Leather Police Jackets

[Peter Mackin]

Nice. These are awesome and very underrated serious jackets. BKS is the Savile Row of UK motorbike leathers and the first company in the world to get CE certification for their leathers (not just the armour). From the label, this is an early pre-CE days jacket (when they were built to the UK Cambridge standard that the CE standard was subsequently heavily based on) so probably early 1990s and it has the concertina stretch panels behind the arms of these early models. It’s also a rare 4 pocket front design that some UK police forces specified instead of the more usual 2 front pockets, which I think looks nice and different. Lining zips out and everything is tank-like quality. Some later BKS police jackets were built down to price and whilst just as protective the leather wasn’t as heavyweight and eg the inner facings were made of material rather than leather, so a lighter weight jacket, but not as nice as earlier ones imo.

Anyway GLWS, if it fit me (sadly will be too big for me too) and I didn’t already have 4 BKS jackets I’d buy it!

Thank you for the information regarding this jacket,I had considered having the back of the jacket squared off but it still would be in a rotation of a dozen jackets .The quality deserves to be appreciated,,£100 and the new owner will never find a better jacket for the money,,guaranteed.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Tried on the BKS again today and decided to carefully cut off the oversized dip at the back, it was probably around 3-4 inches and was pushing the back of the jacket upwards when sitting on the bike.
Straight away it felt 100% better. All I need to do is get the back sewn closed and I have another wearer to choose from,, happy days.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Just had the back of the jacket stitched while I waited, the woman done a fantastic job and it means that I can now enjoy wearing this great jacket, the best £15 I've spent in a long time.

 

[JMax]

I had a petrol blue BKS that was too small so I gave it to a buddy in need. Awesome jacket though. Incredible, thick hide.

 

[Fifty150]

As an alternative to the cross zip style, there is a single breasted police motorcycle jacket. I have seen it used by California Highway Patrol and other agencies. It's sold by San Diego Leather and Taylor Leather as an "LAPD" model. The ones I've seen being worn by police motorcycle officers looked pretty good in person. Just something to look at and think about if someone is in the market for a motorcycle jacket.

 

[Turnip]

Used German police leather jackets could be bought pretty cheap at army shops at this end. About 80,- bucks at B condition.

https://www.raeer.com/shopexd.asp?id=34266

 

[Rugby]

As an alternative to the cross zip style, there is a single breasted police motorcycle jacket. I have seen it used by California Highway Patrol and other agencies. It's sold by San Diego Leather and Taylor Leather as an "LAPD" model. The ones I've seen being worn by police motorcycle officers looked pretty good in person. Just something to look at and think about if someone is in the market for a motorcycle jacket.

I am late to this discussion, but I wanted to add my experience with Taylor. Th attached pictures are of their Detroit type jacket the way it used to look like. The jacket is 34 years old, has had a lot and lot of wear over the years and still looks and is great. As you see they used to make them in the US. Now they are made in Pakistan. I don't know whether the quality has dropped.

 

[Gerald Parel]

I recently move to the country side. Evenings and mornings are a lot colder than where I came from and it was a very valid reason to resume my quest. So here's my heavy and solid leather Miklos Sas NYPD coat recently acquired for a very decent sum.
Feels and smell like my other horsehide jackets although thicker and heavier, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that my Philadelphia police coat is a 38 and this must be a 42. Pandemic growth makes the latter a very good fit.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ That's an absolutely amazing NYPD riding coat, Gerald. Thanks so much for posting those photos!

 

[Aloysius]

I am late to this discussion, but I wanted to add my experience with Taylor. Th attached pictures are of their Detroit type jacket the way it used to look like. The jacket is 34 years old, has had a lot and lot of wear over the years and still looks and is great. As you see they used to make them in the US. Now they are made in Pakistan. I don't know whether the quality has dropped.

I got a Taylor's police jacket in their sale earlier this year. Quality and materials seem really good. Finishing is workmanlike, but I don't mind that here since it doesn't compromise what the jacket is for. It is a little big (probably by design) and features a full Thinsulate jacket as lining.

I might move it on; on the other hand, given the price I paid I can maybe make this a Commissioner Gordon costume haha.

 

[Rugby]

I got a Taylor's police jacket in their sale earlier this year. Quality and materials seem really good. Finishing is workmanlike, but I don't mind that here since it doesn't compromise what the jacket is for. It is a little big (probably by design) and features a full Thinsulate jacket as lining.

I might move it on; on the other hand, given the price I paid I can maybe make this a Commissioner Gordon costume haha.

Which one did you get?

 

[JMax]

I recently move to the country side. Evenings and mornings are a lot colder than where I came from and it was a very valid reason to resume my quest. So here's my heavy and solid leather Miklos Sas NYPD coat recently acquired for a very decent sum.
Feels and smell like my other horsehide jackets although thicker and heavier, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that my Philadelphia police coat is a 38 and this must be a 42. Pandemic growth makes the latter a very good fit.

Vtg Miklos are great jackets. Really nice HH. Nice find and purchase.

 

[Aloysius]

Passaic PD, medium tall.

 

[Rugby]

Passaic PD, medium tall.

Nice Jacket. Mid length. Is it 3.5 oz cowhide?

 

[Aloysius]

Nice Jacket. Mid length. Is it 3.5 oz cowhide?

I’m not sure. It’s their older, heftier hide but it seems pretty pliable to me.

 

[Sunnyt]

I recently move to the country side. Evenings and mornings are a lot colder than where I came from and it was a very valid reason to resume my quest. So here's my heavy and solid leather Miklos Sas NYPD coat recently acquired for a very decent sum.
Feels and smell like my other horsehide jackets although thicker and heavier, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that my Philadelphia police coat is a 38 and this must be a 42. Pandemic growth makes the latter a very good fit.

That is an absolutely stunning HH coat. Congratulations.

I have seen many Philadelphia Police coats pop up and want to buy one but it seems that not all of them are HH. Some are described as HH, some just as leather. Any ideas on which ones are HH and which ones cowhide?

Also any general tips on getting one of these HH coats would be greatly appreciated. Have been hunting for one for a long time.

 

[tmitchell59]

 

[Gerald Parel]

That is an absolutely stunning HH coat. Congratulations.

I have seen many Philadelphia Police coats pop up and want to buy one but it seems that not all of them are HH. Some are described as HH, some just as leather. Any ideas on which ones are HH and which ones cowhide?

Also any general tips on getting one of these HH coats would be greatly appreciated. Have been hunting for one for a long time.

Thanks! I SO know what you are talking about. There are some visual clues as to how to recognise one leather type from another, but that is too superficial to really base any knowledge on it. So unfortunately, it all boils down to mathematics as in: decade of manufacture, brand and city of use, with an enormous chance factor.
I got lucky with that one since it was an old ad on some bb guns/outdoor second hand website. The seller was honest and didn't know what he really had or didn't have the time to dig further.

 

[Edward]

As an alternative to the cross zip style, there is a single breasted police motorcycle jacket. I have seen it used by California Highway Patrol and other agencies. It's sold by San Diego Leather and Taylor Leather as an "LAPD" model. The ones I've seen being worn by police motorcycle officers looked pretty good in person. Just something to look at and think about if someone is in the market for a motorcycle jacket.

Re the line I've bolded.... I agree very much on this. I'm not sure my eye would have been drawn to a Taylor by their website: the photos make them look just a bit.... eh.... bland, characterless. I picked up a used one (Chicago police design, as memory serves) a few months before the pandemic. It's hanging in my office across town, I must pick it up again and see how it fits. Much better looking jacket in person; reminds me of the better quality, British motorcycle leathers that were around in the eighties here, before the nineties arrived and so many brands abandoned classic design entire in favour of a heavily padded look.

Used German police leather jackets could be bought pretty cheap at army shops at this end. About 80,- bucks at B condition.

https://www.raeer.com/shopexd.asp?id=34266

What era are these ones from? The ones I have seen surplus are the seventies pea-coat style, and the bright, almost Kawasaki-green ones from I think the eighties? When I was first in Berlin in 1999, I remember the police wearing green uniforms I think, but I believe that's all changed since. Not been back since 2002, horrifically - far too long. I adored Berlin, it's a place I could imagine living in.

 

[Fifty150]

As you see they used to make them in the US. Now they are made in Pakistan. I don't know whether the quality has dropped.

I don't have an old jacket from Taylor for comparison.

The jackets that I do have from Taylor are tough as nails. I'm not an expert. But I am impressed. Thick, heavy leather. No broken zippers. No broken snaps. No broken threads. After a few decades, they are still in excellent condition. Good enough that I would trust them to protect my hide.

Taylor says that the overseas manufacturing process is to their specification. You can get quality manufacturing in any country. You just have to show them exactly what you want. Nike and Apple are made in China.