Schott B3 Authenticity Check

[AmericanIron]

Hey guys, looking to purchase a Schott B3 as a recent trip to Illinois left me in my Black Stallion in -4 weather and needless to say it did not stand up to the elements lol.

Looking to confirm that this is indeed a Schott B3, but that's difficult as the seller does not have a tag on the jacket with a lot number on the left pocket as it should be. That said, the label of the jacket match up, and it's not the 257 variant w/o the USA tag so the remainder of the jacket looks good. Wanted to run it by you gurus here first before I agree to pay the heavy cost of shipping overseas. Thanks gents

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCHOTT-B3-b...e-/201507756591?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

 

[Carlos840]

It looks very similar to my Schott B3, the differences i can spot are:

_On mine, all the buckles are big brass buckles with Schott written on them.
_On mine, the label with "For best results give to leather care..." is sewn on the left pocket bag, and in the place of where this one is i have a "crafted with pride in the USA"
_Lastly, my zipper pull is smaller and has Schott stamped on it.

Apart from that they pretty much look exactly the same.

Honestly, i don't think many people bother faking Schott B3s, it's not like they are the best ones/most demanded ones.... It's a pretty small market.

FYI, mine is almost 15 years old...

This is the only picture i have:

 

[AmericanIron]

Good eye Carlos, definitely some unique differences. My research into B3's is not nearly as extensive as I've done with perfectos so I'm not certain whether those differences were standard as designs changed over the years etc. Could very well be the case.

I've got a vintage 618 which had many differences from my 2015 version including buckle stamping and zipper pull changes as well.

Hoping people wouldn't go through all that trouble to fake these as I've never heard of it either, but many on this forum are much wiser than myself, always best to double check.

Thanks!

PS: Carlos, how does your jacket hold up against the colder temps? Would you consider it a worthwhile purchase for someone who already owns a 740N? That's the jacket I'm looking to replace, as my Black Stallion does fine around the same temps my 740N does, whereas with this purchase I was hoping to gain a little more comfort as I live in the Northeastern region of the US and right on the ocean's edge. Wind is deadly out on the docks.

 

[Carlos840]

I would think these differences are just changes through the years, not a fake...

Regarding warmth, YES, this is definitely a worthwhile purchase even if you have a peacoat... My peacoat is a 1969 USN peacoat, it is much warmer than my modern Crombie greatcoat, and i am sure much warmer than a modern Schott 740N
The wool of these old coats is so much thicker and more windproof than anything modern, it is unbelievable.
Now, comparing that peacoat to the B3 isn't even fair... The B3 is on another level! To the point where i am really never even able to wear it.
If it isn't seriously cold, and by that i mean 20F or less i am unable to wear it without sweating like a madman!
Because of that i can count on one hand the number of times i have been able to wear my B3, probably twice in the last 7 years!
Saying that, i live in London, and it doesn't get cold very often...

 

[AmericanIron]

Haha that's a good point, though I'm certain my temps will be the perfect company for a coat like this.

One last question as well, what does your chest measure and what size did you order in the B3? How is the length of the jacket? In many pictures they appear very wide and very short. But maybe those are more the vintage pieces than the current ones.

Also curious to know if I could oil this jacket to bring back some of the rich dark brown color to the areas that have faded some. No experience with sheepskin

EDIT: Wow! That picture you posted didn't load the first time I saw your response. That B3 is beautiful man. Really stunning. I see the oiled finish has faded and honestly I kind of like the way it looks all matte brown like that. I guess 15 years will do that to a jacket haha. Great stuff and thanks for sharing!

 

[Carlos840]

Haha that's a good point, though I'm certain my temps will be the perfect company for a coat like this.

One last question as well, what does your chest measure and what size did you order in the B3? How is the length of the jacket? In many pictures they appear very wide and very short. But maybe those are more the vintage pieces than the current ones.

Also curious to know if I could oil this jacket to bring back some of the rich dark brown color to the areas that have faded some. No experience with sheepskin

The sizing of the Scott B3 is very very weird!

Basically, this is a size 48 that was tailored to fit me. Stock, it was indeed very short, very wide, and with room for 2 beer bellies!
I am usually a size 42, i bought this jacket when i was 17, it fit me in the shoulders, arms and body length, but the stomach area was a joke, even with the straps pulled all the way in.
I wore it like that for a few years, and then moved to London and left it home.
4 years ago i took it to a tailor and had it adjusted, it now fits me great, but he removed a lot at the waist!

Regarding oiling, i wouldn't do it. Mine is pretty much like suede, as the top coat crumbles and flakes off you are left with what is pretty much blotting paper.
I'm afraid that if you oil it it will just soak right in and make a mess.

The Schott sheepskins are very different from what Aero or ELC have, the finish is designed to crack and fall off, giving a worn look.

 

[AmericanIron]

Good to know. I've got a shop down the street from my house that carries these, but it's a very stuffy place and they pretty much ignore anyone who isn't in their 50's and brooks brothers head to toe etc.

I guess I'll have to make the trek over there and talk my way into trying on a coat that they know I'm not going to purchase. A little social discomfort to save me the shipping back to Japan seems worth it.

 

[IXL]

I have a size 42 Schott B3, in black. I usually wear a size 40 and this jacket has a lot of room for layering. It is a go-to for late night walks when temps are in the 20s or lower. Often, the jacket will need to be partially unzipped at some point so as to allow some cooling to take place: it is that warm.
One problem though, is that with the large exposed-fleece cuffs, it makes wearing gauntlet-style gloves a bit difficult, if one owns these types.
This jacket might not be truly authentic but it is very warm, features two usable slash pockets, and has "the look," at least for most folks who are not stitch counters. Also, the collar just adds to the party.

 

[AmericanIron]

Hey IXL, long time no chat! Hope all is well.

Do you happen to have your actual chest measurement? I wear a size 42 black stallion and my chest measures 43". Hoping I can fit into the 42 B3 as it sounds like I wouldn't need much underneath it to stay warm.

 

[IXL]

My chest measures right at 40". I would have ordered this size but the jacket was a gift. It's appearance is not that of being overly large, though, and the extra room really allows me to have a complete range of unrestricted motion. But for all I know, I would still have the range in a size 40. I believe you could easily wear a 42.
Hope you have been able to ride a bunch in that Black Stallion!! I really enjoy my brown version. It's getting all nice and wrinkly/scuffed and I tell myself I look like a badass in it.......

 

[AmericanIron]

Good to know, I think I'll pull the trigger on that 42 and take my chances. At $250 USD it's not too much of a risk and legendaryusa lists the sizing chart which shows 26.5 across the chest on that size. As for the stallion, it's been getting worked over since the summer ended. Not to derail the thread but here's how she's looking now

 

[AmericanIron]

Quick update guys, after reviewing the measurements I realized that this jacket must either be very old, a japanese remake of the US design, or indeed a knockoff.

The measurements for this size 42 are not quite a match to Schott's 42 listed on legendaryusa.

Ebay B3
Back Length: 25.5
Chest Width: 23.5
Shoulder to Shoulder: 22.8
Sleeve length: 24.8

Legendary B3
Back Length: 27
Chest Width: 25.5
Shoulder to Shoulder: 20.5
Sleeve length: 26

So it's shorter in the length by 1.5 inches, narrower in the chest (though this can be hard to measure), wider in the shoulders and shorter in the sleeves.

Don't quite know what to make of those measurements. Very concerned about sleeve length though as this jacket would look very odd with sleeves that didn't come down long enough