Hidden in Plain Schott: the 613SH Perfecto

[JasonY]

Jacket arrived at my door yesterday, back from Schott, having departed their NJ factory Friday. Jerri was my contact there and the communication was great. Love that crisp feel in a new zipper.

 

[Flos]

Jacket arrived at my door yesterday, back from Schott, having departed their NJ factory Friday. Jerri was my contact there and the communication was great. Love that crisp feel in a new zipper. View attachment 719717 View attachment 719718

Wow that looks great!

 

[JasonY]

So, I've had some interesting email exchanges with the good folks at Schott since getting the jacket back from the zipper job. Apparently, Jason Schott was pretty taken with how the jacket has aged and had some photos taken of it. They asked about its history as well. Anyway, I know this piece has been in a few TFL member hands so I thought you all might be as chuffed as I was by all this.

 

[JasonY]

Wish I could take pics this well.

Schott NYC on Instagram: "After vs. Before It'll always amaze us where a jacket's been and how it finds its way back to us. We received this P613S for some zipper repairs and in its five years, it's gone through 4 or 5 owners - and thats not to say

1,757 likes, 33 comments - schottnyc on August 1, 2025: "After vs. Before It'll always amaze us where a jacket's been and how it finds its way back to us. We received this P613S for some zipper repairs and in its five years, it's gone through 4 or 5 owners - and thats not to say that it isn't...

www.instagram.com

 

[trypticyon]

I'm wearing my schott 613s size 40 for about 2 years and I can't imagine a jacket feeling better than this. It's a very tailored look though.

The advice here regarding sizing up is spot on. I bought a 613sh size 42 because although I'm skinny I have broad shoulders and the 42 feels like the right size in that regard, plus I can reach forward without the back of the jacket pulling! But there is a lot of extra material around my chest and belly.

Will a soak under the shower help to shrink the jacket a bit? I'm afraid to damage the leather.

 

[Aloysius]

Water will help break it in, which will make the hanging away stiff panels fit closer.

 

[trypticyon]

Water will help break it in, which will make the hanging away stiff panels fit closer.

Got it. Just worried because the water where I live is very "hard" and leaves slight white residue behind. Should I shower it in cold water?

 

[Aloysius]

Got it. Just worried because the water where I live is very "hard" and leaves slight white residue behind. Should I shower it in cold water?

You can just wear the jacket; it'll achieve the same effect as getting it wet, just slower.

 

[raf]

You can just wear the jacket; it'll achieve the same effect as getting it wet, just slower.

Wetting the jacket with water will not shrink it.

For an "accelerated" break-in, some folks report wetting the jacket thoroughly, donning a thin sweatshirt (not a hoodie), and wearing it all day, moving around as much as possible. Turn the entire jacket in-side out at the end of the day to hang dry using a good, broad-shouldered hanger. A fan pointed at the jacket will speed things up a bit, but you want the jacket to dry 100%. NO heat! I'd even suggest not letting direct sunlight heat the leather and heat it up.

In your case, some distilled water in a tub should do the trick.

Wetting the jacket can also be done to stretch it a little. Stretching involves pulling on the leather panels at their edges (NOT at their seams), and making sure the liner is not included in the stretching process; IOW, let the liner "drop free" of the leather panel prior to stretching. then use a sweatshirt and wear it all day, as above.


Any "conditioner" should be applied after wetting the jacket, and after it is 100% dry.

 

[Aloysius]

I’m not talking about literally shrinking it. With this jacket, it feels bigger before break in because the panels are stiff and hang away from the wearer. With break in they drape closely.

 

[Peter Mackin]

As @Tom71 pointed out, the modern cut of the Schott 613 & 618 has been altered since the 50's and is now "boxier" to put it politely.
IMHO, The Holy Grail of all Double-Rider Cross Zips is the 1950's Durable (...but that's a topic for a couple other threads around here...). That had what is known as a a "Hero Cut" with much broader shoulders & narrower waist (....like blazers & suits from that era as well...) As the "average" American body geometry has changed in the past 70 years (...and not necessarily for the better - lol...), the patterns & jackets have changed to fit the majority of potential customers/clients.
The 613SH is the only model currently in production that is closest to the original 1950's Schott pattern
(...for more granular details, search for posts by @jeo ...)

When I decided I wanted a (new) Horsehide Jacket I could mold to MY body, I took a couple of trips to the SchottNYC Manhattan Showroom on Black Friday Weekend 2023, and brought my thickest sherpa-fleece hoodie with me to judge fit. I am normally between a 40-42 jacket. To my surprise, in order to get the shoulder & chest fit I wanted, I had to go all the way UP to a 46 in the 613HH. So as someone else also said, you know your body the best, and go more by feel than by what is printed on the label or "should's."

Here are a few pix "off the rack" in the store in Nov 2023, and one final pic of the current state of the same jacket in Feb 2025, after the multi-step process I went through to break this in (...apologies, I know I still owe pix of this to the community...).
I was able to tighten the waist slightly, but am now considering having an experienced leatherworker open it up and take an inch or two out of the waist, which will alter it to more of the hero cut. So, the point to all of this is that you have to get a couple of critical fit points right, then be prepared to enter into a long-term relationship with your 613s, during which, it WILL mold & shape to you, especially if you accelerate the process a bit. Again, a topic for a couple of other threads around here.... Enjoy the Journey!

The last pic is exactly how I want a 613 to fit..here's hoping.just measured my chest..following my weight loss .45in.no real body fat thanks to exercise and weights.so hopefully the incoming 613 46 will work out.dont want a sausage fit , hopefully able to layer.

 

[photo2u]

Jacket arrived at my door yesterday, back from Schott, having departed their NJ factory Friday. Jerri was my contact there and the communication was great. Love that crisp feel in a new zipper. View attachment 719717 View attachment 719718

The finish product looks nice. I was wondering if you could please share how long did the process of zipper modification took, and how much did it cost?

 

[Peter Mackin]

Result ..picked up a unworn perfecto 613 size 46 today.was really nervous about the fit since it's a 46.the seller's measurements were wrong .sleeve being 25in not 24 ,p2p being 23.5 and not 22 . Wouldn't change a thing with fit. Im 5ft 9. So the shorter length works a treat.a 44 in this Wouldn't have worked.

 

[Hoanglong]

I am planning to buy this 613sh 40 but a little worried about the measurements.
I wear a perfect fit in a 618 size 40 with around shoulder measurement of 47cm, p2p of 54cm.
Anyone who has a 613sh size 40 can measure the shoulder, p2p, sleeve size on a ruler. thank you very much

 

[RJD257]

Result ..picked up a unworn perfecto 613 size 46 today.was really nervous about the fit since it's a 46.the seller's measurements were wrong .sleeve being 25in not 24 ,p2p being 23.5 and not 22 . Wouldn't change a thing with fit. Im 5ft 9. So the shorter length works a treat.a 44 in this Wouldn't have worked. View attachment 734373

VERY Happy to Hear that you're so happy with it, and that your journey and the same detective work I had to do came to such a happy conclusion. You definitely enter into a long-term-relationship with these if you love them. If you need me to share any tips about how I broke in mine, just LMK. Quick Question - did you get the Steerhide or the Horsehide ?

 

[Peter Mackin]

VERY Happy to Hear that you're so happy with it, and that your journey and the same detective work I had to do came to such a happy conclusion. You definitely enter into a long-term-relationship with these if you love them. If you need me to share any tips about how I broke in mine, just LMK. Quick Question - did you get the Steerhide or the Horsehide ?

Hi it's steerhide, great stuff .dyed all way through, and non of the teacore nonsense .I've been breaking in Vansons, Aero, eastman, belstaff etc for 50years and more,no shortcuts for me,just wearing, I have been guilty of babying some of them,but m/c jackets are worn with no fear..

 

[3.14nche]

I am planning to buy this 613sh 40 but a little worried about the measurements.
I wear a perfect fit in a 618 size 40 with around shoulder measurement of 47cm, p2p of 54cm.
Anyone who has a 613sh size 40 can measure the shoulder, p2p, sleeve size on a ruler. thank you very much

P2P	Shoulders	Hem	Sleeves	Back
56	47	50	65	63

 

[Hoanglong]

P2P	Shoulders	Hem	Sleeves	Back
56	47	50	65	63

Oh the shoulder measurement seems to be much wider than the specification table.

 

[3.14nche]

Oh the shoulder measurement seems to be much wider than the specification table.

I guess it depends how one takes measurements.
It's 47 at the top of the epaulets but only 43 below.
Here are some pics with a tape so you have a better idea.

 

[RJD257]

P2P	Shoulders	Hem	Sleeves	Back
56	47	50	65	63

I tried on both jackets (brand new) a couple of years ago, before purchasing my 618HH. Trust Me, they are VERY different patterns. The 613SH is the closest you can come to the original pattern. A little shorter in the center back, and remember it being a little more form-fitting than the 46 618HH that I wound up buying and loving