Freewheelers leather jackets

[Kuro]

where can I buy outside of japan?

Several of the Japanese retailers ship overseas. Buyee.com too, assuming US shipping in both cases.

Shipping will be expensive, except those that have had good luck using Buyee.

 

[dwilson]

Freewheelers A-1 in Tatanka Brown.

View attachment 330164 View attachment 330165 View attachment 330167 View attachment 330163

Beautiful jacket. Made me look into this model but it looks like unfortunately like most Freewheelers it won't work out for me

 

[Jayread]

I just received the Freewheelers La Brea, is it possible to shorten the sleeves on such a jacket ?

 

[Seank]

I just received the Freewheelers La Brea, is it possible to shorten the sleeves on such a jacket ?

How long are they? In other words how much do you feel they need to be shortened?
I believe “dudewhattheheck” had the sleeves shortened on a FW sunset and they came out well. At least in the posted pics. You might inquire where he had it done.
However...I have found in many cases living with the jacket for a year or so before making that decision isnMt a bad option either. I often find that sleeves a bit long will often take care of themselves through creases, and with time seem to end up fitting well.
I actually prefer sleeves on my brand new jackets to be long just for this reason...unless they’re hanging down past my knuckles....

 

[Seank]

I got the new Muholland in SZ 42 rather than the 40 that I previously bought. (Traded the 40 for a black FW sunset in SZ 42)
The 40 looked great on, but was uncomfortable tight.
Here is the Muh42:

I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. This is the teacore version from Corlection.

I’ll post up a pic of the Sunset later. It’s pretty cool. Really soft deerskin.

 

[dwilson]

I just received the Freewheelers La Brea, is it possible to shorten the sleeves on such a jacket ?

La Brea may be tough. The arm zips make the process either difficult to impossible and the sleeve studs will further compound the problem. Not quite as straight forward as a cuffed jacket.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

@Seank that looks and fits amazing.

 

[sweetfights]

I got the new Muholland in SZ 42 rather than the 40 that I previously bought. (Traded the 40 for a black FW sunset in SZ 42)
The 40 looked great on, but was uncomfortable tight.
Here is the Muh42:
View attachment 330526
I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. This is the teacore version from Corlection.

I’ll post up a pic of the Sunset later. It’s pretty cool. Really soft deerskin.

Congratulations. A spectacular jacket.

 

[Superfluous]

I got the new Muholland in SZ 42 rather than the 40 that I previously bought. (Traded the 40 for a black FW sunset in SZ 42)
The 40 looked great on, but was uncomfortable tight.
Here is the Muh42:
View attachment 330526
I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. This is the teacore version from Corlection.

I’ll post up a pic of the Sunset later. It’s pretty cool. Really soft deerskin.

 

[TheBigEraser]

Yesterday I had some discussions with my friends on if Rainbow Country manufactures leather jackets for Freewheelers. I know that on this forum some members like @dudewuttheheck and @red devil either has assumptions or confirmation on this issue but unfortunately I didn't find more detailed answers. I therefore consulted with a Freewheelers dealer. Here is our conversation and I think this would be an interesting read for the fellow members. I adjusted a bit on the English to make it easier to read:

H: "Eight" is special factory they can sew leather products and they have big connection to horsehide company.
They made leather products of "Old" Real Mccoy's. After the bankcruptcy of "Old" real mccoy's, "Eight" stopped to deal with them. Because "new" real mccoy's are yakuza (Note: Japanese mafia).
"Eight" was establised "Rainbow country" as their own brand. Toys mccoy, Pherrow's, Colimbo, the Few and Freewheelers were staffs from "old" real mccoy's. So they are good relationship with "Eight".
But each brands order "horsehide leather" that is different recipe. Similar is possible. But same is impossible.
If "eight" use same material to brands, that is bad factory. "Eight" keeps secret brand by brand so they can run long time.

Me: So does ‘eight’ sew leather products for Freewheelers?

H: Yes. Eight have to adjust and follow orders from brands. FW's order is so difficult and so complicated.

Me: I have another question: who makes the pattern for FW? Is this pattern maker a FW employee or Eight makes the pattern that required by FW?

H: FW have staffs of making pattern. FW doesn't use Eight's staff when they make pattern. FW's staffs are good at making pattern very much. This is the difference from other brands.
You can feel difference FW and other brands. Customers imagine easily same factory means same quality. But it's not truth
I think FW and other brands are completely different. It's only same 'factory', Products are completely different.
Knowledge of Vintage clothings and nice pattern makers makes difference.

 

[Mich486]

Interesting seems like this “eight” is both finishing and a sewing the jackets.

I bet that Real McCoy’s -> yakuza is used in a figurative sense to imply that they are a much larger operation and dominate the repro market. If they were really part of the local mafia I don’t think they will go out and tell a stranger like that

 

[TheBigEraser]

Interesting seems like this “eight” is both finishing and a sewing the jackets.

I bet that Real McCoy’s -> yakuza is used in a figurative sense to imply that they are a much larger operation and dominate the repro market. If they were really part of the local mafia I don’t think they will go out and tell a stranger like that

Actually... I think it might be the literal explanation. I have heard from some sources before, that Hitoshi Tsujimoto (辻本仁史), the current owner of The Real Mccoy's, has connections with yakuza. However, I will check this for sure...

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Yesterday I had some discussions with my friends on if Rainbow Country manufactures leather jackets for Freewheelers. I know that on this forum some members like @dudewuttheheck and @red devil either has assumptions or confirmation on this issue but unfortunately I didn't find more detailed answers. I therefore consulted with a Freewheelers dealer. Here is our conversation and I think this would be an interesting read for the fellow members. I adjusted a bit on the English to make it easier to read:

H: "Eight" is special factory they can sew leather products and they have big connection to horsehide company.
They made leather products of "Old" Real Mccoy's. After the bankcruptcy of "Old" real mccoy's, "Eight" stopped to deal with them. Because "new" real mccoy's are yakuza (Note: Japanese mafia).
"Eight" was establised "Rainbow country" as their own brand. Toys mccoy, Pherrow's, Colimbo, the Few and Freewheelers were staffs from "old" real mccoy's. So they are good relationship with "Eight".
But each brands order "horsehide leather" that is different recipe. Similar is possible. But same is impossible.
If "eight" use same material to brands, that is bad factory. "Eight" keeps secret brand by brand so they can run long time.

Me: So does ‘eight’ sew leather products for Freewheelers?

H: Yes. Eight have to adjust and follow orders from brands. FW's order is so difficult and so complicated.

Me: I have another question: who makes the pattern for FW? Is this pattern maker a FW employee or Eight makes the pattern that required by FW?

H: FW have staffs of making pattern. FW doesn't use Eight's staff when they make pattern. FW's staffs are good at making pattern very much. This is the difference from other brands.
You can feel difference FW and other brands. Customers imagine easily same factory means same quality. But it's not truth
I think FW and other brands are completely different. It's only same 'factory', Products are completely different.
Knowledge of Vintage clothings and nice pattern makers makes difference.

Thanks! That basically confirms everything that I was told from my sources. The only thing that I did not know was the name of the factory.

 

[Monitor]

 

[Blackadder]

Yesterday I had some discussions with my friends on if Rainbow Country manufactures leather jackets for Freewheelers. I know that on this forum some members like @dudewuttheheck and @red devil either has assumptions or confirmation on this issue but unfortunately I didn't find more detailed answers. I therefore consulted with a Freewheelers dealer. Here is our conversation and I think this would be an interesting read for the fellow members. I adjusted a bit on the English to make it easier to read:

H: "Eight" is special factory they can sew leather products and they have big connection to horsehide company.
They made leather products of "Old" Real Mccoy's. After the bankcruptcy of "Old" real mccoy's, "Eight" stopped to deal with them. Because "new" real mccoy's are yakuza (Note: Japanese mafia).
"Eight" was establised "Rainbow country" as their own brand. Toys mccoy, Pherrow's, Colimbo, the Few and Freewheelers were staffs from "old" real mccoy's. So they are good relationship with "Eight".
But each brands order "horsehide leather" that is different recipe. Similar is possible. But same is impossible.
If "eight" use same material to brands, that is bad factory. "Eight" keeps secret brand by brand so they can run long time.

Me: So does ‘eight’ sew leather products for Freewheelers?

H: Yes. Eight have to adjust and follow orders from brands. FW's order is so difficult and so complicated.

Me: I have another question: who makes the pattern for FW? Is this pattern maker a FW employee or Eight makes the pattern that required by FW?

H: FW have staffs of making pattern. FW doesn't use Eight's staff when they make pattern. FW's staffs are good at making pattern very much. This is the difference from other brands.
You can feel difference FW and other brands. Customers imagine easily same factory means same quality. But it's not truth
I think FW and other brands are completely different. It's only same 'factory', Products are completely different.
Knowledge of Vintage clothings and nice pattern makers makes difference.

My understanding is
RM used to outsource its leather manufacturing first to the Few then RC. After the current owner took over the whole operation and ousted the previous owner (that spanned across a few years because the current owner first came in as white knight with the founder staying on) they moved the operation in house.
So you will find the 1st gen RM made in NZ, then the 2nd gen ones made by the RC but the leather used may not be the current type of shiniki and you have the current RM that are made in house.

Actually... I think it might be the literal explanation. I have heard from some sources before, that Hitoshi Tsujimoto (辻本仁史), the current owner of The Real Mccoy's, has connections with yakuza. However, I will check this for sure...

That is the rumour. You can find news of him getting arrested for beating someone up.

 

[Blackadder]

Oh I read somewhere that the founder of RC also used to work at RM and it is his mother who ran the outsourced sewing operation. The founder just as many others left RM after/during the takeover and started his own brand.

 

[TheBigEraser]

My understanding is
RM used to outsource its leather manufacturing first to the Few then RC. After the current owner took over the whole operation and ousted the previous owner (that spanned across a few years because the current owner first came in as white knight with the founder staying on) they moved the operation in house.
So you will find the 1st gen RM made in NZ, then the 2nd gen ones made by the RC but the leather used may not be the current type of shiniki and you have the current RM that are made in house.

Thanks for the addtional input! Actually is this the reason for some RM jackets, for example Buco J24, to change the lining color from green to black because they moved the operation?

Oh I read somewhere that the founder of RC also used to work at RM and it is his mother who ran the outsourced sewing operation. The founder just as many others left RM after/during the takeover and started his own brand.

Interesting! So many stories going on with the old RM group.

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the addtional input! Actually is this the reason for some RM jackets, for example Buco J24, to change the lining color from green to black because they moved the operation?


Interesting! So many stories going on with the old RM group.

I don't think the lining change was due to the takeover. The lining change came rather recent in around 2015. RM is known to modify their patterns and materials over the years to give it a more fashionable look. That I think came after the takeover.
BTW Tsujimoto also "saved" Denime when it went into financial difficulty but then sold it to Wego.
Another interesting fact is Buzz Rickson of Toyo was managed and produced by RM at the beginning. I think the founder of RM had trouble managing the supply chain and cash flow, so after the takeover, the current owner completely reorganised the operation and moved a lot of things in house.

 

[58panheadfan]

@Blackadder thanks a lot for your always knowledgeable infos and sharing them

 

[dwilson]

Cool info. Any idea the quantity of brands this "Eight" factory sews? Like do they do Flat Head's leather as well? It sounds like there must be at least another very competent factory in Japan since RM uses someone else and they still make extremely high quality jackets.

Also thanks for the info about Rainbow Country and how that brand relates to all this. I wasn't sure if RC was an off-shoot brand of Freewheelers or what but that clears that up.