Very Heavy Steerhide break in

[Swoosed]

I have a heavy steerhide arkansas from AL and the armholes are a little too high. is there a way to stretch out the hide a bit and break it in quicker. I was thinking about putting it in a hot drier and tumbling it for a while and then wearing it to stretch around in it. this thing is very thick and stiff even after a couple of months. I'ts my favorite fitting jacket except for the armholes. i'm tempted to just get a new one in a thinner hide. any suggestions on how i can stretch it out a little?

 

[Capesofwrath]

I don't think you can stretch armholes really because of the seams and stitching; and that's much more so with thick hide. Is this the CXL steer? It's a problem I've have with the high armhole pattern jackets from Aero. I've never bought one like that from AL because I know it would be the same.

 

[Swoosed]

not the cxl steer but an oil pull they had last year. its a great hide and jacket but the arm holes suck. i agree, their patterns are weird with the arm holes.

 

[Peacoat]

Hot drier might shrink it some, but doubt it would do anything for the armholes. Might try getting the armholes wet and then stretching them by wearing the jacket or putting it in some type of stretcher, such as a hat jack. Your second idea might be the best--just sell it.

 

[winterland1]

Would be interesting to see pictures of you wearing it. I am curious what arm holes too high actually means. I have seen others post the Arkansas in pictures with a great fit. Example.
I don't see how there could be a problem with a pattern. Could it be more of just a fit in general issue as too tight in the chest?

 

[Swoosed]

Would be interesting to see pictures of you wearing it. I am curious what arm holes too high actually means. I have seen others post the Arkansas in pictures with a great fit. Example. View attachment 8491
I don't see how there could be a problem with a pattern. Could it be more of just a fit in general issue as too tight in the chest?

i dont think you can actually see it, it feels really tight right under the armpit, like cutting into it almost. i did the drier thing and not much happened. it is starting to stretch out a little as i wear it more. its a pattern thing, i like a fitted look but i'm too fat to pull it off comfortably

 

[Capesofwrath]

Yes it's just the way thirties patterns are made to fit thirties shaped people. I can't find an A2 to fit for the same reason. I'm not a slim rangy farm boy in my early twenties.

One thing you could try at your own risk is to use a scissors type car jack and stretch them out. I've had success with jeans which have become too tight like that. I wasn't too bothered if I ripped them in that case, but I used a 15 tonne hydraulic bottle jack covered with an old sheet and stretched the waistband out by two inches. I sewed up the front with strong thread to stop the stud button ripping out and it worked a treat.

If you wet the armhole too it might help the process. But wet or dry if you put it under load it will either stretch out or rip the stitching...

With care the former hopefully, and it might be worth a go depending on how brave and good a judge of tensile load you are.

 

[Swoosed]

Yes it's just the way thirties patterns are made to fit thirties shaped people. I can't find an A2 to fit for the same reason. I'm not a slim rangy farm boy in my early twenties.

One thing you could try at your own risk is to use a scissors type car jack and stretch them out. I've had success with jeans which have become too tight like that. I wasn't too bothered if I ripped them in that case, but I used a 15 tonne hydraulic bottle jack covered with an old sheet and stretched the waistband out by two inches. I sewed up the front with strong thread to stop the stud button ripping out and it worked a treat.

If you wet the armhole too it might help the process. But wet or dry if you put it under load it will either stretch out or rip the stitching...

With care the former hopefully, and it might be worth a go depending on how brave and good a judge of tensile load you are.

I was thinking about doing something similar, maybe getting it wet would be the trick then stretch it a bit. i think i'll put a football in there and blow it up when its wet and let it dry, not too keen an a car jack lol.