Five Star Leather Jackets

[Damon141]

This actually sounds like a promising method. I'm going to try it. The forearms on my new HH HB fit like a condom.

It seems pretty common when you look online to stretch leather jackets, can a chromexel or heavy horsehide jacket be stretched? Probably not but these people that have had success, they have mall jackets made of lamb and I believe goat is similar. Its worth a shot and I’ll post the results for you

 

[Entropindigo]

Wrist opening is simple. Make your hand the same as you do when you slip it into the sleeve and measure the circumference. Done.
The hand must go through. Tighter does not work.
The wrist circumference only becomes relevant if there are buttons or zippers that can tighten the sleeve.

Man, thank you for this. I’ve been lurking hard in this thread (as well as others), and before I could make up my mind on measurements and style on a 5*, my impulsivity/compulsivity got the better of me and a bought two jackets, one ebay, one that was posted on this forum. I was stressing out about how to get things “just right enough” on a 5*. Hopefully the other two work out, but I’ve still have the bug to get one and maybe give it the acetone/dye nuclear treatment ton gave his.

Anyway, so much good info from those of you much more well versed members on here, and it’s GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Canuck Panda]

Yeah man. Index finger. “Just the tip” at the first joint. Bit of a long and admittedly embarrassing story. All back together again now but you’d be surprised how much impact that finger has in relation to grip strength. And other mundane tasks like wiping your ass. Needless to say a rough few months. Happened on 9/16 and only recently has it felt normal again.

I did the same thing many years ago. Was chopping carrots. Too many things going on at the same time. And then the board turns red. Not the whole knuckle, just sliced the meat off the tip. But it was traumatic.
Hope you feel better now. Fingertips has so many nerve endings. The pain was indescribable.

 

[Entropindigo]

I did the same thing many years ago. Was chopping carrots. Too many things going on at the same time. And then the board turns red. Not the whole knuckle, just sliced the meat off the tip. But it was traumatic.
Hope you feel better now. Fingertips has so many nerve endings. The pain was indescribable.

Same here, carrots and a new set of cheap, dull knives at someone’s house warming party. Wet carrot rolled under the blade, blade slid down the side of my middle finger, just to the nail bed. Poured tequila on it, held it w a paper towel for an hour, super glued and good as new haha.

 

[KBlake]

Same here, carrots and a new set of cheap, dull knives at someone’s house warming party. Wet carrot rolled under the blade, blade slid down the side of my middle finger, just to the nail bed. Poured tequila on it, held it w a paper towel for an hour, super glued and good as new haha.

Just like 5* HH, scars add character.

 

[red devil]

LW has priced himself off the market. I too love his work and materials though.

I don't like such price increases either but he is still cheaper than Himel and on par with certain Japanese brands. There is a market for his prices.

 

[Aloysius]

I’m a bit worried about that sleeve diameter for you. We are similar in size but you have more mass than me. Lost 10lbs with covid and cutting my finger off.

We got ourselves a yakuza…

 

[ton312]

We got ourselves a yakuza…

As long as we don’t battle unsliced bagels…I’m in.

 

[PilotJens]

As someone that dedicates himself to do the stuff to leather that leather "fanboys" would never ever do to their stuff because "it hurts the leather" "only use natural oils"( even though they oxidize and rot leather)
You can stretch the cuff with a shoe stretcher pretty easy and efficient .I did this twice and once on a Steerhide five star . Soak the cuff in water and put the shoe stretcher in and slowly turn the knob . Increase over multiple days and listen for cracking/ripping noises .
Let it dry on the stretcher and voila .

The conic looks pretty cool aged .I overoiled a sample piece and left if outside a whole German summer .Got a nice patina

 

[Rugby]

I don't like such price increases either but he is still cheaper than Himel and on par with certain Japanese brands. There is a market for his prices.

If you talk to him, he sounds as if his products are the best among all makers. He actually told me that Schott has been stealing his patterns, and the Japanese makers are basically fashion jackets for wannabes.
Just for laughs and giggles I will communicate with him and ask how much will the leather coat I want would cost drive out.

 

[ton312]

If you talk to him, he sounds as if his products are the best among all makers. He actually told me that Schott has been stealing his patterns, and the Japanese makers are basically fashion jackets for wannabes.
Just for laughs and giggles I will communicate with him and ask how much will the leather coat I want would cost drive out.

Classic Stu!

 

[red devil]

If you talk to him, he sounds as if his products are the best among all makers. He actually told me that Schott has been stealing his patterns, and the Japanese makers are basically fashion jackets for wannabes.
Just for laughs and giggles I will communicate with him and ask how much will the leather coat I want would cost drive out.

Well... his products are easily among the best. The construction is on par with the Japanese makers, the hides thicker and tougher while still showing a lot of grain if you wear them long enough. They keep you completely dry under a downpour on the motorbike (tried and tested).

On the motorbike I would take a LW, JL or Langlitz over any of the Japanese makers discussed here. There is more functional gear in Japan like Kadoya (I have a great pair of boots from them that I use while riding mostly) and a small maker I discovered last time I was there. I need to go to the fitting as it is a full bespoke order, but travelling to Japan is still crrently too much of hassle.

Don't waste his time if you are not interested.

 

[JMax]

Yeah man. Index finger. “Just the tip” at the first joint. Bit of a long and admittedly embarrassing story. All back together again now but you’d be surprised how much impact that finger has in relation to grip strength. And other mundane tasks like wiping your ass. Needless to say a rough few months. Happened on 9/16 and only recently has it felt normal again.

Index huh? A buddy of mine had the same happen to his ring finger, but they couldn’t reattach. His nickname immediately became Shocker.

Glad it is all well now.

 

[Rugby]

Well... his products are easily among the best. The construction is on par with the Japanese makers, the hides thicker and tougher while still showing a lot of grain if you wear them long enough. They keep you completely dry under a downpour on the motorbike (tried and tested).

On the motorbike I would take a LW, JL or Langlitz over any of the Japanese makers discussed here. There is more functional gear in Japan like Kadoya (I have a great pair of boots from them that I use while riding mostly) and a small maker I discovered last time I was there. I need to go to the fitting as it is a full bespoke order, but travelling to Japan is still crrently too much of hassle.

Don't waste his time if you are not interested.

I don't want to waste anybody's time, I am interested, because the jacket we got from LW is a real tank. But I am questioning his choice to just serve a sub-niche part of an already niche market because of inflated ego. And all the talk about stolen designs and patterns and what not is completely idiotic, in my opinion, and that includes the vitriolic comments on this forum about simmons bilt, because all these makers are reductionists of designs from the '30s,'40s and '50s and primarily American makers of that era. We as consumers look to optimize our purchase with constraints, satisfaction of our requirements, quality of material and craftsmanship and of course price. That's why we look to 5* as a maker who could meet all the constraints while optimizing our purchase. LW, JL, Aero etc. are absolutely great but how closely do they come to optimizing a product. I'm partial to JL because they did an exceptional job on the jacket I got from them whereas LW screwed it up because he insisted he was right about the size although I sent him my measurements. It's a good thing that my son liked the jacket and it fit him great as he is not as wide as I am.
Now I'm getting off the soap box and apologize for the lengthy response.

 

[Damon141]

Don’t forget that you offered to travel from out of state for a fitting and you were denied.

He can’t be that busy. Look at 5 Star, they probably crank out thousands of jackets for rebranding department store jackets but still accommodate forum members single order and produce them to the exact centimeter. That is fantastic service.

 

[JMax]

LW is a two-man op, one gent making jackets.

 

[Hh121]

I just checked LW Suburban the price is now $1550! It was $500 less 4 years ago.

 

[Rugby]

I just checked LW Suburban the price is now $1550! It was $500 less 4 years ago.

Plus at least 20% for customization

 

[Damon141]

LW is a two-man op, one gent making jackets.

Exactly why he should accommodate personal fitting. It’s not like asking a company like Freewheelers or RMC with worldwide distributors for a personal fitting.

I like LW jackets myself but for that price you can get personal fitting from a couple companies

 

[JMax]

Exactly why he should accommodate personal fitting. It’s not like asking a company like Freewheelers or RMC with worldwide distributors for a personal fitting.

I like LW jackets myself but for that price you can get personal fitting from a couple companies

Ok. He sees if differently. It’s worked out for him. My LWs fit. They are hyper-functional jackets. True outwear. Which is more important to me than hammering out that last cm.

Who gives a personal fitting? JL I believe. Vanson for tracksuits. Who else? Or do you mean what TB and FL do with their fit jackets or 5* with their building to spec? Trying to get on the same page. I can say that the fit jacket process works. 5*s process is too in the weeds for me, with great results for some, and not so great for others. Like any other process, including LW.