Stretching Cowhide Leather

[Entropic Thunder]

Yes, leather as a material stretches, we all agreed to that on page 1.
What we are saying is that once changed into a jacket, constructed of multiple panels assembled by thread and lined it will not stretch any noticeable amount without damage to the stitching or the lining.
Yes a belt made from a single layer of leather will stretch. Now make a belt from two layers of leather stitched together with a layer of fabric sandwiched in between it won't stretch at all. What prevents it from stretching is the combination of leather and fabric and the stitch lines going through both.

The fact that you can find situations in which leather alone can be stretched doesn't mean you can effectively stretch a leather jacket.

I have washed multiple leather jackets by hand and in the washing machine, I have worn them wet to form to my body, none have stretched.
I currently own around 35 leather jackets, I have worn some soaking wet after being cought in the rain, they didn't stretch.
My testing has led me to the conclusion that a leather jacket doesn't stretch.
I am open to being convinced the opposite is true but it is going to take more than "trust me bro, i saw it online", "everyone knows that!" or "you didn't do it right".

As @Seb Lucas said, lots of claims, little evidence...

Personally i don't think two fit pics are enough to tell that a jacket was stretched.
I am also having a hard believing the pressure exerted by a comforter stuffed inside a jacket would be enough to stretch it. If that was the case we would all buy jackets that fit and end up with big floppy messes after wearing it in the rain twice.

Now, even if we grant the fact that a capeskin jacket was actually stretched, it doesn't tell us anything about jackets made with stronger leather.
Capskin is IMO the exception more than the rule, it is super spongy and stretchy to start with, a bit like deerskin.

To claim that "I stretched a capeskin jacket, capskin i leather, any leather jacket can be stretched" is IMO a false premise.

The idea that the lining on a jacket would prevent it from stretching in the same way that a piece of nylon webbing sandwiched and stitched tight between the two panels of a belt would is honestly kinda silly, for obvious reasons so I’ll just leave that one alone.

Also you mentioned that you have worn jackets wet and they haven’t stretched, but have rather “formed to your body”. I wonder what exactly you think is happening to that jacket when it forms to your body magically, and why you need to wet it first? The answer is simple, it’s stretching minutely and going from a 2d shape to a more 3D shape by means of stretch, which is more easily facilitated by getting he jacket wet. Follow that principle to its logical conclusion and youll see why flexing in that same soaking wet jacket with all your might will do more than just form it to your bodys shape but will in fact stretch it anywhere that you can get sufficient leverage which tends usually to be only across the shoulders and sleeves and maybe the chest if it’s a very tight jacket to begin with. If your jacket is already sufficiently roomy, then flexing in it will cause no real strain and the leather won’t stretch for obvious reasons, but if you have a jacket you’ve outgrown which is already tight enough to get sufficient traction then this trick comes in very handy.

Like I said, I’ve stretched the shoulders out on horsehide jackets by around an inch and a half, and if the jacket is allowed to dry, with intermittent flexing sessions to ensure that’s it cannot shrink back up during the drying process then it will retain the increased width permanently. Bear in mind this won’t work by just wetting the topmost layer of the leather with rain or a spray bottle, it needs to really be soaked through. Obviously all leathers are different, and some will be much harder to stretch than others, but it typically can be done if one is only willing to get the jacket completely soaking wet and wrecklessly flex with all their might with wanton disregards for the seams. A properly done seam in leather can be as strong as the leather itself, so it’s a risk which isn’t really that risky unless you’re jacked and can burst out of clothing like the hulk.


You can take it or leave it, I just don’t see why you think I’d really come to this forum and stake out this hill to die on because I just really want to lie to a guy about whether he’ll have success in stretching his jacket? I’m just trying to help out with my own personal experiences and observations, nothing more.

 

[Carlos840]

The idea that the lining on a jacket would prevent it from stretching in the same way that a piece of nylon webbing sandwiched and stitched tight between the two panels of a belt would is honestly kinda silly, for obvious reasons so I’ll just leave that one alone.

Also you mentioned that you have worn jackets wet and they haven’t stretched, but have rather “formed to your body”. I wonder what exactly you think is happening to that jacket when it forms to your body magically, and why you need to wet it first? The answer is simple, it’s stretching minutely and going from a 2d shape to a more 3D shape by means of stretch, which is more easily facilitated by getting he jacket wet. Follow that principle to its logical conclusion and youll see why flexing in that same soaking wet jacket with all your might will do more than just form it to your bodys shape but will in fact stretch it anywhere that you can get sufficient leverage which tends usually to be only across the shoulders and sleeves and maybe the chest if it’s a very tight jacket to begin with. If your jacket is already sufficiently roomy, then flexing in it will cause no real strain and the leather won’t stretch for obvious reasons, but if you have a jacket you’ve outgrown which is already tight enough to get sufficient traction then this trick comes in very handy.

Like I said, I’ve stretched the shoulders out on horsehide jackets by around an inch and a half, and if the jacket is allowed to dry, with intermittent flexing sessions to ensure that’s it cannot shrink back up during the drying process then it will retain the increased width permanently. Bear in mind this won’t work by just wetting the topmost layer of the leather with rain or a spray bottle, it needs to really be soaked through. Obviously all leathers are different, and some will be much harder to stretch than others, but it typically can be done if one is only willing to get the jacket completely soaking wet and wrecklessly flex with all their might with wanton disregards for the seams. A properly done seam in leather can be as strong as the leather itself, so it’s a risk which isn’t really that risky unless you’re jacked and can burst out of clothing like the hulk.


You can take it or leave it, I just don’t see why you think I’d really come to this forum and stake out this hill to die on because I just really want to lie to a guy about whether he’ll have success in stretching his jacket? I’m just trying to help out with my own personal experiences and observations, nothing more.

I am pretty sure i didn't write the words "nylon webbing" anywhere.
Missquoting someone to disparage their ideas is honestly kinda silly for obvious reasons...

How about you just show us before and after pictures with a measuring tape showing 1" of stretch and prove me wrong.
I'll be the first to admit i was wrong and that your method works.

 

[Will Zach]

The idea that the lining on a jacket would prevent it from stretching in the same way that a piece of nylon webbing sandwiched and stitched tight between the two panels of a belt would is honestly kinda silly, for obvious reasons so I’ll just leave that one alone.

Also you mentioned that you have worn jackets wet and they haven’t stretched, but have rather “formed to your body”. I wonder what exactly you think is happening to that jacket when it forms to your body magically, and why you need to wet it first? The answer is simple, it’s stretching minutely and going from a 2d shape to a more 3D shape by means of stretch, which is more easily facilitated by getting he jacket wet. Follow that principle to its logical conclusion and youll see why flexing in that same soaking wet jacket with all your might will do more than just form it to your bodys shape but will in fact stretch it anywhere that you can get sufficient leverage which tends usually to be only across the shoulders and sleeves and maybe the chest if it’s a very tight jacket to begin with. If your jacket is already sufficiently roomy, then flexing in it will cause no real strain and the leather won’t stretch for obvious reasons, but if you have a jacket you’ve outgrown which is already tight enough to get sufficient traction then this trick comes in very handy.

Like I said, I’ve stretched the shoulders out on horsehide jackets by around an inch and a half, and if the jacket is allowed to dry, with intermittent flexing sessions to ensure that’s it cannot shrink back up during the drying process then it will retain the increased width permanently. Bear in mind this won’t work by just wetting the topmost layer of the leather with rain or a spray bottle, it needs to really be soaked through. Obviously all leathers are different, and some will be much harder to stretch than others, but it typically can be done if one is only willing to get the jacket completely soaking wet and wrecklessly flex with all their might with wanton disregards for the seams. A properly done seam in leather can be as strong as the leather itself, so it’s a risk which isn’t really that risky unless you’re jacked and can burst out of clothing like the hulk.


You can take it or leave it, I just don’t see why you think I’d really come to this forum and stake out this hill to die on because I just really want to lie to a guy about whether he’ll have success in stretching his jacket? I’m just trying to help out with my own personal experiences and observations, nothing more.

And if you want to put real stress on a soaking wet jacket just put two hoodies underneath and zip it up.

T

I am pretty sure i didn't write the words "nylon webbing" anywhere.
Missquoting someone to disparage their ideas is honestly kinda silly for obvious reasons...

How about you just show us before and after pictures with a measuring tape showing 1" of stretch and prove me wrong.
I'll be the first to admit i was wrong and that your method works.

^^

I showed close to 2 inches stretch on the sleeves. What else do you want to see?

 

[Carlos840]

And if you want to put real stress on a soaking wet jacket just put two hoodies underneath and zip it up.

T


^^

I showed close to 2 inches stretch on the sleeves. What else do you want to see?

I didn't see a tape measure in your pictures...
I can put any jacket on and take the same two pictures you took just by raising or lowering my arms within the sleeves.

 

[Will Zach]

Really? Do you see that I lowered my arms relative to the sleeves and the pants? I guess the result is too good to be true if you resort to suggestion that I manipulated the before and after pictures.

 

[Carlos840]

Here, look at my stretch, 2" in 15 seconds...

Edit: i am not implying that you actually did that, or tried to trick people, all i am saying is that two fit pics prove nothing, there is too much room for natural variation within the posture etc.
A tape measure doesn't have any variation.

 

[Will Zach]

^^
Only I did not make an effort to move shoulders or reposition the jacket in my pics. But point taken - you can choose not to believe me that I did not manipulate these pics. Whatever.

 

[Carlos840]

^^
Only I did not make an effort to move shoulders or reposition the jacket in my pics. But point taken - you can choose not to believe me that I did not manipulate these pics. Whatever.

Which brings us back to "trust me bro, it works". All i am asking for is a measurable proof...
I am not saying you manipulated the pics, i am saying that two fit pics leave too much room for error to be a conclusive proof.

 

[Will Zach]

Bro, on my before and after pics you can compare the length of the sleeves to the length of the front of the jacket. That ratio has clearly changed. How did I manipulate that - Photoshop?

 

[Carlos840]

Bro, on my before and after pics you can compare the length of the sleeves to the length of the front of the jacket. That ratio has clearly changed. How did I manipulate that - Photoshop?

Bro, did my pics 3 posts above not show exactly why fit pics are not the be taken as evidence of sleeve length having changed?
Could this conversation be more circular?

 

[Will Zach]

I am not referring to the fit anymore. The ratio of the length of the jacket's body to sleeve length has nothing to do with fit. It is just a mathematical ratio. Left pic - 85mm/85mm. Right pic - 88mm/94mm, measured in the same spots. Sleeves have been clearly stretched, no matter how hard you will try to deny it.

 

[zebedee]

Leather may stretch under appropriate tension and this will damage it. It may return to its previous dimensions, but the damage will be permanent and the strength of the leather lessened where it has been stretched. Wear is one thing- stretching leather is another, and stretched goatskin is used to make cheap jackets- obviously, the leather 'goes further' if you mechanically deform it.

 

[zebedee]

This leather shoelace used to be a wallet:

 

[Carlos840]

I am not referring to the fit anymore. The ratio of the length of the jacket's body to sleeve length has nothing to do with fit. It is just a mathematical ratio. Left pic - 85mm/85mm. Right pic - 88mm/94mm, measured in the same spots. Sleeves have been clearly stretched, no matter how hard you will try to deny it.

You leaning forward 1" and/or having your arms forward 1" more on one picture or the other would be enough to create an optical illusion that could explain a 3-9mm variation.

Here, i added a line connecting the first knuckle of your hand on both sides, the space between your crotch and the line is different in both pictures, showing you were clearly standing differently in both, which renders all your screen measuring irrelevent...

Once again, there is too much possible variation with fit pics to consider them proof of anything.
Good luck with it, i am done.

 

[Entropic Thunder]

You leaning forward 1" and/or having your arms forward 1" more on one picture or the other would be enough to create an optical illusion that could explain a 3-9mm variation.

Here, i added a line connecting the first knuckle of your hand on both sides, the space between your crotch and the line is different in both pictures, showing you were clearly standing differently in both, which renders all your screen measuring irrelevent...

Once again, there is too much possible variation with fit pics to consider them proof of anything.
Good luck with it, i am done.

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.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I think a clear photo with a measuring tape is the better way to establish this. Not definitive, since there are variables here too. But it would be our best method over a mediun like this. I don't think Carlos is being unreasonable he just likes good standards of evidence.

 

[Will Zach]

The best way to establish this is to take a beater jacket that one would prolly get rid of anyway, soak the sleeves, attach 2 pound weights to them and dry on a hanger for 4 days. No amount of pics, tape measure or not, will convince everyone.

 

[Seb Lucas]

The best way to establish this is to take a beater jacket that one would prolly get rid of anyway, soak the sleeves, attach 2 pound weights to them and dry on a hanger for 4 days. No amount of pics, tape measure or not, will convince everyone.

That's not going to help. As stated already, leather is like elastic, it likely returns back to its original size. You would need to ensure the sleeve, if it does stretch, stays stretched over a lengthy period.

 

[Will Zach]

I don't think it will shrink back. Leather clearly is stretched permanently in the elbow area of any jacket, and the center of the seat in my old leather armchair has folds upon folds from stretching. These are never going to shrink back.

A better question would be whether I just stretched the creases in the sleeve and they will crease right back. I don't think so, but this would be a very valid question.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

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