Game changer fix for Aero // \\ pattern issue

[Aloysius]

Shiniki does make cheaper shell cordovan because it had been used in school bags. Yes school kids in Japan used to carry shell cordovan briefcase and rucksack to school. You can read about it on Leder Ogawa's website. They now switched to higher end products with more vibrant color and shinier coating but I guess they still have not improved much on the process.

Absolutely. Like I said, it's not actually a bad leather for its intended purpose, but the hype machine around other Shinki products has caused the same product that was considered cheap and low quality 13 years ago to be considered automatically higher end.

Those are sometimes hailed as special color but are actually rejects. Not to mention the hype about rare colored shell.
Maryam is closer in terms of quality to Horween than Shiniki.

Maryam shell is definitely quite nice.

As for rejects explained as as 'special handmade process, rare color!', this happened just a few months ago with a batch of flawed Shinki horsehide (not shell) that was used in a run of Lofgren boots.

 

[newtojackets]

I kind of posted this elsewhere but there's a different discussion going on and it got buried. It's too important imo not too highlight because a lot of us have the aero fit issue of too much tension on the neck and creating crease lines that shoot from the neck diagonally towards the armpits. I myself have multiple times considered just selling the jacket for probably $400-500 loss with the hopes that maybe it would fit someone else better and the jacket just wasn't for me.

@MrProper suggested padding the shoulders. So I tried an experiment by using a sock that ran across my shoulder to create some lift. To my amazement it improved the look and comfort by at least 50%. Basically it rebalances how the jacket hangs, evenly distributing the weight.

Today I hand sewed in some shoulder pads (just to the liner, not to leather, very easily removed with 0 damage) and I am again amazed. Ill probably keep like this for now, but next time I go to seamstress or tailor, I'll see if they can do more professionally.

If you have this issue below, try the sock test first. It might give you a preview of how to fix the issue. I can tell you besides the huge difference to how the jacket looks, my comfort level went from a 3 out of 10 to at least an 8.

Before:
View attachment 393608 View attachment 393609

After my homespun shoulder pads installed:

View attachment 393610 View attachment 393611

Could you share some more details / photos of how you sewed in the shoulder pads?

 

[newtojackets]

I kind of posted this elsewhere but there's a different discussion going on and it got buried. It's too important imo not too highlight because a lot of us have the aero fit issue of too much tension on the neck and creating crease lines that shoot from the neck diagonally towards the armpits. I myself have multiple times considered just selling the jacket for probably $400-500 loss with the hopes that maybe it would fit someone else better and the jacket just wasn't for me.

@MrProper suggested padding the shoulders. So I tried an experiment by using a sock that ran across my shoulder to create some lift. To my amazement it improved the look and comfort by at least 50%. Basically it rebalances how the jacket hangs, evenly distributing the weight.

Today I hand sewed in some shoulder pads (just to the liner, not to leather, very easily removed with 0 damage) and I am again amazed. Ill probably keep like this for now, but next time I go to seamstress or tailor, I'll see if they can do more professionally.

If you have this issue below, try the sock test first. It might give you a preview of how to fix the issue. I can tell you besides the huge difference to how the jacket looks, my comfort level went from a 3 out of 10 to at least an 8.

Before:
View attachment 393608 View attachment 393609

After my homespun shoulder pads installed:

View attachment 393610 View attachment 393611

What shoulder pads did you install and how did you install them?

 

[breezer]

we all have this idea of how we will look in our leather jackets.............but then reality gets in the way.

Another problem is not trying on an expensive jacket before you buy it.........and that applies to all clothing, not just leather jackets. If you cant try it on then you are taking a hella gamble..........

 

[zebedee]

Aero neck 'hang' never overly bothered me; Simmons Bilt patterns definitely have a comfortable weight distribution across the back of neck and shoulders, but I only notice if it I'm wearing a jacket for hours and hours on end and it may simply be because my Aeros seem to be made of heavier hides. The creasing happens, but that's not an Aero 'flaw' - it can happen on any jacket.