Stretching Horsehide?

[OneEyeMan]

Yes, it can be done.
When I got my Highwayman in Jan, the fit was perfect, made just like I asked.
However, I realized that I should've asked for another .5" length in the arms.
Last weekend, it poured for most of the weekend.
So, I went outside in my Highwayman and proceeded to get completely soaked.
The rain soaked clear through to the lining in spots.
All the time I was walking, I worked the arms, stretching this way and that.
After 2 days of drying, I tried it on.
Lo and behold, the arms had stretched at least .5", maybe even 1".
I like the longer arms much better now.
Don't know if the leather actually stretched, or if the stitching stretched/enlarged their holes.
Whatever it was, it worked.
Comments?
Lenny

 

[andy richards]

Good for you Lenny! Glad it worked out. How about a picture of your worn in jacket?
Andy

 

[OneEyeMan]

OK, I'll try to get the wife to take some of me tonight.
BTW, the whole jacket got nice and supple and looks really beat now.
Just the effect I was hoping for.
Lenny

 

[Navin323i]

Congrats! I look forward to seeing the pics.

 

[too much coffee]

OneEyeMan;

Good for you......glad it worked out.
I would caution FL members about doing this. My experience is you have to work (stretch, pull and manipulate)the heck out of the wet leather jacket for a while. The key is the drying; ensure the garment is air dried au natural preferably when the ambient temp is below 70 degrees. Now the important part....keep it out of the direct rays of the sun while drying especially if the air temp is above 70 degrees otherwise it could shrink. Also, ensure there is beaucoup room around the garment for air circulation. Whilest drying, occasionally continue to work the leather by wearing it and doing calisthetics, chopping wood or doing yard work. Gets the jacket dry, character marks appear on the jacket and the owner gets a workout. Win Win!

coffee out

 

[johnnyjohnny]

qUESTiON

i have the eastman luftwaffe horsehide leather. perfect fit, with arms probably longer than those the germans wore, but still i'd like about another .5" as well.

not going to wet the jacket, but wonder if wear (i often drive when i wear it, so i get bending in the arms) will stretch it a bit over time? after i've worn it for an evening i do notice the arms measure a bit shorter, obviously due to the creasing of that evening's wear...and it does stretch back out...just would hope it gets a tad longer over time. the torso has conformed more and more via wear to my shape, a wonderful attribute of either horsehide, or the superb buttery horsehide eastman uses.

any info on just normal wear over time stretching the arms a bit would be appreciated.

 

[OneEyeMan]

Why don't you want to wet the jacket Johnny?
Lenny

 

[johnnyjohnny]

qweeeeeeeeeeeeeezy

hi one-i

i must admit that i'm rather queasy about doing all that stuff i read here on the fedlounge to something i paid $900 for. banging expensive jackets on the ground, or washing them like underwear...just ain't moi.

i guess this means i ain't a man. but i've heard that before. i'm a vegetarian (yeah, except for my love of leather) and i've cats. so used to being made fun of.

nevertheless, my jacket's breaking in nice without running a deer tractor over it, and i'm hoping the sleeves will stretch a bit with wear without me having to waterboard my jacket (which, with a change in administrations, is probably illegal now).

 

[Peacoat]

Hi J2, good to see you back. I had a leather motorcycle jacket that needed a good shrinking because I had lost some weight. Got it good and wet and then let it dry naturally in a warm room for a few days. It worked and now it fits a treat. Tried the same treatment on a goat jacket, but it didn't shrink any. I also have a Schott MC jacket that got wet in the rain and it shrank a bit.

You want the opposite effect, so you would need to keep pulling on the arms while the jacket dries. The water won't hurt it any. Didn't do any damage to any of my jackets, but I didn't pay $900 for mine, either.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

legume jacket!

my old nemesis! how i've missed our discussions.

i do recall your gene kelly on a motobike routine with the schott, which did reassure me to the extent of no shrinkage, but as for stretching, i'm still skittish.

but all you 1-eyed and pea-jacketed folks have got me thinking about wetting the arms and stretching them...but knowing me, i may be thinking awhilst.

hope you are doing well lentil coat, and hope you are finding some nice jackets to dance in the rain with ;D

 

[OneEyeMan]

Come on Johnny, drink the Kool Aid.
All the kids are doing it!
Lenny

 

[johnnyjohnny]

hung 3

i'm a amstel light guy myself...but thanks anyway

 

[JohnRawson1944]

horsehide in rain

it seems that horsehide leather jackets take rain, snow an sun better than other leather. to my experience rain doesn´t harm if the leather had treatment, as only dry leather soaked with water will shrink. horsehide serves me best, because it even fits better after wearing it in bad weather conditions. besides all other leathers a horsehide jacket becomes the softer the more you wear it.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

treat that horse

thanks for the info...despite all the threads suggesting not to treat a new jacket, i will put a good treatement on my eastman luftwaffe horse...hasn't been wetted yet, but this sounds like a good idea

danke

 

[Mark P]

Think what would happen if you wore the jacket on a long motorcycle ride in pouring rain - then wore the jacket until it dried out. This won't harm a horsehide utility/motorcycle/military jacket. In fact they were designed for conditions like that. So do the same with your jacket. Why not use real rainwater! The only bit that might shrink are any cotton components, such as pocket bags.

I've done this myself with Aero Horsehide and Eastman shearling jackets, with no ill effects but the desired rapid breaking in time.

 

[JohnRawson1944]

horsehide in rain

notice that leather jackets tend to shrink after wearing in bad weather conditions exept you wear them further or dry hang them properly. Wearing the leather till it dries makes the perfect fit and even enlarges it sometimes. I prefer horsehide jackets because they become much softer and therefore easier to wear over all the years - still supple and thick. maybe you had the same experience, but I wouldn´t soake my jackets additional to all the rain we have... kind regards and good luck to you

 

[johnnyjohnny]

thanks guys...more stuff to think on.