Alternatives to Horween Chromexcel?

[SamZ]

I am having a leather motorcycle jacket made with a tan colored leather.

I wanted to use Horween Chromexcel leather because I like the look and feel but I was told by their reseller that they can't make tan colors because of the process and there are no other similar leathers they recommend for jackets.

So are there any other leathers of similar quality?

I'm looking for a color like:

or

 

[SamZ]

Alternatively, does anyone have a picture of the patina on aged "Natural" Chromexcel, or a way to lighten "Natural" Chromexcel?

 

[Guppy]

Find out who made the color you like, and ask them for samples.

 

[Bunyip]

Who's making the jacket? There's a colour called Essex which is a natural looking hide that will age like the samples you provided. Langlitz do a goat they call butterscotch which I have. I would love a Langlitz made in CXL horse. Unfortunately, everyone has different suppliers and different designs. You need to find a balance between the two.

 

[pawineguy]

Who's making the jacket? There's a colour called Essex which is a natural looking hide that will age like the samples you provided. Langlitz do a goat they call butterscotch which I have. I would love a Langlitz made in CXL horse. Unfortunately, everyone has different suppliers and different designs. You need to find a balance between the two.

+1 - Horween Essex is a nice leather and comes in both a fairly natural color and a slightly darker tan. Also look at Horween Cavalier CXL, which is a CXL developed specifically to yield nice bright colors. I'm pretty sure that's also available in lighter shades.

 

[SamZ]

+1 - Horween Essex is a nice leather and comes in both a fairly natural color and a slightly darker tan. Also look at Horween Cavalier CXL, which is a CXL developed specifically to yield nice bright colors. I'm pretty sure that's also available in lighter shades.

I don't think I can buy any of those, the person at TanneryRow.com basically told me that Natural CXL was my only close option. I'm sure that if I could order a huge order directly from Horween, I could get any color I wanted.

I have to source the leather myself.

The first picture is of Shell Cordovan and the second is of aged natural vegetable tanned leather. I'm not sure those would be good choices for a leather jacket. The ideal would be Chromexcel in "Whiskey" or one of the other tan colors I've seen online. Unfortunately I'm unable to purchase it.

 

[Sockeye]

Vanson's Octagon

 

[Bunyip]

Who's actually making the jacket for you?

 

[Sloan1874]

Might want to ask Aero about their extra heavy tan steer. Terrifying stuff!

 

[ton312]

Might want to ask Aero about their extra heavy tan steer. Terrifying stuff!

Is that still available? I love that color and weight!

 

[Sloan1874]

Last time I was there, I saw some. I'd email Holly and ask. I've tried a jacket in it, and it's as sturdy as you could want. They used it on their Hippy jacket, which was discontinued some time back. Gawd, I really don't like heavy zips:

 

[Bunyip]

I love that leather!

 

[navetsea]

very nice color

 

[Edward]

Last time I was there, I saw some. I'd email Holly and ask. I've tried a jacket in it, and it's as sturdy as you could want. They used it on their Hippy jacket, which was discontinued some time back. Gawd, I really don't like heavy zips:

Yeah, I don't care for the zips, or the design much (beautifully executed as it is), but that leather looks very nice indeed. Would make a cracking halfbelt.

 

[Rudie]

Was the Hippy jacket designed by Ken?

 

[Capesofwrath]

It looks like it was designed as a fishing waistcoat and someone put arms on it. I certainly never saw a hippy wearing anything like that.

 

[eugenesque]

The tan is a nice colour. But the change in colour from "new" to "7 months" seems quite drastic.

 

[Sloan1874]

I think it's a pretty standard design from that period - Freewheelers still do one, as did LVC.

 

[SamZ]

Who's actually making the jacket for you?

It's a local guy. They have bright colored leather or black only, nothing more natural looking.

The tan is a nice colour. But the change in colour from "new" to "7 months" seems quite drastic.

eugenesque, that is typical for un-dyed, vegetable-tanned leather. It's not super great for something like a jacket, from what I understand (Very stiff, and stains easily).

I will see if I can find the sources for Langlitz or the source for Vanson "Octogon" style leather.

 

[nick123]

Was the Hippy jacket designed by Ken?

It's loosely based off of the East West jackets out of San Francisco from the late 60s-70s. Right in the thick of the Haight Ashbury scene. Not sure how many everyday folk wore em back then.