsehide SBHH) lol
“My blood is also part of your jackets making, two blades cut my finger at two points, just to let you know how much effort we put to make your project successful”
View attachment 404139

I hate to say it, but a picture of a bloodied hand is a hell of a lot better than the baffling communication I've been getting from them

 

[Canuck Panda]

Just got my DHL package. It went through Heathrow and not Frankfurt and was faster.
Both half belts are stock, no custom, except the additional chest pocket and different linings.
Brown one is Shawn's new horsehide. Finally seeing in person. Not disappointed. It's a mix between Aero's Jerky, Horween Vermont and Lewis painted (chrome tan) horsehide. Mine is russet brown (no red), more milk chocolate. Dyed through so its brown on the flesh side, according to the pull tab. Pigment finish on top. Very soft, softer than Jerky, about the same as Vermont and Lewis. Quite thick and feels spongy but the other two I mentioned share similar hand feel, except the Jerky feels one level up, denser. I would say the thickness is between 2.5 to 3.5 oz. There is variance in thickness. So I assume Shawn's horse hides are side cut instead of front shoulder cuts. This definitely blurrs the lines now. Fresh out of the box. I will wear it for a while and give an update. I would suggest a coat of wax before leaving the factory, it will make it feel just like the Aero Jerky.
Fresh out of the box, 1930s HB 44 Russet Horsehide:

This blue one I sent him the leather. It's like a thin CXL from Horween. Bought from Maverick Leather they call this Wrangler Horsehide. Feels just like a thinner 2.5oz CXL to me. Drapes totally different than Shawn's pigment horsehide because of the wax. This one is the winter half belt, 46 with B-10 lining (is thinner than I expected), fresh out of the box:

I don't have a lot of half belts to compare to. But I do have a Goodwear HB as a benchmark. Gonna give these a little wear and post what I think. I find commenting on brand new jacket is always gonna be different than having worn them for a bit.

 

[Hh121]

Just got my DHL package. It went through Heathrow and not Frankfurt and was faster.
Both half belts are stock, no custom, except the additional chest pocket and different linings.
Brown one is Shawn's new horsehide. Finally seeing in person. Not disappointed. It's a mix between Aero's Jerky, Horween Vermont and Lewis painted (chrome tan) horsehide. Mine is russet brown (no red), more milk chocolate. Dyed through so its brown on the flesh side, according to the pull tab. Pigment finish on top. Very soft, softer than Jerky, about the same as Vermont and Lewis. Quite thick and feels spongy but the other two I mentioned share similar hand feel, except the Jerky feels one level up, denser. I would say the thickness is between 2.5 to 3.5 oz. There is variance in thickness. So I assume Shawn's horse hides are side cut instead of front shoulder cuts. This definitely blurrs the lines now. Fresh out of the box. I will wear it for a while and give an update. I would suggest a coat of wax before leaving the factory, it will make it feel just like the Aero Jerky.
Fresh out of the box, 1930s HB 44 Russet Horsehide:
View attachment 404175
View attachment 404176
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View attachment 404178

This blue one I sent him the leather. It's like a thin CXL from Horween. Bought from Maverick Leather they call this Wrangler Horsehide. Feels just like a thinner 2.5oz CXL to me. Drapes totally different than Shawn's pigment horsehide because of the wax. This one is the winter half belt, 46 with B-10 lining (is thinner than I expected), fresh out of the box:

View attachment 404179
View attachment 404183
View attachment 404185

I don't have a lot of half belts to compare to. But I do have a Goodwear HB as a benchmark. Gonna give these a little wear and post what I think. I find commenting on brand new jacket is always gonna be different than having worn them for a bit.

I like the blue cxl, I would love to see the color under the sun thanks

 

[Griemersma]

Look good! Thank you for sharing. Would like to see both in natural light if you get a chance.

Still waiting patiently for contact from 5*.... I've now sent a message through the website, through FB messenger and through email. No reply yet...

 

[Bahabp100]

Look good! Thank you for sharing. Would like to see both in natural light if you get a chance.

Still waiting patiently for contact from 5*.... I've now sent a message through the website, through FB messenger and through email. No reply yet...

Sign up to his FB pages then try messenger again

 

[ton312]

Man I want a another five star.
I cannot decide between a black steer/Horsehide Cossack or getting a Toni design again .

Can someone judge by my awful holiday pictures if I should make the armholes higher/smaller ?
I am way to harsh myself .

This is the exact same jacket as pictured on the five star website .
The grain has gotten more pronounced and sorry "scrotum" grain is starting to form in some high stress areas .
The Jacket has been conditioned multiple times over let's say 9-10 months I think .Worn in rain snow and heavy sun .
Basically giving it the Indiana Jones treatment just less action heavy .

View attachment 404071
I will post some close ups

Overall great leather
This Steerhide had the glazing which seems to be the standard finish now .

Fit looks ideal to me. I’d be leaving it as is for sure!

 

[Canuck Panda]

I did some tinkering with the shine. Left side coat of vaseline, right side nothing:

After the full vaseline treatment front and back:

Compare to Aero's Russet Jerky Horse

Compare to Lewis Chrome Tan Horsehide brown

Will take some photos in daylight tomorrow. Shawn's new horsehide is a pleasant surprise. A wax topcoat from the factory will blurs the lines of what is considered premium.

 

[Canuck Panda]

The brown Cal is Horween Vermont HH I sent him. Waiting to get that back and compare with his new horsehide.

 

[TheDonEffect]

It's amazing how quickly he's figuring it out, and more impressively, all done in house.

 

[Motocann]

True-- I'm just basing it on measurements from my vintage jacket and on Ton321's experience, since the jacket I plan to make is built from the same pattern block.

@ton321 : I was looking at pictures on the Library of Congress website today and stumbled across this. The smiling guy in the foreground looks to be wearing the jacket that you recreated in the Red Russet. Californian, I think it was? Like the GW Arcadia. View attachment 403636

Such a cool photograph! I wonder if that was shot by Milton Rogovin?

 

[Griemersma]

Such a cool photograph! I wonder if that was shot by Milton Rogovin?

I just looked him up-- really cool photographic work! The picture I posted was actually by Marjory Collins. It was taken in April of 1943. If you're looking for historical references for vintage leather jackets, the whole set is FULL of workers wearing a wide variety of them-- half belts, 1930's utility jackets, even cross-zips and barnstormers. It is LOT 689 on the LOC Prints and Photographs website under the FSA/OWI section. Here's the link if you want to check it out:

LOT 689

I don't want to get too far off topic, but here are two photos to whet your appetite:

and this one which I never would have guessed was 1943:

Last one, from another set, just because I think someone said a while back that they were thinking about getting Five Star to make a similar one in goat:

Back to the actual topic, Five Star contacted me today about my custom order!!!

I just have to decide between the Seal HH and the Russet.... Hopefully @Canuck Panda 's pictures will help in the decision....

 

[Socalal]

Sign up to his FB pages then try messenger again

I've had good luck using WhatsApp

 

[Hobbes1]

I did some tinkering with the shine. Left side coat of vaseline, right side nothing:
View attachment 404260

After the full vaseline treatment front and back:
View attachment 404261
View attachment 404262

Compare to Aero's Russet Jerky Horse
View attachment 404263

Compare to Lewis Chrome Tan Horsehide brown
View attachment 404264

Will take some photos in daylight tomorrow. Shawn's new horsehide is a pleasant surprise. A wax topcoat from the factory will blurs the lines of what is considered premium.

Looks great!! How long does the Vaseline treatment seem to last when you've done it previously?
For me, my HH jacket has just enough shine, I guess from their in-house waxing treatment? I'm pretty happy with it altogether. This should hold me for now....maybe rest of the year. I hope all the current people ordering are getting jackets that they like!

 

[Canuck Panda]

@Hobbes1 So you asked for wax treatment right? Because yours looks it has pull up and mine didn't. The Vaseline coating stays semi gloss for a long time. But only shine, no pull up. Your HH looks like it has pull up which I want!

 

[Canuck Panda]

Here are the measurements for the stock half belts. The brown one is 30s HB size 44, the blue one is winter half belt 46. They are different patterns. Both are actually around the same size. The winter half belt has lower armholes, and fits more like Aero and Goodwear. The 30s half belt has high armholes and fits like Thedi. I personally prefer the lower armhole for daily life, so I am biased. I could feel the sleeve seams on my new brown HB as I drove to work this morning. The high armholes does offer slimmer fit, more suit like. The lower armholes offer more comfortable fit, more Brando jacket like.

I would ask for two way zips on these half belts as they are longer in the front. Check front measurement.

The artificial fur lining (same on the B-10 jacket) isn't very thick. 1/4" fur length. And is straight up not flat woven. I believe it's a replacement for alpaca lining instead of shearling lining. Same warmth as American quilted liners (Schott, Vanson...etc.). Shawn's quilted liner is really more multi layers of poly sheets tacked together and not actual fibers filled diamonds. So the artificial fur is a good option/replacement for heavy American quilted liners. This B-10 fur has premium look but not bulky.

The cotton lining is higher quality than I expected though. Not canvas drill, but oxford cloth soft. And thick. Aero's drill is thicker but rough and scratchy, and Aero's cotton sateen is same softness but thinner than this Fivestar bright olive cotton.

From this point forward I will wait for patterns to develop and just hop on the copy train like I did for these half belts. Seems to work better for me. Takes a lot of guessing work out from my end.

Here are daylight photos. If anyone has seal brown horsehide please post some photos. @Hh121 The Wrangler Ink is ball pen ink blue in natural light. Now seeing it I should've done a trucker.

And both half belts are about 4.6lbs according to my bathroom scale and my math skills. I should get a fish hook scale. The Horween Wrangler is thinner, 2.5oz, but heavily waxed. Shawn's mid brown horsehide is thicker, 3oz, but paint finish is matte from factory. I would suggest a wax coating to bring out the grain. Horsehide by natural has thickness variance. And grain variance. To me that is the beauty but if you want uniform looking then other hides are better. It doesn't matter which tannery or what the makers marketing sells (panel matching skills is not all true), there will be spots that are thinner/thicker and bald spots and scrotum spots. But pound for pound, horsehide is the stronger hide. After all the different hides I am back at square one, horsehide. I started on the horsehide hype train, jumped track onto many other hides, now back on the horsehide train, realizing it is not just a hype. Horsehide Horsehide Horsehide.

 

[MTS]

Hi, new here but have been lurking for quite a while. In the process of getting a jacket made, which is taking longer because of the sporadic nature of our conversation.

Anyway, everyone's jackets look great and I'm very excited to get mine. Was wondering if anyone has any experience with 5* "Matt grey" steerhide. I haven't even gotten my first jacket yet and am already thinking about the next... I have a problem haha)

 

[Hobbes1]

@Hobbes1 So you asked for wax treatment right? Because yours looks it has pull up and mine didn't. The Vaseline coating stays semi gloss for a long time. But only shine, no pull up. Your HH looks like it has pull up which I want!

Hi. I just went with what was on 5* customizations page and asked for the "pullup HH". It was a roll of the dice but I like the final product quite a bit.

Your jackets look great! I wish that 5* offered a midnight blue HH option. That might tempt me in for a final go...or oxblood...I'd like that too

 

[Bahabp100]

Some pictures of Shawn’s current black horsehide Which he describes as
“Horsehide Leather Semi Veg Tanned thickness of hide 1.2mm Drum Dyed Semi Aniline finish”

To me any my limited horsehide handled I would say it compares equally to regular black horsehide from Aero and SB and maybe the Jerky

This is real rain not simulated lol

 

[TheDonEffect]

My goodness, the black looks good too. Any pics of the whole jacket?