Leather jacket break in service

[HoosierDaddy]

Let us know when you get that first customer....

 

[Windstorm81]

I think I am just echoing what Bond said earlier but let's say we humour this service offer for a minute and you start getting customers. How will you provide the wearing time to each jacket so they get broken in and returned to customer within reasonable time? Will you then outsource these jackets to China? Or maybe there might be a waiting period with the jackets being in que for the "wear n break" in which case the customer can probably can do the breaking in himself during that time period.

Plus, biggest issue is that us leather jacket addicts highly value the break in process as this is when the jacket conforms to our body and truly becomes ours. All the creases, new grain and new undertones are our own earnings.

Sorry, but this proposal not sounding like win win for both sides but more like win-lose with you getting exposure to brand new different leathers plus getting paid for it and the customer ending up losing the break in experience, losing cash ,and assuming all the risk ... Not sure if you'll find a client on this forum with an IQ low enough to go for that kinda deal

 

[Ricky Sinaga]

What would happen if you have someone send a very expensive jacket, and it goes "so long, sucker"??????

Just seems all to much a risk to me. Good luck on having someone take that risk.

Yes, but maybe you can ask for a copy of his ID Card or something else...

 

[mendelboaz]

It seems to me that this goes against many of the principles that most outerwear lovers here stand for-- namely, buying a beast of a leather jacket and taming it, making it yours. I think this post would be more appropriate for Styleforum.

 

[ton312]

LOL fun idea.

But my jackets are so good, I'd have to charge you $20 a week rental to wear them.

I'll pay you $30! Send them to me!

 

[58panheadfan]

I would love to see a nice broken-in or better beaten up leather jacket from this service... because I see a lot of new or like new leather jackets, rarely broken-in jackets and rarest really +5yrs every day worn Jackets, here many forum members are collectors, owing more than "1" jacket, spending hrs + hrs for lurking in forums and forgot to wear jackets...! Please take this post as a self-critical statement

(Someone should open a new thread in Outerwear Section with the titel "Evolution on Leather Jackets worn "everyday" for +5yrs by same Owner" I'm pretty sure... there are not a lot around - LOL!)

Edit: Or just +1yr in titel would separate the wheat from the chaff...

 

[Guppy]

I think I am just echoing what Bond said earlier but let's say we humour this service offer for a minute and you start getting customers. How will you provide the wearing time to each jacket so they get broken in and returned to customer within reasonable time? Will you then outsource these jackets to China? Or maybe there might be a waiting period with the jackets being in que for the "wear n break" in which case the customer can probably can do the breaking in himself during that time period.

Plus, biggest issue is that us leather jacket addicts highly value the break in process as this is when the jacket conforms to our body and truly becomes ours. All the creases, new grain and new undertones are our own earnings.

Sorry, but this proposal not sounding like win win for both sides but more like win-lose with you getting exposure to brand new different leathers plus getting paid for it and the customer ending up losing the break in experience, losing cash ,and assuming all the risk ... Not sure if you'll find a client on this forum with an IQ low enough to go for that kinda deal

All I can say about this is that, you're right. The break in period *is* special, and should be enjoyed by the jacket's owner.

However, I've been reading this forum for a year or two, and in that time I've seen a LOT of conversation about breakin. How to do it, how to accelerate it, and recently just in the last week one thread from someone who had designed a robotic mannequin to weather his jacket outdoors for him, and another guy who is considering ridding himself of a perfect fitting jacket that he finds uncomfortable to wear as its not yet broken in. Not to mention frequent classified listing for as-new jackets that "didn't work out" for the original owner. Just how many of those ads are tragic stories of a new owner giving up prematurely on a fine jacket that they haven't given a proper chance to, I can't know, but I bet there's more than a few.

Will I enjoy a steady stream of brand new jackets that I can switch out of every few weeks or months? Absolutely I will. Would the owner be better off doing break in themselves? Sure, but it's quite apparently not something that everyone wants to do, or is prepared to do. Can I wear everyone's jacket? Of course not. I can break in one at a time, so of course when I get busy with this there will be some waiting list. And I can only take on clients who are close to the same size as me. I can't help everyone in the world, but I'm a common size so should be of service to many. Will you get your jacket back? Absolutely, on my word as a forum member. I'll take excellent care of your jacket while in my possession. I can assure everyone have no interest in stealing anyone's jacket. I own over 30 jackets myself, and don't need more. But I do love the experience of trying out new a new jacket, and this would be a way for me to keep doing so without the hoarding and the expense.

All I'm doing is offering a service that I perceive there is some demand for. So I can appreciate the skepticism and the folks who'll laugh at such a service, as people do about dog walkers and so forth. But if anyone wants to take me up on this, it's a completely legitimate offer.

 

[Monitor]

Hey, I'll do that stuff for free, if it means I get to wear a different jacket every week. XD

My friend, an avid motorcyclist currently has my Vanson House, because having driven only in textile moto jackets, he finally decided to do a leather test run. TBH, I've given him the jacket primarily because I'm hoping for the same thing Guppy's service is supposed to provide - that he's going to break damn thing in a bit. So... I don't know. Is this really any different than the jackets that have been artificially distressed?

 

[ton312]

^me too...I'll do it for free, pay shipping both ways AND take no liability for damage. So long as I get a new jacket every two weeks that I've not committed a bazillion $$ to and you let me keep it until I deem it "ready for you to wear"

Disclaimer: the 4 months you waited for it to be produced turned into 9 months for it to actually be yours.

Not responsible for:
Dog bites
Beer smell/spill or any faint aroma of an illicit substance
Scrapes, bumps or bruises
Bulging hand warmers
Loose half belt side straps
Lost zipper pulls
Pizza sauce

Responsible for:
Grinning ear to ear

 

[Guppy]

Hey, I'll do that stuff for free, if it means I get to wear a different jacket every week. XD

I considered offering the service for free, but when I thought about it a little more, I thought better of it.

1) I want people to take the service seriously, not treat it like a joke. I'm sure there will be plenty of scoffers anyway, as well as people who'd only be too happy to
2) I will be spending a LOT of time wearing the jacket, more than I would if I just owned the jacket. I'm talking, like, all the time. People are going to look at me weird.
3) I am offering to give something back to the Fedora community, in the form of well documented research on break-in methods and wear acceleration techniques. This is stuff we talk about all the time, but it's mostly anecdotal.
4) If there's an agreed-upon value for the service, it will help in the (hopefully very unlikely) event of an unhappy customer seeking a settlement or damages of some kind. Since I'm holding myself liable for things like theft and so forth, I think this is reasonable.
5) For $10/week, and no ability to scale the business up, I'm sure as heck not going to be making a lot of money doing this! I'm clearly not in it for the money, but I think charging for the service will help limit my clientele to people who are serious about doing it.

 

[Guppy]

Let us know when you get that first customer....

I surely will. I'm already talking to someone who expressed interest. Not sure yet whether they're serious or just pulling my leg, but time will tell.

 

[ton312]

It's all in good fun Guppy. I just can't imagine anyone in their right mind going in for this service. That said, right mind is subjective I suppose.

 

[Monitor]

This is a... very interesting thread.

People go online and buy old, beaten up jackets for a lot of money, just to get that aged, vintage, worn out look. The creases, faded colour, whatever. The popular ones cost a lot. Buco's are around two grands. Okay, so I'm thinking that most people having $2000 to spend on an old, beaten up leather jacket can sure as paint buy themselves a brand new repro, right? So why exactly are people buying those crummy old jackets while they could get a virtually indistinguishable reproduction of a much higher quality? Some are collectors, sure, but other people just want the instant worn in look. But anyone having that sort of money, you think they are gonna dedicate themselves to wearing just one jacket the whole time? Why? We're talking about people who probably have a wardrobe full of wonderful jackets, any particular model or style they wanted at some time or another... Which is super cool! But the downside is, more jackets you have, more time it will take to get them to look as cool as the jackets that got you into this little hobby in the first place.

I'm willing to bet Aero gets tons of requests for artificial aging. There are people willing to pay a few $ extra for that sort of thing. Unfortunately, having random people breaking in your jackets means you don't get to enjoy your jacket for quite a while...

I don't know. I just think this could be happening, actually. XD

 

[ton312]

If there's a market for this service I'll kick my self senseless for not having thought of it first.
To think I could be sporting all these jackets, spend nothing AND get paid. Where's the puke emoji?
Found it!

 

[Guppy]

If there's a market for this service I'll kick my self senseless for not having thought of it first.
To think I could be sporting all these jackets, spend nothing AND get paid. Where's the puke emoji?
Found it!

It's a strange world we live in, but if you can find a way to make a little money doing something you enjoy, I say do it. There's people who get paid to review movies, cigsrs, and motorcycles, after all.

 

[thor]

I'm fairly certain that the first customer will NOT be named Stu!

 

[ButteMT61]

Good luck. Who knows, maybe someone will give it a shot. As for the nagging here, don't pay attention to it. I'd rather that guys just ignore it rather than crap all over your post. But hey, it's the TFL!

 

[Guppy]

Good luck. Who knows, maybe someone will give it a shot. As for the nagging here, don't pay attention to it. I'd rather that guys just ignore it rather than crap all over your post. But hey, it's the TFL!

I don't mind it, really. Every reply bumps the thread to the top. I absolutely recognize there's going to be a fair bit of ridicule, skepticism, and general naysaying... But whatever, I HAVE A THICK SKIN ;-)

 

[Monitor]

Guppy, any luck with this?

 

[glide133]

It's way cheaper than highering a gardner.Funny how a few people want to step on your toe's....or fin,or whatever.