TartuWolf
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,162
- Location
- Tartu, Estonia
Hey folks,
I am creating this thread for two reasons:
1 . INFO - On the off chance that I'm not the only fool who kept looking for info about different Aero leathers and didn't know that Aero themselves have a lot of information about each (slightly) hidden in their own website, I wanted to put this info here.
2 . Discussion / Opinions - I would like to discuss how we all chose leather (for our Aero jackets in this case). What are the main characteristics when choosing leather, which are more important and why.
Aero leather choices and descriptions
Horween’s complex and proprietary ‘Chromexcel’ production process includes combination tanning (an initial chrome base tannage with a heavy vegetable retannage), "hot stuffing" the hides with oils, waxes, and greases and even hand staining with several hand-rubbed coats of full aniline (non-pigmented) finish.
Chromexcel Front Quarter Horsehide (CXFQHH) and Chromexcel Steerhide (CXSH) follow the same production process and share similar features. However, CXFQHH has a denser fibre structure which results in sharper crease marks, a longer break in period and generally less grain than CXSH. CXSH is also generally a bit thicker and heavier than CXFQHH:
“Tumbled” options: Exactly the same Chromexcel FQHH that we have put through an additional dry-tumbling procedure which speeds up the breaking in process, knocks off some shine and can bring out substantial grain – end results can be quite unpredictable with each hide being unique.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Combination tanned
- Full-aniline
- Heavy weight
- Stuffed/infused - pull-up
- Spray dyed
- Firm hand
- Shiny
- Smooth
It’s a vegetable-tanned midweight horsehide which has a soft-medium hand and a drape that is pleasing to the eye and although it has vegetable tanned leather’s characteristic firmness, is still comfortable straight ‘out of the box’. The leather is drum dyed through with a semi aniline (lightly pigmented) finish which allows for a wide range of consistent, rich and deep colours and although the natural full grain nature of the leather means every hide is unique, it usually has a lovely consistent grain, which only gets more interesting and pronounced with wear.
In terms of development, while the leather will still ‘break in’ and develop its own patina and character, because of its dyeing and finishing process it will hold a much higher degree of long-term colour consistency than full aniline leathers like Kelpie and Badalassi (but will still develop with wear, particularly around creasing areas). The gorgeous grain of this leather is where you will enjoy the most development, especially given exposure to the elements.
The Blackened Brown option is black topcoat over brown. With wear, brown undertones will start to show through the black topcoat, accentuating the ageing process.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Vegetable tanned
- Semi-aniline
- Midweight
- Not Stuffed/infused - no pull-up
- Drum Dyed (Blackened brown has additional black pigment topcoat)
- Soft-medium hand
The leather is chrome tanned, drum dyed, then given a particular semi-aniline finish to give it increased toughness and some degree of colour consistency, but still ensuring that the natural full grain of the horsehide still enhances the leather’s aesthetic look.
Over time, the hides will develop a softer handle on wearing and mould to the wearer’s body shape (almost like a second skin) and appreciate with a beautiful patina developing due to its lighter crust. We have recently worked closely with our UK-based tannery in specially selecting skins and darkening the base colour/crust of the hides so as to emphasise the aging process as the Jerky develops.
‘High Grain’ Jerky is the exact same leather but particularly grainy hides which have been specially requested by Aero.
My summary:
- Full grain?
- Chrome tanned
- Semi-aniline
- Midweight
- Not Stuffed/infused - no pull-up
- Drum Dyed
- Firm hand
Unlike the other midweight horsehides, it is also combination tanned (mostly veg tanned then a couple of hours with chrome tanning agents to help lock in the waxes and colour) leaving the leather with a fairly soft temper and with a comfortable suppleness from the start.
We’ve yet to see any examples of this leather developing long-term, but as the leather is full aniline it’s safe to say it’s already interesting character will develop and patina heavily.
Brown Kelpie is a Tea Core leather featuring a lighter coloured crust base. As it ages, the lighter base shows through which emphasis the aging process with a beautiful patina.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Combination tanned
- Full-aniline
- Midweight
- Stuffed/infused - pull-up
- Drum Dyed? (Brown version is a Tea Core leather featuring a lighter colored crust base)
- Soft hand
- Slightly shiny
I am creating this thread for two reasons:
1 . INFO - On the off chance that I'm not the only fool who kept looking for info about different Aero leathers and didn't know that Aero themselves have a lot of information about each (slightly) hidden in their own website, I wanted to put this info here.
2 . Discussion / Opinions - I would like to discuss how we all chose leather (for our Aero jackets in this case). What are the main characteristics when choosing leather, which are more important and why.
Aero leather choices and descriptions
Chromexcel Horsehide (3oz/1.4mm) / Chromexcel Steerhide (4oz/1.7mm)
From Chicago’s world famous Horween Leather Company, ‘Chromexcel’ is the original pull-up leather, still made using time honored techniques and formulas that have remained largely unchanged since they were first developed nearly 100 years ago. ‘Chromexcel’ is a truly beautiful heavy leather with depth of colour and a luxurious feel. Although its natural full grain nature means each hide is different, it usually has initial shiny, smooth, firm, and relatively uniform characteristics. But with wear the leather softens up or “breaks in”, developing its own grain/patina and undertones showing through the top coat, which along with the pull up nature of the leather (dynamic changes in colour tone/character under stress), means every ‘Chromexcel’ jacket is increasingly unique.Horween’s complex and proprietary ‘Chromexcel’ production process includes combination tanning (an initial chrome base tannage with a heavy vegetable retannage), "hot stuffing" the hides with oils, waxes, and greases and even hand staining with several hand-rubbed coats of full aniline (non-pigmented) finish.
Chromexcel Front Quarter Horsehide (CXFQHH) and Chromexcel Steerhide (CXSH) follow the same production process and share similar features. However, CXFQHH has a denser fibre structure which results in sharper crease marks, a longer break in period and generally less grain than CXSH. CXSH is also generally a bit thicker and heavier than CXFQHH:
“Tumbled” options: Exactly the same Chromexcel FQHH that we have put through an additional dry-tumbling procedure which speeds up the breaking in process, knocks off some shine and can bring out substantial grain – end results can be quite unpredictable with each hide being unique.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Combination tanned
- Full-aniline
- Heavy weight
- Stuffed/infused - pull-up
- Spray dyed
- Firm hand
- Shiny
- Smooth
Vicenza Horsehide (2.5oz/1.1mm)
Vicenza is a leather crafted in the valleys of Tuscany – an area steeped in a rich history of leather manufacturing which combines centuries-old tradition with innovation and continues to be one of the main centres of high-quality leather production today.It’s a vegetable-tanned midweight horsehide which has a soft-medium hand and a drape that is pleasing to the eye and although it has vegetable tanned leather’s characteristic firmness, is still comfortable straight ‘out of the box’. The leather is drum dyed through with a semi aniline (lightly pigmented) finish which allows for a wide range of consistent, rich and deep colours and although the natural full grain nature of the leather means every hide is unique, it usually has a lovely consistent grain, which only gets more interesting and pronounced with wear.
In terms of development, while the leather will still ‘break in’ and develop its own patina and character, because of its dyeing and finishing process it will hold a much higher degree of long-term colour consistency than full aniline leathers like Kelpie and Badalassi (but will still develop with wear, particularly around creasing areas). The gorgeous grain of this leather is where you will enjoy the most development, especially given exposure to the elements.
The Blackened Brown option is black topcoat over brown. With wear, brown undertones will start to show through the black topcoat, accentuating the ageing process.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Vegetable tanned
- Semi-aniline
- Midweight
- Not Stuffed/infused - no pull-up
- Drum Dyed (Blackened brown has additional black pigment topcoat)
- Soft-medium hand
Jerky Horsehide (2.5oz/1.1mm)
‘Jerky’ is an exclusive-to-Aero and unique midweight horsehide with a distinctive robust and firm handle, but which still retains the comfortable medium drape of a midweight leather. It has become our standard and recommended Type A-2 leather, striking the right balance between quality, durability and capturing the authentic Type A-2 look and feel (especially once the leather develops).The leather is chrome tanned, drum dyed, then given a particular semi-aniline finish to give it increased toughness and some degree of colour consistency, but still ensuring that the natural full grain of the horsehide still enhances the leather’s aesthetic look.
Over time, the hides will develop a softer handle on wearing and mould to the wearer’s body shape (almost like a second skin) and appreciate with a beautiful patina developing due to its lighter crust. We have recently worked closely with our UK-based tannery in specially selecting skins and darkening the base colour/crust of the hides so as to emphasise the aging process as the Jerky develops.
‘High Grain’ Jerky is the exact same leather but particularly grainy hides which have been specially requested by Aero.
My summary:
- Full grain?
- Chrome tanned
- Semi-aniline
- Midweight
- Not Stuffed/infused - no pull-up
- Drum Dyed
- Firm hand
Kelpie Horsehide (2.25oz/1.1mm)
Like Jerky and Vicenza, ‘Kelpie’ is also a full grain midweight horsehide. What makes it unique in our midweight horsehide range is its full aniline (non-pigment) finish. Married with a blend of classic waxes, this fully translucent and slightly shiny finish protects the leather, but leaves the dye to accentuate all the natural markings and variations in the hide, leaving a beautiful mottled effect throughout and resulting in one of the most dynamic and interesting leathers we’ve worked with.Unlike the other midweight horsehides, it is also combination tanned (mostly veg tanned then a couple of hours with chrome tanning agents to help lock in the waxes and colour) leaving the leather with a fairly soft temper and with a comfortable suppleness from the start.
We’ve yet to see any examples of this leather developing long-term, but as the leather is full aniline it’s safe to say it’s already interesting character will develop and patina heavily.
Brown Kelpie is a Tea Core leather featuring a lighter coloured crust base. As it ages, the lighter base shows through which emphasis the aging process with a beautiful patina.
My summary:
- Full grain
- Combination tanned
- Full-aniline
- Midweight
- Stuffed/infused - pull-up
- Drum Dyed? (Brown version is a Tea Core leather featuring a lighter colored crust base)
- Soft hand
- Slightly shiny
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