Pecards on a new AL jacket...

[scrawlysteve]

Maybe someone with more functioning memory cells than me will recall a post where somebody fairly recently bought a sale AL jacket in ---was it "Vintage Steer " ? --- and immediately Pecarded it turning it a much richer, deeper brown.... if this rings any bells could you please let me know exactly which hide it was ? Or was it all a dream ?

 

[Edward]

They seem to do a number of hides with a matte finish that looks sort of dry and antiqued - like a pre-worn, vintaged look. I thought they were mostly steer of some variety, but I could be wrong. They did seem to experiment with a lot of different hides.

 

[eggleman]

Hi
it was their Vintage Steerhide
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?73386-Alexander-Leathers-Spiegel
and 5 months later it still looks as good

 

[thor]

They also offer a Mongolian Horsehide which has that flat, matte "pre-distressed" vintage-look.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Thanks for replies chaps ---Eggleman, double thanks, that is indeed the very one---nice to see it again, it looks great ! Even better to know the three or four cells left in my memory bank are still sort of retaining some stuff. The AL sale page has several coats in this vintage steerhide -- and I have a pot of Pecards.....hmmmm.....

 

[Edward]

Presumably, though, if they're selling new jackets in this hide the only reason to Pecard them would be cosmetic: a new jacket shouldn't need it as such.

 

[Sloan1874]

My thought exactly, but horses for courses I suppose.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Presumably he can buy the jacket at a good price, he said it was on the sale page, and by treating it get the look he was after fairly cheaply. Although he would have to treat it regularly I should think to keep that look. Makes sense, and you wouldn't do it with a full price one, you'd just get the leather you preferred from the off.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Precisely Capes. Merely an economy measure .... sadly necessary since I recently got a button Drifter from AL and then found myself in Cleverley's yesterday where a sale pair of cordovan Derbys proved irresistible....

I would have thought an annual treatment should keep that "richer" look....Eggleman says his friend's coat is still looking good after 5 months--though I don't know whether he is having to Pecard it weekly...

 

[Edward]

A properly tanned hide shouldn't need it anything like as often as even annually, but as has been noted, in the case of the one referred to above the specific aim is to change the cosmetic appearance. Hadn't occurred to me that it might need this done more regularly to keep it that way - I suppose it does depend on whether the leather has been treated in a way designed to maintain an aged look or not. [huh] Probably worth finding that out first. I can certainly understand that someone might want to do that if it means getting a jacket they like at a deep discount (not that different, ultimately, from buying a used jacket that you know needs a little work done and consdiering that worth it for the saving over the new price - we've all done that), though if it needs it done very regularly to maintain the cosmetic look you desire, then I suppose it's a matter of playing off what the discount is over a full price model in another hide vs the effort needed to maintain that look. Which will all come down to whether the hide is treated in such a way as to naturally have a more distressed look, or whether it has been subject to some sort of aging procedure (c/f ELC's 'Timeworn' process) which could effectively be reversed by Pecarding it. You'd probably need to ask either AL or whatever tannery from which they are sourcing this particular hide.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Good point Edward....I should check this out. I had originally thought a one-off going over would do it permanently - though Capes' remark made me wonder.....still I probably won't be getting another jacket for a while anyway --- last year it was a couple off the Aero sales page and the modified Drifter and a Barnstormer off the bay. Not many coats for some of you out there I know, but enough to mean I'm getting some static at home....accusations of OCD behaviour are being chucked around. I may have to lay low for a while.

 

[eggleman]

Hi
my friends jacket hasn't required another treatment .
I'd guess it may require an annual top up , but no more than that .
The change in finish / colour seems pretty well fixed.

 

[tmitchell59]

I purchased a NOS AL vintage steerhide, bootlegger I think, on ebay. Love that jacket. Very comfortable leather and short waisted. I've been wearing it about a month and it is darkening. Nice hide and smells great! Just rub you hands on it, that is all it needs. I can post some pics later.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Excellent -pics always welcome...the AL variant of the Bootlegger is called the Detroit I think. Fine looking jacket, be interesting to see how it has developed.

 

[tmitchell59]

 

[tmitchell59]

I can't keep all the names straight, I just keep buying jackets though. I didn't like the jacket at first,but I kept coming back to it and bought it. Very comfortable fit even in my advancing size. I also bought a highwayman and a Aero HH cafe racer and a bunch of vintage jackets. This Detroit has a bit different pocket set-up than the website. It has that denim jacket feel. I've hand rubbed the finish and just wear it. to me it seems a work jacket. Sure does smell good. This one is a keeper.

 

[tmitchell59]

 

[ProteinNerd]

Looks great, I love the Detroit/bootlegger style. I've gotta say, that doesn't look new at all (in a good way) looks vintage already!

 

[scrawlysteve]

Yes, a bit different to the current Detroit, I like the pocket set-up on yours -- and the sleeve straps. Along with the vintage hide the coat has bucketloads of character. As you say- definitely a keeper.

 

[tmitchell59]

I like the set up too. Pretty snug through the lower torso.