Back from hibernation, new jacket to show...

[ButteMT61]

Been a while - missed the place, although I looked now and then to see what was going on while I was out...
I had forgotten that I had purchased a jacket before I left town. In all the drama, it was nice to have something to divert my mind. I don't have pics of me wearing yet, so those will come later. It's a non-custom "J.L. Powell" Elk hide jacket. The shearling collar is real and removable. The color is, IMO, too stark being white and would have looked better in a buff color.
I love elk/deer hides and never owned a jacket made of it before this. It is one of those overpriced catalog items ($1300 new) which I got for a song. It's well made and unique - looking like a 50's impression of a "bomber jacket" - similar in some ways to my Aero 50's HBD.
Let me know what you guys think. I have two questions though:
1) Does anyone know if/how one can dye shearling? Would like to get that color changed.
2) How does Elk hide hold up in the rain, snow, etc? We all know how nice HH and goat do when they get soaked and beat-up, but I'm not so sure about this???

 

[Dr H]

Hope things are cool with the family Scott. Nice looking jacket...

 

[Lungomare]

Hi Butte!

My dog has got a collar and a harness made from Elk hide. Durability is great - have used it in every weather - rain, snow, heat - looks great even after two years of extreme use.

Kind regards,

Johannes

 

[ButteMT61]

@ Ian: Thanks. Lots to do, lots done, could use a few pints to avoid reality.
@ Johannes: Thank you too. Good to hear. I've owned elk gloves and boots, but never a jacket. It's lovely. The hide is soft, heavy and will be great in chilly/cold weather. Sometimes you have to take a chance, but we'll see how some time with it leaves me feeling. I'd like to get Søren's Aero, but my GW order is coming up soon too so I need to figure out where all my money is coming from...

Scott

 

[Otter]

That looks realy nice!

 

[too much coffee]

Hey Scott;

Good looking jacket. From the pics the hide could pass for goat, don't you think? I agree about the color of the shearling.
Hopefully John Lever will come up on the net. Whatever can be done to shearling......I'm sure John can advise.

I had some elk skin work gloves I bought from Cabela's and they held up real well. Don't know what happened to them; maybe the former Mrs. coffee has them!



Regards,
coffee

 

[mattp]

Great looking jacket, the grain of the elk is fantastic. I actually don't mind the white shearling but it would certainly be more subtle if it wasn't such a stark contrast to the rich brown. Nice pick up, and welcome back!

 

[thor]

Looks like a well-made, quality jacket. Some of the old sheepskin M-444/M-445 Navy jackets from WW2 had extreme contrasts between the dark seal leather and the fur/shearling collars and linings.Your jacket reminds me a bit of the WW2 b&w photos of Naval aviators in their sheepskin jackets.
I know that Lost Worlds sometimes offer exotic hides for certain jackets on their website; I think I saw moose and maybe elk?

Anyway, nice looking jacket. Please give us a "field report" of how it breaks in. Good luck Scott.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Nice jacket Scott..!
Elkhide is pretty tough stuff.
Trouble with trying to lightly dye or slightly color most shearling is the natural lanolin in the fleece can repell the effort.
Does this wool have a lotion-like feel to the touch..if you rub it..?
HD

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks all - amazing how you can miss your virtual friends so. . HD - I think you're right. Might be able to get Aero to make me one like my HBD shearling, which I think would make it 100% better looking. Elk is a superb hide and looks like goat on 'roids. But much softer and thicker all at once. Too bad the heat is here, but a nice piece for fall - unless I end up flipping! Not much more jacket time until late October now...

 

[too much coffee]

Nice jacket Scott..!
Elkhide is pretty tough stuff.
Trouble with trying to lightly dye or slightly color most shearling is the natural lanolin in the fleece can repell the effort.
Does this wool have a lotion-like feel to the touch..if you rub it..?
HD

"It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again."

 

[Davy Crockett]

Very nice jacket, beautiful grain! on the collar problem you could always wear it every day for a couple of months with the collar turned up and during that time totally refrain from washing your neck! the wife may complain but I'm sure the collar would darken up a shade! he he

D

 

[J.W.]

Wow! Nice looking jacket! Can't wait for the fit-pics!
But with the temperatures as they are right now, I start sweating even more, seeing that collar!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Nice to see you enthusiastic about an ordinary (and lovely) production jacket. I enjoy a good custom jacket myself, but there's something really great about getting a very decent, commercial jacket for a good price. Reminds me of all that fantastic 1930's Sears leatherwear, the stuff the custom guys emulate. The stuff you can still buy and wear lifetimes later.

 

[saucerfiend]

Scott,
I really like that hide. Looks great!

Brian

 

[ButteMT61]

@ Seb: you should know some of my fave's are "ordinary" still. I think it's the lack of stress and thinking that one has to put into a custom that makes these a tad more enjoyable...
@ Brian: You're alive!!! Thanks for the compliments, but I was beginning to wonder what happened to you? Hope all is well.
@J.W.: FIt pics. Yeah, hard to even look at it in the heat

 

[Flashman]

Nice jacket Butte - I purchased somthing similar (over 15 year ago) sadly its too big for me and was purchase I made when I knew VERY little about such jackets. Now it is just hanging and looking tired and sad, hope you enjoy your latest purchase.

 

[Jeff M]

When I saw the title of this thread, thought it would be about a Grizzly...

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=21

 

[ButteMT61]

When I saw the title of this thread, thought it would be about a Grizzly...http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=21

Ha! Funny. If I lived in Montana, Idaho, etc. I may entertain one. More than likely though it would just be B-3/B-6/D-1/Irvins. Last thing I want to do is piss off a real bear :eeek:

 

[Dr H]

Scott, with your height he might simply take you for one of his own...Er...perhaps a miffed bear might be preferable ;-)