shrinking aero anyone?

[Monitor]

Last week riding was like this for me: fog, rain, rain, rain, rain/fog, rain. Jacket didn't get a chance to take a break until the weekend, when I decided to leave it hanging a day and a half to dry out. Measured the back, chest and sleeves just now, no change. So far so good and yeah, I know that the jacket's still new, but I can't imagine it getting through worse than what I had put it through.

Maybe it's really just creases that's causing the shrinkage?

 

[Surferbruce]

Seems like the best thing to do to counteract any natural leather shrinkage is just to wear your jacket a lot.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

After considering all the anecdotal evidence in this thread, I'm going to conclude that quality leather is a beautiful organic material that behaves differently - sometimes shrinking in places, sometimes stretching, sometimes remaining quite stable - depending on numerous variables too complex to identify.

Sounds like the most reasonable conclusion. I understand that a very expensive item like a custom leather jacket would lead to a higher degree of perfectionism. But I wouldn't call it unwearable now. Maybe just step back and forget for a moment what the tape measures...

 

[ProteinNerd]

The whole "packing it in suitcase" made it shrink isn't sitting right with me. I travel every 6 weeks or so with work and always throw one of my jackets in my suit case.....none of them have ever shrunk 0.75" due to a crease or two...

What about when it is shipped from Aero? its packed in a box then....do they make all jackets being posted 0.75 inches longer than jackets being picked up to counteract this?

Its usually touted about that sleeves will shrink about 0.5" and they have a LOT of folds and creases...how can the entire body of the jacket lose more than that from 2?

 

[Azog]

Has the front shrunk at all too? What I've noticed is that the zipper will buckle, as it doesn't shrink with the leather and goes into an up and down wave like shape as it gets compressed.
From what you have mentioned though it seems only the back panels have shrunk?

 

[nick123]

I would see if Schitzo, Dav, or any members who noticed significant shrinkage could compare their jackets in their current state and maybe come to some sort of common conclusion.

 

[Cooperson]

Has the front shrunk at all too? What I've noticed is that the zipper will buckle, as it doesn't shrink with the leather and goes into an up and down wave like shape as it gets compressed.
From what you have mentioned though it seems only the back panels have shrunk?

Can't quite picture this, have you got a photo you could share?

 

[Azog]

I've heard it been called "wavy zipper syndrome". Usually occurs after the jacket has been washed and then dried with the intention of shrink drying it.
It also happened on my Eastman house A2 in vegetable tanned goat after wearing it in the rain. I'm not set up to quickly post photos but if you search for wavy zipper syndrome you will find info on it.

 

[Monitor]

Okay, took the time to measure my years old beat up HWM... Problem is, I never did bother to measure the jacket precisely when I got it since it was bought used, but seeing how it's exactly 26 inches long across back now, which is the same number that the seller stated for the classified, I'd say it is safe to say that it didn't move either way.

Can't say what happened with Schitzos and Davs jackets but honestly, I don't think there's a cause for panic.

 

[Smithy]

All very intriguing. Can't say I've experienced any of mine shrinking apart from sleeves shortening a half inch or so from wear as expected.

I'm no expert but perhaps as others have suggested it's something to do with that individual hide and how it's interacted with particular atmospheric conditions. That's the only thing I can think which could possibly make a jacket shrink all over.

 

[nick123]

The Herc has side straps right? If you had them tightened, did you loosen them back to factory setting before measuring?

 

[Sloan1874]

I didn't think there ever was any need for panic!

 

[schitzo]

Nick, I've never bothered with the side straps on this one.

It does feel tighter all over. This week I'll post pics with me wearing it now and of me wearing it new to see if the difference I can feel is visible on camera.

@Flat foot I have tried that believe me.. but it is harder to get it on now - requires a t-shirt underneath - and truth be told feels conspicuously short these days. You know, feminine type short.

@Monitor. It's never had a soaking in the rain. I am thinking about giving it a warm shower though, and then trying to wear and it and stretch it back out a bit.

 

[Cyber Lip]

Aero's not offering to take it back for an exchange? I'd be pressing for that if I were in your shoes

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Feminine type short? Vintage type short and it's the low rise skinny jeans that make it look feminine. Old discussion and nobody will force the other side to change. Just saying it is a point of view thing. It's not a set rule that after losing one inch it is defo "too short".
I think it's more that you want to get exactly what you ordered. Fair enough.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

There are many theories and speculation as to what has caused Schitzo's 'shrinking' .
Firstly tanning process , Horweens Chromexcel has been tanned in the same way since 1913 , including drying process . Another thought is a bad batch , we probably made close to 100 jackets from that batch and have no other reports of 'shrinking'. Obviously there are other theories such as pollution etc that we really can't comment on .
Creases in leather ( or any other material ) do have an affect on length , fact . There are clearly creases in the back of his jacket ( some that were hidden by fruit ) .We don't know if this was caused by simply packing once , or multiple times . Other factors could be multiple soaking and drying but we don't know the full history of the jacket , only what we have been told .

2 weeks ago Schitzo couldn't have been happier with his jacket , including the length and the leather , see Hercules post / poll ...

http://http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?79613-Repro-1930s-Sears-Original-Hercules-jackets-whose-is-best

now all of a sudden this has changed ?

If we felt there was a fault in Schitzo’s jacket we would have dealt with it in the same way we always deal with legitimate complaints
We are very proud of our exemplary customer service and always deal with problems in a 100% honest manner. This has surely been proved with the way we handled the Storse fiasco and the way we helped every single person who got caught up in Mark Moye’s “Aero USA” Ponzi fraud, although legally, we had no need to honour any transaction which was entered into with Mark Moye
If we felt Schitzo has a justified complaint we’d have dealt with it immediately, after all when he initially ordered the wrong leather in error, we offer to make a replacement jacket although it was the customer’s fault, not ours.

 

[zhz]

Aero's not offering to take it back for an exchange? I'd be pressing for that if I were in your shoes

We still dont know what really caused the problem, so if this is a natural thing/or caused by customer, why would Aero take it back? If this is some kind of mistake make by Aero, I believe they will take it back.

 

[zhz]

Nick, I've never bothered with the side straps on this one.

It does feel tighter all over. This week I'll post pics with me wearing it now and of me wearing it new to see if the difference I can feel is visible on camera.

@Flat foot I have tried that believe me.. but it is harder to get it on now - requires a t-shirt underneath - and truth be told feels conspicuously short these days. You know, feminine type short.

@Monitor. It's never had a soaking in the rain. I am thinking about giving it a warm shower though, and then trying to wear and it and stretch it back out a bit.

Based on my experience, if you can feel it short, then it will look like a big difference on camera...

 

[Big J]

So, 'Hide'n'seek' is Aero leather's Fedora Lounge handle? With only 26 posts to date, and 'new in town'?

What's going on? I thought Aero was using a different handle on the Lounge- 'milky chocolate' or some such.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

So, 'Hide'n'seek' is Aero leather's Fedora Lounge handle? With only 26 posts to date, and 'new in town'?

What's going on? I thought Aero was using a different handle on the Lounge- 'milky chocolate' or some such.

We do not have an official Aero 'handle' , we would prefer all correspondence be done direct by email and not on a forum , sometimes however a little input is required.
Holly occasionally has to post , she uses 'Cloudylemonade'