shrinking aero anyone?

[handymike]

Pawineguy, Schitzo is just a frustrated guy looking for any answer that might explain this crazy situation. Toggle drying might result in some SnapBack, or may not. I think it might be grasping at straws, and his leather probably wasn't dried this way....but his jacket DID shrink. I'm still curious, but the thread seems to be going downhill at this point....sadly.
I think the video should be the final post. Time to take the discussion to PM's.

 

[schitzo]

I am not trying to pick any fights, I'd love for you to end up with a resolution that you are pleased with. The professional you relied on may have had an ulterior motive for sending you that picture, as it comes from a page where Horween describes all of their dryness processes, and specifically how chromexcel is air dried, NOT toggle dried. How they could pull that picture out and send it to you so out of context would lead me to judge them not someone who should be relied on to supply speculation.

I see, so you were describing my post as really off putting and egregious in a non confrontational way. Then no problemo!

But it seems you have missed the point here and still aren't getting it. Let me try to clarify. That picture of toggle drying shows the viewer what toggle drying looks like. Thus if the context is what toggle drying looks like, then a picture of some toggle drying happening is 'out of context' precisely how?

Like you, I too am fully aware of what Horween and aero have to say about their CXL HH. What I put forward was some SPECULATION that was shared with me as part of an attempt to explain away something that on the face of it doesn't make any sense. It was speculation, not an accusation, in as far as it wasn't saying 'this is what happened' it was saying 'maybe if this happened then that might be one possible explanation for the thing that's hard to fathom'.

I am getting that had this kind of speculation been handed to you, you'd have dismissed it instantly on account of what it says on Horween's blog. And that's fair enough. At this point, let me state that in my personal opinion I believe Horween do dry all of their hides the way that they say they do on their website and blog pages. However, for argument's sake let us suppose that some corners were cut one day to save a few quid. In that unlikely and purely hypothetical situation, I don't suppose they'd turn around and tell the world about it on their blog pages, do you? I think this exchange is getting a bit silly, let's just forget about it now please

Video is almost ready. When it's here take a look and see what you think

 

[schitzo]

I think the video should be the final post. .

At least have a look at it first Handy! I'm sorting it now..

 

[schitzo]

video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSqevPWsB6U

When i got it
new orig herc 1 by misterschitzo, on Flickr

On a hanger today
DSC00777 by misterschitzo, on Flickr

 

[handymike]

I hope you can still wear it comfortably, because that jacket looks the "shizzle"!!!!
I once had a 50's Hercules jacket that had ceases and grain like that- loved the look.

 

[nick123]

I've never seen an FQHH jacket posted here with that dramatic of grain like yours has on the front. Maybe that particular batch was just more prone to wrinkling?

 

[schitzo]

that's the kicker Handy! Have you ever seen HH that good!? I know I haven't and the fear is I may never again.. plus on the video - I realised this afterwards - it doesn't even show it off that well! Honestly. Mainly on account of Beijing's filthy smog stealing all my day light I assume

Possibly a soak and stretch could help..

 

[Monitor]

Schitzo, I just want to add something completely unrelated to the shrinkage matter, but that is one gorgeous jacket.

 

[trapp]

The jacket looks awesome, schitz. The fit and loss of length notwithstanding, it's a beauty.

FWIW, I have creases like the ones you show on the rear of you herc on a few of my own jackets - a Vanson Enfield and on a Johnson Leathers cafe racer. I never paid attention to how or if they affect the length. I may be naive, indiscriminating, or just an easy touch, but I've always just chalked it up to the indiosyncracies of good leather.

 

[wdw]

Schitzo, call me sad, but I really enjoyed that video and would like to see more like it.

As for the back creases, I was expecting much worse and am just not seeing the problem. I'm pretty sure I've had worse and just took it as part of the break-in. In my view, FQHH is meant to look knackered and worn and I have all sorts of marks, scuffs, creases and wrinkles on mine and wear it with pride.

 

[handymike]

Here's my 1950s Hercules:


Yours looks similar to this 60 yr old in a year!!!! WOW!

Here is my Aero after 10 or so years in FQHH:

Nothin near yours.

I think you have a truly unique batch of hide. As you said- "mixed bag"
Apart from the fit, yours is the best looking hide I've seen on the Lounge.
My condolences, Schitz.

 

[Monitor]

Handymike, wow, my two weeks old J106 looks as old as that Aero of yours!

 

[alsendk]

Should I pick up any of the jackets being shown here schitzo, I would pick up yours to be mine for sure. The grain and character is fantastic. It just looks great.

 

[Cooperson]

Interesting video, thanks for posting. To be honest, I can't see how those two slight creases in the back could have caused the loss in length reported, particularly when the many deep creases in the sleeves have had little effect. I would only assume some genuine leather shrinkage has occurred in the main back panels, for whatever reason. Sadly the creases running from the neck line, diagonally across the two front panels, I have had experience with and I have to say they can spoil the drape of the jacket.

 

[Sloan1874]

I'd look at your hangers, Cooperson.

 

[wdw]

I'd look at your hangers, Cooperson.

Could be. I store all my jackets flat except my Wool HB with the FQHH shoulders. That's been on a wide hanger for months and when I took it off the other day it had big creases on the shoulders, not unlike Schitzo's. They mostly disappeared when worn, though, as I think Schitzo said.

 

[Cooperson]

I'd look at your hangers, Cooperson.

Sorry, don't quite understand this comment could please explain?

 

[handymike]

I just took mine off the hanger...only been up for 2 days while guests were over, and there are those creases...coming down and going under the bed for good ;-)

 

[Sloan1874]

If you use a hanger that's too sloped it'll create creases like that. Like wdw, I tend to drape them over the seat of a chair at home, or fling them over a pile of papers behind my desk in the office.

 

[wdw]

Maybe we're on to something. My jackets are usually squashed in a too-narrow box under the bed and when they come out there's no problem. Just mild creases that soon go. But my relatively lightweight Wool HB had more damage than any, purely because of the hanger.

It could only be worse with an all leather jacket, especially if the hanger isn't wide enough to spread the full width of the shoulder, as most won't be.