Stretching Cowhide Leather

[Will Zach]

Why such a reluctance to take a photo of the jacket showing measurements with a tape measure..??

Because I cannot go back in time. I don't have a "before" pic with tape. Just an "after" pic with tape won't tell you anything.

 

[Carlos840]

It really doesn’t matter to me one way or another what you believe but I think you’re really pushing the limits of common sense and good judgement in order to save face, which accomplished exactly the opposite effect. Seems to me it’s always best to just admit defeat and walk away, the whole “it’s all one big conspiracy theory“ just to save face stuff is getting pretty old these days. The guy posted clear pics, if he posted before and after shots with a tape measure (which btw, how could he get if he didn’t have them already travel back in time?) wouldn’t prove a hell of a lot in your eyes either as it seems likely you’d just say well that tape measure is clearly tampered with or fake etc.

So you went from a Strawman to a an Ad Hominem, nice, really nice.

My position has not changed since post 12, i am not the one coming up with a bunch of fallacies and believing "bro science", i am simply asking for a proof with a known measuring device.

 

[zebedee]

It'd be a lot easier to conclude that maybe it is possible to stretch leather, but the results are inconsistent, may not be permanent but do, to some extent, damage the hide. I fall on the side of partial difference in length in a few cases, but really wouldn't want to damage a jacket and its lining for a very small change, if any- if it reverts to its previous dimensions, all that's been accomplished is damage to both hide and lining, even if the damage is small. It's probably stitching giving more than anything.

 

[Will Zach]

I honestly don't know why I am doing this. I won't convince anybody, least of all Carlos, but at least I'll know I gave it my best shot. I don't mind to be challenged, but I require a minimum of reasonableness in a challenge, and I don't think I am getting it from Carlos. Turns out I can go back in time and get info on the "before" state of the jacket. No pic, but I have the sleeve measurement from the seller (a UK-based vintage shop) which turned out to be spot-on, as were the rest of the jacket measurements. Seller specified 22-inch sleeves in the ad. I wear 23.5-24-in sleeves when the shoulder width is 18-in, so I bought the jacket solely because it was cheap, hoping his sleeve measurements were off to my advantage. No dice, the cuffs fell around my wrist bones indicating seller's 22-inch measurement was spot on. So I decided to stretch them. The first pic is a screen shot of the actual Etsy sale page. The second is an "after" pic and has a tape. I added 2 inches to the sleeves by wet stretching and drying under the stress of 2-lb weights. I am now out of this thread as I have no more evidence. People can judge for themselves. But if I do it again (I might if I come across a super-cheap jacket that is too tight) I will make sure to have before and after pics with tape. I would not do it with an expensive jacket though.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Thank you for doing this, Will. I think that's probably a good start to an empirical database on this subject. If you were to measure shoulder to cuff running along the outside of the sleeve what would be the result?

 

[Entropic Thunder]

Reliably, there won’t be any acceptance or acknowledging of ones being obtuse. Or even appreciation for you giving your own knowledge and experience as earnestly as possible. It really is pointless trying to deal with people on the internet sometimes.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

^^^not nice.
B

 

[Entropic Thunder]

^^^not nice.
B

Oops hey you’re totally correct, I meant to reply to Will Zach not Seb Lucas, Seb Lucas, that was a standup reply and my reply wasn’t meant towards you at all.

 

[Peacoat]

I was hoping this back and forth had died out on its own, but it appears it has not. So I will help it along.

No further comments on the bickering that has been ongoing in this thread.

To let everyone see my message, I am temporarily closing this thread. After a period of time, I will reopen and hope we proceed as adults.

 

[Peacoat]

The thread is now reopened.

 

[navetsea]

why can't we agree halfway?

some leather jackets stretched, some don't.

seriously too many factors involved
type of hide and leather, fit of the jacket, construction of the jacket and lining, the method of stretching it, duration, pre and post measuring
there is no way we can agree on 1 universal answer, and all we have is personal opinion based on personal experience with several jacket you want it to stretch, some succeeded and happily wear the jacket, some failed and have to sell it on.

 

[Entropic Thunder]

why can't we agree halfway?

some leather jackets stretched, some don't.

seriously too many factors involved
type of hide and leather, fit of the jacket, construction of the jacket and lining, the method of stretching it, duration, pre and post measuring
there is no way we can agree on 1 universal answer, and all we have is personal opinion based on personal experience with several jacket you want it to stretch, some succeeded and happily wear the jacket, some failed and have to sell it on.

This is literally exactly what i’ve been saying throughout this thread, but there have been a few people insisting outright that it’s impossible with any jacket unless they see incontrovertible evidence presented here to the contrary, which once presented they either disparaged in a borderline way or flatly ignored.

 

[Peacoat]

This is literally exactly what i’ve been saying throughout this thread, but there have been a few people insisting outright that it’s impossible with any jacket unless they see incontrovertible evidence presented here to the contrary, which once presented they either disparaged in a borderline way or flatly ignored.

Leave it alone; you have said enough already. This is a directive, not a suggestion. PC.