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Post Pics of Your Cafe Racer Jackets

Messages
17,556
Location
Chicago
A few more!

View attachment 56860
Beck Arnley - Possibly Horsehide/60's

View attachment 56861
Harley Sportster #2 - Possibly Horsehide/60's

View attachment 56862

Diamond Dave Buco - Shinki Horsehide

View attachment 56863
Just Leather San Jose - Possibly Bison/60's

View attachment 56864
Shields of Toronto

View attachment 56865
Brooks Gold Label
Lord have mercy. You've got a museum quality cross section there. Great stuff! I had a Beck Arnley! Awesome fit on that one.
 

technovox

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
San Francisco
Lord have mercy. You've got a museum quality cross section there. Great stuff! I had a Beck Arnley! Awesome fit on that one.
Oh yes- the Becks are amazing quality and very well built and thick- I think this one is probably horsehide...It's a great fitting jacket. They're getting harder to find!
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,799
Location
Iowa
Technovox - seriously you have a museum's worth of Cafe Racers there. Like you could write the history book on Cafe Racer's with just that collection. Completely stunning and what a treasure to own and research a product so thoroughly.

It's very neat for me to see collections such as this amoung folks here. Many of my local friends and family members thing it's insane to have multiple leather jackets - to them it's all just odd. There again, when you do appreciate the differances, it's not all that hard to see how these are valuable, often under-apprecaited treasures that harken back to a simpler time.
 

plainsman

Familiar Face
Messages
98
Location
France
That is quite a collection !
Jeez...How did I miss this thread? So here are a few of mine.

View attachment 56846
Cal Leathers Horsehide - 60's

View attachment 56847
Cal Leathers Horsehide - 70's

View attachment 56849

Cal Leathers Horsehide Padded - 60's

View attachment 56850

Golden Bear Heavy Cowhide - 60's

View attachment 56851
Harley Sportster One Pocket Horsehide 60's

View attachment 56852
Herm's Heavy Cowhide 60's

View attachment 56853
Deerskin 60's/70's

View attachment 56854

Himel Kensington Shinki Horsehide

View attachment 56855

Kehoe Steerhide 60's/70's

View attachment 56856

Schott - Restoration Hardware Handcut Cowhide
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,370
Location
California
Jeez...How did I miss this thread? So here are a few of mine.

View attachment 56846
Cal Leathers Horsehide - 60's

View attachment 56847
Cal Leathers Horsehide - 70's

View attachment 56849

Cal Leathers Horsehide Padded - 60's

View attachment 56850

Golden Bear Heavy Cowhide - 60's

View attachment 56851
Harley Sportster One Pocket Horsehide 60's

View attachment 56852
Herm's Heavy Cowhide 60's

View attachment 56853
Deerskin 60's/70's

View attachment 56854

Himel Kensington Shinki Horsehide

View attachment 56855

Kehoe Steerhide 60's/70's

View attachment 56856

Schott - Restoration Hardware Handcut Cowhide

That Just Leather place is still in business. I'll have to go in next time I'm up there.
 

technovox

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
San Francisco
Thanks for the kind comments everyone! I honestly never thought of it as a collection- just kind of became fascinated with all the little subtle differences between one café racer and the next…and before I knew it I had a closet full.
Still just a couple more on my list to find!
 
Messages
16,912
The same - I never would've even considered amassing them, just that I always wanted to have just one jacket from each maker that I really like 'cause it's exactly that, it's all in the subtle differences. In my size of course. I want to be able to wear them. Still, lack of funds and living in Europe gets in the way of this dream. . . Anyway, I still plan on getting Beck, Kehoe, Cal and Harley Sportster. That would be it for me. Japanese Beck would do.
 

technovox

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
San Francisco
@technovox man, seriously jaw-dropping stuff! Superb collection, saying I'm impressed just doesn't cut it. Makes me feel not-so-guilty about wanting yet another cafe racer variant, don't know if that's good or bad, LOL!
Don't feel guilty- instead embrace your obsession! At the very least, collecting cafe racers is cheaper than luxury watches or vintage speed boats!
 
Messages
17,556
Location
Chicago
Don't feel guilty- instead embrace your obsession! At the very least, collecting cafe racers is cheaper than luxury watches or vintage speed boats!
It's true man. There's plenty worse ways to burn thru money. At least this hobby affords something tangible. Much better than coughing up cigarette butts after a vodka fueled night of gambling and short term companionship...with nothing to show for it.
**I won't, and wouldn't, suggest using this argument with your significant other. Merely an example**
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,799
Location
Iowa
It's also a lot cheaper than Cars, and much less maintance costs as well. Iowa's hobby has always been vintage tractors, and that's a few orders of magnatude more money to get into. Not to mention space to store all that and the tools to work on them. I do collect tools, but like to use them, not just store them.

So which Cafe Racer shoud I look for next? ...
 

Rbm83

New in Town
Messages
16
Hi!
I got involved in a "restoration project". I saw on Ebay a Brooks in brown color described as late 1960's early 1970's. The price was $69.99, I did make an offer to the seller and he agreed to let go the jacket for $45. Since the leather needed some maintenance and I already have a brown CR, I thought that it could be a good idea take my chance and dye the jacket to black.
Bro01.jpg

So, when the jacket arrived early this week, I buy some leather dye and wax for leather care. I spent a few hours cleaning the leather before applying the first coat of black dye. I did let it dry completely to the next day. The next night (after my working hours) I did applied the second coat of dye to cover any missed spot and get the tone of the jacket even.

Bro02.jpg


Brooks02.jpg

Brooks03.jpg


After letting the second layer to dry (for almost a 24 hours) I finally applied one generous coat of the leather wax. The indications of the wax's says to let it for 8 hours. Today, the jacket is ready! :) It doesn't even look like the same jacket that I received early this week.
Now I'm begging for some cold weather or rain to go out! :)
 

Fonzie

One Too Many
Messages
1,577
Location
Australia
Hi!
I got involved in a "restoration project". I saw on Ebay a Brooks in brown color described as late 1960's early 1970's. The price was $69.99, I did make an offer to the seller and he agreed to let go the jacket for $45. Since the leather needed some maintenance and I already have a brown CR, I thought that it could be a good idea take my chance and dye the jacket to black.
View attachment 57560
So, when the jacket arrived early this week, I buy some leather dye and wax for leather care. I spent a few hours cleaning the leather before applying the first coat of black dye. I did let it dry completely to the next day. The next night (after my working hours) I did applied the second coat of dye to cover any missed spot and get the tone of the jacket even.

View attachment 57561

View attachment 57563
View attachment 57564

After letting the second layer to dry (for almost a 24 hours) I finally applied one generous coat of the leather wax. The indications of the wax's says to let it for 8 hours. Today, the jacket is ready! :) It doesn't even look like the same jacket that I received early this week.
Now I'm begging for some cold weather or rain to go out! :)

Great job! Looks really nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Messages
17,556
Location
Chicago
Hi!
I got involved in a "restoration project". I saw on Ebay a Brooks in brown color described as late 1960's early 1970's. The price was $69.99, I did make an offer to the seller and he agreed to let go the jacket for $45. Since the leather needed some maintenance and I already have a brown CR, I thought that it could be a good idea take my chance and dye the jacket to black.
View attachment 57560
So, when the jacket arrived early this week, I buy some leather dye and wax for leather care. I spent a few hours cleaning the leather before applying the first coat of black dye. I did let it dry completely to the next day. The next night (after my working hours) I did applied the second coat of dye to cover any missed spot and get the tone of the jacket even.

View attachment 57561

View attachment 57563
View attachment 57564

After letting the second layer to dry (for almost a 24 hours) I finally applied one generous coat of the leather wax. The indications of the wax's says to let it for 8 hours. Today, the jacket is ready! :) It doesn't even look like the same jacket that I received early this week.
Now I'm begging for some cold weather or rain to go out! :)
Wow man! That is incredible! Never really messed around with dye. That's one Hell of a good job and it fits you like you were born in it.
 

Rbm83

New in Town
Messages
16
Thanks Fonzie, Superfluos and Ton312!
A leather specialist told me that he would charge me $70 for dyeing the jacket. But his store is 2 hours away from where I live.
And I said: "Hey, how hard it can be if I dye the jacket by myself??" -- And yes, I understand the price that he charged me! It takes time and you have to be very meticulous in the process.
But now that I dyed the jacket, I feel more attached to it. Is not only an item that you are wearing. It's also part of your time and dedication. It's a part of you! :)

@ton312 "it fits you like you were born in it" hahahaha, Thanks!!
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
The interesting thing for me about any home dye job is will it run when you are in the rain? I alway wonder how stable dyes are. The photo looks great although I prefer the original Brooks brown. :D
 

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