Vanson Firenze compared to CW and the great Model B

[Canuck Panda]

Just some info on current Firenze leather and sizing info on the Model B...

Firenze leather feels stiffer than CW leather when brand new. And they feel about the same thickness to me. Which is somewhat confusing. I will chalk this up to the outliers of different batch.

Firenze leather is the Model B jacket on the bottom and CW leather is the Model E jacket on top.

Even though the CW looks oily, both the Firenze and the CW feels waxy and dry to the hand. Firenze leather looks very pebbly, but I am very certain it's not been corrected, just heavy paint / finishing on top. I say this because I found a natural marking (scar) on the underside of the sleeve. I like it. It means the hide is not corrected.

So in theory this Firenze leather jacket would have the potential to show lots of interesting grains and patina down the road.

Now onto the (great) Model B...

HIGH ARM HOLES! This was a surprise for me. All the Vansons I tried on to date have regular or low arm holes. But the Model B has high arm holes like the Japanese jackets. The big difference is that the Model B has more room in the upper sleeves making it much more useful (mobility) than the too slim Japanese sleeves. The Vanson is also one size bigger in the torso given the same tag size.

On Vanson's website it says the chest is 42" + 6.5" = 48.5" This is true if I use a soft tape and measure inch by inch. But when I just put the tape to the jacket, it reads about P2P 23". These jackets are built more 3D and not flat so it's hard to give an accurate tape measure on camera. But they work better in real life (mobility) than the flat 2D ones.

LONGER SLEEVES! 35.5" nape measurement, or 19" shoulder plus 26" sleeves (measured straight down). I find that Vanson jackets have slightly longer sleeves than the other brands in the same tag size. The no chaffing sleeve ends are nice.

The main zip pull is now metal ones made in USA, not the plastic ones.

This model B has a zip out vest made in fleece material. It's not thick but very grabby. The rest of the jacket just lined in their basic rayon. A snap down dress collar Model B will be the ultimate all purpose jacket. Or an Oxford jacket with zip out vest instead of quilted liner.

Fit pics. This Model B is a size 42. I am 6' 175 lbs, dress shirt size 16" / 34.5" to 35"

Go Firenze! Go Model B!

 

[Guppy]

The Model B is a great pattern. I have two, one horse and one comp weight. Of the two, I actually prefer the comp weight over the horse, so I might be selling the horse one in the near future. I also like the Oxford, or "9D" as it's sometimes known, which is a B with a dress collar instead of the band collar.

 

[photo2u]

Great fit. The sleeve length is spot on. Did you get a custom order?

 

[Hobbes1]

Love it!

 

[TREEMAN]

You wear a B very well....Go Vanson !!

 

[Bfd70]

My B in comp weight. Great jacket with the exception of the lack of two way zipper. For a company that Nails function so well, the lack of a 2 way is a real head scratcher.

 

[Psant25]

I bought new and sold I think 4-5 model Bs love hate relationship with them. My 40s were about 22 pit so that looks right for a 42 pit. This thread and these pics have me thinking again. I had a custom B from carrie in the z150 and nickel hardware and delete side cinches should never have sold it!

 

[Psant25]

Here she is after an hour of scrolling TB lol dang 2017 that was a while ago i think im due

 

[photo2u]

View attachment 473049
My B in comp weight. Great jacket with the exception of the lack of two way zipper. For a company that Nails function so well, the lack of a 2 way is a real head scratcher.

I respect your point of view. For me, I see zippers as a reliability priority. Male with female box separating zipper is reliable. The failure in most separating zippers is the male portion. Two males only create more concern for me.

Your jacket is spot on. I have two and one of them has a construction problem I must open it and remove the extra leather that makes it uncomfortable to wear.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Thanks for the kind words gents. Model B is quite awesome. I am late to the party. This jacket punches quite a few levels above its weight.

@photo2u This is not a custom but from their recent stock sale. I will try to get a custom from them soon.

 

[navetsea]

I respect your point of view. For me, I see zippers as a reliability priority. Male with female box separating zipper is reliable. The failure in most separating zippers is the male portion. Two males only create more concern for me.

Your jacket is spot on. I have two and one of them has a construction problem I must open it and remove the extra leather that makes it uncomfortable to wear.

but problem only arise when you strain the zipperbox area, with 2 way zip you have option to alleviate the straining by zipping up the bottom part upward when you sit or ride

 

[photo2u]

but problem only arise when you strain the zipperbox area, with 2 way zip you have option to alleviate the straining by zipping up the bottom part upward when you sit or ride

Excellent point! I also think that the failure of the male pin is the improper seating in the box. Users sometimes pull and create stress in the fabric due to user malpractices. I am with you in this one!

 

[navetsea]

Excellent point! I also think that the failure of the male pin is the improper seating in the box. Users sometimes pull and create stress in the fabric due to user malpractices. I am with you in this one!

perhaps cotton zipper tape for a period correct replica zip is also not as robust as man made tape to withstand strain from zipper operation? on the otherhand plastified/ laminated end of some zipper is also prone for flaking and the tearing, I feel newer zipper have plastic infused into the tape around the box or perhaps they apply heat or somethign to melt the area and fused into sturdier part or something as they no longer delaminated overtime.

 

[Bfd70]

I respect your point of view. For me, I see zippers as a reliability priority. Male with female box separating zipper is reliable. The failure in most separating zippers is the male portion. Two males only create more concern for me.

Your jacket is spot on. I have two and one of them has a construction problem I must open it and remove the extra leather that makes it uncomfortable to wear.

But for me the problem is sitting in a car or on a bike zipped forces the collar up into the jaw. That is until it gets sweatshirt soft like this one (which i got used and prob took the better part of 2 decades)

 

[Al 916]

The Model B is a great pattern. I have two, one horse and one comp weight. Of the two, I actually prefer the comp weight over the horse, so I might be selling the horse one in the near future. I also like the Oxford, or "9D" as it's sometimes known, which is a B with a dress collar instead of the band collar.

If the horse is a 42/44 and the brown one I see and lust after when it is posted I would love first dibs (please)

 

[Guppy]

If the horse is a 42/44 and the brown one I see and lust after when it is posted I would love first dibs (please)

It's black, not brown. I have a bunch of stuff that I need to get photographed and measured, which I am hoping to work on in near future. Watch the classifieds.