Who Makes the Best M-422A?

[Aerojoe]

Goodwears take a long time. Aero about 6 months my last order.

You were lucky then Good Wait backlog went to 1 year. There are some guys around here still waiting after 8-9 months.

 

[Jeff M]

I received my GW 36 Werber 3 months ago. The wait time was 9-10 months...which is what I was quoted when I ordered it.
Current quoted wait time, if I am not mistaken, is 12-15 months.
I don't mind a long wait...as long as I am forewarned.
What gets me is when I am quoted a short wait time like 2 to 3 weeks..and it ends up being 4 to 5 months.

 

[xmr]

Very true, but this crap happens to me all the time :-/

 

[chamboid]

I find the colours on all the Japanese repros always off, strange red undertones.

I was just lucky enough to pick up a BK M-422a G&F contract.

One of my favourite contractors due to details and quality. I have two original originals 38 and a 36
and BK compares very well in all aspects of detail with only the colour of the goatskin and knits differing, which is a darker shade to the originals. which I am fond of. Andy has already changed this the current goat being much close to the originals.

The Bk 38 is a custom, and fits like the originals 36 I have though shorter in the body. The body of the M-422a are very long, my original 36 being an inch longer that the BK and the 38 being about 1.5-2"

They do not fit like the later G-1's.

The goat skin is great though, tough and a little bit stiff for some tastes obviously, but again I like that and it has the same weight and feel as my unworn 36, and will soften with wear and Pecards. Feels freshly issued and crips. Amazing grain. NOS Talon and nice mouton, though the cuff are a bit off in colour they are quality wool. So many details are spot on, down to the stitching and leather folds on the shoulders and perfect pocket shape.

I'll try and post a few comparison picks at some point.

But for price and quality BK wins for me.

Having said that I too am in the GW wait list. I thought I had my mind set on a Doniger Goat A-2, but now he's put up a Arnoff An-J-3a and I'm swaying.

 

[Jeff M]

...
The goat skin is great though, tough and a little bit stiff for so e tastes obviously, but again I like that and it has the same weight and feel as my unworn 36, and will soften with wear and Pecards. ......

I have not had much luck with Pecard's on leathers that are inherently stiff, in particular didn't do anything to remedy the stiffness of my BK M422 hide.
Pecard's gives the leather a nice sheen..but does not actually soak through the hide to soften it up...which seems to be what it would take to take with hides like that.
Works wonders with dry leathers. Softens and protects the surface nicely there (as a skin lotion softens dry skin).
Not sure what a lot of wear will do to soften up the BK hide. I have not worn it much...I reach for one of my other M422's/G1's if I want that style of jacket....nor has my son.
There was a poster over at the VLJ forum who also noted the hide on his BK M422 was stiff, and that "even after 4 months of near daily use and a couple of HTW misting sessions, it still was not showing much sign of wear."

 

[chamboid]

Amazing well I did risk it and soak it in hot water and give it a spin the dryer, left it to pretty much dry out and massaged it with Pecards and now it's beautiful. There's a few areas if of lighter shade just coming to surface and the leather is very soft now. Feels great to wear and I know it will get a nice drape to it.

If you want to risk it, give it a soak in hot water. Mine didn't shrink in the slightest. One of the reasons goat skin was the navy leather. And let it air dry if the dryers a bit risky. But after that normal dose of Pecards softened it up a treat.

 

[Jeff M]

Amazing well I did risk it and soak it in hot water and give it a spin the dryer, left it to pretty much dry out and massaged it with Pecards and now it's beautiful. There's a few areas if of lighter shade just coming to surface and the leather is very soft now. Eels great to wear and I know it will get a nice drape to it.

,,.

No thanks. I've never been a fan of the hot water treatment myself.
Even if it did work to soften the hide to where it was wearable, the fit is still way off.
Trying to turn a "pigs ear into a silk purse" comes to mind.

 

[Jeff M]

Chamboid, have you already done the hot water treatment and Pecard's to your BK...or is it in the future?
I got the impression from what you said earlier

......and will soften with wear and Pecards. ......

that you hadn't treated it yet.

Do post some photos .

 

[chamboid]

Its was sort of both. Soaked it and span it sunday and its been drying for about a day. It's cold here in England. And I treated it with Pecards earlier. Went to work came back to much much softer leather. And now I'm going to wear it for few days straight so it moulds to me and becomes my jacket.

I haven't really done it before, once with a Lost World A-2 for the same reason. The 4 oz leather I wanted to play with.

It's a risk, and I'd never do it with a jacket I paid full price for, but sometimes you have to dare. I actually like how hard wearing the goat is, and would normally just wear it and wear it. Which I have done with my ELC 55J14 and that's slowly softened up, but was stuff as hell when I got it. This feels emeadiatly easy to wear now. I'll get some photos up for you when I can. And do some comparison shots with the originals I have.

 

[ButteMT61]

Its was sort of both. Soaked it and span it sunday and its been drying for about a day. It's cold here in England. And I treated it with Pecards earlier. Went to work came back to much much softer leather. And now I'm going to wear it for few days straight so it moulds to me and becomes my jacket. I haven't really done it before, once with a Lost World A-2 for the same reason. The 4 oz leather I wanted to play with.It's a risk, and I'd never do it with a jacket I paid full price for, but sometimes you have to dare. I actually like how hard wearing the goat is, and would normally just wear it and wear it. Which I have done with my ELC 55J14 and that's slowly softened up, but was stuff as hell when I got it. This feels emeadiatly easy to wear now. I'll get some photos up for you when I can. And do some comparison shots with the originals I have.

Did it with two Aero FQHH jackets and my USWings G-1. The Aeros barely noticed it - and I did it at least 3-4x each. (soaking the hide only in HOT shower followed by the dryer in ~10 min increments). The USW was the one that got a little testy as it's not nearly as nice, but still turned out fine. It's a tough thing to do, but the hide is what determines the outcome I think. That, and being patient. Trying to age or break-in a jacket in one day ain't gonna happen, HWT, rocks or mosh pits be damned.

 

[Jaguar66]

I have found that on new goatskin, (eg my Aero 422A), it requires multiple applications of Pecards to get it to soften up. I put on a coat of Pecards, let it soak in over 3-4 days, and when it is soaked in, just repeat. The Aero 422 A was so stiff, it required 4 times or so.

I have also used HWT, but if you wet leather, and just let it air dry, without wearing it, it will dry stiff.

 

[chamboid]

i've let it dry to damp, not sodden, the coated in pecards, wore it round the house ast night and today. I'll try and get some pictures up when i finish work, if the lights good

 

[hpalapdog]

I was just lucky enough to pick up a BK M-422a G&F contract.

One of my favourite contractors due to details and quality. I have two original originals 38 and a 36
and BK compares very well in all aspects of detail with only the colour of the goatskin and knits differing, which is a darker shade to the originals. which I am fond of. Andy has already changed this the current goat being much close to the originals.

I'll try and post a few comparison picks at some point.

What do think of the rayon lining ?

I saw a BK G&F on ebay and the elastic back straps were visible through the red lining.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-BILL-...y36Ztml0gxEX9Dq6SqYvI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I own an original 1950's Foster G-1 and that is not the case. It's thick and strong like a chesterfield coat I've got.

Years ago I had an Eastman G-1. The rayon was so thin and poor quality it laddered really easily, for example with a finger nail putting the jacket on.
You sometimes see these early jackets for sale with torn linings. Junk jackets that are best avoided. Eastman quality has improved greatly since then.

Bemberg rayon from Germany is quality stuff.

 

[chamboid]

it's the flash used, shows up the white elastic behind the rayon. not visible to the eye. it's good, very close to the original, maybe a bit thinner, i'll give a full rundown of the BK and orignal on friday.

 

[chamboid]

Here are some pictures of my two originals and the BK M-422a all of the same contract. from left to right G&F 36, 'BK' G&F 38 (custom), G&F 38

The BK has lighter tones showing through the dark seal which will show trough more and more.

Note the similarity in grain of goat skin in the top two jackets, the BK and original 38

And below label comparison.

The original 36 in pretty much unworn, but has had the fur on the collar cut of leaving the suede underneath. And original 38 is names to a Royal
Navy Volunteer Reserve crewman a

 

[hpalapdog]

There was an unworn G&F on ebay last year. Possibly bought by a member here:

Some slight mothing and stored folded up.

 

[jerry_k]

Hi Chamboid.
Maybe would You like to sell one of Your M422a?

Take care,
Jerry

 

[bn1966]

My ELC M422A