Field Leathers

[Carlos840]

If using spray bottles, they should be filled with demineralized water. Tap water contains minerals which could damage the leather or leave stains. I would therefore not recommend the bathroom shower.

On the other hand, people machine wash their jackets using tap water.

@Carlos840 you use spray bottles right? Do you use tap water.

I do use spray bottles if i don't have acces to rain.
When i lived in London i used demineralized water as London water is super hard and would leave a white deposit on black leather.
Now that i am back in Belgium i use tap water as i have a water softener.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I have thought about just spraying it down with a spray bottle. In effect that would work just the same as the rain anyway.

 

[Carlos840]

I have thought about just spraying it down with a spray bottle. In effect that would work just the same as the rain anyway.

Yes and no, spray bottle will get you started, but won't be as effective as getting rained on for hours at a time.
For example my J-23 was sprayed heavily when i first got it, which helped.
I then spent a week in Scotland with my GF and we got rained on non stop for 5 days, after day two my jacket felt humid all the time, the lining never got wet, but the leather itself never had a chance to dry and it stayed wet for 5 days, whilst being on my back maybe 10 hours a day.
These 5 days did more to break in my jacket than weeks with a spray bottle had. Graine just popped out everywhere, it was magical.

I'm not saying the spray bottle trick is useless, i still do it, but it's not as effective as the real thing.
If you are going to spray bottle, IMO the key is to keep it wet and rub it in.
Spray every 10 minutes or so and rub it in, try to keep the jacket as moist as possible for as long as possible.

Pic from soggy Scotland:

 

[Marc mndt]

Yes and no, spray bottle will get you started, but won't be as effective as getting rained on for hours at a time.
For example my J-23 was sprayed heavily when i first got it, which helped.
I then spent a week in Scotland with my GF and we got rained on non stop for 5 days, after day two my jacket felt humid all the time, the lining never got wet, but the leather itself never had a chance to dry and it stayed wet for 5 days, whilst being on my back maybe 10 hours a day.
These 5 days did more to break in my jacket than weeks with a spray bottle had. Graine just popped out everywhere, it was magical.

I'm not saying the spray bottle trick is useless, i still do it, but it's not as effective as the real thing.
If you are going to spray bottle, IMO the key is to keep it wet and rub it in.
Spray every 10 minutes or so and rub it in, try to keep the jacket as moist as possible for as long as possible.

Pic from soggy Scotland:

I almost fell of my chair. Carlos with a smile on his face

Beautiful scenery. I'd really like to visit Scotland one day. I hope we'll be able to travel again 5 months from now so I can go and say hi to Greg and pick up my second FL jacket in person.

 

[Carlos840]

I almost fell of my chair. Carlos with a smile on his face

Beautiful scenery. I'd really like to visit Scotland one day. I hope we'll be able to travel again 5 months from now so I can go and say hi to Greg and pick up my second FL jacket in person.

One more:
Scotland was really beautiful, but it is super wet.
Don't go there with a veg tan jacket and make sure you have good boots.

 

[andyone]

That's good to know. Sounds like I need to get my jacket into some rain ASAP. Now if only it would actually rain here...

I could help all of you living in areas without regular rain: Send your high end jackets (preferably size 42) to me in Switzerland and for a small amount of money I will wear it often and regularly in heavy rain

Apart of that it's good to know that wearing leather jackets in rain helps shaping to the body.

 

[Jin431]

One more:
Scotland was really beautiful, but it is super wet.
Don't go there with a veg tan jacket and make sure you have good boots.

The veg tanned jacket would soak that much I get but would all veg tanned leather jacket shrink? I had that shrinking issue with the olive dyed German HH I got from JL.

 

[Carlos840]

The veg tanned jacket would soak that much I get but would all veg tanned leather jacket shrink? I had that shrinking issue with the olive dyed German HH I got from JL.

I honestly have no idea.
I have a few veg tan jackets but i don't wear them when i know it is going to be very wet as i know they just won't protect me that well.
With LW leather i know i can stand in the rain all day and still be dry inside, i doubt that would be the case with Shinki, so i don't do it.
I have never had any shrinking problem with light rain, but have never worn veg tan in a proper downpour.

 

[jeo]

The veg tanned jacket would soak that much I get but would all veg tanned leather jacket shrink? I had that shrinking issue with the olive dyed German HH I got from JL.

Got caught in a rain storm visiting Jerusalem last year and my veg tan Himel Frobisher was soaked all the way through. No shrinkage, but it did develop real nicely afterwards and a lot more grain popped out. The arm creases especially set in super deep.

 

[Jin431]

I honestly have no idea.
I have a few veg tan jackets but i don't wear them when i know it is going to be very wet as i know they just won't protect me that well.
With LW leather i know i can stand in the rain all day and still be dry inside, i doubt that would be the case with Shinki, so i don't do it.
I have never had any shrinking problem with light rain, but have never worn veg tan in a proper downpour.

Got it, i also feel the same way now. The full aniline shinki from FL I have is definitely going to soak up all the water and the shinki with Mulholland feels it will repel water a little better but I'm a little hesitant to wear veg tanned jackets in the rain now ever since the mishap with my JL jacket

Got caught in a rain storm visiting Jerusalem last year and my veg tan Himel Frobisher was soaked all the way through. No shrinkage, but it did develop real nicely afterwards and a lot more grain popped out. The arm creases especially set in super deep.

Got it, that's reassuring to know. does your himel have a finish?
I like it when the veg tanned leather dries and it gets all rigid with the creases that form are so well pronounced. Its raining here now so I'll get the badalassi a little wet

 

[jeo]

Got it, that's reassuring to know. does your himel have a finish?

My Himel Frobisher has a pigment finish. My Imperial has the oil finish, which is a lot shinier and repels water much better.

Your Mulholland will do just fine in the rain since it has a coating of paint/dye. I wore it many times in the rain and it was fine, although I never got caught in a downpour where it could have gotten soaked.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Yes and no, spray bottle will get you started, but won't be as effective as getting rained on for hours at a time.

Well that's the thing- we don't get hours of rain in California. We're lucky if we get 30 solid minutes of a downpour.

 

[Jin431]

My Himel Frobisher has a pigment finish. My Imperial has the oil finish, which is a lot shinier and repels water much better.

Your Mulholland will do just fine in the rain since it has a coating of paint/dye. I wore it many times in the rain and it was fine, although I never got caught in a downpour where it could have gotten soaked.

Those oil tanned shinki they use look really good, I will save up for one in the dark brown finish.

I noticed the top coat though I doubt it will see plenty of rain where I am but it's great to know I can bring it on my travels (covid policy permitting) and not worry about It too much.

 

[willyto]

Check Greg's Instagram Story guys:

https://www.instagram.com/stories/fieldleathers/2507450420143461981/

Now is the time for that extra 10% if you want a two tone jacket

 

[Jin431]

maybe just maybe he has enough left for 1 order in the brown full aniline? That would be cool

 

[Marc mndt]

maybe just maybe he has enough left for 1 order in the brown full aniline? That would be cool

Greg told me he's ordering a new batch of brown full aniline. More brown FL jackets to come

 

[Jin431]

Greg told me he's ordering a new batch of brown full aniline. More brown FL jackets to come

OOooh wow! Great news! Time to save up again although I'm also interested with the oil tanned shinki that you will get too lol

 

[dlite90]

I’d love to see Greg design a car coat with big corozo buttons but I imagine he’s busy working through orders.

 

[MrProper]

I'm afraid no more FL jacket for me. I'm too impatient to wait if I want something right now. Lol

 

[58panheadfan]

Two months ago it was 10-12 weeks now 6 months and the price is also increasing. It will be interesting to see how it will develop in this regard, provided that it remains a one-man operation. For me already a no go, less because of the terms but rather because of my impatience ...