Freewheelers LaBrea

[nick123]

I'm lost. I have no idea what you guys are referring to lol. It's been a long week.

 

[ProteinNerd]

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?

Yes, by folding the tab over the main part of the zipper the little point goes into the zipper box (?) and it stops the zipper from moving in either direction until you "unlock" it by folding the tab back down. Not that I've ever really had zippers that moved much by themselves during normal wear.

 

[navetsea]

i probably would make a tight leather sleeve over the puller, or heat shrink plastic sleeve/ tube for cable connector

before sanding off, but if you have decided to sand it off, better make it smooth all the way, dremel it smooth.

 

[Carlos840]

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?

They do just what @ProteinNerd described, but mine never locked in place.
These make sens in case of a pocket zipper, or a main zipper, because gravity will keep the tab down and the little spiked locked in between two teeth preventing the zipper from moving up or down.

When used at the sleeves they only really lock if you were to wear gauntlet gloves above them, otherwise they flop and always end up with the point pointing out, ready to scratch your life away.

I checked the Rin Tanaka book, he has pictures of two jackets like this one, one has the same zippers, one has non locking zippers. Interrestingly, in both cases they use non locking zippers for the D pocket.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Can't blame you for fixing that issue at all. If it helps you wear it more, then great!

 

[Carlos840]

Carlos what’s your opinion himel or Freewheelers? Who do you like best?

Price being equal i would go Freewheelers, it has a slight edge if you are OCD about details and stitching precision.
If you need custom sizing then Himel without question, my Chevalier is my best fitting jacket.
A custom FW was crazy expensive and i don't know if they even still do it.

 

[Carlos840]

Thanks.
To recognize precise stitching you need to see and handle many many many different jackets and inspect them.
Check for straightness of stitching, evenness between stitches, evenness of edge folds, how many mistakes per jacket, just ask yourself "could anything be done better/more precisely?"
IME a Schott is usually a 2 or 3 mistake per jacket middle of the range. A Freewheelers is usually a 0 mistake per jacket.

Full disclosure, it might be healthier to not bother with all that and just not think about it...

 

[patrick_b]

Thanks.
To recognize precise stitching you need to see and handle many many many different jackets and inspect them.
Check for straightness of stitching, evenness between stitches, evenness of edge folds, how many mistakes per jacket, just ask yourself "could anything be done better/more precisely?"
IME a Schott is usually a 2 or 3 mistake per jacket middle of the range. A Freewheelers is usually a 0 mistake per jacket.

Full disclosure, it might be healthier to not bother with all that and just not think about it...

"Full disclosure, it might be healthier to not bother with all that and just not think about it..."

Very well said.

As a boot and shoe guy, I remember pouring over every stitch when I got something new. "Shell cordovan and the like can cost upwards of $1000, I'm entitled to a perfect pair," I'd tell myself.

Even when I found an imperfection (usually cosmetic in nature, only one out of dozens was structural/serious), I rarely took the time and effort to return them. In many cases, these were my allocated pair so even an immediate return would not guarantee a replacement.

Nowadays, I do a quick once-over. If all looks good at arms length, everything works as expected, I just wear them...and I'm much happier for it. Nothing wrong with sweating the details, I just found for me, it was more trouble than anything else.

 

[Carlos840]

Is this jacket warm?

As warm as a leather jacket with a thin wool lining can be, ie not very warm and too warm at the same time.
It's warm enough for me to be ok in just above freezing conditions (5c - 40F), if really freezing it isn't enough.
But it is too warm to be worn above 20c - 65F without turning into a sweaty mess.

 

[Big J]

I agree with patrick_b.
It's not just that no one is ever going to care enough to look at it closely enough to notice, nor is it that the owner of such a detail obsessed jacket is going to pop the first time it gets a scuff, scratch or minor cut, but rather that if the jacket is so 'perfect' it may as well have been mass produced in a factory, by a robot, than handcrafted by an artisan (or whatever).
This is why the most famous tea bowls in Japan are worth millions; because the shops are full of mass-produced identical perfect rubbish, but real craftsmen are not machines and it shows in their work. That's why it's an art, and not a science.

 

[Kuro]

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?

I know this was awhile ago, but I did the same thing to my Centinela (I was reading this thread because I maybe might get a La Brea myself).

I feel like those locking zippers were meant to be used with gauntlets, when the gloves were on they kept those zippers locked. I think of the functionality is as a uniform or workwear, meant for a specific purpose (motorcycle operation with gloves) we are not using it for. Fast forward to today with a historical rendition, and we end up wearing something for fashion that is not practical, so we improvise to improve our enjoyment!

 

[Alpha Liu]

I am interested in buying such a jacket. I am 188cm 85KG. I saw the pictures shows that this jacket is the shortest one that you ever have. If have a chance, would you consider having a 42L size? just an idea, I am really afraid to have a short jacket again. the 66 cm length is short for me, maybe 68 is OK

 

[tenerific]

This actually brings up a good question for me as well - how does everyone handle buying a jacket like this from Japan? What I mean is, the la brea is expensive, and while the measurements seem to work (I'm a 46 in a FCL Leon, so 46 in FW I'd imagine), you never really know until you get it. But you can't return these. Any advice?

 

[Kuro]

I send photos to Watanabe-san of Genco Clothing of a jacket that fits me with measurements.

He looks at those photos and measures the jackets he has in stock the same way as the photos I sent, and sends them back to me.

That way we can compare measurements and come to a conclusion together.

He had three 42 La Breas when I bought one from him, he measured all three so I could compare them all and I chose the one I like the most out of the three measurement wise, as there are tolerances in construction.

Two things to consider.

1. No you can not return the jacket. Be sure you know what you are buying.
2. EMS is NOT shipping anything this large or heavy to the USA due to Covid. Only DHL or FedEx. What does this mean? EMS would normally be a $70 shipping charge. FedEx is over $250.

Because of that I have been patiently waiting for my LaBrea, since April or May of last year. It is already a $2500 jacket. I don't want to pay hundreds more to ship it, unfortunately. So if you want it now shipping is expensive.

*edit* Looking back on my shipping quote from Watanabe-san from October of last year he quoted me 29,000 yen for FedEx international. At the time he said he was receiving a FedEx new signup discount for the first month. Anyways, this is not more than $300, so I have edited my post to reflect this.

 

[Carlos840]

This actually brings up a good question for me as well - how does everyone handle buying a jacket like this from Japan? What I mean is, the la brea is expensive, and while the measurements seem to work (I'm a 46 in a FCL Leon, so 46 in FW I'd imagine), you never really know until you get it. But you can't return these. Any advice?

It's a complete gamble.
I bougth two jackets from Japan, this LaBrea and this SanMateo:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-freewheelers-san-mateo-peters-aviator-jacket.97651/

According to the measurements the SanMateo shoudl have fit me, it didn't.
I contacted the shop asking if they would consider exchanging it for a size 44, they never answered.
They are in Japan, their t&c say "no exchange" there isn't much i could do, i ended up selling it here.

I have a 50% succes rate orderign from Japan, i am not sure i would do it again, at least not on such expensive jackets without any recourse in case of wrong sizing.

 

[JMax]

I send photos to Watanabe-san of Genco Clothing of a jacket that fits me with measurements.

He looks at those photos and measures the jackets he has in stock the same way as the photos I sent, and sends them back to me.

That way we can compare measurements and come to a conclusion together.

He had three 42 LA Breas when I bought one from him, he measured all three so I could compare them all and I chose the one I like the most out of the three measurement wise, as there are tolerances in construction.

Two things to consider.

1. No you can not return the jacket. Be sure you know what you are buying.
2. EMS is NOT shipping anything this large or heavy to the USA due to Covid. Only DHL or FedEx. What does this mean? EMS would normally be a $70 shipping charge. FedEx is over $300.

Because of that I have been patiently waiting for my LaBrea, since April or May of last year. It is already a $2500 jacket. I don't want to pay hundreds more to ship it, unfortunately. So if you want it now shipping is expensive.

Impressive restraint. You are stronger than I am. I may have held out until the end of summer 2020, maybe.

 

[Kuro]

Also I look at all the websites that carry FW, many list measurements on their websites. I compare the data, and get an understanding the best I can of what the sizes mean.

 

[Kuro]

Impressive restraint. You are stronger than I am. I may have held out until the end of summer 2020, maybe.

I have a Centinella to hold me over until EMS resumes. If it were my first FW jacket I would have crumbled long ago...

 

[dwilson]

This actually brings up a good question for me as well - how does everyone handle buying a jacket like this from Japan? What I mean is, the la brea is expensive, and while the measurements seem to work (I'm a 46 in a FCL Leon, so 46 in FW I'd imagine), you never really know until you get it. But you can't return these. Any advice?

I've only bought 1 leather jacket from Japan but buy quite a bit of general clothes from there. First is you really have to know your measurements really well. As with most advise just find a jacket or shirt that fits you well and measure it. Second is to find out how they measure their garments. Sometimes it is a bit differently. So find out how they do it and measure your well fitting garment. Third is just pray they measured everything correctly and the thing fits.

 

[dwilson]

I send photos to Watanabe-san of Genco Clothing of a jacket that fits me with measurements.

He looks at those photos and measures the jackets he has in stock the same way as the photos I sent, and sends them back to me.

That way we can compare measurements and come to a conclusion together.

He had three 42 La Breas when I bought one from him, he measured all three so I could compare them all and I chose the one I like the most out of the three measurement wise, as there are tolerances in construction.

Two things to consider.

1. No you can not return the jacket. Be sure you know what you are buying.
2. EMS is NOT shipping anything this large or heavy to the USA due to Covid. Only DHL or FedEx. What does this mean? EMS would normally be a $70 shipping charge. FedEx is over $300.

Because of that I have been patiently waiting for my LaBrea, since April or May of last year. It is already a $2500 jacket. I don't want to pay hundreds more to ship it, unfortunately. So if you want it now shipping is expensive.

The shipping costs were not my experience. I recently had my Flat Head jacket sent to me via FedEx and the shipping cost ~$40 USD.


International Shipping Fee
(From Buyee to your Address)
4,356 yen
Shipping Insurance Fee
0 yen
Package Consolidation Fee
0 yen
Protective Packaging Fee
0 yen
Photo Service Fee
0 yen
Customs Clearance Commission Fee
0 yen
Domestic Shipping Fee
(From seller to Buyee)
880 yen
Shipping Cost Total
US $ 51.32 (5,236 yen)