MIA - The revealing

[J Leather Investigater]

Friends! Hello all. I have been missing in action for a while now and I wanted to share with you all why. I did not abandon my hobby nor you all that makes up this special place. When one puts forth energy into something (anything) there is an evolution process that begins to happen. When you followed your passion of leather outerwear it led you here. The evolution process differs for everyone, some widen there perspective and begin writing about their knowledge an experience- blog- king terry on you tube ect. One place in my process that I have been pulled to is production, building, sewing of the leather jackets we love. It started when I had a jacket i wanted altered, it is a cool jacket, great hide, but has some snakeskin trim i didn't want to wear. I began the tedious process of removing the liner, and then began- major surgery. Panel removing. I acquired some Horween horsehide to replace the removed panels. I was going to need a sewing machine. I rushed into getting a machine that people-the internet said "heavy duty" sews leather an thick materials. It was a domestic singer 4432 that is a good solid machine- but its not for sewing seams on leather jackets. Its is a fast machine with a low foot presser height. Not what you want for sewing jackets/leather. Regius has been a great friend to turn to during this process, always giving great insight and information. So this started my introduction to studying sewing machines. Long story short after learning the cutthroat used industrial sewing machine game, I have a great machine on the way and in the works. JOHN CHAPMAN has a used union special machine for sale on Facebook Market place. Its a great deal to. I didn't buy it, its not a walking foot and he wants to sell the head,table,motor as a unit. 250$ to ship freight. Anyway my project is on hold while I wait on my machine. I also have a pattern for a western shirt like the flat heads deerskin shirt. I have acquired some 4oz Horween mottled deerskin to. Thats my other project, beautiful leather I have pics to! I have also been immensely immersed in the lighting bolt path to enlightenment- Tibetan Buddhism. That is a totally different topic, I will say that if you have a desire to live a stable, liberating, and vibrant life the path is there to be traveled. It is "life changing " for lack of a better term. Here is some pictures of some of the things I've talked about, including pictures of the sold " heavy duty" 4432, an pictures of the walking foot consew 225 thats on the way!

 

[handymike]

The Consew is a great choice!
I was interested in making jackets for awhile too. I learned a lot, but never really got it all together to make a jacket, though it is a great feeling to be able to repair things and make costumes for the kids. Where do you see this leading? Will we be seeing a line of Leather Investigator jackets?

 

[J Leather Investigater]

The Consew is a great choice!
I was interested in making jackets for awhile too. I learned a lot, but never really got it all together to make a jacket, though it is a great feeling to be able to repair things and make costumes for the kids. Where do you see this leading? Will we be seeing a line of Leather Investigator jackets?

I actually want to be able to make jackets for my self. Design, build, wear. This is a way to get exactly what I want! I dont know the end of these things now.... im just riding the wave

 

[handymike]

Keep the thread updated with your experiences along the way! There have been a couple of people here who’ve documented the making of their own jackets, and they have been some of my favorite threads.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Friends! Hello all. I have been missing in action for a while now and I wanted to share with you all why. I did not abandon my hobby nor you all that makes up this special place. When one puts forth energy into something (anything) there is an evolution process that begins to happen. When you followed your passion of leather outerwear it led you here. The evolution process differs for everyone, some widen there perspective and begin writing about their knowledge an experience- blog- king terry on you tube ect. One place in my process that I have been pulled to is production, building, sewing of the leather jackets we love. It started when I had a jacket i wanted altered, it is a cool jacket, great hide, but has some snakeskin trim i didn't want to wear. I began the tedious process of removing the liner, and then began- major surgery. Panel removing. I acquired some Horween horsehide to replace the removed panels. I was going to need a sewing machine. I rushed into getting a machine that people-the internet said "heavy duty" sews leather an thick materials. It was a domestic singer 4432 that is a good solid machine- but its not for sewing seams on leather jackets. Its is a fast machine with a low foot presser height. Not what you want for sewing jackets/leather. Regius has been a great friend to turn to during this process, always giving great insight and information. So this started my introduction to studying sewing machines. Long story short after learning the cutthroat used industrial sewing machine game, I have a great machine on the way and in the works. JOHN CHAPMAN has a used union special machine for sale on Facebook Market place. Its a great deal to. I didn't buy it, its not a walking foot and he wants to sell the head,table,motor as a unit. 250$ to ship freight. Anyway my project is on hold while I wait on my machine. I also have a pattern for a western shirt like the flat heads deerskin shirt. I have acquired some 4oz Horween mottled deerskin to. Thats my other project, beautiful leather I have pics to! I have also been immensely immersed in the lighting bolt path to enlightenment- Tibetan Buddhism. That is a totally different topic, I will say that if you have a desire to live a stable, liberating, and vibrant life the path is there to be traveled. It is "life changing " for lack of a better term. Here is some pictures of some of the things I've talked about, including pictures of the sold " heavy duty" 4432, an pictures of the walking foot consew 225 thats on the way! View attachment 349708 View attachment 349710 View attachment 349711 View attachment 349712 View attachment 349714 View attachment 349714 View attachment 349716 View attachment 349717 View attachment 349718 View attachment 349720 View attachment 349721

Bonus pictures- fist Horween lux developed
2nd vanson chopper cxl horsehide

 

[handymike]

Wait-a-minute...that Lux is only a year old, right?

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Wait-a-minute...that Lux is only a year old, right?

Yes about a year old. I have wore it inside a lot, sleeping in it as well. Really an awsome thick heavy teacore

 

[red devil]

Very cool to see you diving headlong into this project! Really curious to see where you end up.

Do you have full pics of the jacket you are working on? Curious to see what that panel looked like originally on the jacket

 

[Tom71]

Thanks for this. Mighty interesting read!

A „Chopper“ in CXL horse is like…Pizza topped with a Porterhouse Steak! Did Vanson source the leather, or did you have to provide it? The Comp Weight on my Chopper is about the only thing I don’t like that much.

 

[Canuck Panda]

@J Leather Investigater you got a sewing machine twin here! I have not had the courage to move forward with leather sewing. Just hemming my pants for now. I too bought the machine at first in hopes to alter my own jackets.
Excellent job you did so far! Hope to see more of your work soon.
And the Lux SB and custom choppers are great too!
Cheers

 

[navetsea]

congrats, goodluck with bringing your hobby to the next level, actually there is no reason stopping us all from making our own jacket, right, there are so many free pattern template, we can break apart cheap blazer or jacket.. leather doesn't need edge finishing against fraying, and we can always sew by hand.. if we don't want to sew lining, we can always buy shirt flannel shirt for example, pick a size smaller, cut out the collar, cuff, and button placket, turn it inside out, and there you have your plaid liner with lining pockets.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Very cool to see you diving headlong into this project! Really curious to see where you end up.

Do you have full pics of the jacket you are working on? Curious to see what that panel looked like originally on the jacket

Thanks for this. Mighty interesting read!

A „Chopper“ in CXL horse is like…Pizza topped with a Porterhouse Steak! Did Vanson source the leather, or did you have to provide it? The Comp Weight on my Chopper is about the only thing I don’t like that much.

Actually I had to contact Christian from left field (his horsehide left over from his gold standard edition vanson made) and pay him, then I worked with Kim on the build! Awsome jacket.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Very cool to see you diving headlong into this project! Really curious to see where you end up.

Do you have full pics of the jacket you are working on? Curious to see what that panel looked like originally on the jacket

before-

 

[J Leather Investigater]

View attachment 349854 before-

After. Jacket still being worked on, I ditched the 4432

 

[J Leather Investigater]

congrats, goodluck with bringing your hobby to the next level, actually there is no reason stopping us all from making our own jacket, right, there are so many free pattern template, we can break apart cheap blazer or jacket.. leather doesn't need edge finishing against fraying, and we can always sew by hand.. if we don't want to sew lining, we can always buy shirt flannel shirt for example, pick a size smaller, cut out the collar, cuff, and button placket, turn it inside out, and there you have your plaid liner with lining pockets.

There are other ways to sew. I believe an industrial sewing machine for leather is the best. I ordered a family sew servo motor which greatly reduces speed when sewing. (John Chapman personally told me when he got a servo motor he couldn't believe how easy sewing leather jackets was). The boss tippman which is a handcrank industrial sewing machine- no power to run- no motor. Then by hand.

 

[handymike]

One member made a complete jacket by saddle stitching the whole thing by hand.

 

[red devil]

Very nice work on that panel!

I have to admit I like the original design, very noticeable without being too showy in my mind if that makes any sense?

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Very cool! Looking forward to seeing more. That Horween Lux is aging incredibly well.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Just go f

@J Leather Investigater you got a sewing machine twin here! I have not had the courage to move forward with leather sewing. Just hemming my pants for now. I too bought the machine at first in hopes to alter my own jackets.
Excellent job you did so far! Hope to see more of your work soon.
And the Lux SB and custom choppers are great too!
Cheers
View attachment 349826 View attachment 349827

Just go for it. Before I removed that panel and replaced it my sew experience consisted of threading a hand sewing needle for my mom as a young boy.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

Very cool! Looking forward to seeing more. That Horween Lux is aging incredibly well.

Thanks! Hey that lux is awsome leather. There was never a hard finish to penetrate so not only does that enable the brown to bust through, once the brown bust out then a "glaze" like patina began. Im wondering if the natural oils from leather do this.