soaking Shinki horsehide in water

[Iron Horse]

this is a great example of one of the drawbacks for many with vintage stuff. So many of us want a classic broken-in look. The sort of look that comes from years of wear and in many minds a classic "nostalgic" idea of hard work or tough living that shows in the character of clothing..............except today, we don't want to wait for it and, probably most of us don't live those sorts of lives. There's a thread on VLJ about high-end denim (which I love) but I commented on how not worth it, it is for me to try to get that look I want in all those great old photos of awesome old jeans. It takes a few years of wearing them and who wants to wait that long or go through that much trouble hoping that they (or jacket for that matter) will look the way you want it. I mean, it's just clothing and it's cool but life's too short and who wants to obsess about clothes that much (outside of clothing makers)? I guess way-ish off topic.

Buy a pair of Sugarcane or Warehouse jeans, wear them, and they will eventually look like a pair of incredible vintage jeans.

 

[regius]

Will Shinki age like this? (this is a 50s flight jacket, using a HH that was very commonplace, seen almost in every jacket you find from those days), evidently this leather once had a lacquer ish surface paint, it fell off exposing the undyed "flesh". If Shinki ages like this (or, damages like this), then I think they have achieved their goal to emulate the old tanning and dying process.

 

[nick123]

Should note that I got a few raindrops on my Vicenza Aero and the water marks are still there!

 

[Ralph Chen]

Actually Japanese magazine already done the test with Real McCoy Buco j-24L ..I took the photo from my friend's magazine long time ago.....please excuse the quality
Left jacket -> after this procedure
Here is the procedure
1. Dip your jacket in 40degree warm water
2 . Wait for 10minutes ..this procedure might cause shrinkage or color lost
Do not put ur jacket into dryer or direct sun yet
3 wear your jacket when it is almost dry
4 apply horse oil when the jacket is completely dry

 

[Iron Horse]

Lightning also has a how-to on showering the sleeves with water to help with creasing too, I have that in one of the big leather jacket issues.

 

[Ralph Chen]

@Iron Horse please post it if u can...I would luv to see some more tricks...

 

[Iron Horse]

@Iron Horse please post it if u can...I would luv to see some more tricks...

OK, will do tonight.

 

[Iron Horse]

OK here's Lightning's little pictorial on using hot water to help with shrinking/creasing, in this case on a Jelado A-1:

 

[devilish]

Should note that I got a few raindrops on my Vicenza Aero and the water marks are still there!

It will go away. I have a Shackleton in the Vincenza and it's been wet a few times. It takes longer than most leather but it will dry out. I actually think that Aero's Vincenza might be the leather that will eventually get the closest to looking like some vintage types? Maybe not that 'lacquer finish' but it does scuff and scratch leaving that sort of 'sanded' type effect.
The Shinki on my GW that was treated really badly by original owner is looking very vintage in the creases and certain wear spots also.

 

[nick123]

It will go away. I have a Shackleton in the Vincenza and it's been wet a few times. It takes longer than most leather but it will dry out. I actually think that Aero's Vincenza might be the leather that will eventually get the closest to looking like some vintage types? Maybe not that 'lacquer finish' but it does scuff and scratch leaving that sort of 'sanded' type effect.
The Shinki on my GW that was treated really badly by original owner is looking very vintage in the creases and certain wear spots also.

 

[Americanaaa Mark]

View attachment 64922 Actually Japanese magazine already done the test with Real McCoy Buco j-24L ..I took the photo from my friend's magazine long time ago.....please excuse the quality
Left jacket -> after this procedure
Here is the procedure
1. Dip your jacket in 40degree warm water
2 . Wait for 10minutes ..this procedure might cause shrinkage or color lost
Do not put ur jacket into dryer or direct sun yet
3 wear your jacket when it is almost dry
4 apply horse oil when the jacket is completely dry

is that 40 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius ?

 

[Lean'n'mean]

is that 40 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius ?

That would be 40°C ....just a few degrees above body temperature.

 

[handymike]

That Jelado has amazing knits!

 

[Sloan1874]

I'm not sure the difference is great enough to justify dunking ££££ worth of jacket in the bath.

 

[nick123]

That Jelado has amazing knits!

I was tempted to buy it! Still on Rakuten in limited sizes:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/americaya/item/jagb-1303-br/

 

[Marv]

I gave my GW RW 27752 (shinki FQH) the HWT treatment as I wanted attempt to shrink the jacket size down a bit due to weight loss.

Totally immersed the jacket in a hot water bath for about 5 mins, let the majority of the excess water drain out then pat dry on a think towel soak up any further water.
The wore the jacket wet until nearly dry then placed on a large wooden jacket hanger above the raidiator to further dry overnight, the result was the jacket did shrink down probably about a half a size without any damage to the leather or the knits.

 

[bn1966]

I've had some success with cold water treatment to accelerate 'break-in'. However Ive only ever been daring enough to mimic nature & then the aim is comfort in wearing rather than to hasten patina.

Two 'close fit' ELC jackets were a bit uncomfortable from the box, so I dampened them with cold water (not a total soaking) & wore them until dry, repeated a couple of times until they felt 'moulded' to me & have since experienced much joy in the wearing. On the down side I developed mild fever on one occasion from this approach

Has anyone tried the tumble dryer & tennis ball approach on goat? Result?

 

[willyto]

I've had some success with cold water treatment to accelerate 'break-in'. However Ive only ever been daring enough to mimic nature & then the aim is comfort in wearing rather than to hasten patina.

Two 'close fit' ELC jackets were a bit uncomfortable from the box, so I dampened them with cold water (not a total soaking) & wore them until dry, repeated a couple of times until they felt 'moulded' to me & have since experienced much joy in the wearing. On the down side I developed mild fever on one occasion from this approach

Has anyone tried the tumble dryer & tennis ball approach on goat? Result?

From my experience I wouldn't recomment tumble dryer with Goatskin, at least not when wet. Mine doesn't have a cool option btw, so I don't know how that warm temperature can do any good to the jacket.

 

[Azog]

For me that Lightning's "after" picture is definitely not a desirable look, nor does it resemble an aged jacket. Looks water damaged and has spoilt a nice jacket.

 

[ButteMT61]

I shrank the living sh*t out of a goat USW jacket. Way too large, and I did the warm water/dryer thing. It worked OK, but the Goat lost some of the sheen. Didn't much like it after, even when I put Pecards on it. I'm not a big fan of doing this now sans maybe a little on the sleeves and collars...