How do YOU break in a new jacket?

[leopardstyle]

Haha, waking up wet and single is not exactly what I had in mind! :eusa_doh:

More good input guys. I like the idea of sort of being able to control the amount of break in and relaxation of the leather that HD, Butte, and others are talking about. It sounds like we can really control certain factors by how much water we leave on the jacket for how much time. I also like the idea of being able to get rid of a bit of that "cadet" look you get when the jacket comes right out of the box.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to relax the leather with water or wear the heck out of it and see what happens.

 

[rocketeer]

I have had this on my mind for years. I have never liked the brand new look of a new leather jacket so have done what many have suggested and worn them around the house. Wetting may help break in a jacket though I have not done this intensionally myself, but should you get caught in a downpour just let your jacket dry naturally at normal room temperature. No way leave it by a radiator or heat source of it could shrink.
In the last few years some jacket makers, particularly Eastman, artificially age some of their jackets and for those that want to try this then fine. Personally I would "wear the heck out of it" because that way all the patina and wear will be your own. Some take a bit longer to wear in like front quarter horse but after a couple of years it will look fine if worn regularly.
But to be honest, if you want the patina of a 30 year old jacket there is only one option. Wear it for 30 years.
J

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

I would never roll it up and sit on it for two reasons. First of all I would be afraid that I could damage a zipper, and second of all like someone pointed out, it will stretch in the wrong places.

I don't care much for kneading all around the jacket, that also feels like it will look fake. A jacket will never naturally get all kneaded in the back for instance.

Personally I just wet the arms and the collar, exercise the arms and mold the collar.
Just to get it into place so it doesn't look "right out of the box" but also one can help it crease where one wants.
When the arms are exercised to a certain point the leather will get creases that will remain there for the entire lifetime of the jacket.
Wearing it more will make it crease in the same places and will make them even more pronounced.

I used to get the entire jacket wet just like Butte holding it under the shower, but I came to the conclusion that when using the jacket when all wet will make it stretch in places I don't like as well. For instance, the back of the arm has alot of leather to be able to move, but if that area is wet, it will stretch and be even bigger when exercising the arms, so now I only wet the overside of the arm where I want the creases to be.

After that I just wear it and do everything in it, play with the kid, carry her when she has dirty clothes and so on.
I don't baby the jacket but I don't abuse it unnaturally either.
I can lean against a brick wall if I stand there waiting, but I would never rub against it.
If it rains when I'm out or if I'm going out then it rains....but I always let the jacket dry flat on a rug.

 

[Spitfire]

Wear it like you hate it! (In rain, storm, snow, mud...whatever. As long as you can take it, the jacket can too)
Wear it to bed - and your wife/girlfriend will hate it too!

 

[Sir Jacket]

I hear that at Aero they used to tie a jacket up with string and use it as a football if they wanted the broken-in look. The best thing, though, is just to wear the hell out of it. Or go to war in it -- the way they used to do.

I'm strange in that I sometimes welcome rain because I can walk in it in one of my leathers, breaking it in and thinking poetic thoughts.

SJ

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I'm a proponent of natural wear too. Soaking a jacket might cause damage to the lining by shrinkage. Wadding a jacket up and abusing it might cause unnatural looking stretching as has been pointed out also.
I think just wear it and forget about it like the veterans did. Before you know it it will be broken in.

 

[rocketeer]

I hear that at Aero they used to tie a jacket up with string and use it as a football if they wanted the broken-in look. The best thing, though, is just to wear the hell out of it. Or go to war in it -- the way they used to do.
SJ

Go on, someone from Aero must comment on this.

Though I have a story to tell about my 1981 Aero A2.
John

 

[cloudylemonade]

Go on, someone from Aero must comment on this.

Though I have a story to tell about my 1981 Aero A2.
John

All true, that was done a couple of times with wet horsehide jackets in 1986, took them round to the park at lunchtime and had a game of football with them!

 

[Doublegun]

Coming up on year three with my Aero LHB in FQHH. My $.02 is to just wear your jacket every day, rain, snow, sun, whatever. Nothing any more extreme than the spray bottle as HD suggested. I think you will be surprised how quickly the jacket will break in. This way you can't screw it up.

 

[ButteMT61]

All true, that was done a couple of times with wet horsehide jackets in 1986, took them round to the park at lunchtime and had a game of football with them!

I wish there was a video of that! Maybe I'll take one of my beaters and try that. I love the idea. Just not enough to do it to an Aero or GW, etc. lol

 

[Heinz D.]

I think that a new HH jacket should be worn as it is. If you want a jacket that looks 30 jears old, weare it 30 years.
Remember when your jacket is in fact 30 jears old and looks like 60 years you may come across that you have treatet it wrong in the beginning.
Or your son may think so?
Heinz

 

[rocketeer]

If you want a jacket that looks 30 jears old, weare it 30 years.
Heinz

Hey! Thats my line.

 

[leopardstyle]

Regardless of what I decide to do, I'm digging the creativity of some of these responses.

Here's one. If you have a convertible, put your jacket on, the top down, and drive as fast as you can.

 

[crispinross]

I keep just one thing in my mind that if my current jacket has been torn out, I just move out to a store and get a good looking jacket for myself. I never rely on any particular brand or labels.

 

[ButteMT61]

Regardless of what I decide to do, I'm digging the creativity of some of these responses. Here's one. If you have a convertible, put your jacket on, the top down, and drive as fast as you can.

Well hell, just buy a motorcycle then and have some REAL fun! lol

 

[leopardstyle]

Haha, not a bad idea Butte. Do you wear your A-2's on your motorcycle, or other motorcycle jackets more specifically?

 

[Edward]

In electric guitar playing circles, there has been a long running (often heated) debate about the credibility of pre-distressed guitars. All started when someone in the Fender marketing department was inspired when Keith Richards sent back a bunch of new Telecasters, ordered for a tour, with the instruction that they were "too new" and to "rough them up a bit". Fender developed a whole set of specialist techniques to make a new guitar look and feel like one that has been played for sixty odd years. Among those who profess to hate these "Relics", as Fender brand them, there are many who nonetheless wish their guitar to look broken in as quickly as possible. A running joke has emerged about tying the guitar to the back of your car...

Believe it or not, this is a new guitar:

 

[ButteMT61]

In electric guitar playing circles, there has been a long running (often heated) debate about the credibility of pre-distressed guitars. All started when someone in the Fender marketing department was inspired when Keith Richards sent back a bunch of new Telecasters, ordered for a tour, with the instruction that they were "too new" and to "rough them up a bit". Fender developed a whole set of specialist techniques to make a new guitar look and feel like one that has been played for sixty odd years. Among those who profess to hate these "Relics", as Fender brand them, there are many who nonetheless wish their guitar to look broken in as quickly as possible. A running joke has emerged about tying the guitar to the back of your car...Believe it or not, this is a new guitar:

Most "real" musicians say bah to those. I know when my son was starting guitar after bass, I asked him about the Joe Strummer Tele, and he looked at me like I was drunk. I was glad he felt that way personally. That whole thing is part of the immediate gratification many are addicted to today.

 

[leopardstyle]

You know what Edward, I'm right in the midst of the reliced guitar debate. I play and love fender telecasters. I just bought an American Standard recently. I bought it without the relicing because I just couldn't bring myself to get one pre-reliced. With that said, I really like the look of worn down guitars with the bare wood showing through.

 

[scottyrocks]

Believe it or not, this is a new guitar:

Unless it's the lighting not giving it up, the pristine scratch board gives it away.