Once again guys, focus on the jacket NOT the manufacturer please !
Soooo .... as many of you know I have been pulling together a bespoke-ish ( is there anything bespoke in leather jackets any more) designed jacket with Alexanders in Brown Vintage CT Horsehide. The basis of this is a simple halfbelt style with no chest pocket similar in cut to both JC's Ventura ( with less slope on the front) and Aero's old Californian ( with a neater less square cut). The collar slightly wider than JC's and more in keeping with the Aero Californian - very simple front no additional seams or panels. The back will be yolked and half bi-swing for flexibillity ( like the Aero HBD and Alexanders Drifter), straps on the cuffs because I like them and double lip pockets for the same reason.
The first choice to be faced was that of the zip ... now I dislike the vintage hookless zippers, I know they look really cool and oldy worldy .... but the fact is my experience of them is that they're just not very good, reliable or easy to use for a Brit ( albeit this is based on 70 year old originals) .... so I opted for a vintage brass Talon ... yes I lose out on the cool looking rivets and the old world hookless arrangement at the bottom but I get a zip which works and is in keeping with the rest of the jacket which is more 1940's rather than 1930's.
The next decision was more thorny ... to prong or not to prong ..... I'm talking of course about the side adjusters and the cuff straps. I love the d-ring adjustment on my Californian because it's so unique, but unless managed carefully can undo ... and I also like the pronged buckle adjusters on JC's Ventura but I'm not a fan of punching holes in the straps and the adjusters and while I know it's period correct-ish, I'm also not a fan of the bright nickel hardware as std. on either ( which is why I had vintage brass fitted to my Aero Californian).
So I've gone half way ..... NO PRONG on the cuffs and side adjusters and a vintage brass finish but with a roller buckle and not a bar buckle (i.e. not the simple buckle used on std side adjusters). The thinking is that if this proves too loose then I can always go to a pronged buckle but my plan is to double back the side adjusters and perhaps even the cuffs when I have them set if I need the fixing a little firmer than normal.
So what do you guys think ... I'm loving the colour and the way it's shaping up ... should fit pretty close to my Bison Detroit ( which I know is a little looser than most of you guys like .... but it's how I like my jackets). Lining will be the same tartan Ancient Gordon mid weight and with 3" moleskin bottom oh and 2 inside pockets.
Should be finished this week and here for the weekend perhaps ... at a little over £600 + P&P it's not bad IMHO ... more pics to follow when it arrives
Soooo .... as many of you know I have been pulling together a bespoke-ish ( is there anything bespoke in leather jackets any more) designed jacket with Alexanders in Brown Vintage CT Horsehide. The basis of this is a simple halfbelt style with no chest pocket similar in cut to both JC's Ventura ( with less slope on the front) and Aero's old Californian ( with a neater less square cut). The collar slightly wider than JC's and more in keeping with the Aero Californian - very simple front no additional seams or panels. The back will be yolked and half bi-swing for flexibillity ( like the Aero HBD and Alexanders Drifter), straps on the cuffs because I like them and double lip pockets for the same reason.
The first choice to be faced was that of the zip ... now I dislike the vintage hookless zippers, I know they look really cool and oldy worldy .... but the fact is my experience of them is that they're just not very good, reliable or easy to use for a Brit ( albeit this is based on 70 year old originals) .... so I opted for a vintage brass Talon ... yes I lose out on the cool looking rivets and the old world hookless arrangement at the bottom but I get a zip which works and is in keeping with the rest of the jacket which is more 1940's rather than 1930's.
The next decision was more thorny ... to prong or not to prong ..... I'm talking of course about the side adjusters and the cuff straps. I love the d-ring adjustment on my Californian because it's so unique, but unless managed carefully can undo ... and I also like the pronged buckle adjusters on JC's Ventura but I'm not a fan of punching holes in the straps and the adjusters and while I know it's period correct-ish, I'm also not a fan of the bright nickel hardware as std. on either ( which is why I had vintage brass fitted to my Aero Californian).
So I've gone half way ..... NO PRONG on the cuffs and side adjusters and a vintage brass finish but with a roller buckle and not a bar buckle (i.e. not the simple buckle used on std side adjusters). The thinking is that if this proves too loose then I can always go to a pronged buckle but my plan is to double back the side adjusters and perhaps even the cuffs when I have them set if I need the fixing a little firmer than normal.
So what do you guys think ... I'm loving the colour and the way it's shaping up ... should fit pretty close to my Bison Detroit ( which I know is a little looser than most of you guys like .... but it's how I like my jackets). Lining will be the same tartan Ancient Gordon mid weight and with 3" moleskin bottom oh and 2 inside pockets.
Should be finished this week and here for the weekend perhaps ... at a little over £600 + P&P it's not bad IMHO ... more pics to follow when it arrives
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