Leather creasing

[Blackadder]

This is a brand new horsehide A-2 I just received in the mail. I wonder if I can get the crease out. It looks awful like crumpled paper. Any idea how something like this would happen?

 

[Sloan1874]

Who made the A-2? It looks a little mismatched, but a bit of wear should see it even out after a few months of rough treatment. A nice colour as well.

 

[Foster]

All I see is a nice grainy pattern in the horsehide.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Get it out?? Wow!...I sure wouldn't want to get it out! That is very much prefered for many/most..!!
HD

 

[thor]

Who made the A-2? It looks a little mismatched, but a bit of wear should see it even out after a few months of rough treatment. A nice colour as well.

Looks like "Bill Kelso" on the label? It is a nice color!

 

[cordwangler]

You're kidding?

This looks very nice. This is what leather looks like.

 

[Sloan1874]

I suppose some people like to start from scratch on breaking-in, but I'm with the others, it's attractive rather than defective.

 

[rocketeer]

Nothing wrong with creasing, makes it look more like an original. Well, give it a few(Like 50) years.
Seriously, originals were often made with whatever was available, it would have taken to long to match all the hide pieces to make a perfect jacket like most of todays repro's.
As Thor says, Nice colour

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Many authentic A2s were made with a jerky or heavily grained hide that no amount of wear would produce. I have an original Aero russett A2 that has a robust mismatched hide that you can tell was made from heavily grained HH at the factory during WW2. Simply Beautiful.
HD

 

[Blackadder]

I suppose some people like to start from scratch on breaking-in, but I'm with the others, it's attractive rather than defective.

That's one of the reasons. The other is the mismatch. The final and the most important one is as you all say the colour is pretty sharp and it simply does not match the aging/creasing. It may look better with a little fading but definitely not now as it looks weird like a repaint/reprocessed due to the sharpness of the colour. It is a BK and I thank you all for your feedback.

 

[Blackadder]

This is what I find on the internet. Another new BK which seems more natural. Unlike mine.

 

[thor]

Could that second posted leather be goatskin? Horse usually has a cool uneven graining with areas of greater and lesser creasing while goat is generally more evenly uniform in appearance.

 

[Sloan1874]

I'm sure if you contact BK, they'll be able to reassure you about it.

 

[Blackadder]

Could that second posted leather be goatskin? Horse usually has a cool uneven graining with areas of greater and lesser creasing while goat is generally more evenly uniform in appearance.

The owner was complaining that the colour faded too quickly after wearing it 1-2 times over six months. In other pictures not posted here, there are serious fading on the tip of the collar and seams.
The graining does not look much different from this one from an earlier thread and this is horsehide.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ill-Kelso-Dubow-1755&highlight=bill+kelso+A-2
Admittedly, mine is the house A-2 while those other 2 are original contract, one Roughwear 27752 and the other as you can see from the thread is Dubow.

 

[Blackadder]

I'm sure if you contact BK, they'll be able to reassure you about it.

LOL, I am caught between reversing the creasing and rubbing off the colour and shine.

 

[Sloan1874]

That's what horse does though. The others can correct me, but from my experience it exchanges shine for patina and depth of colour as it breaks in - my brown FQHH jacket has developed a coppery russet tone where it's been rubbed/creased. Looks fantastic!

 

[schitzo]

this is just a crease due to the way it was folded in the box, right? It's not because there is too much material in this panel i assume. In which case, nothing to worry about. Just soak it and wear till dry.

Good luck
Schitz

 

[thor]

LOL, I am caught between reversing the creasing and rubbing off the colour and shine.

If you just keep wearing the jacket, the color (topcoat of dye) will slowly rub off and the wrinkles and creases will increase and the jacket will look like a well-worn original. Enjoy the break-in!

 

[Edward]

That's one of the reasons. The other is the mismatch. The final and the most important one is as you all say the colour is pretty sharp and it simply does not match the aging/creasing. It may look better with a little fading but definitely not now as it looks weird like a repaint/reprocessed due to the sharpness of the colour. It is a BK and I thank you all for your feedback.

My advice in all these circumstances is the same as those (more common - this is the first time I think I've seen someone wanted to get rid of creasing) is the same: JWTDT (just wear the damn thing). A good bit of honest use will soon take out the new sheen. FWIW, I can't claim to have handled many originals, but I've seen enough good pictures to be sure that mis-matched grain was far from uncommon, if it's authenticity that you care about. If anything, a little mismatching seems more natural to me. Jinkies, if somebody tanned my sorry hide when I'm gone it'd certainly be mismatched.

 

[Blackadder]

If you just keep wearing the jacket, the color (topcoat of dye) will slowly rub off and the wrinkles and creases will increase and the jacket will look like a well-worn original. Enjoy the break-in!

The problem is mine is the cheaper house jacket meaning it is chrome tanned and theirs are veg-tanned. It will take me much longer to rub off and I already have a LW and an Aero which I have to break-in.