Five Star Leather Jackets

[ton312]

This was their response:

Thanks for your email - we appreciate your concern regarding this matter,
please note that we use the same leather Buffalo on the Entire Jacket, i will send you the reference images of Buffalo skin shortly even the grain of above images is Buffalo leather,

I am not convinced that they mixed Buffalo and goat after all. From what I understand they may have mixed top grain with full grain though.

LOL, I'm not surprised by their reply. This is what I'd expect tbh. In the end it's for the best as the environmental impact of these jackets, having them remade, etc is most certainly not worth it. Ask Shawn to send you some goat samples with your next order.

 

[KBlake]

LOL, I'm not surprised by their reply. This is what I'd expect tbh. In the end it's for the best as the environmental impact of these jackets, having them remade, etc is most certainly not worth it. Ask Shawn to send you some goat samples with your next order.

I’ve owned their goat. I agree it looks like goat but I also notice that parts of the same piece look like goat while other parts do not. Look at these photos here and you will see what I mean.

 

[Marc mndt]

From what I understand they may have mixed top grain with full grain though.

Note the visible pores, both the sleeve and the cuff panels are top grain at best.

 

[ton312]

I’ve owned their goat. I agree it looks like goat but I also notice that parts of the same piece look like goat while other parts do not. Look at these photos here and you will see what I mean. View attachment 626051 View attachment 626052

Plot twist, the Buffalo is actually just embossed goat. I wouldn't have been so skeptical if they had'nt done this very thing on my winchester jacket. I was going to blast them here for it but figured it wasn't worth it. I think I have scrubbed my phone of any 5 Star but maybe I can find a pic. I always stripped and dyed the jackets so it was crystal clear.

 

[KBlake]

Plot twist, the Buffalo is actually just embossed goat. I wouldn't have been so skeptical if they had'nt done this very thing on my winchester jacket. I was going to blast them here for it but figured it wasn't worth it. I think I have scrubbed my phone of any 5 Star but maybe I can find a pic. I always stripped and dyed the jackets so it was crystal clear.

For $300 I’m happy with it.

 

[MrProper]

For $300 I’m happy with it.

That's the main thing.
Personally, I find it unsatisfactory when people don't play with open cards. If I know that the leather is from animal x at price y, then I can make a conscious decision. If I buy animal x but get animal z, then I feel like I've been taken for a ride.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Visible haircell usually means a bit of spot sanding to get rid of the small imperfection to get more square footage out of the hide, advertised as top grain leather. But for the 5* price I wouldn't expect Horween level quality (full grain with some unusable square footage due to natural leather characteristic) either. Two sides of Horween leather from Chicago's Tannery Row weekly special is $300, regular price is almost double, and it will barely make one medium sized jacket.
Goatskin grain is totally different than bovine. Under magnification, goatskin actually looks like little squiggly shapes crammed like office workers crammed in a Japanese subway. Goatskins are usually smaller and cleaner so there is no need for "topgrain", and mostly are all full grain. But then it also limits the design. If you want a bigger jacket/coat made out of goatskin you've gotta put some joining seams somewhere. This is where horsehide and bovine beats goatskin, but then they would also cost a lot more... Nothing is perfect...

Edited, my poor choice of words...

5* crystal goat

Aero goat

Johnson goat

 

[KBlake]

That's the main thing.
Personally, I find it unsatisfactory when people don't play with open cards. If I know that the leather is from animal x at price y, then I can make a conscious decision. If I buy animal x but get animal z, then I feel like I've been taken for a ride.

I don’t think they used a different animal, though. The price for Buffalo and goat is the same.

 

[blood_e]

crystal goat looks very nice. do they have that still?

 

[klorel]

I don’t think they used a different animal, though. The price for Buffalo and goat is the same.

As a general principle, I do not see why one should bother much about which animal if the product itself (that is the jacket/leather) is OK. I would say that the quality of the tanning is clearly more important than the animal. But there is a good question: how someone without access to a lab can accurately distinguish between goat leather, buffalo leather, cow leather and horse leather?

 

[spectre6000]

Leather under a microscope

Last weekend, I promised that I'd make this thread pursuant to some comments in the Ask a Question thread. I was sick and it was snowy, so I figured I had the time. Turns out, I was sicker than I realized, so I apologize for the delay. At any rate, here is the promised thread. Various leathers...

www.thefedoralounge.com

Working on it. Pores seem to be emerging as a tell. Visible by eye or with a magnifying glass if your eyes aren't the greatest.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Sri Lanka buffalo hides used in really expensive jackets also has more than 1 hair cell, not as much as the 5* one but also not in the same price bracket.

The Camera on my iphone 13 is more than good enough to capture the details of the leather, damn you 5* thread for making me go find hair cell on my jacket... I guess if I am always out looking for faults, however insignificant they are, I'd find them at 505% magnification...

 

[spectre6000]

I guess if I am always out looking for faults, however insignificant they are, I'd find them at 505% magnification...

This is how I feel about a lot of this thread.

 

[SPUdMurphy]

UPDATE 2:

I received an email from Shawn offering to remake the jacket, as they want to make it right.

I think this is a great solution, and have asked them for logistics of how to make it work.

As I have said, I honestly do believe in the service these guys offer, and it seems that so far, they are on track to helping make this right.

Ill keep the thread updated as we go along.

UPDATE 3:

I received my replacement jacket today.

I did a quick look over it, and the leather is far better, no blemishes! The shoulder issue is still there, but I am hoping it will ease off with wear.

Ive asked them for a prepaid return shipping label to return to return the original as they asked me to send it back to them.

Ill take new photos when I can.

Cheers

 

[Aloysius]

UPDATE 3:

I received my replacement jacket today.

I did a quick look over it, and the leather is far better, no blemishes! The shoulder issue is still there, but I am hoping it will ease off with wear.

Ive asked them for a prepaid return shipping label to return to return the original as they asked me to send it back to them.

Ill take new photos when I can.

Cheers

Glad this worked out!

 

[SPUdMurphy]

UPDATE 3:

I received my replacement jacket today.

I did a quick look over it, and the leather is far better, no blemishes! The shoulder issue is still there, but I am hoping it will ease off with wear.

Ive asked them for a prepaid return shipping label to return to return the original as they asked me to send it back to them.

Ill take new photos when I can.

Cheers

Here are a couple of pics of the remade jacket. As I mentioned, aside from the shoulder issue that I think will hopefully get better as time goes on, I am very happy with the jacket for the price. The leather seems like good quality, and the hides seems much more even on this one than it was on the one with the blemish.

Overall, while my first 5* experience was not perfect, I am very happy with my purchase, and would say that in the end I definitely got an end product that meets my expectations for how much I had to pay.

I hope everyone else who decides to go ahead with an order with 5* feels the same.

I believe they supply a product that is higher quality than the price they charge.

 

[handymike]

Glad it all ended up working out for you!

 

[SPUdMurphy]

Glad it all ended up working out for you!

Thanks mate, me too.

They made it right, and I think anyone considering buying one should take that into account and do in with the knowledge that they do seem to want to make it right in the end when things don't go according to plan.

Also, I was never rude, or ignorant in my communications with Shawn and Fagham, so perhaps that had something to do with the positive outcome?

Not sure, but either way, it went from me feeling pretty down about it all, but now I am very happy with my purchase, and am glad to have taken the chance and went with 5*

 

[Togs]

Note the visible pores, both the sleeve and the cuff panels are top grain at best.

Visible haircell usually means a bit of spot sanding to get rid of the small imperfection to get more square footage out of the hide, advertised as top grain leather.

I’m reading the above as visible pores = top grain, which is an argument I’m having trouble following.

My understanding from the following reference is visible pores = full grain, and sanding tends to remove hair pores. Another page goes into more detail about leather hair pores and hair follicles, including the hair pores in goat leather, and yes, embossed hair pores which possibly brings us back to Marc’s point.

 

[Canuck Panda]

View attachment 632023
View attachment 632024


Here are a couple of pics of the remade jacket. As I mentioned, aside from the shoulder issue that I think will hopefully get better as time goes on, I am very happy with the jacket for the price. The leather seems like good quality, and the hides seems much more even on this one than it was on the one with the blemish.

Overall, while my first 5* experience was not perfect, I am very happy with my purchase, and would say that in the end I definitely got an end product that meets my expectations for how much I had to pay.

I hope everyone else who decides to go ahead with an order with 5* feels the same.

I believe they supply a product that is higher quality than the price they charge.

Very nice. The single back panel isn't easy for goatskin considering the size. Classic bombers never go outta style. Enjoy.