Looking for my first Deer/Elk Skin Jacket... Who Makes em?

[Worf]

I've everything but goat and Deer/Elk. I'm looking for a deer or elk skin jacket or coat (non-western... I don't do fringe). Any suggestion as to who can make me one? Any help would be appreciated.

Worf

 

[Canuck Panda]

SB Kokkolan Elk is about 4oz thick, corrected grain, pigment finished. I have the brown one, it’s more like seal than mid brown. There’s also black.

I’ve got a Johnson 3.5oz deerskin jacket coming. I think it’s aniline finished and uncorrected grain. Will post some photos when I get it.

Greg Field also promised a deerskin that’s better than the Freewheeler one. I have a Freewheeler deerskin vest and it’s aniline, uncorrected grain, 3.5oz feel. So I bought into Gregs claim but his queue is long.

And there’s LW. I still have that on my wish list. Keep bumping it back because of his high prices. But he also offers game hides like deer.

Just saw your comments about G.O.A.T
Johnson has these 4 to 5 oz goatskin, aniline finish. I am only buying the deer/elk ones so I can trash talk them and truly say thick GOAT is the best. It’s in the name,

Goatskin is not the cheapy painted leather I thought they were. The ones from Hudson Valley tannery is thick, aniline finish, and is the GOAT. Extremely tough grain on the outside, super soft on the flesh side. my 5oz goat trucker jacket weighs 8 lbs. 8 lbs.

 

[Spiney]

Simmons Bilt offer deerskin.

 

[Marc mndt]

Greg Field also promised a deerskin that’s better than the Freewheeler one.

Better in what way?

 

[jacketjunkie]

I've everything but goat and Deer/Elk. I'm looking for a deer or elk skin jacket or coat (non-western... I don't do fringe). Any suggestion as to who can make me one? Any help would be appreciated.

Worf

Johnson Leathers in San Francisco. They do pretty much any style you want.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Johnson Leathers in San Francisco. They do pretty much any style you want.

^^^This. Ask for 4oz plus goat samples. I am certain the goat leather will impress. The JL thick goat is aniline finished, not painted. So it patinas, gets darker, like Badalassi. The cheapy goat is always painted and the paint chips away and show a lighter core. Some call it fading. I once saw another old goat jacket here somewhere it must been aniline finished too as it got darker and burnished in a lot of spots over the years without any chipped paint.

Badalassi burnished fast, gets darker along the edges first

Johnson's aniline goat burnish on the surface, gets darker too:

The reverse "rough out" side of goat feels soft like cashmere. But the grain side feels hard like alligator armor. And aniline goat wont chip away paint at the cuff.

It's heavy jacket though. A 4oz ish goat cross zip M500 jacket in size 40 weighs 7lbs. More than most horse or cow. If you don't like heavy jackets then it's something to think about, check leather sample first.

Better in what way?

I've heard it from another member. It was enough for me to pull the trigger. In less than one year I will know just how good it is.
I assume it's from CF Stead tannery. Is it worth the 200 pound surcharge over his regular Shinki, I don't know. That's why I kept asking for photos of the deer in the FL thread but no hit.

 

[willyto]

That's a bold claim to make "better than Freewheelers one" when they have been using it for years an years even before they were called Freewheelers and were named Bootleggers.

 

[tmitchell59]

You don't need to go to Japan to find an elk or Deerskin jacket. There are many for sale on ebay in a variety of styles. You wear a bigger size and that will not work well in Japanese jackets.

this is not labeled, but probably Elk. made in Oregon.

Taubers of California; unlabeled but probably Elk as the one above

Two tradition half-belt Deerskin

 

[morrison2951]

I actually have a Gibson & Barnes A-2 in deer and wow is it comfortable to wear.

 

[Goel]

As mentioned Johnson Leather has Deer, Elk/Caribou, and proper Moose/Alces Alces as well, all naked finish. I wasn't a fan of that so I supplied some Horween elk myself.

 

[Canuck Panda]

You don't need to go to Japan to find an elk or Deerskin jacket. There are many for sale on ebay in a variety of styles. You wear a bigger size and that will not work well in Japanese jackets.

this is not labeled, but probably Elk. made in Oregon.

View attachment 450501 View attachment 450502


Taubers of California; unlabeled but probably Elk as the one above

View attachment 450505

View attachment 450506

Two tradition half-belt Deerskin

View attachment 450507 View attachment 450508

I remember now. It's a 30s goatskin jacket I've seen on your youtube channel. Nicely burnished/patina. You still have that one? It was unlined I believe. Patina russet color.

 

[dwilson]

That's a bold claim to make "better than Freewheelers one" when they have been using it for years an years even before they were called Freewheelers and were named Bootleggers.

Yeah not to clutter this thread up too much with this discussion but that sounds like absolute and complete BS. I have a really hard time believing some guy in Europe is going to source better leather from a Japanese tannery than a Japanese company known for their obsessive nature when it comes to leather quality. I just simply can't buy it.

edit: Actually it just occurred to me he may not be sourcing the leather from Japan

 

[Worf]

Simmons Bilt offer deerskin.

I went to their website before posting here and every style I looked at it was NOT in the list of offered hides... unless I'm missing sumthin' which is possible as I slide into my dotage. Thanks for the quick replies guys/gals.

Worf

 

[Canuck Panda]

I went to their website before posting here and every style I looked at it was NOT in the list of offered hides... unless I'm missing sumthin' which is possible as I slide into my dotage. Thanks for the quick replies guys/gals.

Worf

It's faster to just email Debs directly at their company email. Not all leather is always listed on website. So it doesn't hurt to ask. Make sure it's in stock and set aside or the lead time can be frustratingly long.
info@simmonsbilt.com
The SB website looks ok but is not fully functional. The same is with Johnson, business is conducted through email at the moment. Only Aero can complete the business through the webstore but they don't have game hides like deer/elk.

 

[Nacho]

You don't need to go to Japan to find an elk or Deerskin jacket. There are many for sale on ebay in a variety of styles. You wear a bigger size and that will not work well in Japanese jackets.

this is not labeled, but probably Elk. made in Oregon.

View attachment 450501 View attachment 450502


Taubers of California; unlabeled but probably Elk as the one above

View attachment 450505

View attachment 450506

Two tradition half-belt Deerskin

View attachment 450507 View attachment 450508

Wow, the first one is stunning, Terry. I love everything about it. The half belt, the western yoke and especially the front buttons. I'd rock that thang if it's in black or dark brown though. Yellow is a bit much for me.

 

[TREEMAN]

I actually have a Gibson & Barnes A-2 in deer and wow is it comfortable to wear.

View attachment 450509

That’s nice deer hide … Not the usual pebbly spongy stuff.