Urgently need help on Aero Leather.. First time owning

[Leatheradmirer]

Hello everyone!

I recently picked up this secondhand Aero Leather Steerhide Highwayman from online seller.

This is my first time owning Aero jacket but something felt off to me. I have no clue what type of finish or type of steerhide does it use as this is my first experience owning one.

When i received this jacket the leather was so sticky, not oily / slippery, but just sticky it literally sticks like rubber and has distinct smell. At first it looked pretty great and has no wear whatsoever. Then I wore this jacket only ONCE for a couple hours but the leather shows wear / develops whats seems like patina multiple spots (It wasn't there before i wear it).

AND there's a spot where it looks like it doesn't have grain while everywhere else on the jacket has pronounced grain. Plus it has spots where the coating is flaky, i literally can rub it and the flakes sticks to my finger. Seems so off to me. I really have no clue on this jacket.

There's also different color leather behind the chest pocket.

Can someone help me if this jacket is still in original / normal condition or has been repainted and reconditioned???

 

[Bfd70]

Looks to be in perfectly fine 2nd hand condition.

 

[ABCD]

It looks to be over conditioned.

A lot of vintage dealers tend to do this because it makes their jackets look good (shiny, deep color) in their sales ad.

I recently handled this 40s Californian which had the same issue.

 

[cbez]

normal used jacket

try giving it a rub down with a microfiber cloth damp with soapy water.

 

[ABCD]

Guys, this is neither the result of normal use nor is it from heavy use.

The leather is saturated with product which, as a result, can indeed affect the grain.

Damp microfiber cloth won't help. If you want to try to remove some of the excess product, use saddle soap.

 

[RDS]

Guys, this is neither the result of normal use nor is it from heavy use.

The leather is saturated with product which, as a result, can indeed affect the grain.

Damp microfiber cloth won't help. If you want to try to remove some of the excess product, use saddle soap.

Yep, I think much the same. I’ve had quite a number of Aero Leather jackets, both steer and horsehide, and none of them were either sticky or had any smell other than that of leather.

I don’t know whether the online seller the jacket was bought from would be willing to help, however it would still be worth contacting them to ask if they might know what had been applied to the jacket.
If they do then this would be a big help in deciding what needs to be done to try and remove, or at least reduce, the product from the surface of the leather.

 

[cbez]

It is not that complicated. Start with least invasive (damp with some soap suds), increase to stronger stuff if needed.

 

[Leatheradmirer]

Wait a minute, the first pisture is a highwayman but the rest of the pictures are not the same jacket. Please explain?

It is a highwayman and all the pictures are the same exact jacket, though i was showing different spot on the jacket referring to the issue i mentioned

 

[Leatheradmirer]

Yep, I think much the same. I’ve had quite a number of Aero Leather jackets, both steer and horsehide, and none of them were either sticky or had any smell other than that of leather.

I don’t know whether the online seller the jacket was bought from would be willing to help, however it would still be worth contacting them to ask if they might know what had been applied to the jacket.
If they do then this would be a big help in deciding what needs to be done to try and remove, or at least reduce, the product from the surface of the leather.

Does any of your Aero suffer from the very fast wear on the paint? The visible wear from wearing it only once actually puzzles me.

Let's see if the seller would be willing to help. I'll be updating as soon as i get a reply.

 

[ABCD]

Does any of your Aero suffer from the very fast wear on the paint?

Is not worn off paint. Scraping the leather will cause the fibers to not stick together, showing the original color.

 

[l0fielectronic]

I imagine from what you've said and the photos its just been conditioned with something, maybe a bit too heavily hence the stickyness.

Doing so has probably darkend its colour some and as it drys/soaks in then it may lighten slightly, hence inside the pocket being the true colour as its not been conditioned.

 

[Jon Crow]

I imagine from what you've said and the photos its just been conditioned with something, maybe a bit too heavily hence the stickyness.

Doing so has probably darkend its colour some and as it drys/soaks in then it may lighten slightly, hence inside the pocket being the true colour as its not been conditioned.

And the stickiness suggests has been somewhere warm or has warmed up, sounds like some for of wax treatment

 

[Leatheradmirer]

More picture update for the jacket. I tried to take a closer look on the inside of the chest pocket and hand warmers.

The leather inside of the chest pocket has lighter brown color while the hand warmers are slightly more reddish. Both has those dark sticky uneven looking substance.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bennarion]

The jacket was originally brown in color and it was painted black.

 

[Peacoat]

It is not that complicated. Start with least invasive (damp with some soap suds), increase to stronger stuff if needed.

I would send the thing back. Because of the residue on the surface, it wasn't as described. A major reason for a return.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I would send the thing back. Because of the residue on the surface, it wasn't as described. A major reason for a return.

Fully agree. Return it.

I have observed "Aussie Leather treatment" (brand-name) can leave a bit of a sticky residue, but that different color inside the pockets bodes ill for this specific jacket.

 

[Jon Crow]

I would send the thing back. Because of the residue on the surface, it wasn't as described. A major reason for a return.

Yeah, bit of work to do on that jacket, work that shouldn't have needed to, can understand it was sold as needing a bit of a restore, I buy those, but this wasn't

 

[RDS]

Even if it had been done properly it’s a shame the jacket was painted/dyed black.
Unless this was done to cover something like a large, unsightly stain I think the original brown leather could have had a great broken in and aged, worn look.

 

[MrProper]

I'm certainly no expert, but when I saw the inside of the pockets, my immediate assumption was that the jacket had been dyed.
As Marc already wrote, I would first treat the entire jacket thoroughly with saddle soap. But I don't think you'll be able to restore it to its original condition. Maybe with an acetone treatment like @ton312 ?
But once all the stickiness is gone, maybe you could dye it again, but this time properly?

 

[Jon Crow]

Even if it had been done properly it’s a shame the jacket was painted/dyed black.
Unless this was done to cover something like a large, unsightly stain I think the original brown leather could have had a great broken in and aged, worn look.

I think the original brown colour looked good, shame it's been turned black