You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover…

[58panheadfan]

That's the only reason I keep coming back to this thread. This is entertaining as hell.

It is a pleasure to hear this... more often when I open a thread, the posts tend to be entertaining (sometimes a bit heated), to remember this thread

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/well-style-you-can-not-buy-style-must-have.88958/

That's what gives it that extra something.

 

[bn1966]

I've got a collection of ELC Jackets and nylon flightwear from an original N-2A through to Alpha Repro 'beaters'. They all have their place & have to earn their keep.

I had some 'high end' nylon stuff that I wouldn't wear for fear of marking/staining & historic (patched) stuff that I didn't use because of the history attached. I'm a serial jacket wearer & not a collector so I sold on all of these (stress levels went down).

A couple of my favourites: Alpha service issue L-2B (£40) & an ELC A-1 (£900) both get a lot of wear in summer & both have attracted what I'd politely term 'patina'. I don't change the car oil in them but I don't worry about them either....

 

[Big J]

Here's a thought; there's nothing whatsoever special about Shinki other than the fact that people think it's special.
The only reason it costs more is because unlike European and American tanneries who source all their hide domestically, Shinki have to import (not many horses in Japan at all), and the huge tariff and non-tariff barriers that the Japanese government put on those imports drive up costs and therefore prices. And then Shinki has to justify that without admitting it's import cost driven.
And then it becomes hype, and people buy into it, because.

 

[Monitor]

Here's a thought; there's nothing whatsoever special about Shinki other than the fact that people think it's special.
The only reason it costs more is because unlike European and American tanneries who source all their hide domestically, Shinki have to import (not many horses in Japan at all), and the huge tariff and non-tariff barriers that the Japanese government put on those imports drive up costs and therefore prices. And then Shinki has to justify that without admitting it's import cost driven.
And then it becomes hype, and people buy into it, because.

Well... As much as I generally agree - and same could be said about most leathers on the market - Shinki is veg tanned. Pricey Shinki, I mean, not the more budget Shinki. Vegetable tanning takes time and this drives up the price so there's that. However, we will never know who exactly is using a pricier Shinki and who is just riding on the hype train. Shinki is a company. It's not (just) a type of leather. I mean, just log onto Shinki website and you'll see like all kinds of hides. We know certain companies get the first pick at the best / priciest stuff they've produced so who ends up with the cheaper stuff? Is the cheaper stuff priced accordingly?

 

[navetsea]

is it worthwhile to talk about it, even the term superior here is very subjective, most likely in term of looks only, even that it probably appeals more to people who like their leather jacket develops creases and other "characters" in short time. Trust me to most people out there characters on leather is seen as "low quality" as they want their leather to look supple and creaseless, look at howmany tutorial to erase creases on leather jacket, and how many products to re dye jackets.

Same with how 99% of people outthere feel about rough raw denim vs mall soft spandex mix denim, they will say soft denim that expand and easy to wear is higher quality.