Johnson Leathers custom jacket, new photos

[Deleted member 16736]

Hey Joel;
I should think Johnson's 3oz. brown cow would look very similar to crimsonofsam's pic he submitted of the 3 3/4oz. HH jacket?

You look good man, but I prefer you as a blonde!

Regards,
coffee

Thanks, Coffee. The blonde thing was just a phase. I found men just didn't take me seriously. And you know what they say, "Gentlemen prefer blondes, but they marry brunettes."

 

[trapp]

FFTT, I'll definately stop by and take a look at their stock and maybe request leather samples.

I like the look of your modified m-200 a lot. It looks nice and clean.

I may use similar specs to customize my own Johnsons jacket. I'll be looking for something brown--perhaps the horween chromexcel without the black overdye.

There is another active thread about Aero's oil pull leather and it turns out their oil-pull is a horween chromexcel. It would be interesting to know if Johnsons can source (or in the case of your jacket, did source) the same leather.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

FFTT, I'll definately stop by and take a look at their stock and maybe request leather samples.

I like the look of your modified m-200 a lot. It looks nice and clean.

I may use similar specs to customize my own Johnsons jacket. I'll be looking for something brown--perhaps the horween chromexcel without the black overdye.

There is another active thread about Aero's oil pull leather and it turns out their oil-pull is a horween chromexcel. It would be interesting to know if Johnsons can source (or in the case of your jacket, did source) the same leather.

Yes, Johnson sourced the leather for my jacket from Horween. They do so because apparently there is a high demand for this particular overdyed Chromexcel hide from the Japanese market so they can order it in large enough quantities to make sense from a cost standpoint. I found out that I would have to go directly through Horween (which you can do via their Tannery Row operation) to obtain Chromexcel leather other than what Johnson already used for my first jacket. This route is very cost prohibitive. It turns out that the bovine Chromexcel is even more expensive than the horsehide Chromexcel which surprised me. I really liked the brown bison samples that Johnson sent me as well, so bison it will be for me this time around.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

One of the cool things about Johnson Leather is they will copy an existing jacket for not too much money. Last I checked they charged $175 for a cloth "mock-up". So if you can find a trashed jacket you like on eBay and buy it for $100 or less, you can get a brand new copy made for around $300 over the price of an existing model, and since he charges less to begin with, you can get a good deal on a jacket that nobody else will touch.

 

[trapp]

Yes, Johnson sourced the leather for my jacket from Horween. They do so because apparently there is a high demand for this particular overdyed Chromexcel hide from the Japanese market so they can order it in large enough quantities to make sense from a cost standpoint. I found out that I would have to go directly through Horween (which you can do via their Tannery Row operation) to obtain Chromexcel leather other than what Johnson already used for my first jacket. This route is very cost prohibitive. It turns out that the bovine Chromexcel is even more expensive than the horsehide Chromexcel which surprised me. I really liked the brown bison samples that Johnson sent me as well, so bison it will be for me this time around.

This is good to know. I wonder if the overdyed cxl will eventually start fading to brown. That would be beautiful and might convince me to go that route as well. I love the look of the overdye on your jacket as it is. It's just that I'm gunning for a jacket in brown/dark brown leather. I definately won't be shelling out to go through Horween directly, though.

I'll check with the shop, ask questions, and hopefully handle samples of both the overdyed cxl and the brown bison. I'll share with the thread anything of interest that I learn.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

I love the look of the overdye on your jacket as it is. It's just that I'm gunning for a jacket in brown/dark brown leather.

I too was looking for a brown jacket initially. When I received the swatch of the overdyed hide in the mail, I changed my mind.

 

[trapp]

Okay, stopped by the shop today.

I don't have time now to write a long and useful summary of my visit, but I'll confirm what others have said about the outstanding customer service. I worked mostly with Craig and talked a bit with Alan. Great, great guys. Happy to answer questions and genuinely pleased to have people looking around their shop and talking jackets.

I liked the m-200 a lot but the m-200 L fit my needs better. If I ever got one it would have several modifications that I won't get into here. As others have noted, they seem to love custom work and, for better or worse, seem willing to do anything (take arm from this model and stick it on that model, for example).

Prices for custom work may be creeping up; I was quoted $775 (and they wouldn't have to ship) PLUS $150 if I wanted them to do a mock-up. I was under the impression that the mock-up was part of the process. I guess not. Anyway, for custom with mock-up (and I think I would have to do a mock-up given the modifications I want) I would be in $900 before taxes. Getting close to Aero territory. I had the feeling I could talk them down a bit, but not much.

They have infinite amounts of leather samples. They are trying to get heavy fqhh but so far no dice. I saw the 2 oz stuff and it looked okay, nothing special. They have a whole ring of brown bison leather (different shades, different grains) and it all looked and felt very nice. I also liked the 3-4 oz. naked cow more than I thought; they have several perfecto-style jackets made up in it and that leather had a nice hand, was satisfyingly heavy, a great dark chocolate color, and looked like it would age well.

Unlike some, I have a hard time handling a tiny swatch of sample leather and getting a good idea of how it will look and wear as a jacket. And in this regard, they weren't all that helpful. Not that they didn't try, but they didn't seem to know a whole lot about how any of their leathers aged, even the leathers they were using a lot on stock jackets.

They don't have cotton drill as a lining option--I would have to source that on my own. Most or all of their stock jackets have synthetic linings in both body and arms.

They don't have any NOS hardware and very little used old stock hardware. I'll have to source that on my own or go with their stock YKKs.

As far as craftsmanship, my impression is that they have a very wide quality range. On the one hand, they have a hundred or so off the rack jackets in various styles, all with Johnsons Leather labels, that struck me as very flimsy and unconvincing, inside and out. On the other hand, I was able to handle a couple of their custom jackets, and these were of a much higher build quality. These tended to be heavier (that's obviously down to leather choice) but also seemed to be stitched tighter and generally had a more impressive presence.

I may very well customize a jacket through them someday. I like the idea of getting something local, I liked the style of the m-200 and the m-200 L, and I'm certain I could get an amazing fit working with these guys.

I'm not sure I can say that any of the jackets I handled today, including their best custom ones, were up to the quality of an Aero.

Those are my initial impressions. I'll end by saying I can't really say enough about the friendly personalities at the shop.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

Nice to hear that you managed to stop by. My next jacket will be based on the M-200L. I did not receive a mock-up jacket when working with Johnson Leathers in the past, only a standard M-200 test fit jacket. Of course my modifications were pretty simple.

As far as the quality of the work goes, I should mention that I've only handled three jackets from Johnson (one stock jacket and two customs), and one jacket from Aero. While the jackets that I've handled from Johnson easily matched the quality of the Aero product that I had to compare them with, it was a very small sample size. So while I obviously highly recommend Johnson Leathers based on my experiences, I (and I'm sure others as well) value your feedback and insight.

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks for the info guys. Must say, thus far, I'm not yet keen on this brand. Maybe some pics and testimonials could change that in time, but I'll stick with known entities for now...

 

[trapp]

FFTT, your Johnsons jacket is one of the best fitting jackets I've seen.

I'm not sure you've had the chance to try on a test fit m-200 L but I think you'll like it. Someone already mentioned that the M-200 looked a bit like a neat-fitting highwayman. The m-200 L, even more so. Their stock size 40 comes in at a bit over 26" in length and I thought it looked great. If you choose to use a heavy leather (really anything other that lamb or goat) I would highly recommend opting for smaller gussets, 'else you may end up looking like the flying nun (as Craig put). They can use the more modest gussets of the m-200 on the m-200 L.

In hindsight, it makes sense that there would be an upcharge for a mock-up. It's obviously more work. I think I was missing the distinction between a test-fit jacket and a mock-up while reading this and other threads. My bad.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

trapp, thanks for the additional info. I haven't yet tried a M-200L for test fit, but am looking forward to it. The gusset information is highly appreciated.

 

[buler]

Thanks for the info guys. Must say, thus far, I'm not yet keen on this brand. Maybe some pics and testimonials could change that in time, but I'll stick with known entities for now...

I'd say Johnson is a known entity. Just not big with the lounge. I've had an Aero Highwayman and sold it. But kept my Johnson. Here is a thread on my Johnson Leathers jacket. > JohnsonLeathers

There are a few other threads with members jackets from Johnson. They just get drowned out by Aero threads.

B

 

[ButteMT61]

I'd say Johnson is a known entity. Just not big with the lounge. I've had an Aero Highwayman and sold it. But kept my Johnson. Here is a thread on my Johnson Leathers jacket. > JohnsonLeathersThere are a few other threads with members jackets from Johnson. They just get drowned out by Aero threads.B

OK, they're known. The longer review above had some points in it that made me appreciate Aero for what they do and how. Johnson seems good, but not as evolved as Aero and I just don't want any roadblocks to getting a jacket done. Limitations on the things mentioned would make it less attractive to me, but I'm not knocking them - just saying I like how Aero does things...

 

[Deleted member 16736]

OK, they're known. The longer review above had some points in it that made me appreciate Aero for what they do and how. Johnson seems good, but not as evolved as Aero and I just don't want any roadblocks to getting a jacket done. Limitations on the things mentioned would make it less attractive to me, but I'm not knocking them - just saying I like how Aero does things...

I don't know what "less evolved" means, but I do think they are apples and oranges for the simple reason that Aero makes mostly horsehide jackets and Johnson Leathers makes mostly cowhide. But I think JL's jackets are every bit as good in quality and construction as Aero. Aero has a far greater variety of options for linings, hardware, and of course leather. That and the horsehide issue are the biggest differences. JL will make a jacket from scratch, and Aero only customizes existing models. That's important to consider.

 

[trapp]

I'd like to add a few thoughts to my original posting above. First, I want to make it clear that while I did visit the shop, stayed a while, talked people, handled (and tried on) several jackets, I myself don't own a JL jacket. Others have actually gone through the process of customizing JL jackets and have now been wearing them for years. Their testimony should and does speak for itself. My impressions are what they are: just impressions after a long visit--plus some factual updates on cost and availability of materials.

To elaborate on those impressions, I feel that someone with a keen eye for good leather and its qualities (a better eye than I have) could make out like a bandit at JL. They could customize an outstanding jacket in styles and fits not offered by jacket companies commonly featured on this forum. I do think they're a great alternative to Aero (I hate to keep using the A word; I think a company should stand and fall on it's own merits....but it's a little unavoidable not to use Aero as a useful point of comparison on the lounge). I just think you need to know a little bit more what you're doing, especially in terms of materials, and perhaps be willling to do some leg-work (with the lining and the hardware, for example) to get the result that you're after.

For instance, I liked the m-200 L so much yesterday that I left the shop feeling that the only thing stopping me from putting in an order was my uncertainty about leather. They don't seem to have a leather that, as Butte says, is a known quantity, that you just know is amazing. They have hundreds of leather options, and I bet that several (the bison being one of them and the cxl being another) would be stunning as jackets, but they couldn't point me to any leather that would really patina and show its age. Since I don't yet have the ability to feel a 5" x 5" swatch of hide and say with confidence "Look at this leather, it is going to be sweet in a few years" then I'm left working a bit the dark. I didn't want to go in $800- $1000 and spend two years wearing the jacket to find out how the leather will wear, or if I like it.

They don't need to have brown fqhh from Horween. For someone like me, it would help if they did have their own sort of house specialty, some amazing leather(s) that they knew a lot about and could source consistently and show you with pride ("this is the brown bison after 3 years!"). If that were the case, I would be much more inclined to place an order simply because I would better understand what I was buying.

I don't think the fact that they have lesser jackets on the racks in the shop should at all deter anyone from their custom work. I want to make it clear that the custom jackets I saw (they had 3 or 4 ready for pick-up) were very, very impressive.

I feel extremely confident about fit and style, less so right now about materials. My thinking right now is that I'll be going back to them one or two jackets down the road, when I'm willing to be more adventurous.

 

[strokes1251]

Just got this in the mail today. Im sure this is the M-200 and all I can say is that I think Ill finally be able to give my CHP jacket a break for now. I also got this jacket for only $44 bucks and all I can say is that its the best $44 bucks I ever spent. (To be fair its a very small size at a 36 )

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks Trapp for the clarifications. Much appreciated.

 

[feltfan]

I've posted this before and I'll post it again now. I have both a Johnson and an Aero (as well as a GW). As Trapp points out,
Johnson has a wider variety of jackets and jacket quality. The walk-in store requires some standard, contemporary, affordable goods.
After over 15 years, I'd have to say if anything my Johnson is at least as good or better made than my Aero. Putting aside my ridiculous
two year ordeal with Aero USA, it's still mighty nice to be measured in person and talk to someone as knowledgeable as Alan while handling
samples. And of course his prices are lower, too.

Both great jackets. Both in business for decades. One has a stronger web presence.

 

[trapp]

This is great to hear, and would love to see pics of your 15 yr old jacket.

 

[oldcrow82]

^ trapp, I too have made a recent trip into the city for the purpose of visiting Johnson's leathers. Both Alan and Craig were on hand. Both seed quite knowledgeable. Craig assisted me with trying on a few jackets. The first few Craig went to were spot on (which impressed me both in his eye for my size and style).
I too walked out of there having the same feeling the few models I tried on we're of great fit off the rack. I too felt some of the details and leathers were of inferior quality to some of the better know brands around here.
I handled one horween steer sample that looked like what I wanted was thick, but was stiff as a board. After playing with the sample, rolling and twisting it, it just returned to its former shape unphased by my massaging. Aero's FQHH is buttery soft with a truly unique and intoxicating aroma. I asked Allan about his horse hides and his response is that he hasn't had horween horse in 3 years. All of his horse is sourced from Japan, which for the cost does nothing for me.
Good to know I wasn't trying to talk myself out of a purchase and that others have similar impressions.