bumphrey hogart
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 159
- Location
- cornwall,England
Had a really interesting conversation with my friendly neighbourhood tanner/leather worker today and thought I'd pass it on and see what you chaps think.
I bought 58panheads aero stockman off ebay a few months ago and was shocked by how stiff it was,he had described it in the ad as nicely worn in so I can't think how stiff it was new. The only other FQH/H jacket I own is a thunder bay,still aero but their 2nds line,(hides not up to scratch, made by learners,I suppose any reason they think it's not up there with the aero standard). This I also bought 2nd hand and the leather is amazing,it almost molds to you,really soft but so hard wearing,and very different from my other cowhide jackets.
So having read all the threads on the FL and VLJ about breaking in H/H jackets I set about wearing it to death, to no avail, Wearing it in rain and snow all over winter made no difference at all,it was still like armour.
I mentioned it to our local leather worker today and she asked me whether I'd 'broken' the leather, I obviously looked suitably blank and she took out a strip of leather that was 4/5 mm. It was like cardboard, she banged it on the table,it might as well have been a piece of wood. She then began to twist and roll and compress this strip using considerable force,within a few minutes she had in her hand a piece of leather that was soft,pliable and ready to be used.
She said most skins after tanning start like that and you have to 'break' them to the softness you want.
When I got home I took my 'stockman'and initially just rolled it from the bottom to the top,keeping the arms inside the roll,and when it was all rolled up into a tube I knelt on it and flattened it a little. I then rolled the flattened tube into a little doughnut and started squashing that by kneeling on it. I then unrolled it, turned it over and did the same. Then top to bottom,then diagonally,etc,etc,I'm sure you get the picture.
What a difference,it's a different jacket.I don't know how many years normal wear that half hour session equates to,but going by the difference normal wear over this winter has made, a hell of a lot.
The jacket is now soft,it curves round me instead of trying to hold me stiffly in its shape. I can bend my arms without feeling the leather fighting me.
One drawback though,it won't stand up on its own any more lol
I bought 58panheads aero stockman off ebay a few months ago and was shocked by how stiff it was,he had described it in the ad as nicely worn in so I can't think how stiff it was new. The only other FQH/H jacket I own is a thunder bay,still aero but their 2nds line,(hides not up to scratch, made by learners,I suppose any reason they think it's not up there with the aero standard). This I also bought 2nd hand and the leather is amazing,it almost molds to you,really soft but so hard wearing,and very different from my other cowhide jackets.
So having read all the threads on the FL and VLJ about breaking in H/H jackets I set about wearing it to death, to no avail, Wearing it in rain and snow all over winter made no difference at all,it was still like armour.
I mentioned it to our local leather worker today and she asked me whether I'd 'broken' the leather, I obviously looked suitably blank and she took out a strip of leather that was 4/5 mm. It was like cardboard, she banged it on the table,it might as well have been a piece of wood. She then began to twist and roll and compress this strip using considerable force,within a few minutes she had in her hand a piece of leather that was soft,pliable and ready to be used.
She said most skins after tanning start like that and you have to 'break' them to the softness you want.
When I got home I took my 'stockman'and initially just rolled it from the bottom to the top,keeping the arms inside the roll,and when it was all rolled up into a tube I knelt on it and flattened it a little. I then rolled the flattened tube into a little doughnut and started squashing that by kneeling on it. I then unrolled it, turned it over and did the same. Then top to bottom,then diagonally,etc,etc,I'm sure you get the picture.
What a difference,it's a different jacket.I don't know how many years normal wear that half hour session equates to,but going by the difference normal wear over this winter has made, a hell of a lot.
The jacket is now soft,it curves round me instead of trying to hold me stiffly in its shape. I can bend my arms without feeling the leather fighting me.
One drawback though,it won't stand up on its own any more lol