Dumpster Diver
Practically Family
- Messages
- 952
- Location
- Ontario
Wondering about your opinions and viewpoint on Vintage Sheepskin bomber Jackets mainly, for instance;
The Jacket Im working on right now has been Stored in moth balls for ages and Highly reeks of that sickly Chemical Aroma. Been Airing it out often as I can without leaving it outside days on end for fresh moth eggs. (though I doubt any moths could survive this fleece! Yack!)
A Very hefty ***MIXED BATCH*** style Aero leather B-3 From Wyoming, Definetly worked in by a true Marlboro man, showed straw in the pocket, and also a little Horse-grime on the sleeves which are well worn, most of the finish is rubbed off on the right sleeve. To pay homage to its original wearer in Marlboro country I will probly wear a cowboy hat with it and smoke a Cigar, Either that or It goes with a B-2 hat, with Aviation sunglasses and pipe! *cough* :hat:
The Stench inside could make mustard gas seem humane, Time to use a Special Lanolin oil soap for the inside of the fleece, I Brush and Spray and Then dab with a towel, shocking amounts of dirt and smells get released. :bathbaby:
Still a very solid chunk of hide to this jacket, Large 46! nice! and it defiently has some true life and wear left in it.
Once the fleece airs for a time, the leather is soaked generously in Neatsfoot oil, let soak for a time, then a bit of saddle soap for good measure, get what Grime will come out..When that is dry, its another bath in neatsfoot oil, airing it out and so on, Then I Rubbed in a seriously heavy slab of mink oil and wipe and clean a little more dirt out. By this time I have to be careful, the jacket gets Damp by now, and heavies up the hide..sometimes this can be bad for bringing out fragile spots especially on sleeves with lots of wear or areas suffering Dry rot. It takes time for the oil to dry up once it soaks in.
in the meantime, this fleece completely smelled up my living space and was grimed up to hell, I wondered for a while because Is it better to treat it, or to leave it, Value-wise having heard mixed oppinions about the *originality* or whatever..but It was sorely needed, safe to say its a basket case, got it closed in a box so it dont Stank up the place untill I wear it and air it.
I bought it with the intention of bringing it out of retirement once in a while on cold winter walks, nothing rigorous to the jacket.
So, at least Ive made a dent in time to wear it out this winter, I have to give it a few months to let the oil dry up a little before Its alright to wear lightly, once in a while. Today the expected finally happened, Being soaked in oil and fragile (over 70 years old) It was time to Brush the Insides of the sleeves before spray cleaning them a little now that the leather is ply enough..this is something Ive never done to any other Jackets of mine, This is a risky business. I knew it could damage some thin spots of the leather but I got the sleeves inside out and generously brushed them and aired them out, of course when I put them right again there is a small Tear on the right wrist from brushing, definetly a wear point to the jacket of course, so it was almost inevitable on a jacket this old and worn.
Then cut out a nice small, Rounded Patch, Stitch it up carefully as I can, nothing major but Damn that patch anyway!
Its only a one inch tear though, Definetly was from being weak and getting a brush, kinda necessary evil in this case.
I wonder if you prefer to leave your jackets on the dry side or dirty side, I mean this Jacket itself is one for me, a real Dumpser Diver special.
So the point;
I guess its all subjectional. Leave it as is, Treat and repair it, Wearing it with Risk of tearing it. Depends on the Condition of the jacket etc.
Slight new wear and tear on a WW2 Jacket that was Definetly there 30,000 feet above Germany..hmm.
are you a preservist of the whole peice itself remaining As-is, even if it has older patches or Repairs.
My Guess is that its nothing to lose sleep over and It could be worse depending, Ive seen some sad cases that are too far beyond salvage, what sort of things happen to WW2 jackets that is NOT acceptable wear.
maybe you have repair stories similar or worse than this.
The Jacket Im working on right now has been Stored in moth balls for ages and Highly reeks of that sickly Chemical Aroma. Been Airing it out often as I can without leaving it outside days on end for fresh moth eggs. (though I doubt any moths could survive this fleece! Yack!)
A Very hefty ***MIXED BATCH*** style Aero leather B-3 From Wyoming, Definetly worked in by a true Marlboro man, showed straw in the pocket, and also a little Horse-grime on the sleeves which are well worn, most of the finish is rubbed off on the right sleeve. To pay homage to its original wearer in Marlboro country I will probly wear a cowboy hat with it and smoke a Cigar, Either that or It goes with a B-2 hat, with Aviation sunglasses and pipe! *cough* :hat:
The Stench inside could make mustard gas seem humane, Time to use a Special Lanolin oil soap for the inside of the fleece, I Brush and Spray and Then dab with a towel, shocking amounts of dirt and smells get released. :bathbaby:
Still a very solid chunk of hide to this jacket, Large 46! nice! and it defiently has some true life and wear left in it.
Once the fleece airs for a time, the leather is soaked generously in Neatsfoot oil, let soak for a time, then a bit of saddle soap for good measure, get what Grime will come out..When that is dry, its another bath in neatsfoot oil, airing it out and so on, Then I Rubbed in a seriously heavy slab of mink oil and wipe and clean a little more dirt out. By this time I have to be careful, the jacket gets Damp by now, and heavies up the hide..sometimes this can be bad for bringing out fragile spots especially on sleeves with lots of wear or areas suffering Dry rot. It takes time for the oil to dry up once it soaks in.
in the meantime, this fleece completely smelled up my living space and was grimed up to hell, I wondered for a while because Is it better to treat it, or to leave it, Value-wise having heard mixed oppinions about the *originality* or whatever..but It was sorely needed, safe to say its a basket case, got it closed in a box so it dont Stank up the place untill I wear it and air it.
I bought it with the intention of bringing it out of retirement once in a while on cold winter walks, nothing rigorous to the jacket.
So, at least Ive made a dent in time to wear it out this winter, I have to give it a few months to let the oil dry up a little before Its alright to wear lightly, once in a while. Today the expected finally happened, Being soaked in oil and fragile (over 70 years old) It was time to Brush the Insides of the sleeves before spray cleaning them a little now that the leather is ply enough..this is something Ive never done to any other Jackets of mine, This is a risky business. I knew it could damage some thin spots of the leather but I got the sleeves inside out and generously brushed them and aired them out, of course when I put them right again there is a small Tear on the right wrist from brushing, definetly a wear point to the jacket of course, so it was almost inevitable on a jacket this old and worn.
Then cut out a nice small, Rounded Patch, Stitch it up carefully as I can, nothing major but Damn that patch anyway!
Its only a one inch tear though, Definetly was from being weak and getting a brush, kinda necessary evil in this case.
I wonder if you prefer to leave your jackets on the dry side or dirty side, I mean this Jacket itself is one for me, a real Dumpser Diver special.
So the point;
I guess its all subjectional. Leave it as is, Treat and repair it, Wearing it with Risk of tearing it. Depends on the Condition of the jacket etc.
Slight new wear and tear on a WW2 Jacket that was Definetly there 30,000 feet above Germany..hmm.
are you a preservist of the whole peice itself remaining As-is, even if it has older patches or Repairs.
My Guess is that its nothing to lose sleep over and It could be worse depending, Ive seen some sad cases that are too far beyond salvage, what sort of things happen to WW2 jackets that is NOT acceptable wear.
maybe you have repair stories similar or worse than this.
