New Johnson Leathers Motorcycle Jacket

[Vespizzare]

I'm just trying to get a sense of how much more I need to set aside to be in the ball park with my savings before I start the process. I'm definitely not the last of the big time spenders. Alan's price on a previous custom he did for me was quite reasonable I thought. I have no concern about being overcharged. Not sure where that came from.

Nobody said they were overcharged. I started that "big-time-spender" thing when someone asked the premium for CXL and I said I never even ask the price. All we talk about is building the best jacket with all my favorite features (although Allen isn't shy about saying something when he thinks I'm going down the wrong alley. When in doubt, I've always said to go with what he thinks best.)

BTW I wouldn't have brought this up had I not been posting on the other subject, but I just realized I won't be waiting two or three weeks. I think Allen said February 12th. Oh boy.

 

[nick123]

Since everyone's getting this hide as of late, how bout we do a "show me your johnson" thread in a year's time? Everyone can compare how their overdye is doing.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

Since everyone's getting this hide as of late, how bout we do a "show me your johnson" thread in a year's time? Everyone can compare how their overdye is doing.

You'll find an example of mine after two years on this thread.

 

[nick123]

You'll find an example of mine after two years on this thread.

You have a major head start but the contest hasn't started yet!

 

[theundeadkennedy]

I can see the "Show me your Johnson" thread going horribly wrong...

 

[regius]

I am struggling with Alan, and most of all, with myself, as to what kind of vintage jacket is worthy of this amazing overdye leather. I wanted Alan to make a jacket for me with it that is suited to the character of this leather. it's soft, shows variation of color tones, creases nicely, not dead heavy. What vintage pattern would be suitable for it? a 50s Sears flight jacket? a long half belt? bootlegger style jacket? early age D pocket moto jacket? cafe racer?

 

[IXL]

...... What vintage pattern would be suitable for it? a 50s Sears flight jacket? a long half belt? bootlegger style jacket? early age D pocket moto jacket? cafe racer?

Yes.

 

[Grayland]

I am struggling with Alan, and most of all, with myself, as to what kind of vintage jacket is worthy of this amazing overdye leather. I wanted Alan to make a jacket for me with it that is suited to the character of this leather. it's soft, shows variation of color tones, creases nicely, not dead heavy. What vintage pattern would be suitable for it? a 50s Sears flight jacket? a long half belt? bootlegger style jacket? early age D pocket moto jacket? cafe racer?

I would think that a bootlegger or D-pocket would work well as the creases/folds in those jackets would enhance the black/brown color variations.

 

[nick123]

Just be sure to not forget to use brown stitching like I did.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Here are some pics. Jacket is the 4oz CXL. It weighs ten pounds. Not the original owner so not sure how old.

I'm the original owner. So glad it went to a good home. Is it keeping you warm? God, it's cold up north this year...

Alan has a stock motorcycle jacket with leather sidelaces that would work really well for a vintage jacket without mods. Pictures are floating around the internet...

 

[nick123]

I'm the original owner. So glad it went to a good home. Is it keeping you warm? God, it's cold up north this year...

Alan has a stock motorcycle jacket with leather sidelaces that would work really well for a vintage jacket without mods. Pictures are floating around the internet...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...Leather-jacket&p=709405&viewfull=1#post709405

Halfway down the first page?

 

[Vespizzare]

I am struggling with Alan, and most of all, with myself, as to what kind of vintage jacket is worthy of this amazing overdye leather. I wanted Alan to make a jacket for me with it that is suited to the character of this leather. it's soft, shows variation of color tones, creases nicely, not dead heavy. What vintage pattern would be suitable for it? a 50s Sears flight jacket? a long half belt? bootlegger style jacket? early age D pocket moto jacket? cafe racer?

I feel qualified to put my oar in since I'm getting a custom jacket in this hide scheduled for delivery at the end of this month. I wanted to highlight the CXL also. I went with basically an Aero Happy Days with rust knits, which I (and Allen) find very complementary to dark brown leather. Two simple accents: a rich brown mouton collar and a more exposed nickel zipper like on the Lost Worlds Rigger and that's it. I don't have a lot of bells and whistles distracting from the harmonious, high end materials. That's my idea anyway: simple and understated but ultra high quality. And lastly, I do think it very much has a 1950's vibe. I could have easily worn this exact style in grade school.

Some may question my repeated references to CXL as brown, but when you put it next to black it sure doesn't look the same.

P.S. I probably should mention that I've had some fairly minor weight fluctuations due to medications I'm taking (no wise cracks please) so I went with the generic "bomber" jacket so I'd have a little leeway in the waist department. But still, I'm dead gone for dark brown hide together with rust knits.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

For everyone who is dubious about going with the heavier hide, here is the timeline for breaking in my custom 4.25oz CXL dark brown overdye Johnson's jacket with a total weight of 9 1/2 lbs that I received a week ago. The jacket was worn for doing everyday farm work, but nothing particularly heavy or strenuous.
On the 29th January I picked the jacket up from the post office, it was as stiff as a board and black as sin.
Within an hour and a half of wear, significant brown was showing through the left sleeve.
Three hours of movement and the sleeves were perfectly comfortable.
Three days and both sleeves showed light brown all the way through.
Five days and the overdye cracked off along the edge of the folded leather of the bi swing back.
Seven days and the torso and sleeves are all completely supple and comfortable when warm, the torso still a bit stiff when cold.

Johnson's make a great jacket, the fit is just the way I like it, and I am very happy with my leather choice, but could not recommend CXL to anyone who wanted a jacket to look smart and dressy for any length of time.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

That's very interesting Mark. My experience has been just the opposite, but then mine was produced a couple of years ago. After two years of use, my jacket still looks black (it might not be the deepest of blacks, but it still looks like a very rich black in natural lighting pretty much like the day it arrived). The black overdye has proven to be far more durable than I first imagined it would be. I don't have any recent photos under natural lighting, but even in this photo under an incandescent light, you can see that the finish is fairly consistent across the entire surface after two years. Perhaps for comparison you could post up a photo of your jacket exhibiting the wear.

 

[Jack Burton]

For everyone who is dubious about going with the heavier hide, here is the timeline for breaking in my custom 4.25oz CXL dark brown overdye Johnson's jacket with a total weight of 9 1/2 lbs that I received a week ago.

I've been wearing my new JL jacket in the 4.25oz black over brown CXL for a couple of months now. The only places I can spot brown are in high abrasion areas such as a small spot on the elbow and inside, near my belt line.

Is it possible that your leather is too dry? If I saw the top black layer "flaking" off, this would be my first guess. Perhaps a conditioner might help?

 

[Vespizzare]

I've been wearing my new JL jacket in the 4.25oz black over brown CXL for a couple of months now. The only places I can spot brown are in high abrasion areas such as a small spot on the elbow and inside, near my belt line.

Is it possible that your leather is too dry? If I saw the top black layer "flaking" off, this would be my first guess. Perhaps a conditioner might help?

I was talking to Allen and saying how much I liked the color before it gets worn away in places and he said that he just saw a CXL jacket that he made a year ago and the color was pretty much unchanged and not noticeably different from when it was brand new.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

If I was an Aero man I'd be giving it to the gardener, but the same principle applies. I am breaking in the jacket by wearing it all day whilst moving heavy things from one place to another place. As the Johnson's is a significantly thicker hide, I have no doubt that it may end up looking beaten about without actually damaging the leather at all. It would inevitably wear differently for someone else who may not be expending the same amount of energy.

Just to compare hides, a dirt cheap US Wings goat hide showed no wear at all after twelve months of the same treatment.

 

[nick123]

The black "topcoat" is actually very thin. It doesn't surprise me that people are seeing signs of wear very early on. Especially if you're lifting heavy objects all day, etc.

 

[Vespizzare]

After two years of use, my jacket still looks black (it might not be the deepest of blacks, but it still looks like a very rich black in natural lighting pretty much like the day it arrived). The black overdye has proven to be far more durable than I first imagined it would be.

I hate to dispute Forrest, who along with Allen, has been the greatest influence on my two customs from JL; but to me it isn't black, it's very very very very very very very dark brown. I say that because when I put the swatches I have next to black leather, to me anyway, it looks different and brownish.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

I've got no problems with that Vespizzare. In my case, unless I have a pitch black object next to the jacket, my example looks more or less black. But I get what you are saying. I tend to call it a very "rich looking" black as it is hard to describe how it actually looks in person. The real point that I was trying to make is that the overdye on my jacket has not really worn away at all after two years time, the jacket sill looks to be a very uniform black, or "very very very very very very very dark brown" if you prefer. While I'm not performing farm chores with the jacket on, it has received plenty of use under a lot of different circumstances and the finish seems to be extremelly durable in my case. This surprised me as I initially expected it to get scratched up quite quickly. On the other hand, my CXL horsehide jacket, with no overdye, is looking aged much more quickly, which is fine by me as well.