Greg Field vs Himel vs Freewheeler vs Goodwear SHINKI

[Jin431]

It depends on a lot more than just which maker. There are of course the variations between oil tanned and pigmented hides.

Also, I have been told by more than one source that Freewheelers finish the hides themselves, so of course that makes them quite different than anything Himel or Field Leathers gets.

There also seems to be a sort of hierarchy to choice of Shinki hides. Flat Head tends to take the thickest hides available, then I would imagine the Japanese brands get next choice after that. My guess is that Greg does not have as much choice as others do. I think he gets his Shinki from some other supplier. That doesn't mean he can't get great Shinki and that doesn't mean you can't prefer what he has to what the Japanese makers use. It's just that they get more choice in getting exactly what they want.

Greg seems to be able to get some pretty grainy Shinki though while Freewheelers and RMC seem to prefer smoother hides in my experience.

Last I checked, Himel got his Shinki through John Chapman as John was the go to guy in North America for Shinki. If that's true, Himel's and John's shinki would probably be similar, but maybe that's not the case anymore. Would be worth confirming that. My Good Wear jacket I had for a short period was Shinki and was very dull. My least favorite Shinki hide ever, but I've seen examples of Shinki jackets from Good Wear that look nice.

My personal favorite Shinki horsehide examples I've handled are my Freewheelers Caboose, RMC A2, and Himel Cossack jacket. So I have ones I loved from Japanese makers and from a Western maker.

Thanks for sharing. Nice to have someone in the know especially regarding these sought after hides.

 

[jonesy86]

I own 3 Shinki jackets which I think are all oil tanned.

My first Shinki, and still one of my favorite jackets is my Himmel Heron. It has fairly consistent grain, is maybe just a bit lighter than some others. I bought it used, and don't really know how much use it has seen, but the thing that really caught my attention was the scent of the leather. I hadn't had much experience in this genre and thought something was wrong with it. I have since grown to love the scent of Shinki.

My Simmons Bit Memphis civilian A-2 feels comparatively heavy, and has some mixed panels with great contrasting grain.

My all time favorite Shinki (and current favorite jacket) is my GW Arcadia. It has a beautiful sweet scent, lovely oil shine that almost sparkles, and the grain has really started to pop already after only some limited wear.

 

[sweetfights]

I've only ever handled 2 shinki jackets so my experience is limited. The brown full aniline (not offered at this time, only 2 jackets made from this hide mine and @MrProper) I received from FL has no top coat, it is pretty smooth to the touch, not a lot of grain, it absorbs water, no squeak, and creates a lot of folds/crease, it seems to be darkening as well. The current offering is mostly pigment finish in black/blue/brown and the black full aniline.

New out the box
View attachment 303565

3 months of regular wear and some walks with light rain

View attachment 303566

The FW brown mulholland seems to have a top coat, a little squeaky, feels thicker/heavier, still doesn't seem close to be broken in (hope to take care of this issue this year), lots of grain, it's creased some on the sleeves but I don't think it will ever have pronounced rolls as my FL jacket
View attachment 303568

These jackets are both shinki but they are so different they might as well be made from different tanneries. They are wonderful on their own and I'm lucky to have them. I do hope to have a dark brown oil tanned himel in the future as that hide looks very nice.

Thanks for this. I have a brown oil tanned Shinki Himel Kensington. The brown hide was thicker than the black oil tanned but definitely has a lovely patina and fade, in the tea core tradition, already.

 

[sweetfights]

I own 3 Shinki jackets which I think are all oil tanned.

My first Shinki, and still one of my favorite jackets is my Himmel Heron. It has fairly consistent grain, is maybe just a bit lighter than some others. I bought it used, and don't really know how much use it has seen, but the thing that really caught my attention was the scent of the leather. I hadn't had much experience in this genre and thought something was wrong with it. I have since grown to love the scent of Shinki.
View attachment 303591

My Simmons Bit Memphis civilian A-2 feels comparatively heavy, and has some mixed panels with great contrasting grain.
View attachment 303592

My all time favorite Shinki (and current favorite jacket) is my GW Arcadia. It has a beautiful sweet scent, lovely oil shine that almost sparkles, and the grain has really started to pop already after only some limited wear.
View attachment 303593

What fantastic examples of incredible Shinki!!!!!

 

[MrProper]

not offered at this time, only 2 jackets made from this hide mine and @MrProper)

I only have one shinki jacket and therefore no comparison. But I like to contribute my pictures of this jacket.
Fieldleathers Shinki:

 

[Carlos840]

Himel Shinki:

FW Shinki:

RMC Shinki:

Diamond Dave Shinki:

Goodwear Shinki:

The two Freewheelers where made from identical leather, so are the Goodwear Imperial and the Himel Chevalier.
Other than that the hides have pretty much nothing in common. ie there would be no way to tell the RMC and the Himel came from the same tannery...
I don't have a Field Leathers yet, but when i do i will do a full Shinki comparison photo shoot.

 

[Marc mndt]

I have to say, Himel Shinki is #1 in my book. McCoy's, from the photos, looks exceptional. But as Carlos mentioned in another post, there is so much variation within Shinki hides/tanning, that's why I gotta ask the question.

I think it also depends on the batch. These are two FL pigment dyed Shinki swatches. They should be the same color. The one on the left looks and feels more placticy. The one on the right feels much more substantial and it almost looks a little matte. Because of these variances between different batches of supposedly the same leather, comparing one company's Shinki to another won't really yield useful insights imo.

 

[Carlos840]

I think it also depends on the batch. These are two FL pigment dyed Shinki swatches. They should be the same color. The one on the left looks and feels more placticy. The one on the right feels much more substantial and it almost looks a little matte. Because of these variances between different batches of supposedly the same leather, comparing one company's Shinki to another won't really yield useful insights imo.
View attachment 303672

And Shinki are not the only ones, these two jackets are both black CXL HH and were part of the same order of CXL:

I didn't even bother asking Greg for samples, to me they are worthless, it's a gamble anyway!

 

[Marc mndt]

I absolutely love the full aniline Shinki Greg used for making my FL jacket. He sent photos of different hides and I chose the part of the hide I liked best.

 

[red devil]

it's a gamble anyway!

This! As long as you are with a good maker and discuss what you are looking for, they wil try to oblige!

In the case of OTR brands, it is a gamble unless you are physically at the shop to check the leather.

Edit: typos

 

[nick123]

I absolutely love the full aniline Shinki Greg used for making my FL jacket. He sent photos of different hides and I chose the part of the hide I liked best.
View attachment 303673 View attachment 303674 View attachment 303675 View attachment 303676 View attachment 303677

tasty! When you’re drooling over leather (as I am here, as are others surely) you’re really just too far gone...

 

[Brandrea33]

Thanks for starting this thread sweetfights. As a relative newbie here, I’ve often wondered if the makers have their own specs when ordering their hides from the same tannery e.g. their own “recipe” so to speak.

It sounds to me like the hides vary animal to animal and batch to batch. In other words no two hides will be alike.

This is where I’m torn, because I absolutely love the oil tan shinki from Himel, but it’s the only jacket I own.

If I ordered another jacket from Himel in the same hide would it be exactly the same ... I doubt it.

 

[jeo]

the characters of their shinki leather finish, even for the same name, seem to vary in different time period.

@TheBigEraser absolutely true. Things vary per jacket as well as per year and so on.

These jackets are both shinki but they are so different they might as well be made from different tanneries.

Other than that the hides have pretty much nothing in common. ie there would be no way to tell the RMC and the Himel came from the same tannery...

This has been my experience with all the shinki jackets that I own/owed. They are all very different from each other. Sometimes even when they are from the same brand. Because of that I do not agree with some of the blanket statements people make regarding shinki, primarily that shinki does not require break in. I thought this was correct when I first tried on RMCs and then got my first Himel. Even my FWs, albeit thicker than most other shinkis that I've tried, are still pretty pliable and comfortable. But then I got my Rainbow Country. It has been one of the toughest jackets I've ever tried breaking in.

 

[tmitchell59]

This has been my experience with all the shinki jackets that I own/owed. They are all very different from each other. Sometimes even when they are from the same brand. Because of that I do not agree with some of the blanket statements people make regarding shinki, primarily that shinki does not require break in. I thought this was correct when I first tried on RMCs and then got my first Himel. Even my FWs, albeit thicker than most other shinkis that I've tried, are still pretty pliable and comfortable. But then I got my Rainbow Country. It has been one of the toughest jackets I've ever tried breaking in.

You said it well for me too.

I have a Buzz Rickson A2 that is labeled Italian Horsehide. I doubt too many could see/feel the difference between that and some of the Shinki jackets I've owned.

The nicest horsehide I've handled has been on vintage jackets.

 

[sweetfights]

I only have one shinki jacket and therefore no comparison. But I like to contribute my pictures of this jacket.
Fieldleathers Shinki:
View attachment 303603 View attachment 303604 View attachment 303605 View attachment 303606 View attachment 303607 View attachment 303608

Probably the best photos of Field's Shinki on this forum or any other.

 

[sweetfights]

Thanks for starting this thread sweetfights. As a relative newbie here, I’ve often wondered if the makers have their own specs when ordering their hides from the same tannery e.g. their own “recipe” so to speak.

It sounds to me like the hides vary animal to animal and batch to batch. In other words no two hides will be alike.

This is where I’m torn, because I absolutely love the oil tan shinki from Himel, but it’s the only jacket I own.

If I ordered another jacket from Himel in the same hide would it be exactly the same ... I doubt it.

The black Himel oil-tanned Shinki is magnificent and my favorite so far. I have had two jackets in his Shinki black oil tanned.
One question I ask, after viewing a sample and/or owning a jacket from a particular batch, "which batch is this from"?
I ordered and received a Kensington Himel in brown oil tanned. Before I placed the order I was fortunate enough to have a choice between the older batch (enough for one jacket) or the new batch. I examined both and made my choice; the older batch which was a little less red and definitely thicker. I believe there might be a little less difference between batches of Himel black oil-tanned, but what do I know. I just try and choose, what in my opinion and to my tastes, is the nicest among the choices I have. I am excited as I wait for my new Freewheelers Mulholland. From the hundreds of photos I have viewed and from fellow FL testimonies, the Shinki should be pretty impressive and enjoyable.

 

[sweetfights]

tasty! When you’re drooling over leather (as I am here, as are others surely) you’re really just too far gone...

Superb photos! Thanks.

 

[sweetfights]

I absolutely love the full aniline Shinki Greg used for making my FL jacket. He sent photos of different hides and I chose the part of the hide I liked best.
View attachment 303673 View attachment 303674 View attachment 303675 View attachment 303676 View attachment 303677

Love that deep graining.

 

[sweetfights]

And Shinki are not the only ones, these two jackets are both black CXL HH and were part of the same order of CXL:

I didn't even bother asking Greg for samples, to me they are worthless, it's a gamble anyway!

Same order. Same batch though? If so a really Good example of individual hide variety. Thanks for posting photos.

 

[sweetfights]

And Shinki are not the only ones, these two jackets are both black CXL HH and were part of the same order of CXL:

I didn't even bother asking Greg for samples, to me they are worthless, it's a gamble anyway!

It is a gamble, and sometimes you get lucky!!! Such is life....