Shinki Horsehide Jacket

[Robbie79]

Hello together,

I am new to this forum and would like to introduce myself. I am Robbie, 36 years old, life in Cologne and I love leather jackets and leather boots I already own Aero FQHH (two-tone Sunburst) and LW Easy Ryder in navy FQHH which I really like. As I have heard many good things about Shinki Horsehide and as I want to buy something different to Horween FQHH, I am thinking about a Shinki Horsehide jacket. My main focus is top quality horsehide and top quality workmanship whereas details of jackets compared to original ones of the 20's,30's,40's,etc. are not so important for me. As far as I know following companies make jackets in Shinki HH: Himel Bros, Real Mccoys, Freewheelers, Rainbow Country and there are some jacket models I really like, e.h. Himel Canuck, Freewheelers Dust Bowl, etc.
As there as some price differences and as I don't know if all makers offer pretty much the same/similar quality (both horsehise and workmanship quality), I would like to ask you for your advice which of these jacket makers you can recommend or if there is any other maker who offer an even better quality. I also know the difference in quality between LW and Aero - LW is my favourite but I also like Aero pretty much.

Thank you so much in advance and have a good day/night!

Kind regards,
Robbie

 

[dan_t]

If you do like Aero & have success with their fit, don't discount their Italian Veg Tanned 'Vicenza' hides. It is very different to the FQHH.
Just a thought..........

 

[Bunyip]

Hi Robbie, that's a couple of nice jackets you have already. I would love to see some photos of them. I too have heard great things about the shinki. Depending on what style jacket you are looking for, there's a guy called Diamond Dave that uses shinki, and his prices have just been reduced. I haven't seen shinki offered for the price he does it for. Here is his website address.
http://www.diamondclothingco.com/#!the-jackets/c1t4w
Have a look there. There's also Goodwear leather to google. You are already aware of some of the other makers you gave already listed. Good luck, and post some pics of your jackets when you can. Cheers and welcome.

 

[ButteMT61]

I have one Shinki GW. Love it. Not like anything else I have. That said, there's so many good hides, I'd just look here for pics and maybe get samples from vendors to see what floats yer boat. There's some Eye-talian stuff now that looks really killer, and some new steer hides. Never a shortage of nice hides to pick from, and Shinki is but one fantastic hide.

 

[Robbie79]

Hi dan_t,
Thank you for your advice! I have received Vicenza HH leather swatches from Aero but I have seen Shinki HH recently and I really love this type of leather. Thank you again!!
Kind regards,
Robbie

 

[ButteMT61]

@Robbie79 - here's my Shinki GW Ventura. I know, I know, need to update the pics fellas...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-good-wear-ventura.70477/page-4

 

[handymike]

Welcome Robbie,
Shinki makes very nice Horsehide!
You are pretty up to speed on most of the makers. Goodwear makes INCREDIbLE jackets, but there is a long wait. Himel also makes some fantastic designs. There are differences in the hides that each maker use. Diamond Dave's seem to have the most texture and look great, RMC can be very soft, etc.
Good luck! Seems like you are off to a great start with your collection

 

[Superfluous]

Robbie,

First and foremost, welcome to TFL.

You asked about Himel and Frewheelers. I have two Himel Canucks and three FW jackets (none are leather). IMHO, the quality of Himel's and FW's workmanship is second to none -- they are both superlative. I admittedly have no direct experience with FW leather. That said, the quality of FW's non-leather jackets is genuinely extraordinary. Frankly, I cannot think of another manufacturer that matches FW's quality. Himel offers something a tad different. His workmanship is not quite as precise as FW. On the other hand, Himel employs certain old world/artisan methods that produce wonderful finish details. In particular, Himel's flat seams are a work of art. Himel will customize -- FW will not. With Himel, you are able to interact with the craftsman -- not with FW. Both are equally expensive. Both Himel and FW model their jackets after vintage pieces; however, Himel's jackets are replicas of more traditional jackets, whereas FW's jackets are replicas of slightly more intricate jackets (with the exception of the Brakeman, which is my favorite FW leather jacket). You really can't go wrong with either. That said, I personally prefer Himel over FW (although FW makes several of my favorite non-leather jackets).

You asked about other options. Someone mentioned DD -- IMHO, he does not produce jackets of the same caliber as Himel or FW. Others mentioned GW. JC makes a fine jacket and, like Himel, employs certain trick artisan methods. The downside with GW is the two year wait. Aero is also an option. Their Vincenza leather is a great product. However, I prefer Shinki.

Thanks my 2 cents. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[bretron]

@Robbie79 - here's my Shinki GW Ventura. I know, I know, need to update the pics fellas...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-good-wear-ventura.70477/page-4

Get on with it already, Scott!

 

[dudewuttheheck]

First of all, welcome to TFL and let me say you have great taste. Shinki is my favorite leather in the world (for jackets or for anything else).
I have owned/do own Shinki leather jackets from Diamond Dave and The Real McCoys Japan.

I will echo what Superfluous said and argue that Diamond Dave's work can be very good and his prices are unbeatable, but the quality is not on par with any of the other makers listed. My Real McCoy's jacket is flawless. It is the best item of clothing I have ever owned. The quality is unbeatable and they do make some very cool jackets. However, if the sizing doesn't work for you, you are definitely out of luck. Himel makes some really nice jackets as well and I would love to own one one day.

I can post pics of my RMC or DD jacket if you would like.

 

[Blackadder]

I think it depends on the style you want. Some people think that the Freewheeler's jackets have a pretty "out there" style. If you are looking for a simple half belt or A-2, Goodwear and Rainbow Country may be good choice. There is also another company called Toys McCoy. It is not the same as Real McCoy's. If you are looking for something different, Freewheeler would be the company to go to.
In my experience, Freewheeler has a more stringent requirement on the hide than Rainbow Country. I am not saying Rainbow Country uses inferior hide though. And there is little chance that the Japanese would use mismatch hide on the same jacket. Rather, Rainbow Country is not as picky about the grain as Freewheelers which leads to the fact that even with the same model one Rainbow Country jackets may look different from another because of the grain whereas such difference is very subtle in a Freewheelers.
Some may say this shows better character.
Mine
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/rainbow-country-single-rider.81027/
Ishmael's
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/thre...cket-sz40-850-incl-shipping-from-japan.81819/
Another one
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/americaya/rcl-10013h-rbr/

 

[Jägernaut]

@Robbie79 - here's my Shinki GW Ventura. I know, I know, need to update the pics fellas...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-good-wear-ventura.70477/page-4

Oh good. Saves me from reminding you.

 

[Steve S.]

@Robbie79 - here's my Shinki GW Ventura. I know, I know, need to update the pics fellas...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-good-wear-ventura.70477/page-4

Love the liner material on that! is that a wool tweed?

 

[Grayland]

Love the liner material on that! is that a wool tweed?

That isn't my jacket, but I have the same jacket with the same liner and it is a lightweight wool tweed.

 

[Steve S.]

Very nice! I like to see something a little different from the standard, but still period correct to the jacket design !

 

[Robbie79]

Hi Superfluous,
Thank you so much for your very detailed reply - this was exactly what I was looking for even if you don't have experience with their leather jackets. At least I know that both Himel and FW manufacture excellent quality jackets.

Thank you again!
Kind regards,
Robbie

Robbie,

First and foremost, welcome to TFL.

You asked about Himel and Frewheelers. I have two Himel Canucks and three FW jackets (none are leather). IMHO, the quality of Himel's and FW's workmanship is second to none -- they are both superlative. I admittedly have no direct experience with FW leather. That said, the quality of FW's non-leather jackets is genuinely extraordinary. Frankly, I cannot think of another manufacturer that matches FW's quality. Himel offers something a tad different. His workmanship is not quite as precise as FW. On the other hand, Himel employs certain old world/artisan methods that produce wonderful finish details. In particular, Himel's flat seams are a work of art. Himel will customize -- FW will not. With Himel, you are able to interact with the craftsman -- not with FW. Both are equally expensive. Both Himel and FW model their jackets after vintage pieces; however, Himel's jackets are replicas of more traditional jackets, whereas FW's jackets are replicas of slightly more intricate jackets (with the exception of the Brakeman, which is my favorite FW leather jacket). You really can't go wrong with either. That said, I personally prefer Himel over FW (although FW makes several of my favorite non-leather jackets).

You asked about other options. Someone mentioned DD -- IMHO, he does not produce jackets of the same caliber as Himel or FW. Others mentioned GW. JC makes a fine jacket and, like Himel, employs certain trick artisan methods. The downside with GW is the two year wait. Aero is also an option. Their Vincenza leather is a great product. However, I prefer Shinki.

Thanks my 2 cents. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[A-1]

Welcome Robbie!!
I’m also from Germany and I guess you’ve got your Aero from Kentaurus? I like his shop...

In Germany it’s quite hard to find RMC, FW or Himel at the same price level as US Americans can get it. In Europe you can find FW at Pancho and Lefty: http://panchoandlefty.se/product/freewheelers-brakeman-coat-brown/
I also think the Brakeman is a beautiful jacket but I don’t know if 1600€ - 1720$ is a good price.
RMC you can find used or at some places like superdenim, which is really expensive. 2200€ for an A-1 is too much for me at least. 14oz also has some RMC but at the same prices.
Best thing you can do is go to Zurich and buy at VMC. They have an incredible line of makers and jackets in all sizes. And the RMC run about 400€ less there. You just have to get it over the borders but that shouldn’t be a problem when you wear it a bit in your holidays in Switzerland. On the other hand, when you go out for dinner 4 times in Zurich, you can also spend the 400€ more at SD or 14oz, haha.
I once saw a Himel on ebay.de for under 700€ but it just wasn’t my size. Very hard to get here without customs and all that hassle.

I’ve actually just ordered from Diamond Dave. Though I’ve never seen the jackets in personal, some of the ones pictured here are the most beautiful I’ve seen.
I’m not going with the horse as I’ve got a Bill Kelso HH and I just don’t think it’s too comfortable. It’s just my personal opinion that I find steer more comfy.
But he also makes the jackets in Shinki and they come at a great price. The shinki will be about 1100€ including taxes, shipping and customs I guess.
I’ve heard some things about DD not having the same quality as RMC and all and I guess I will find out myself. I’ve tried on some RMC jackets while in Zurich but they never fit me well. My BK jacket was so much more comfy and the sizing on the RMCs sadly was a little bit off for me.

It’s a little bit sad that there aren’t any European makers on the market yet. But I think they’ll be here sooner or later and we’ll get some better pricing as well.

Best regards from Bremen,
Zeki

 

[Robbie79]

Hi Blackadder,
I would also like to thank you for your helpful recommendations and the links. As I am looking for something different and due to the stringent requirement on the hide and quality of workmanship, I guess I will definitely consider FW jackets but I also like some styles of Rainbow Country and GW (waiting time of 2 years is definitely too long for me) even if they make more "standard jacket". Anyway, thank you again for your efforts and help!
Kind regards,
Robert

I think it depends on the style you want. Some people think that the Freewheeler's jackets have a pretty "out there" style. If you are looking for a simple half belt or A-2, Goodwear and Rainbow Country may be good choice. There is also another company called Toys McCoy. It is not the same as Real McCoy's. If you are looking for something different, Freewheeler would be the company to go to.
In my experience, Freewheeler has a more stringent requirement on the hide than Rainbow Country. I am not saying Rainbow Country uses inferior hide though. And there is little chance that the Japanese would use mismatch hide on the same jacket. Rather, Rainbow Country is not as picky about the grain as Freewheelers which leads to the fact that even with the same model one Rainbow Country jackets may look different from another because of the grain whereas such difference is very subtle in a Freewheelers.
Some may say this shows better character.
Mine
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/rainbow-country-single-rider.81027/
Ishmael's
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/thre...cket-sz40-850-incl-shipping-from-japan.81819/
Another one
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/americaya/rcl-10013h-rbr/

 

[Robbie79]

Hi Robbie, that's a couple of nice jackets you have already. I would love to see some photos of them. I too have heard great things about the shinki. Depending on what style jacket you are looking for, there's a guy called Diamond Dave that uses shinki, and his prices have just been reduced. I haven't seen shinki offered for the price he does it for. Here is his website address.
http://www.diamondclothingco.com/#!the-jackets/c1t4w
Have a look there. There's also Goodwear leather to google. You are already aware of some of the other makers you gave already listed. Good luck, and post some pics of your jackets when you can. Cheers and welcome.

Hi Bunyip,
Thank you for recommending Diamond Dave - the only jacket which might be interesting for me is the Buco J-100 and the price is really attractive compared to Himel and some other makers. At the moment FW Dust Bowl is my clear favorite though.
Thanks and regards,
Robbie

 

[Robbie79]

Hi Zeki,

Thank you for your detailed reply and your recommendations. I have contacted Panchoandlefty, Sweden regarding FW jackets and got immediate reply - unfortunately they don't have stock at the moment but will re-stock soon. I have also contacted Diamond Dave in the meantime and I am waiting for his reply. VMC Zurich is no option for me now as I don't plan to go to Zurich soon. Yes, I know Kentaurus and have bought Viberg boots in the past - however the owner was not very friendly and didn't take me seriously i.e. he didn't treat me in a manner I would treat customers. That's why I decided to contact Aero directly. I guess he thought that I don't look like a person who can afford such expensive cloth....

Thank you again and have a nice day!
Kind regards,
Robert

Welcome Robbie!!
I’m also from Germany and I guess you’ve got your Aero from Kentaurus? I like his shop...

In Germany it’s quite hard to find RMC, FW or Himel at the same price level as US Americans can get it. In Europe you can find FW at Pancho and Lefty: http://panchoandlefty.se/product/freewheelers-brakeman-coat-brown/
I also think the Brakeman is a beautiful jacket but I don’t know if 1600€ - 1720$ is a good price.
RMC you can find used or at some places like superdenim, which is really expensive. 2200€ for an A-1 is too much for me at least. 14oz also has some RMC but at the same prices.
Best thing you can do is go to Zurich and buy at VMC. They have an incredible line of makers and jackets in all sizes. And the RMC run about 400€ less there. You just have to get it over the borders but that shouldn’t be a problem when you wear it a bit in your holidays in Switzerland. On the other hand, when you go out for dinner 4 times in Zurich, you can also spend the 400€ more at SD or 14oz, haha.
I once saw a Himel on ebay.de for under 700€ but it just wasn’t my size. Very hard to get here without customs and all that hassle.

I’ve actually just ordered from Diamond Dave. Though I’ve never seen the jackets in personal, some of the ones pictured here are the most beautiful I’ve seen.
I’m not going with the horse as I’ve got a Bill Kelso HH and I just don’t think it’s too comfortable. It’s just my personal opinion that I find steer more comfy.
But he also makes the jackets in Shinki and they come at a great price. The shinki will be about 1100€ including taxes, shipping and customs I guess.
I’ve heard some things about DD not having the same quality as RMC and all and I guess I will find out myself. I’ve tried on some RMC jackets while in Zurich but they never fit me well. My BK jacket was so much more comfy and the sizing on the RMCs sadly was a little bit off for me.

It’s a little bit sad that there aren’t any European makers on the market yet. But I think they’ll be here sooner or later and we’ll get some better pricing as well.

Best regards from Bremen,
Zeki