A-2 Zipper Replacement?

[devilish]

So, in the near future my third hand GW Dubow is going to need a new zipper as the pin on the non-slider side is starting to separate from the binding. John recommended Dena at Great Leather, who has already been great to deal with and I'd be fine with that but they are in Illinois (I'm in S.F. CA.) and I'd like to avoid the added hassle and worry of shipping my beloved jacket across country. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with Johnson Leathers repair service? They are obviously much more local and I could talk to them face to face about what I'd expect. I have a new zip coming already so that's sorted at least. Thanks for the help.

Edited to make things clearer. I hope.

 

[handymike]

I sent a vintage jacket to them for a new liner, zipper restitching and side adjuster straps. I should have it back today. I'm expecting great things, and will let you know tomorrow.

 

[Grayland]

I've heard nothing but good things about Johnson Leathers. Considering you are located in SF, it's a no-brainer.

 

[tmitchell59]

I've got pile of jackets that need zipper, stitching,restoration work...I live in Illinois so thought they would be in Chicago,,,Great Leather is 30 miles from me!!! Avon, Illinois has a population of maybe 900. Had no idea. I will be going to see them this weekend..

 

[devilish]

I sent a vintage jacket to them for a new liner, zipper restitching and side adjuster straps. I should have it back today. I'm expecting great things, and will let you know tomorrow.

Thank you. Any photos of how good a job they did following stitch holes along the zipper line would be much appreciated.

 

[handymike]

Devilish, I got my jacket back and they did a great job!
Zipper photos won't help though because a prvious zipper replacement was whacked up and made a second set of holes. Alan re-sewed the bottom part to make it lay flat. Very happy with the relining- they even put in a pocket and a strip of leather along the bottom edge!
I'd go in to see him with your jacket. He's great to talk to.

 

[eggleman]

Am I the only one who can't believe that you can drop $1500 on a jacket , and then can't rely on the maker to repair it ?

 

[BuzzTheTower]

Hello,

This is a bit of a situation.The jacket is about three years old, and was purchased by the new owner from eBay. It went through, I think, more than one owner before he got it. We aren't saying "Hey, no way, we're not replacing it!", but I have someone who is lightning fast at replacing zippers, and has the ability to get it done right away. She has a lifetime of repairing jackets as experience, and our customers are happy with her work, over and over.

So, the suggestion we gave is that he have her do the replacement work. From the initial post, it looks like he bought the jacket brand new, the zipper broke on him, and now we're saying "Hell no, you get it fixed.", when that's not what we're saying. We would never do that, and when such an issue comes up, you bet we replace the zipper (oddly enough, I've literally never seen this kind of a break on my repro Talons in the short eight years I've been doing this).

When jackets go through several hands, we literally have no idea what happens to a jacket in between. We want people to be in the happiest position possible. If someone played football in a jacket and ripped a seam, sold it on eBay, and then the new owner said to us that our jackets are defective, we would be in an uncomfortable position. As it was, this jacket was definitely roughly hot water treated, and what else may have happened to it, we don't know. But we know that this pin bar on the male side of the zipper is starting to separate from the tape, and it can be fixed.

I hope that helps. I don't want to give the impression that customers are denied help on anything we make.

 

[devilish]

Oh no, that is not what was intended by my post at all. I quite understand that the very fine folks at Good Wear aren't able to do it. Please don't start trouble between me and them because I want nothing but good things for them and will hopefully be a lifelong customer.
They have given me a fine recommendation for a person to do the job. I was just doing some research as to whether a more local company would be up to the task.
Recently I've had some shipping hiccups and was just leery of putting something I love as much as my GW A-2 in the mail. Which would be the case too if I sent it back to Washington. Really, truly just trying to find a local company that could be trusted to match the original craftsmanship.

 

[eggleman]

Sorry if I caused any problems ..
I clearly misunderstood the meaning of the post ..
Apologies

 

[devilish]

^ It's all good.

 

[eggleman]

Thank you

 

[devilish]

So, I'll be taking my jacket into Johnson Leathers on Saturday. Last chance for anyone out there to say 'don't do it'. I'll post my feedback on how it goes and if i decide to have them do the work, I'll post a review of the finished repair.

 

[devilish]

Well, life got in the way off me getting the zip replaced until this last week. However now it's been done, I can report that Johnson Leather did a fine job. Followed all the original stitch holes, worked around some of the trickier spots, such as the covered snaps that are very close to where the zip tape runs. Used a nice matching all cotton thread and all for under $90. Very happy and now my favorite jacket is back in full working order.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'm interested in seeing the outcome. I've got a 30s jacket that needs some zipper work .

 

[Vespizzare]

I've bought two jackets from JL. Alan can make a leather jacket whinny like a weasel. That a person already in San Francisco should ask such a question boggles the mind.

 

[devilish]

Well excuse the heck out of me for being so stupid. I'll make sure I keep my ignorance to myself next time. Oh and by the way, making a jacket and fixing one are two entirely different things. But as I said they did a fine job.

 

[Vespizzare]

Well excuse the heck out of me for being so stupid. I'll make sure I keep my ignorance to myself next time. Oh and by the way, making a jacket and fixing one are two entirely different things. But as I said they did a fine job.

I wasn't putting you down. That's not my style. I guess the words came out wrong. I was just saying how great JL is and how lucky a person is to be so close. No offense meant.

 

[devilish]

Ok, I guess we can chalk it up to the internet messing with the lines of communication and language once again. I thought this thread would be an innocent little thing just asking for some personal advice and experience. Who'd thunk that replacing a zipper would be so contentious.

Anyways, once again, thanks to Good Wear for making a great jacket in the first place and for the folks at Johnson for fixing it back up. If I get motivated I'll take a couple photos to show that the work doesn't show.

I might have JL make me some kind of Canuck/Maxwell clone in the future. They already make a modern button up jacket that wouldn't take too much to alter it into a more vintage pattern.

 

[ButteMT61]

I rarely post these days, but when I saw this, I thought I'd chime in for a minute.
I got my favorite (well, one of two) jacket from GW in Feb of 2013 - the Ventura - a fabulous piece.
I was emailing with JC one day at the beginning of this year about new hides, and he asked me how the jacket was. I told him I had some dropping of the lining, but otherwise I loved it and it was my main jacket these days. He told me to put it in a box and send it back as he would fix it up and send it back - apologizing at the same time. I think that the Shinki HH got wet a few times and just shrunk a bit - maybe 1/2" or so - enough to cause the lining to drop in the torso. Never were there any excuses or any hesitation from JC to make it right. Understanding that the jacket is almost 1.5 years old, I think that's a pretty stand-up guy there. I've spend $3k on a laptop that would not get such service after the 365 were up.
This isn't meant to demean or bait the posters here into a battle. But being the third owner of a jacket - even a GW jacket is IMO too much to expect GW to replace anything for free. I'd say I'm shocked at JC offering to fix mine up, but knowing him over the last few years, I can't claim that.
Sorry to impose my 2¢, but I thought it was apropos. Hope all are well and enjoying some killer jackets!