Freewheelers LaBrea

[Superfluous]

Received this from FW earlier today:

"Unfortunately, we can’t accept any custom order now.

Super tiny sewing factory which we’re using is full of work, so they can’t accept any special work…

Hope you understand it.

And yes, we’re using horse hide from Shinki Tannery."

 

[willyto]

I can understand that. They are probably using the same factory that is making other japanese brands.

IIRC almost all of them are under the wing of Warehouse Co or other brands collaborate together so the production line must be very busy at certain times and a custom job disturbes that chain of production.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I can understand that. They are probably using the same factory that is making other japanese brands.

IIRC almost all of them are under the wing of Warehouse Co or other brands collaborate together so the production line must be very busy at certain times and a custom job disturbes that chain of production.

Actually, Freewheelers, rainbow country, and possibly real McCoys are all made by the factory that makes Rainbow Country jackets. Rainbow Country was started as a house brand by the guy that owns that factory.

In fact, Flat Head is one of the few Japanese brands not made there and few people in the company know the location of their leather jacket factory in order to keep it an industry secret.

 

[Fonzie]

@dudewuttheheck
I don’t understand it then, do they also share the machinists, pattern cutters, etc? If so, why the difference in quality of craftsmanship between brands? Anyone knows?

 

[dudewuttheheck]

@dudewuttheheck
I don’t understand it then, do they also share the machinists, pattern cutters, etc? If so, why the difference in quality of craftsmanship between brands? Anyone knows?

I'm not entirely sure. What I can say is that the Rainbow Country jackets are made every bit as cleanly and perfectly as the Freewheelers jackets. I have tried on handled multiple examples of both and can say this with certainty. The difference is that Freewheelers simply has more ornate and intricate stitching and fancier details. That is why they cost more. Also, my RMC jacket is stitch perfect as well and is better stitched than my Himel overall. RMC may be made by different people or to different standards and specs. What I do know for sure is that rainbow country and Freewheelers are made in the same place by the same people.

 

[Superfluous]

Actually, Freewheelers, rainbow country, and possibly real McCoys are all made by the factory that makes Rainbow Country jackets. Rainbow Country was started as a house brand by the guy that owns that factory.

In fact, Flat Head is one of the few Japanese brands not made there and few people in the company know the location of their leather jacket factory in order to keep it an industry secret.

I am no expert, but I was told by a relatively reliable industry insider that FH and RMC leather jackets are made in the same same facility. I wouldn't call it a "factory" -- these are all hand made jackets.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I am no expert, but I was told by a relatively reliable industry insider that FH and RMC leather jackets are made in the same same facility. I wouldn't call it a "factory" -- these are all hand made jackets.

That's interesting as I was told differently. Perhaps that is true, though. The Flat Head people were very quiet about their information and I know that Flat Head and RMC definitely have a close and storied relationship. As I said, I know for sure that Freewheelers and Rainbow Country are made in the same place, but I can't confirm anything further. The more I think about it, the more this makes sense as in my experience, RMC and Flat Head are made to an ever so slightly lower quality than Freewheelers and Rainbow Country.

True, these are not factories. They are more aptly called shops or something along those lines.

 

[Carlos840]

This is just a quick update about the only negative thing i could find on the LaBrea and how i fixed it.

As i pointed out in the first page, the jacket turned up with these cute little leather pads glued on to the sleeve zipper sliders:

Unfortunately they didn't stay on there very long, within a couple weeks i had lost both of them, leaving me with these very aggressive looking spikes:

As you can imagine, what had to happened happened, it scratched the crap out of everything. I could literally not sit at a table without fearing i would scratch it, i scratched my desk, i scratched my steering wheel, i couldn't touch a thing without scratching it.

I even started not wearing this jacket if i new i would do anything that day where i would end up in a situation where my wrists would touch anything i could potentially scratch.
Ironically, i scratched everything but the jacket itself!

I really don't understand the thinking behind using these zippers for sleeves, i don't know if it is a historical thing, but i have not seen them used on other jackets than Freewheelers. To me they shoudl be pocket zippers, not sleeves.

Today i went on the offensive, enough is enough!:

I bought a set of tiny files, used the packaging they came in as protection not to scratch the jacket and went at it.

Halfway through, the zipper is plated brass so i don't need to worry about the exposed bit rusting.

Done, the aggressive nub is filed flat, no more scratching anything, i can once again carelessly wear my favourite jacket!

I have lost the locking function of the zippers, but i don't care to be honest, it is a small price to pay and i care about not scratching everything i touch far more!

What do you guys think? Did i ruin my jacket? What would you have done?

 

[58panheadfan]

You have fixed your problem but at the same time destroyed the function of the zipper as you mentioned already. On the other side I can understand your act of despair. I for one could not live with that... I would replace the zippers/sliders with historical matching "non scratching" ones. But of course that's only a menthal thing (using a castrated slider)

 

[Monitor]

I would leave the pointy bits, knowing that my jacket is worth more than anything I have left destroyed in my wake.

 

[Boyo]

nah.. you done good Carlos.. that's your jacket , its gotta fit in with your lifestyle.. if it ever gets moved on, it should be disclosed but I don't think it diminishes the value more than you not wanting to wear the jacket diminishes the value to you while owning it.

 

[Guppy]

This is just a quick update about the only negative thing i could find on the LaBrea and how i fixed it.

As i pointed out in the first page, the jacket turned up with these cute little leather pads glued on to the sleeve zipper sliders...

What do you guys think? Did i ruin my jacket? What would you have done?

I would have glued the leathery pads back on.

 

[Carlos840]

I would have glued the leathery pads back on.

I tried that, with different glues and different leathers, nothing held more than a week of daily use.
Whatever you do with your hands these are on the front line, getting caught in everything. And gluing leather to metal isn't the easiest.
In the end, the only real long term solution was keeping my arms in the air at all times, changing the zippers, or filing the nubs.

I started out thinking i would just pay attention and live on the edge as @Monitor, but i quickly scratched the top of my desk, and then i made a large scratch across my cars steering wheel.
It was only a question of time before i scratched something expensive that didn't belong to me or something i really cared about...

Also the constant need to be aware of what i did with my wrists at all time was pretty annoying.

 

[Lebowski]

I tried that, with different glues and different leathers, nothing held more than a week of daily use.
Whatever you do with your hands these are on the front line, getting caught in everything. And gluing leather to metal isn't the easiest.
In the end, the only real long term solution was keeping my arms in the air at all times, changing the zippers, or filing the nubs.

I started out thinking i would just pay attention and live on the edge as @Monitor, but i quickly scratched the top of my desk, and then i made a large scratch across my cars steering wheel.
It was only a question of time before i scratched something expensive that didn't belong to me or something i really cared about...

Also the constant need to be aware of what i did with my wrists at all time was pretty annoying.

You fixed it well. Absolutely. No doubts.

 

[Monitor]

But really now, I think you've done the right thing. You actually wear your jackets so it's cool. What @Boyo says. It'd be far less valuable if you couldn't wear it.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Same zipper type on the ELMC Roadstar with the pointy bit.



Yes it scratches stuff, I thought about filing it down as well but decided to leave as is, when you fold the zipper pull back on itself the tab moves inside the zipper and locks everything in place. Stops the zipper moving and the tab stays folded on itself. It annoyed me at first but as soon as I got used to folding the zipper so soon as I put the jacket on the "issue" disappeared.

Better for resale value as well I'd assume.

 

[Carlos840]

Same zipper type on the ELMC Roadstar with the pointy bit.

View attachment 155464

Yes it scratches stuff, I thought about filing it down as well but decided to leave as is, when you fold the zipper pull back on itself the tab moves inside the zipper and locks everything in place. Stops the zipper moving and the tab stays folded on itself. It annoyed me at first but as soon as I got used to folding the zipper so soon as I put the jacket on the "issue" disappeared.

Better for resale value as well I'd assume.

I thought i remembered you mentioning these on the ELMC as well!
For some reason mine didn't stay down or lock in place, they just flopped around.
Mine are Whizzer brand, what is on the ELMC?

I am not worried about resale value, this one is staying with me untill the end!

 

[ProteinNerd]

I'll check for you later today and get back to you.

 

[ProteinNerd]

@Carlos840 Here you go.

They are KWIK zippers on the ELMC

 

[willyto]

Carlos my choice if you liked the leather tabs would have been to put a couple a few stitches on it like on some leather works maybe forming a X or something. Pretty and would have saved you the trouble of sanding the pointy edge.

I somehow don't really understand it's function though. If you pull it back it stays in place? It doesn't fall back?