BK Liberty HH alternative...

[Mark]

Hi, hope all is well with everyone on the FL. Been a while since I last posted anything. Just a quick question. My favourite hide by some margin is Bill Kelso's Liberty Horse Hide. I already own one of his jackets in this leather but three modifications later have left it far from what I had hoped for! For some time I have wished for a BK Cossack in seal Liberty HH, but at £905 + 20% import taxes and p+p not only makes it unaffordable but also more than I wish to pay for any jacket. So I was wondering what alternatives there are closer to home (UK) that can give me a similar light weight veg tanned hide that will age and patina like the Liberty does? I have looked at Aero's Vicenza leather but having never seen one I cannot know how it compares to BK's. Have not looked at Eastman because I am not a big A2 fan and besides they are similarly priced to BK. Anyone got any thoughts/Ideas as to where I may look?
Thanks guys
Mark

 

[Canuck Panda]

Just went to check out BK website and realized the price increase. I ordered an archive line jacket a while back @ £750 plus options, now it starts @ £850. Yikes!

To answer your question, I think Liberty HH is from Victoria SRL right? So it would be very similar to Aero's Vicenza. I don't have my BK jacket yet so I can't say for sure. I do have Aero Vicenza jackets and they have a very wide range in thickness/grain/softness.

I've got an Aeromarine in the seal Vicenza horsehide jacket and it's quite good.

 

[Mark]

Just went to check out BK website and realized the price increase. I ordered an archive line jacket a while back @ £750 plus options, now it starts @ £850. Yikes!

To answer your question, I think Liberty HH is from Victoria SRL right? So it would be very similar to Aero's Vicenza. I don't have my BK jacket yet so I can't say for sure. I do have Aero Vicenza jackets and they have a very wide range in thickness/grain/softness.

I've got an Aeromarine in the seal Vicenza horsehide jacket and it's quite good.

View attachment 431371

Thanks for the reply. I get the impression the Vicenza is a little heavier and stiffer than the Liberty. I know the Liberty comes from Italy and according to Andy at BK it is made for BK's specification. I hope your new jacket is evrything you hope. The Liberty is such a lovely leather. Thanks

 

[handymike]

It ages fast, correct? Maybe Horween Lux would work.

Horween lux

Dang, awesome jacket!

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[JurassicUtility]

It ages fast, correct? Maybe Horween Luxe would work.

Very fast. I may have shared these before, but here are some pictures I took of my Bill Kelso Duke in Liberty Horsehide. This might have been after ~1 year of wear? Vicenza doesn't fade very quickly at all in my experience.

 

[Mark]

It ages fast, correct? Maybe Horween Lux would work.

Horween lux

Dang, awesome jacket!

www.thefedoralounge.com

Hi, yes the Liberty according BK has undergone some process that makes it age/patina faster. I have not heard of Horween Lux. Who makes jackets with that leather? Thanks for the reply

 

[Mark]

Very fast. I may have shared these before, but here are some pictures I took of my Bill Kelso Duke in Liberty Horsehide. This might have been after ~1 year of wear? Vicenza doesn't fade very quickly at all in my experience.

Thanks for that. Your Liberty hide is very shiny compared to mine which has a much more matt finish. I will not consider the Vicenza if it takes so long to age, plus I think it may well be heavier. Cheers

 

[JurassicUtility]

Thanks for that. Your Liberty hide is very shiny compared to mine which has a much more matt finish. I will not consider the Vicenza if it takes so long to age, plus I think it may well be heavier. Cheers

After doing a little more research, I think Canuck Panda was referencing Blackened Brown Vicenza - which actually is a teacore leather. The variety I was familiar with was brown or burgundy Vicenza, which isn't a high fade leather at all. I attached an example of wear in Blackened Brown from the following thread:

How black is blackened brown vicenza?

A simple question, though i suspect I might not get a simple answer! The sample i have from Aero is .....well, black. Defo not brown. In fact in blind comparisons I chose it as "blacker" than the black vicenza. But I see from some comments on the web others seem to detect the brown basecoat...

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[Brettafett]

Mark, I have a few BK Liberty HH A-2s, its my favourite leather.
Vicenza is great, a little heavier yes, but not much so.

In terms of ageing it really depends how you wear/ treat your jackets.
I cycle mine, so they have not worn in like some, or lost any top finish etc... That said they are wearing in naturally and looking great.

One option to consider, being in the UK myself is AVI LTHR. I have/ have had a few of their jackets, HH and goat.
Their seal HH also has a slightly more matt-like appearance as BK's Liberty. It has a bit of a different drape and feel, its softer... Very comfy, practical to actually wear... Liberty, Warhorse or Shinki it is not... Then again, its a third of the price!

Cossack Jacket - Horsehide Leather - AVI LEATHER

The Cossack leather jacket is a predecessor to the A1 jackets, which have button fasteners that first appeared in the early 1920s. Our design is the typical 1920 design with a triangular inset at the sides, which allows for waist adjustments and a neat fitting body. The Cossack leather jacket...

www.avileather.com

Certainly cant go wrong. Easy returns, you can customise sizing/ lengths to a degree and the CS is top notch.
It may not be a GW, BK or ELC, but they are damn nice jackets for the outlay.

 

[handymike]

Hi, yes the Liberty according BK has undergone some process that makes it age/patina faster. I have not heard of Horween Lux. Who makes jackets with that leather? Thanks for the reply

Simmons Bilt was the maker of the ones I’ve seen on the forum.

 

[El Marro]

Very fast. I may have shared these before, but here are some pictures I took of my Bill Kelso Duke in Liberty Horsehide. This might have been after ~1 year of wear? Vicenza doesn't fade very quickly at all in my experience.

That leather looks similar to the horsehide on my ELMC G-1, which I believe comes from the Victoria tannery.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Very fast. I may have shared these before, but here are some pictures I took of my Bill Kelso Duke in Liberty Horsehide. This might have been after ~1 year of wear? Vicenza doesn't fade very quickly at all in my experience.

That looks exactly like my seal jerky from aero, I love it.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Vicenza doesn't fade very quickly at all in my experience

^^^ This is also my experience with Vicenza. I have a blacken brown one but no fades yet and I am no gentle with jackets. MrProper's blacken brown has better fades. So there seems to be some variance from batch to bath.

I will not consider the Vicenza if it takes so long to age, plus I think it may well be heavier

The thickness of Vicenza varies a lot. I've got paper thin ones and CXL thick ones. For custom jackets I've always asked for thickest and grainiest and Aero has delivered everytime. But the sale page jackets are usually thinner and smoother.
None of my Vicenza jackets have those fades in the photo above though. Still trying.

And about Horween Lux. It's from Simmonsbilt. It's a much thicker leather than Vicenza. Aero's jerky is a very similar leather but red core not pale core. I will take some compare photo when I get home tonight. I don't have the jerky jacket anymore though not because of leather but size.

 

[Mark]

After doing a little more research, I think Canuck Panda was referencing Blackened Brown Vicenza - which actually is a teacore leather. The variety I was familiar with was brown or burgundy Vicenza, which isn't a high fade leather at all. I attached an example of wear in Blackened Brown from the following thread:

How black is blackened brown vicenza?

A simple question, though i suspect I might not get a simple answer! The sample i have from Aero is .....well, black. Defo not brown. In fact in blind comparisons I chose it as "blacker" than the black vicenza. But I see from some comments on the web others seem to detect the brown basecoat...

www.thefedoralounge.com

Thanks for that. Plenty of helpful info here, appreciated.

 

[Mark]

Mark, I have a few BK Liberty HH A-2s, its my favourite leather.
Vicenza is great, a little heavier yes, but not much so.

In terms of ageing it really depends how you wear/ treat your jackets.
I cycle mine, so they have not worn in like some, or lost any top finish etc... That said they are wearing in naturally and looking great.

One option to consider, being in the UK myself is AVI LTHR. I have/ have had a few of their jackets, HH and goat.
Their seal HH also has a slightly more matt-like appearance as BK's Liberty. It has a bit of a different drape and feel, its softer... Very comfy, practical to actually wear... Liberty, Warhorse or Shinki it is not... Then again, its a third of the price!

Cossack Jacket - Horsehide Leather - AVI LEATHER

The Cossack leather jacket is a predecessor to the A1 jackets, which have button fasteners that first appeared in the early 1920s. Our design is the typical 1920 design with a triangular inset at the sides, which allows for waist adjustments and a neat fitting body. The Cossack leather jacket...

www.avileather.com

Certainly cant go wrong. Easy returns, you can customise sizing/ lengths to a degree and the CS is top notch.
It may not be a GW, BK or ELC, but they are damn nice jackets for the outlay.

Thanks for that. I too cycle my modest collection of jackets. The Liberty looks the best by far in terms of wear and patina. I shall have a look at the AVLTHR, could be an option. Appreciate the info, thanks

 

[Mark]

^^^ This is also my experience with Vicenza. I have a blacken brown one but no fades yet and I am no gentle with jackets. MrProper's blacken brown has better fades. So there seems to be some variance from batch to bath.


The thickness of Vicenza varies a lot. I've got paper thin ones and CXL thick ones. For custom jackets I've always asked for thickest and grainiest and Aero has delivered everytime. But the sale page jackets are usually thinner and smoother.
None of my Vicenza jackets have those fades in the photo above though. Still trying.

And about Horween Lux. It's from Simmonsbilt. It's a much thicker leather than Vicenza. Aero's jerky is a very similar leather but red core not pale core. I will take some compare photo when I get home tonight. I don't have the jerky jacket anymore though not because of leather but size.

Thank you for that. Seems like the Vicenza is a possibility and the Jerky which I like more. Appreciate the info, many thanks