Help me buy a leather jacket!

[Ozarkian]

Thinking the black one.

Actually, what is the difference with the hides?

Nice, the black one looks good.

As to the difference in hides; thickness matters obviously, but I believe horsehide is a bit stiffer than cowhide and lambskin a bit softer. Hopefully someone in the know will happen along and give us the real scoop.

 

[Gint]

And what the hell is steer hide? I hadn't heard of it up until recently?

Also, I would like a more matte finish on the jacket, so its either the 141, 641 or the 654.

Again, all and any info is truly welcome, this is my first proper real leather jacket.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Steer hide is from... steers. Castrated bulls?
If the model numbers are from Schott, than the 1xx are cowhide and the 6xx are steerhide.

 

[Damo]

And what the hell is steer hide? I hadn't heard of it up until recently?

Also, I would like a more matte finish on the jacket, so its either the 141, 641 or the 654.

Again, all and any info is truly welcome, this is my first proper real leather jacket.

I haven't bought from them but I know they have great customer service and are very friendly. No problems with returns and exchanges. Their regular prices are good and they also have sales once and awhile. They have some sales right now actually and its worth while signing up to receive emails from them. I would have no problem buying from them and I'm sure at some point I might.

I totally forgot about the 641 in Steer. The 641 Horsehide is shiny, i've been told it dulls over time but I don't know if it would ever be the same as the naked leather of the 141 or the 641 in steer. If you want more of a matte finish I think the Steer 641 is a winner. It also has the zip out liner like the 141 and has a finish on the leather so it's better in the rain than 141. The steer hide leather is thicker than the naked used for the 141. Actually if I had to start over I would go for a size 40 641 in steer but I can't justify buying it since I already own the 141.

Hope this helps

 

[tropicalbob]

That Varsity jacket on the Legendary site looks really tempting. It's a nice design with black snaps, black body and black cowhide sleeves and for $150.00. Hmmm.

 

[Carlos840]

Thanks for the help guys.

Im really digging the Schott 141 or 641, as its for everyday kind of use I am interested in peoples experience in how they fit. I would like a snug, modern fit, and I understand that the 641 is the slimmer of the 2?

Not really...

The way Schott do things is a bit weird. Basically their slim fit is the same cut but is tagged one size smaller! So a size 42 141 will be the same as a size 44 641, etc...
If you compare the measurements they are basically the exact same jacket. Just tagged differently.

I have a Schott 641, and it is a nice jacket, but it is cut for a short body with a beer belly.
The shoulders are very wide, the stomach area is a lot larger than on a regular size 44, and the arms are proportionally very short. (25" on a size 44)
I actually had to have mine tailored, we removed 1" on each side at the bottom. It fits me better, but is still one of the baggiest jackets i own.

 

[Damo]

Not really...

The way Schott do things is a bit weird. Basically their slim fit is the same cut but is tagged one size smaller! So a size 42 141 will be the same as a size 44 641, etc...
If you compare the measurements they are basically the exact same jacket. Just tagged differently.

I have a Schott 641, and it is a nice jacket, but it is cut for a short body with a beer belly.
The shoulders are very wide, the stomach area is a lot larger than on a regular size 44, and the arms are proportionally very short. (25" on a size 44)
I actually had to have mine tailored, we removed 1" on each side at the bottom. It fits me better, but is still one of the baggiest jackets i own.

Yup +10...

 

[Gint]

Does anyone have any info on the 654?

 

[Damo]

That Varsity jacket on the Legendary site looks really tempting. It's a nice design with black snaps, black body and black cowhide sleeves and for $150.00. Hmmm.

Yeah looks like a pretty safe buy. I've ways liked the look of leather and wool together.

 

[Peacoat]

So, obviously lambskin and horsehide are a bit higher than just steerhide, is the additional cost money well spent?

Ozarkian: For a serious jacket, forget the lambskin. Too lightweight, too easily torn and not enough substance to it. Makes a good fashion mall jacket, however.

As to stiffness between the hides, it is all over the board. Generally speaking, though, FQHH, while initially stiff, will break in and become nice and soft with an excellent drape. A similar weight cowhide may not be as supple when broken in, and break in may take longer. Both will become stiffer when exposed to cold weather for more than a few minutes.

While those are the general comments on the two hides, there are exceptions. Fox Creek has a soft 3.5 oz. cow that is their standard motorcycle jacket. It is soft, supple and broken in straight from the box. Although a soft and supple leather, it is thick and would give good abrasion protection in the event of an involuntary dismount resulting in a skid down the pavement.

Johnson Leathers has a similar hide that is 3.0+ oz. It, too, is broken in out of the box and is a pleasure to wear from the first day. I think this is their standard MC jacket leather. On the other hand, Johnson also has a thick and stff 4.0 oz. cowhide that takes about a year to get broken in to the point of being comfortable to wear on a MC. It is a beast and is my go to MC jacket when conditions permit. I have had it for several years and it is now comfortable to wear on a MC. Wouldn't want to wear it casually, though. It will still stand on its own.

Another example of cow is the Vanson competition weight. It is about 3.5 to 4.0 oz. and is stiff as a board out of the box. After some serious break in, it is soft and comfortable to wear on and off the MC. I have the Enfield model, and it is beginning to grain out nicely.

All of the above is meant to show that there are significant differences between the various cowhides available. I think most of these differences are due to the various tanning methods used. But that is a discussion for another day.

And don't forget goat. It is a tough resilient hide that many on here swear by. I am not, however, a big fan of goat as it takes forever to show character (graining and patina). While I have four goat jackets, the only one showing character is my 1962 Irvin B. Foster G-1. It is showing some graining but little if any patina.

I hope this helps more than it confuses, but my point is that there is no simple answer. PC.

 

[Sloan1874]

Steer or horse, both will see you right.

 

[Carlos840]

Does anyone have any info on the 654?

I am a bit scared by "This hide has a medium to soft “hand”, a shiny finish" To me their regular steerhide/cowhide is thin enough and the fact that they describe it as shinny like it's a good thing scares me.
Saying that, Schott jackets are well built if maybe a bit rough around the edges.

I bought my Schott 641 for $450 in 2012 and it was my first leather jacket, It's a good jacket, but i have to say that it is now my "cheap" leather jacket, that i wear when i don't want to have to worry about wearing a nice jacket that i wouldn't want damaged or stolen.
As good as they are, they cannot compete with Eastman, Lewis Leathers, Aero, etc.
The price increase last year made them poor value for money IMO, and i'm afraid at $740 for a 641 now i would never buy one again or recommend them.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Does anyone have any info on the 654?

I got a Schott 654 earlier this year and it's a very nice jacket, but note that it doesn't have a matte finish like the 141. There's definitely some gloss on the cowhide's surface coat.

And it's quite a different beast from the 141/641: it's a street jacket in the style of a cafe racer, NOT an actual moto jacket... Soft medium-weight hide, not thick protective leather. No bi-swing or action back. No side buckles. No removable liner. And the sleeve zips are just cosmetic: they don't have an inner loop of leather, so zipping/unzippping them makes no difference in the sleeve closure.

I don't ride, so none of this matters to me - I actually wanted a cafe racer-style jacket in a lighter leather. Re sizing, I'm a 60-year-old widebody, so I ended up with a 2XL and got the sleeves shortened by two-three inches. (I bought the jacket on a clearance sale from Legendary USA - for $200 less than Schott's own price - so I didn't mind spending $40 on the sleeves.)

Anyway, it's a lovely casual jacket, but if you want a proper, tough motorcycle jacket, you need to look at other models.

 

[Technonut]

I have been in the market for a nice civilian-style A-2 jacket as of late, and stumbled upon Legendary USA's site. I found a smoking deal on their USA-made horsehide "Warhawk" civilian-style A-2 for just a little over $300.00 using a 10% off coupon code. Must have originally been a typo on the $349.00 site price at the time, since a few hours after my order was placed, the price jumped up to $449.00.

I was comparing the HH "Warhawk" to G&B's "Civil" A-2 offering, and found the "Warhawk" to have more of what I wanted as far as style, quality, materials used, etc... Anyway, I placed the order on Friday morning, and the jacket was shipped later that afternoon! It should be here tomorrow (Monday). VERY impressive shipping time, and the free shipping given was 2 day USPS Priority Mail / Signature Confirmation.

Hopefully, the jacket will be as good as the pics show, and fit according to their sizing chart. I'm just posting this since I saw Legendary USA mentioned, and am VERY pleased with the service I've received so far. If I'm ever in the market for a Schott NYC MC jacket, I would more than likely purchase it from there.

 

[Gint]

I think I'm settled on the 641, my first big leather jacket purchase.

 

[Gint]

And now I am thinking the Vanson Chopper...why is this so hard?

 

[Carlos840]

And now I am thinking the Vanson Chopper...why is this so hard?

If you are anything like the average TFL poster you will end up with more than one.... Just pick one, and enjoy it, the next one will be easier...

 

[Gint]

If you are anything like the average TFL poster you will end up with more than one.... Just pick one, and enjoy it, the next one will be easier...

This makes me happy, and my bank account sad.

 

[RJR]

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[IXL]

Gint, Damo did try to warn you off, back in post #18.......BWAHAAHAAAHAA!!!