The A-1 pockets

[andyfalzon]

Didn't get the time to speak before the other thread was closed.

No reason to argue about pocket placement.

We put the pockets there to be correct with the original design.
But please remember, the jackets are fully customizable. We can put the pockets wherever the customer wants,
we can put an extra pocket, bigger pockets, smaller pockets, or no pockets at all. The possibilities are endless.

To answer another question, yes the jackets are available. We are working to update the website in order to include them. In the meantime, we can take orders by email.

Thank you.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Nice work. I've always thought the pockets looked a little odd that far down, but it's part of the charm of that period design. What I don't like is the A1's where the pocket is up near the chest. How hard wearing is the cape skin you have?

 

[andyfalzon]

You mean this?

We can make this jacket as well.

Capeskin is produced from sheep and as such is not any more hard wearing than any other skin that comes from sheep.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It's a nice jacket you're making! How is the fit? Is it a waist-length jacket? Or is length customisable?

 

[cordwangler]

I like it a lot. It's good to see a range of historical types being reproduced.

Have you considered a version with pocket bags / flaps? That would be an interesting variation, along with the mid to high placed pockets, which I think look great.

Edited: to remove possible invitation to repeat tedious 'controversy'

 

[schitzo]

Absolutely no prizes for guessing who got the other thread closed by basically being himself and following through his agenda. Now there's a turn up for the books!!

Perhaps it would have been fairer to everybody else to simply have removed his obnoxious and inflammatory posts only? And maybe a polite but direct reminder of board etiquette wouldn't go amiss either

Btw, the jacket looks alright from here, and so do the pockets

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yes Andy, that was exactly the jacket (the very iteration) I was thinking of - cool on Cary, not so cool on others. I have always read that cape is tougher than lamb. I've owned a number of jackets made from sheep/lamb and some are pretty strong, others like paper. And it appears to be how they are processed as much as anything.

 

[majormajor]

According to Gary Eastman's book, the capeskin was criticised at the time for not being durable enough for the job, and was therefore replaced by stronger hides on the A2. The capeskin used tended to graze easily, and even tear.

I'm no expert, but perhaps modern capeskin is stronger?

 

[cordwangler]

I'm no expert, but perhaps modern capeskin is stronger?

Maybe ask Gary Eastman?

Edit: John Goodman's capeskin has been described here as "lightweight and supple, but surprisingly strong due to the narrow graining"

 

[majormajor]

Major G W Howard, Chief of the Experimental Engineering Section of the Air Corp, wrote in 1929, when discussing the viability of ordering replacement knits for A1s,

"As these jackets are of very poor material throughout, it is possible that when the cuffs and collars have worn to the extent of being not usable, the remainder of the jacket has also reached this stage of deterioration".

In other words, the knits were not worth replacing, because the whole jacket was too far gone.

However, I guess modern leisure use is a lot less rigorous than what the Air Corps got up to.

 

[cordwangler]

I guess modern leisure use is a lot less rigorous than what the Air Corps got up to

Two assumptions: that the original contract was for best quality material throughout and that non-military usage would be less hard on similar spec leather/knits.

Would love to digress, but this is a pockets thread.

 

[andyfalzon]

The BK A-1 jacket follows the example shown in "Suit Up! The Flight Jacket" book as shown here:

Needless to say, BK could make all A-1 variations. It's no problem to change the position of the pocket, alter the shape of the pocket flap, or use buttons instead of snaps.

Never handled an Eastman jacket, but from what we can see from the photos on their website, they are not using capeskin, but regular lambskin with some aged finish perhaps.

Capeskin has different grain than lambskin and that is so clearly visible that one does not need to be an expert in leathers to see it. Capeskin can easily be torn, same as lambskin. It's not a leather to be worn in adventures or motorcycle riding, but you can play golf in it, or pilot your bi-plane in it, which if goes down the least you will worry about is going to be the jacket.

To answer a previous question, the fit is military and the length is adjustable.

 

[John Lever]

According to Gary Eastman's book, the capeskin was criticised at the time for not being durable enough for the job, and was therefore replaced by stronger hides on the A2. The capeskin used tended to graze easily, and even tear.

I'm no expert, but perhaps modern capeskin is stronger?

I think some 'Capeskin' is in fact good old sheep leather. Avirex use it on their A-2's,it has masses of pebble and ribbed grain.

 

[andyfalzon]

No, capeskins come from a different breed of sheep that grows in New Zealand and were transferred in the early 1900s to South Africa.
As a different animal has different skin than regular sheep.
The hides that Avirex/Cockpit use are "antique lambskin" i.e. artificially aged skins, made this way by the tannery.
It's just a kind of finish that most/all tanneries can do.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I ordered an A-1 from John Chapman back in '07 right after he began making them. I asked him to make my jacket comport as closely as possible to the original Army version, so he made it out of capeskin. I have worn my A-1 a great deal during the last six or so years. So far, it hasn't torn or scuffed or ripped. But, then again, I don't wear it while I'm wrestling defendants or chain sawing firewood or changing the differential grease in the truck. In fact, I don’t wear any of my leather jackets when I’m doing those sorts of things. The Good Lord made old M-65s for that.

Could one purposely tear up a capeskin jacket more easily than a goatskin or a horsehide jacket? Yep, probably so...if he set his mind to it. But I still wouldn’t want an A-1 made from another leather any more than I would want a G-1 made from lambskin or a pigskin A-2.

Just sayin’.

AF

 

[Edward]

I ordered an A-1 from John Chapman back in '07 right after he began making them. I asked him to make my jacket comport as closely as possible to the original Army version, so he made it out of capeskin. I have worn my A-1 a great deal during the last six or so years. So far, it hasn't torn or scuffed or ripped. But, then again, I don't wear it while I'm wrestling defendants or chain sawing firewood or changing the differential grease in the truck. In fact, I don’t wear any of my leather jackets when I’m doing those sorts of things. The Good Lord made old M-65s for that.

Could one purposely tear up a capeskin jacket more easily than a goatskin or a horsehide jacket? Yep, probably so...if he set his mind to it. But I still wouldn’t want an A-1 made from another leather any more than I would want a G-1 made from lambskin or a pigskin A-2.

Just sayin’.

AF

Mn, I think it all comes down to what you're after - as accurate a repro as possible, or something with a few tweaks to suit. If I was going for a leather A1 I'd probably be looking at goat as a reasonable compromise for the drape look, but still a bit more durable. I'm a bit overy wary that way, though - I cut my teeth on hard old bike leathers, so really soft stuff doesn't cut it with me. Personal preference. Mind you, these days I'm actually more interest in the A1 in wool...

 

[thor]

I think the BK jacket looks great and the fact that Andy can customize it to one's specifications is a major plus!

 

[Atticus Finch]

Mind you, these days I'm actually more interest in the A1 in wool...

I agree that its all about personal preference. Years ago, I was a hard-core original jacket snob. I wouldn't wear a reproduction jacket of any kind, regardless of maker. In my mind there was no difference between the best Aero A-2 and a cowhide mall jacket. (GW didn't exist then. John was just one of our Mods over on the VLJ forum.) Since then I've softened my position and have come to believe that people should buy what makes them happy…even if what makes them happy doesn’t conform to original specifications.

Of course, there's still an ongoing debate as to whether there was ever a wool A-1 flight jacket. No question that a wool A-1ish jacket existed in the ‘twenties...there are photos...but it was probably not designed to be a flight jacket. That being said, and even though they may have not existed...I like wool A-1s, too. I bought one of the Spearhead versions a couple of years ago but the sleeves are way too long for me and I've yet to have them shortened. Come to think of it, that’s probably a good project for this summer before cool weather returns.

AF

 

[Boyo]

I agree with you Thor.. in fact I've been trying to talk myself out of contacting Bill Kelso, ever since I saw this last evening. The A-1 is a jacket I've wanted for a while now.

 

[John Lever]

No, capeskins come from a different breed of sheep that grows in New Zealand and were transferred in the early 1900s to South Africa.
As a different animal has different skin than regular sheep.
The hides that Avirex/Cockpit use are "antique lambskin" i.e. artificially aged skins, made this way by the tannery.
It's just a kind of finish that most/all tanneries can do.

So are these skins coming from South Africa ?
My point is that many manufacturers use sheep leather for jackets,Lewis Leathers for example. If some one says it is Capeskin then it has to be authentic in the same way Champagne differs from sparkling wine. I have a sample of Australian mule sheepskin that has a very ribbed surface similar to some 'Capeskin'.