Johnson Leather Inc Jackets and Repair Work

[Lando]

Figured I'd put up some of the work Johnson Leathers Inc has been doing for me as of late. They've been nothing but helpful and patient, and delivered me some great work. We all end up with our favorite companies over time I think, our top 5 if you will. Johnson Leathers Inc is in my top 5 very near the top for sure and I will continue to bring business to them for many years to come. That said, I shall show the new jackets they've done for me, and then the repairs which came out really well.

5oz Chocholate Bison Flight Jacket. 1 piece back, with G1 pockets and Rust Knits. Alan had to go looking for that color of Rust knit but I'm sure glad he did. Up to now, only place that did that rust colored knit was Goodwear and Aero. Just a great bad weather beast of a jacket. The Bison is very soft though, and you got to love the texture. JLStorm, this is all your fault for putting up your Johnson Bison Jacket lol.

I've posted this one elsewhere before. Tobacco Bison 5oz. Just a standard M120 with a 1 piece back. Love both of these jackets. They came out better than I could imagine and the hide is tough but immensely easy to wear.

Now the repairs.

Gibson and Barnes Mark 31 A2 that means a lot to me. Had some damage to the left chest while I was working in an old storage room. Thought it might be good to cover the area with a D-pocket and Johnson's did a great job of it. Alan wanted to go black with the D-pocket but I was happy finding a leather that was very nearly a match. A few seasons of wear and oil and the leather will match up perfectly. Oddly, the repair has made me like this jacket even more than I did. Which is not an isolated case.

I had tried to sell this Langlitz because it didn't quite fit. There were a few details that just hadn't grown on me and I was ready to let it go. So when I sent off a few jackets for repairs and alterations, I threw this in to see if I could make it work. After a size adjustment, losing the leather collar, and then replacing the knits with those Rust knits I love, this thing is better than new to me. It helps that Langlitz goatskin is tank like so the leather could be new, even though its from the early nineties to my knowledge. It's amazing how some small repairs can change a jacket so much and totally revitalize them to me. In the future before I think to get rid of something, I'm going to ponder how I could make it better first.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Very nice! I think I'm going to have to get myself a custom G-1 from there. It sounds as if Alan is very flexible with regard to leather, knits, lining, etc. Will he alter the fit of his flight jackets to suit one's desires?

 

[nick123]

Lando,

The creativity of those jackets is surreal. You should be proud.

 

[Peacoat]

Good show, Lando. Johnson Leathers is also one of my favorites.

 

[ButteMT61]

Lando - I dig that top one! Great looking hide. I had a buffalo hide "JL Powell" I got from a member here, but sadly it was a bit small on me. I love that hide, and really want another one. Congrat's on the group. Some unique pieces there. How do they fit you?

 

[Fanch]

Very impressive. JL is developing a reputation here as a top notch company.

 

[Lando]

Very nice! I think I'm going to have to get myself a custom G-1 from there. It sounds as if Alan is very flexible with regard to leather, knits, lining, etc. Will he alter the fit of his flight jackets to suit one's desires?

To my knowledge they will adjust the fit. I haven't done much more than adjust body length and sleeve length, but I've read of people doing far more than that.

They fit me with some room to spare for layering. I'll try to get some fit pics when I get a chance. I've got a custom M200 coming in sometime soon with a modified collar based on the M-1941 Field Jacket so maybe when I get pics up for that, I'll throw up the fit pic as well.

This is another jacket they made for me a short time ago. It's less in line with the Fedora Lounge so I haven't posted it up to now, but with all the two tone stuff lately I thought why not just put all my Johnson jackets up. It's a two tone Red and Black M120. The whole back, under sleeve panels, and pockets details are black and the rest is red. The patch was a custom job I had made up for something else that just went way to well with this jacket. Enough so that Alan asked if I'd made it specifically for this one lol. Great stuff.

 

[nick123]

The M-120's a great jacket!

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Another great jacket! Thank you for all the information on Johnson.

 

[ButteMT61]

Lando - that red/black one takes some 'nads to pull off, but it looks like a well-made jacket. Would like to see that one on you

 

[Lando]

Lando - that red/black one takes some 'nads to pull off, but it looks like a well-made jacket. Would like to see that one on you

On the 24th my other Johnson jacket should be delivered, so I'll get the camera out then and do some fit pics. I'm real excited to see how that M-1941 Field jacket collar set up came out on their M200. Made from their heavy horween overdye leather too, so it should look pretty damn awesome, and then even better in a decade lol.

They've got a great D pocket jacket I want to get later on. Maybe do that in their heavy 5.5 ounce leather, rough out, to give it some texture. Every time I ask Alan about some jacket ideas he sends me pics of all this cool stuff they've done in the past. Or maybe a two tone Bison Buco style jacket. The possibilities are endless and that's financially dangerous to say the least. Aero and Lost Worlds were always limiting in that they had their core styles they stuck to and every thing was a modification around that.

Growing up I did a lot of business with Vanson in their prime and I still have the mad custom jackets they made for me. I use to just draw stuff up and email it them and wait to hear not if they could, but how they would do it. It was a real loss to hear how they've fallen apart over there. But with Johnson I get that same vibe I got from Vanson growing up. I get this sense that I could just ask them to do any mad ol'thing and they would be game to try, and that's what I like see.

 

[ButteMT61]

I like,the sound of the heavy buffalo D-pocket. Any pics, or just a thought at this point?

 

[Lando]

I like,the sound of the heavy buffalo D-pocket. Any pics, or just a thought at this point?

Alan sent me a pic of a really nice D pocket made from a while elk hide but it isn't my picture or on my Flickr for that matter. So I'll ask him if he minds me posting it. The picture was what made me think about doing a two tone bison version, especially now that I have jackets in the chocolate and tobacco 5oz bison.

Some neat leathers I'm considering though. 5oz bison. A rough out tan 5.5oz. A nice 3.5 grainy rust cowhide. Even some cool heavy elk hide. Is it bad to want the same jacket in three different leathers lol.

 

[nick123]

Alan sent me a pic of a really nice D pocket made from a while elk hide but it isn't my picture or on my Flickr for that matter. So I'll ask him if he minds me posting it. The picture was what made me think about doing a two tone bison version, especially now that I have jackets in the chocolate and tobacco 5oz bison.

Some neat leathers I'm considering though. 5oz bison. A rough out tan 5.5oz. A nice 3.5 grainy rust cowhide. Even some cool heavy elk hide. Is it bad to want the same jacket in three different leathers lol.

Nope, it's not bad. I love my M-120 man.
One thing I've noticed about mine (goatskin) is that the leather doesn't really "blouse" over the waist knits. It's almost flush at the bottom, which is a really pleasing quality.
It's labeled a "flight" jacket because its based off the A-2, but the end result is just a really solid ultitarian jacket.
Go ahead and get as many variations as you like!

 

[Edward]

Really nice work. To me, this is the real stand-out piece. How close is it to the military pattern? Based on vintage or more recent issue jackets? I love that it looks so military, yet you've used different hide/ colours to give it a very civilian vibe. Very nice indeed. On my screen the hide looks almost cordovan is that a trick of the light, or does it have a reddish undertone?

 

[Otter]

that looks like a keeper! Love the grain on the hide.

 

[Lando]

Really nice work. To me, this is the real stand-out piece. How close is it to the military pattern? Based on vintage or more recent issue jackets? I love that it looks so military, yet you've used different hide/ colours to give it a very civilian vibe. Very nice indeed. On my screen the hide looks almost cordovan is that a trick of the light, or does it have a reddish undertone?

I've found that the knits on these flight jackets are like the ribbon on a fedora. A certain color ribbon can alter the way your eye perceives the base color. A grey hat with a burgundy ribbon or a black hat with a burgundy ribbon can take on different hues to the eyes. The black just never looks like black. With knits, I've found that when I use Rust colored knits it always brings out the red in the hide. So this chocolate bison hide is a very deep brown, but when you look at it with the rust knits, suddenly it starts to look like a more reddish brown. Optical illusions. It looks cool either way.

Below is my Langlitz before I added the Rust Knits and then afterwards. Its the exact same hide, and yet, it just looks different to me with the Rust knits.

The two bison jackets fit a little loose, Edward. I wanted something made more for layering as I have plenty of close fitting jackets. But Alan was cool enough to send me all the dimensions I wanted before I decided on the 48. If I wanted something more military I probably would have gone down a size. So depending on what you want, I'd get the measurements and compare them.

 

[Lando]

Okay, Alan gave me the go ahead to share this one. It's not my jacket, like I said, so I was apprehensive to post it without first asking. I do love this thing though and plan on getting it in a Rust cowhide and or a two tone heavy Bison. I like the D pocket jackets but this one just really does it for me. Alan says it was based on an original from the 30's they had at some point, from what I can remember, and this one was made from cream elkhide. Now I've got a Lost Worlds Buco Ryder in cream elkhide that I love, wears like a leathery bathrobe, so I can't imagine how comfy this thing must be. When and if I finally get one, or two, I'll post pics. I just hope getting it in a color other than cream doesn't ruin the absolute cool of this jacket to me. Enjoy.

 

[feltfan]

Well this explains it. I dropped by Johnson today and Alan mentioned that someone in NJ on Fedora Lounge was getting
a lot of work done... He said the bison is shaved down from a 9 oz hide. Imagine a 9 oz bison jacket. He has 3.5 oz bison
samples that look really nice in a variety of colors.

Saw a jacket made from a Horween steer that is quite heavy. It's black, but starts out brown, so that's how it wears.
Looked very nice.

Also saw a half belt he just made for someone in Australia who is on this site... looked nice. Made from a brown, lighter
horsehide.

I think it may be time for me to get another jacket made.

 

[Jeff M]

Well this explains it. I dropped by Johnson today and Alan mentioned that someone in NJ on Fedora Lounge was getting
a lot of work done... He said the bison is shaved down from a 9 oz hide. Imagine a 9 oz bison jacket. He has 3.5 oz bison
samples that look really nice in a variety of colors.

Saw a jacket made from a Horween steer that is quite heavy. It's black, but starts out brown, so that's how it wears.
Looked very nice.

Also saw a half belt he just made for someone in Australia who is on this site... looked nice. Made from a brown, lighter
horsehide.

I think it may be time for me to get another jacket made.

Small world. I was in there today also! What time were you there?
He mentioned that he had several recent half belt design orders. Got me wondering if other Fedora Lounge members were on the loose.