Five Star Leather Jackets

[Hobbes1]

But this dark brown is a lot better than the tan one for sure.

Hi. Great looking jacket! Regarding the tan colored jacket you got previously, did you end up keeping it and if so, have you worn it much to break it in? I am really wanting a lighter colored tan jacket but am put off by the less than stellar comments you've made. Another member here had one and seemed to like his ok @Grasp loo paper but these are the only two jackets I have seen on here made in the lighter tan leather. I'd love to know how these might change over time with wear.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Hi. Great looking jacket! Regarding the tan colored jacket you got previously, did you end up keeping it and if so, have you worn it much to break it in? I am really wanting a lighter colored tan jacket but am put off by the less than stellar comments you've made. Another member here had one and seemed to like his ok @Grasp loo paper but these are the only two jackets I have seen on here made in the lighter tan leather. I'd love to know how these might change over time with wear.

There’s nothing wrong with Shawn’s tan SXL. It’s good steerhide. I didn’t like it because I was expecting exactly same as Aero’s CXL (color and softness), but it’s not.
To me the color is too light and leather is less pliable than others. Between Shawn’s Tan CXL or his conic goat I would go with the goat. It’s thick enough and color is darker and is still super soft. Or at the very least I would do a two tone with the goat on side and underarm panels, with full action back and center pleat in the lining. The SXL on its own is really too thick and not pliable enough for me to wear as a daily jacket. And between the tan and the dark brown the dark brown is a better choice. I mean if I was gonna endure the stiffness might as well be thickest I can get. It’s actually closer to 6 oz than 5.5 as advertised.

 

[Canuck Panda]

My pencil arms is no match for the dark brown monster. I could not put any creases in the sleeves at all. This 5.999 oz hide from hell is reserved for the toughest of the tough guys out there. I’m throwing in the towel on this one. This is how my short lived story ends, with retreat.
While this was not expected, it was fun. Totally different than all other jacket experience to date. Good times.
My next 5star will be SOFT sheepskin, can’t decide between 10 or the plushier 20mm… To be continued…

 

[MrProper]

can’t decide between 10 or the plushier 20mm… To be continued…

20 mm

 

[Canuck Panda]

20 mm

YES!

 

[Jin431]

There’s nothing wrong with Shawn’s tan SXL. It’s good steerhide. I didn’t like it because I was expecting exactly same as Aero’s CXL (color and softness), but it’s not.
To me the color is too light and leather is less pliable than others. Between Shawn’s Tan CXL or his conic goat I would go with the goat. It’s thick enough and color is darker and is still super soft. Or at the very least I would do a two tone with the goat on side and underarm panels, with full action back and center pleat in the lining. The SXL on its own is really too thick and not pliable enough for me to wear as a daily jacket. And between the tan and the dark brown the dark brown is a better choice. I mean if I was gonna endure the stiffness might as well be thickest I can get. It’s actually closer to 6 oz than 5.5 as advertised.
View attachment 344450

Maybe hit that 5* SXL with a bit of mink oil to liven it up a bit?

 

[Canuck Panda]

Maybe hit that 5* SXL with a bit of mink oil to liven it up a bit?

It has been transferred to the back of the rack, for now. I would need a few easy wins for confidence boost before I can face that challenge again…

 

[Hobbes1]

Maybe hit that 5* SXL with a bit of mink oil to liven it up a bit?

It has been transferred to the back of the rack, for now. I would need a few easy wins for confidence boost before I can face that challenge again…

You know, your last picture really shows this 5* leather in a different light, so to speak. The light tan color especially looks.....dry and flat. I don't mean this as a criticism to you or putting you or your jacket down. I really (really!) want to like this light color leather but....it's getting hard to feel like it would be a good choice. There would definitely have to be something else done to it to....I don't know..."liven it up" as @Jin431 says or somehow make make it look better than it appears in your picture. Is it truly as dry and flat in appearance as your picture seems to show?

 

[Imuricecreamman]

You know, your last picture really shows this 5* leather in a different light, so to speak. The light tan color especially looks.....dry and flat. I don't mean this as a criticism to you or putting you or your jacket down. I really (really!) want to like this light color leather but....it's getting hard to feel like it would be a good choice. There would definitely have to be something else done to it to....I don't know..."liven it up" as @Jin431 says or somehow make make it look better than it appears in your picture. Is it truly as dry and flat in appearance as your picture seems to show?

Seems to me like most people who buy "natural" leather jackets go to more or less dramatic steps to alter the appearance of the leather either by applying leather products, dye them or use the sunbathing technique. Im guessing these hides are pretty "raw" and untreated as Tony's had a lot of scars and marks on the hide. I was considering the natural as a winter jacket and just wear the shit out it in bad weather and I would guess the hide would take on a different character pretty quick.

 

[Canuck Panda]

You know, your last picture really shows this 5* leather in a different light, so to speak. The light tan color especially looks.....dry and flat. I don't mean this as a criticism to you or putting you or your jacket down. I really (really!) want to like this light color leather but....it's getting hard to feel like it would be a good choice. There would definitely have to be something else done to it to....I don't know..."liven it up" as @Jin431 says or somehow make make it look better than it appears in your picture. Is it truly as dry and flat in appearance as your picture seems to show?

^^^what icecreamman said... Its not dry. Its closer to raw/naked leather than Horweens Natural CXL which is actually a sandy light brown. Shawn pressed wax in the "natural" leather, so surface is waxier than oily. The grain on Shawn's leather is really good. Shows scars, insect bites all the goodies. This leather is more pliable than the dark brown version. But to get it to a point I would like it would take years of wearing and sun tanning, which is too much work and commitment from me.
Shawn could just do a dark brown version of his goatskin and that would be it for me, instead of the russet we get now from the A2 leftovers.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

^^^what icecreamman said... Its not dry. Its closer to raw/naked leather than Horweens Natural CXL which is actually a sandy light brown. Shawn pressed wax in the "natural" leather, so surface is waxier than oily. The grain on Shawn's leather is really good. Shows scars, insect bites all the goodies. This leather is more pliable than the dark brown version. But to get it to a point I would like it would take years of wearing and sun tanning, which is too much work and commitment from me.
Shawn could just do a dark brown version of his goatskin and that would be it for me, instead of the russet we get now from the A2 leftovers.

Have you posted a front pic of that mouton collared tan SXL? Looks cool.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

Got the "bootlegger" pattern in the Brown SXL in the works. Specced with the pocket config from the Thedi Hektor and a curly blonde mouton collar.

 

[Al 916]

At the risk of seeming lazy not searching all the thread posts, has anyone commissioned a (Aero) Premium Highwayman style from these guys?

If so would you please let me know your leather thoughts and any pics.

Many thanks
Al

 

[handymike]

The leather for me would be the black goat used for @Riu’s jacket.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Have you posted a front pic of that mouton collared tan SXL? Looks cool.

Got the "bootlegger" pattern in the Brown SXL in the works. Specced with the pocket config from the Thedi Hektor and a curly blonde mouton collar.

Ask for softer leather! The brown SXL is simply too stiff @ 5.5/6 oz thickness. The tan CHL above has crappy colors, but wearable @ 4oz thickness. I would recommend the tan CHL leather in the dark brown SXL color. I wish I could smashed the two together and just have one jacket.

The leather for me would be the black goat used for @Riu’s jacket.

Black goat is also what I would recommend. It's dyed through, thick and soft.
Seal goat is also thick and soft, but pigment / teacore finish. Black goat looks more premium.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

View attachment 345427



Ask for softer leather! The brown SXL is simply too stiff @ 5.5/6 oz thickness. The tan CHL above has crappy colors, but wearable @ 4oz thickness. I would recommend the tan CHL leather in the dark brown SXL color. I wish I could smashed the two together and just have one jacket.




Black goat is also what I would recommend. It's dyed through, thick and soft.
Seal goat is also thick and soft, but pigment / teacore finish. Black goat looks more premium.

It might be the CHL in dark brown... I don't know. I showed Shawn @Wardo1974 pic and said I wanted the same with some mods. I hope it's wearable

 

[mtrlr]

I paid $30 for some samples, but forgot to mention goat, so I didn't get them I got some HH, two CHL, some steer and buffalo. But the samples I got were not very impressive TBH, most of them are so stretchy it feels strange. The dark brown CHL is way too thick and stiff, although I like the color. The dark seal HH is not stretchy, but not much of characters for a HH, feels almost like sheep.

So no decision is made for any project at this point.

 

[Canuck Panda]

^^^thats what I mean with the dark brown CHL. It’s too thick and stiff but color is good. Same dark brown color on the thinner tan one or even goat hide would be much better. I never experience horse hides from 5star so I don’t know. But I have all the goats in every color. Black and seal are the only two I would recommend. The russet is really for the military audience, and the conic is too mono tone.
We should really encourage Shawn to do a dark brown goat, like the CHL color but goat thickness and soft.

 

[PilotJens]

Has anyone ever seen a Indianer Jones style jacket in Chromexcel leather?

I always wanted an indy but I would love to try the new brown split to a thinner weight .
The traditional indy from wested is goat I think

 

[handymike]

Aero made one, but IMO it was too thick.

there was a time I wanted one in the “Crazy Horse”