Soft leather A-2

[Lando]

I know Gibson and Barnes are willing to alter things quite a bit. Their flight satin lining is pretty nice and heavier, though I have never couple it with their goatskin to date. Their goatskin is very nice, though I prefer their russet vegetable tanned goat over the other colors which are chrome tanned and though soft, just seem thinner to me on feel. I know there is a $38 charge for changing things on a jacket, and then the price changes based on what you add or take away. For example, changing something to horsehide from goatskin added about $50 to the price from what I remember. I hope that helps.

 

[subject101]

I know Gibson and Barnes are willing to alter things quite a bit. Their flight satin lining is pretty nice and heavier, though I have never couple it with their goatskin to date. Their goatskin is very nice, though I prefer their russet vegetable tanned goat over the other colors which are chrome tanned and though soft, just seem thinner to me on feel. I know there is a $38 charge for changing things on a jacket, and then the price changes based on what you add or take away. For example, changing something to horsehide from goatskin added about $50 to the price from what I remember. I hope that helps.

Thanks for your advice

 

[Cedric Satterfield]

I have an older Avirex lamb A-2 that wears like butter. Granted I didn't do the work on it, im the 2nd owner, but I can feel the difference between it and my Schott 184 cowhide. Im also the 2nd owner of the Schott, but it wasn't worn by the prior owner and the leather is really stiff. I dont wear it for the same reason the OP doesn't wear his. Ive done the tennis shoe in the fluff dryer thing, but I used kids shoes, and it softened up a little. Maybe I need to use bigger shoes. It sucks that it is stiff enough that I don't wear it. The lamb is slightly over sized for me, but bends and flows and gives. The Schott is more trim but is harder to wear. Im a bigger guy (280) so we are talking a lot of leather here. Good luck softening it up!

 

[rumblefish]

My favourite jacket so far is my ELC A-2. It looks great on me but it's like wearing an armour.

As a matter of curiosity, is there any manufacturer producing a no stiff A-2?

Have you looked into A-1 jackets, in capeskin?

 

[Kenal0]

My ELC A2's are definitely some of the softer jackets I own. If you want to talk about stiff leather, I recall receiving my Aero Front Quarter Horsehide jacket on a freezing cold day in Chicago a few years back and that sucker stood up on its own. I could have beaten it with a baseball bat and I would have broken the bat. Try the kneeding process listed up the thread. Should make it at least wearable.
Kenal0

 

[thor]

The Gibson & Barnes Mark 31 russet brown goatskin A-2 with SILK LINING (quite a luxurious feel!!!) is buttery soft right out of the box! It drapes nicely and goatskin is quite tear and abrasion resisitant. The very first A-2 jackets were made using a spun silk lining (all later A-2 jacket linings were cotton because of the lower cost of cotton as well as the limited availability of silk) so the G&B is an excellent choice. Silk is also a good insulator and is probably a warmer lining then cotton. Just my 2 cents

 

[subject101]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Have you looked into A-1 jackets, in capeskin?

Not my style