My brand new shiny HH jacket via washer and dryer

[Apehanger13]

Hey all, first time posting on this wonderful site. I thought some might be interested in my new jacket and what I did.
First off, I've owned 3 leather jackets. My first was when I was 18 as I started work as a ranch hand/cowboy, still got it. Second one was when I was 23, it was already very old and poorly made, it fell to bits around me in about a yr. the 3rd I got when I was 31 or 32, still have it also. I'm now 39 and was looking for a new leather jacket as I was sick of the ill fit of my old bike jacket. So I jumped on the internet and came across a Schott 689HH, loved the look of it. I have an old Schott Pea coat, love the thickness and warmth of Schott so I ordered one in. I'm a shade under 6' 2" and 190 so I knew as it didnt come in a Long that it would be a bit short for general wear let alone on my motorcycle. I took it to a reputable motorcycle jacket maker and got him to put on a 2" hem and 2.5" cuffs.
Then I took it home, and after much reading on here, I put it in the washing machine, on heat, with a little soap (I can see people crying as they read this) Pulled it out and put it on, gave it a bit of a flex, then put it in the dryer!! (has anyone passed out yet? ha ha) On a low heat with lots of checks and trying it on. While this was going on I was scraping and rubbing off the coating that is on the outside layering of the jacket, it pretty much all came off (I now see people passing out completely, ha) A little longer in the dryer, and with a little moisture left I took it out and put it on.
It was just a tiny little bit loose before I did this, but it now fits like a good jacket should.
Its coming into summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so its a perfect fit with a tee or a shirt. By the winter it will have stretched where it has to, to fit a woolen jumper or thick flannel shirt.
It needs to be worn in the rain once or twice to give it a stretch where needed then coated with some good saddle oil, and hey presto, the jacket of my dreams ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, and have a great day

 

[AngryNJ]

Can you post some pics? I have a schott cafe racer that I was thinking of throwing in the washer since I have lost weight and its too big.

 

[Apehanger13]

Hi Angry, its my understanding that any shrinking that has occurred wont be permanent, as it will stretch out where needed again.
The experience is with coats and boots getting very wet then drying out too quickly around fires or gas/wood cast iron stoves. The next morning you pull boots on they are all nice and tight, but by the mid morning they are back to where you started. Maybe they do stay shrunk where pressure isn't applied?
I'm not to good at getting photo's onto the computer, but I'll see how I go.
Cheers

 

[Chi-Town Co]

Wow Apehanger, I'll hand it to you.. you have guts doing that to a brand new jacket just based on what you've read. I would like to see the photos of the finished product as well. I had the same issues as you with the Schott 689H. While I did love the look of it, it was just too short in the length and sleeves and I hated the applied finish as it made the horsehide look pleather-ish.

I threw the zip-out liner of my Schott 141 in the washer and dryer and the leather pocket shrunk and wrinkled up and never has come back close to the way it was even with Pecards, etc.. not a big deal on a liner but if that is what happens to the jacket- yikes!

 

[too much coffee]

Hey Apehanger;
So what did you use to scrape and rub off the finish with? Man, you got 'nads of solid rock washing and drying your 689H. I applaud your efforts!

Good luck with posting the pics.

Regards, coffee

 

[Dav]

Crikey Apehanger, you're a braver man than I, halfway through your post I had to reach for the smelling salts.
Some pics would be good if you can.

 

[westinghouse]

Pics or it never happened...

 

[Apehanger13]

Thank you Chi-Town, It wasn't just what I've read but also how I've seen jackets and boots go with drying faster than the natural way, with a little mild heat they seem to shrink a little then go back to size after some persuading. However I've seen thick leather brand tags on jeans go like your liner pocket went with full on dryer heat also, but I kept pulling out my jacket and checking it, and scraping the finish off it. So I was checking it the whole time. Mind you it has shrunk a little, but last night it was raining and I had my jacket on, I brushed past some bushes and got them nice and wet then gave them a good stretch and they seem a little longer today now dry.
Ha ha, Too much coffee, thank you for the complement. I was just using my hand, I didnt expect it to happen, it was just an added bonus as far as I was concerned as it now looks like a flat finish. If I had to do it again, a rubber block of some sort, but the hand did the job just fine.
I'm really trying to work out how to get some photo's up, I'll take some tomorrow in the natural light, as its night here.
Ha ha Dav, very funny, I had to have a few stiff drinks to get me to to it!
Westinghouse, how I'd love to be able to post pic's right now to quieten the doubters about us.. ha ha. I'll put them up asap my good man
Cheers

 

[Apehanger13]

Ok, it appears as though I cant post attachments..

PROBLEM SOLVED
Thanks Dav

I look forward to showing you my jacket.
Cheers

 

[Dav]

Hi Apehanger
I also had trouble working out how to post pics
What you need to do is upload your pics to photobucket.com, then you need to open two windows, one with your photobucket page on the other with the reply to thread box (I open the go advanced box). Then you should be able to drag the IMG code under the pic over to the thread reply window, when you select preview post the picture should appear.
Hope that works for you.

 

[captaincaveman1]

Before and after pics would be nice. The character of my 689 changed quite noticeably between brand new and broken in. The HH continues to soften as I wear it in. I've washed leather jackets in the machine too but they were all cheapie jackets.

 

[Apehanger13]

Well well, I feel very clever, thank you Dav!
Here is a before shot, with cuff's and hem. I'll see how the light is for the after shot, as its night and I dont really have very bright lights.

 

[Apehanger13]

After shot.
Its poor light, but you can still see a huge difference..
I'll edit this photo in the morning with one of better light

 

[Chi-Town Co]

Thanks for the pix Apehanger.. definitely looks like there is a difference in the shine from the applied finish.. didn't realize that it would just rub off.. Came out looking better than I expected.. Interesting approach in the additional the sleeve and jacket length.. does it have snaps under the zipper in the front as well?

 

[1087]

Interesting approach!
Good results!

 

[ButteMT61]

I gotta say, not only does that take some cajonés, but it's kinda ironic. I see folks here waiting for ~6 months to get a custom jacket, but then can't wait to have it break in naturally
Not a dig. Just an observation from a nOOb.

Great site.

 

[captaincaveman1]

Cool the hem and the cuffs are very interesting additions. Got pics of the front or being worn?


Anyway, here's my before and after shots.




BEFORE. Notice all the shine and how smooth the grain is. Still so stiff that it stands up on its own. Tags still attached too.

AFTER: Shine is less prominent. Grain is starting to pop out of the hide. No longer stiff enough to stand up and has pretty much molded itself into the shape of my body.

Bug guts and bird poo. Yay. Closest thing to Pecards this jacket has ever seen. LOL

 

[Apehanger13]

And some after shots.
All I wanted to do was soften the jacket so it would sit right whilst on my bike and not sit up around my neck as I have high bars.
I tried a pair of runners in the dryer, and that worked some, then I read on here about using a washing machine and thought what the hell.. And it worked. Its very soft, like my old bike jacket thats about 8 or so yrs old.
I'm pretty stoked!

 

[Peacoat]

Glad it worked out for you. There are few things worse than spending time in the saddle with a jacket that is stiff and uncomfortable to wear. I haven't been brave enough to try the method you used, preferring to break mine in naturally with a lot of wear before I go on a long ride with the jacket.

In the first post in this thread, you mentioned using some "leather oil" on the jacket after it had gotten in the rain and stretched out a bit. I would suggest that you get some Pecard Leather Dressing and use that instead You can find it online. I'm not sure where you are located, but you did refer to being in the southern hemisphere. If you are in Australia or New Zealand, you should be able to locate some RM Williams Saddle and Leather Dressing. One of our members, Smithy is down there, and he swears by it. Both will condition, protect and waterproof your jacket, without causing damage. I can't say the same about leather oil.

 

[Sillyrib]

I did this with an old vintage jacket that was really dirty and a lot of the liner seams ripped. the leather was fine however.