Well, maybe if you get enough samples, you can build your own jacket Jeff. lol
:lol:
Didn't think of that.
If you have the best samples you can surely make the best jacket on your own.
There's a thread showing all the things you need to know about leather, but are too ignorant to understand
I'll disagree here.
As the saying goes, it's the Indian not the arrow.
If the jacket maker doesn't have a good design, know how to fit a jacket well, have good customer support, it doesn't matter how "good" their leather they use is.
As a customer it's easy to get caught up in the marketing game of "this is the BEST leather around !" hype. You won't find too many jacket makers out there admitting that their leather just is mediocre or bad. Either they have the "best leather around" (that generally lasts for a few months till they find another leather to hype)...or, they tend to proceed quietly about their business.
Leather samples are great..but can be misleading. It can be very difficult to extrapolate how a leather will drape, how the graining will look, and get an impression of the color from a 3 or 4 inch piece of hide. I've certainly been burned going down that path.
Buy the jacket, not the leather. A great jacket will have leather you will think is great.
A bad jacket...no matter how wonderful the leather...is a bad jacket.
I've never seen a fashion jacket, not even a $10,000 one, that was made out of decent leather.
You are practically saying that if someone copies a good design that works well and throws in a crappy leather (because nobody can distinguish good quality) and some good customer service he hit the jackpot? He can then sell at high price because the jacket fits well? Is that it?
Everyone says he has good leather but can you tell the difference? The tools are there (e.g. leather chemists dictionary) but do people know how to use them?
What is good quality leather Jeff?
How is the "BEST" determined?
Do you know?
I guess I'm not missing anything and it's just brand preference like anything else, Apple vs PC, Android vs iPhone, Coke vs Pepsi.
I need to look at the 20 or so brands people suggested but I think I'll go with Johnson or Goodwear unless I find a better quality/price tradeoff.
Eastman seem too expensive and I just can't see what that extra $400 or so would get me.
However, I will note that the jackets mentioned in the links you provided appear to be close to, if not in parity with, Aero and AL prices for similar jackets in comparable hides. So, it may be that in addition to being better known and hence having higher demand, the leather and fixtures make up a sizable portion of the difference between Aero and JL. And, as mentioned before, JL's website certainly doesn't do them any favors - their jackets are so much better looking in person and they offer more styles than listed.
As the saying goes, it's the Indian not the arrow.
If the jacket maker doesn't have a good design, know how to fit a jacket well, have good customer support, it doesn't matter how "good" their leather they use is.
As a customer it's easy to get caught up in the marketing game of "this is the BEST leather around !" hype. You won't find too many jacket makers out there admitting that their leather just is mediocre or bad. Either they have the "best leather around" (that generally lasts for a few months till they find another leather to hype)...or, they tend to proceed quietly about their business.
Leather samples are great..but can be misleading. It can be very difficult to extrapolate how a leather will drape, how the graining will look, and get an impression of the color from a 3 or 4 inch piece of hide. I've certainly been burned going down that path.
Well, maybe if you get enough samples, you can build your own jacket Jeff. lol
Good leather is subjective, some love Norween FQHH, others have described it as inferior shoe leather. I do think that it's hard to get good lining and pocket material. Many a jacket I've bought was let down by thin and fragile cotton that needed replacing 12 months on.
Yes Andy, I do know.
It's what I like the "best". Not what somebody tries to shove down my throat or convince me of.
Now, a leather may be "high quality" by their standards, but I won't wear it if I find it uncomfortable/unpleasant to wear. No matter how "high grade" it is supposed to be.
I've had jacket makers (ahem) tell me they were using some of the best leather available on their jackets only to find the leather to be stiff, lifeless, featureless. Shortly after noting my dissatisfacton on the forums they started to advertise a "new" hide, even "better" then that which they were praising so highly when my order was placed. Funny, eh?
Similarly, I've seen some jacket makers (ahem) publicly criticize the quality of leather used by other jacket makers that I love the look and feel of and love to wear.
It may not be "high quality" leather in their books, but I don't care. It's what I like.
You miss my point.
It's not just about the leather.
A good jacket maker does it all.
Good leather.
Good design.
Quality workmanship.
Great customer service.
Lastly, I've found they tend to respect their peers, avoid hubris and disparaging the work of others. Carries over into the quality of thier jackets, how they do business and treat their customers.
H.D., I support BK and like their work and wish them the best, BUT I don't think Andy is able to tell how patronizing, arrogant, confrontational and lacking in evidence his posts can be. His style is that of a bully and he doesn't realize that almost every time he types he looses potential customers.
Andy you should be able to say what you want but you really need to work on how you say it. Your tone is simply dreadful. Sorry Mate. Try to offer positive comments about your own stuff without bagging others or shoving alleged expertise in people's faces. Your work is amazing, let it speak for itself.