How to tell if shinki is teacore

[JackBroChill]

I've got this Real McCoy's x The Armoury jacket and I'm just curious if all shinki RMC uses is teacore or if there's any way to really decipher if it's teacore other than waiting for the patina to appear.

Unfortunately the Armoury wasn't especially knowledgeable on details of what leather was used when asked.

It's been worn a fair amount over a year now, but not seeing any real brown pop in high wear areas. Pic of the zipper corner for reference.

I've e-mailed RMC about it but they just deferred me to the retailer if I recall correctly.

Anyhow, love the jacket just curious if there's a way to find out more info on the leather itself!

 

[Nykwil]

Look at the color of your leather zip pull. Is there brown? Your leather jacket will probably match that.

 

[JackBroChill]

Look at the color of your leather zip pull. Is there brown? Your leather jacket will probably match that.

Zips and the back buckles make me think it's not teacore but I wonder why when practically every other RMC jacket is....no big deal but do kind of wish some brown patina might come through.

 

[Aloysius]

Zips and the back buckles make me think it's not teacore but I wonder why when practically every other RMC jacket is....no big deal but do kind of wish some brown patina might come through.

Imo you got the better leather.

 

[JackBroChill]

Imo you got the better leather.

What makes you say so?

 

[Marc mndt]

Imo you got the better leather.

I agree, I really dislike those topcoats that are designed to wear off fast. It makes a jacket look shabby within a couple of years.

 

[MrProper]

I agree, I really dislike those topcoats that are designed to wear off fast. It makes a jacket look shabby within a couple of years.

I now see it the same way.
With my blackened brown Vicenza, the black comes off far too quickly and the brown comes through. Much quicker and more noticeable than I would have expected. On my CXFQHH back then, it lasted much longer and was only minimally brown on the sleeves.
Even though it doesn't look bad (yet), I wouldn't buy it like that again today.

 

[Aloysius]

I now see it the same way.
With my blackened brown Vicenza, the black comes off far too quickly and the brown comes through. Much quicker and more noticeable than I would have expected. On my CXFQHH back then, it lasted much longer and was only minimally brown on the sleeves.
Even though it doesn't look bad (yet), I wouldn't buy it like that again today.

Your batch of blackened brown was very different from mine; the funny thing is I think most people would prefer the fast fade of yours!

What makes you say so?

You're going to get more interesting creasing, patina, and deepening of tones than the kind of flat topcoat ageing you get with the other version.

 

[Will Zach]

OG "teacore" was accidental.

In the 40s and 50s horsehide was (sometimes, not always) tanned through brown. Sometimes it was just left chromium blue, but the brown is more relevant to this discussion.

Then a black topcoat was coated on it to provide water and abrasion resistance . Then the jacket was worn for decades to develop some amazing patina, with original brown peeking through at stress and abrasion points on some vintage jackets.

Japanese marketeers figured out that the effect was desirable (analogous to denim), and engineered "teacore" - a fast wearing black topcoat on brown hide which tries to imitate this effect in a relatively short amount of time (nobody wants to wait decades for the tough topcoat to wear off), but mostly fails.

To a discerning eye it looks artificial; the jacket being fairly new with denim-like "fades". For most of the leather-buying public it's okay though, and it's fine. To each his own.