My Regius Made Original Half Belt

[Damon141]

While I work on a review and Proper fit photos, I wanted to share this beauty with the world.

I have been wanting to try something new, considering I have two cafe racers and as soon as I saw Tony’s Windward, I decided it was the time for a Half Belt, so I struck up a conversation about it with Regius for a place in line. As my time came, we started talking about design and how he wanted to try something different, at first I was hesitant because the Windward was so nice, looked so much like Marc’s original.

I ended up saying to go for it, original design, new model, cues from an original 1930’s or 1940’s Photograph came to his mind and any reservations were lost. I was hooked. It was an action back with these 3 darts coming up from the belt area itself. I really started getting excited and every suggestion or question came one response: “I trust you, you do what you see fit”. I just wanted that same Black Shinki with the shine that some refer to as pony hide or oil tanned.
Even the lining, I said just use whatever you like or have lying around in the shop.
The front was all his idea since the photo was taken with the gentleman facing forward and you can’t see the front, I think there might have been a picture of the front and it was a cross zip aviator but I can’t remember.

As for working Super nice guy, very easy to work with and VERY INTELLIGENT when it comes to jackets and movement. And he made a jacket that fit me like a glove.

A quick photo of the back.

 

[ton312]

Absolutely superb!!!! Reg is the best. Knows what he’s doing, no doubt about it.

 

[handymike]

That looks fantastic on you!
@regius makes very flattering designs.

 

[Brandrea33]

Congratulations, looks beautiful! Any shots of the lining?

 

[Marc mndt]

Wow, what a jacket. It eats any Japanese repro for breakfast, seriously. We need more pics!

 

[torfjord]

That looks absolutely perfect. More pics please!

 

[Khilij]

What an absolutely incredible jacket!

 

[Benny Holiday]

Wow . . . just wow!

 

[Peacoat]

An incredible jacket. Regius is a craftsman and a good guy. We are lucky to have him as a member here.

 

[Johnny Deadlifts]

Well done, his patterns really "Beast Up" the wearer. I felt like a Roman soldier when I first put mine on

 

[Damon141]

Thank you very much for all the positive comments. I’m not blowing smoke, Reg is a class act, like Greg from Field leather which I video chatted with and is just a regular guy like us. Not arrogant or anything.

I had a really I great experience getting to meet Reg in person, (I hope I’m not overstepping boundaries by mentioning it). But most that have read about him or contacted him, knows that this is a hobby for him at this stage, maybe more that a hobby considering the investment in equipment and quality that leaves his shop. But he does have a full time job that assuming pays his bills and this jacket making business was born out of love for jackets and of course to make extra income in these days of inflation.

But yeah I met him briefly while he was on a business trip . He was leaving Florida shortly so I regretted not being more prepared because I would have loved to treat him to a bite to eat or something like that.

But he gave me some solid advice on the first fit mock up for the Fields Cafe Racer and everything he said was on point and helpful. Greg obviously does the same but doesn’t have the luxury to do that in person with most people being in Scotland. Just like the lucky few that get to meet Dave Himel for measurements or go directly to Langlitz or Bates.

Reg is a big guy, works out and is taller than me and tried on my Kensington and it fit him pretty good, he would probably need an extra inch or two on the shoulders but I was surprised and regretted not taking pictures.

At the time we were in a cramped apartment with two barking dogs and a baby, so I hope he wasn’t uncomfortable. But he was a really nice guy and I swear on everything that I will only order jackets from nice people who actually listen, when I first joined TFL I wanted a Goodwear jacket so bad and contacted him through 3 different email addresses and never received anything in response, i know people are busy but they have services that will help you with responses and separating the emails into categories, orders, questions, problem/repairs, etc and even sort through the ones that don’t seem serious. His talent in undeniable but he missed two orders from me alone by not responding, I was a serious buyer. I wanted a Californian or Acadia and a J100. But maybe they went to spam who knows.

Back to Regius Leather clothing, if he will have me, he will be my first choice for a Cross Zip or Aviator, (depending on what he has up his sleeve with new models) Life is too short to deal with angry jacket makers!!!!

I promise more pictures with my body actually inside but for now I wanted to share these close ups. His work speaks for itself and is up there with the best. And considering this was a one off, first of its kind versus a single person making the same off the rack jacket every single day. You would think he had been making this one for years.

 

[Damon141]

 

[Gypsymoth82]

Holy F$&% that's nice.

 

[ton312]

Reg is in a class all his own IMO. I don't see anyone doing it as well. Impeccable work and he gets it right when it comes to fit. I just don't think there's anyone better in the game right now.

 

[Damon141]

Some of these pictures I took for fun just to show the contrast between different leathers on other jackets and even my black chrome tanned Wilson Gym bag, then a Bennet Winch bag that I bought for a steal as a floor display model, 1/3 of the original price. They just say Vegatable Tanned leather from Italy but I seems like a swatch of Nappa Badallassi and I made me curious if they use them for their supplier.

Then you can see the difference between the Regius and Fields Racer, both Shinki but the Regius is from his words which I trust, the same as what HimelBros refers to as Oil Tanned Shinki, then the Racer is Fields Full aniline Shinki.
To me, it’s just a reason to own more than one black jacket, an excuse for people in my that don’t understand what we do!

 

[Marc mndt]

Absolutely beautiful jacket. I wonder though, why does he make those side straps so long. Same length as on my Regius so I guess it must be intentionally.

 

[Damon141]

Absolutely beautiful jacket. I wonder though, why does he make those side straps so long. Same length as on my Regius so I guess it must be intentionally.

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I really like that Hermann Oak leather, Reg let me try his. I could tell he likes to support local tanning companies which is very admirable but first the Oak leather is just amazing but not suited my my climate but that might change one day. And I’ve already told him that I’m open to other leather products including the forbidden chrome tanned ones. Considering most vintage that survive to this day are chrome tan, it should say something. Besides a good tannery will know or should know how to make it safely for the environment for the ones who are choosing vegetable tanning for that purpose.

These people could take it one step further and go urine tanned from Morocco, that way no trees are cut. Sorry i couldn’t help myself, bad joke.

Good idea to turn them in like that, I’m embarrassed to say but back in my middle school days, I forget what they call those school years in Europe or in your country but it would be grades 6-8. I look at those pictures from those days and cringe at the clothes we wore in the 90’s

I used to have these braided belts, they still have them but they were very popular back then we tucked in the extra length just like that.

I could cut them but what if I get fat and need them lol.