dudewuttheheck
I'll Lock Up
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I got my latest Himel jacket recently. Because I do a blog now I wrote a full review for it that will likely be posted next month. Obviously, it is not written for this audience here in mind, but I thought I would share it anyway in case anyone was interested. If not, feel free to skip over it and just take a look at the pictures 
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Nearly two years ago, I went to Inspiration in Los Angeles almost entirely to try on Himel Brothers jackets. At the time, I was most interested in the Kensington café racer and Canuck car coat jackets. Partly as a joke, I tried on his Wolverine grizzly jacket and immediately fell in love with it. In fact, it was so great that my fiancé actually encouraged me to purchase it! To this day, it’s still her favorite item that I own and it has essentially become my signature clothing item. People have actually recognized me at events just because of that jacket.
It certainly stands out and I love it for that, but it can be a bit too much at times. I have been hankering after another jacket from Dave for quite some time, but was unsure which model to choose given just how many of his designs that I love. I actually came quite close at one point to purchasing the Mister Freedom Campus jacket due to the fact that I have really fallen in love with shawl collar/Cossack-style jackets ever since purchasing my Wolverine. I am not entirely sure what it is, but I feel like this style of jacket looks quite good on me and fits my body type well.
However, there were a couple of issues that I had with the Mister Freedom jacket. Firstly, I was not completely in love with the leather color, even after being aged. Additionally, I wanted a jacket that I could easily chuck on and not have to think about at all. My grizzly does not quite fit this category and the leather on the MF jacket meant it would not fit that need either. Secondly, the sleeves, as with all MFSC pieces, were far too long for me. Thirdly, and most arbitrarily, I really wanted contrast stitching.
After mulling all the options, I decided that my best bet was to ask Dave if he had a model similar to this available. Fortunately for me, he said that he did and that he also had the leather that I wanted on the way. He had Ian from Nine Lives send me over a sample jacket and I gave Dave the modifications in size based off of that jacket and the exact specs including the choice of red/brown Shinki horsehide, lighter brown buttons, and light tan contrast stitching. Being able to choose and change all of these details is such a pleasure and it really shows why going custom is the best option when possible.
Dave finished the jacket in just over a month which was quicker than I was expecting. He also did not even ask me for a deposit this time, though that is likely because I am a repeat customer. He usually asks for at least a 50% deposit which is quite fair. Given a very poor recent experience with WH Ranch, it was refreshing to have Dave finish my order and be so easy to work with. As many people know, Mr. Himel is not as easy going as guys like John Chapman, but he does make sure to get all of the details exactly how you want them and I love talking with and working with him. He is a true pleasure to deal with.
The jacket arrived a little after the New Year and it was like a second Christmas for me. There were three things that jumped out at me as soon as I took the jacket out of the box (which was covered with a ‘Cards Against Humanity’ box- great touch Dave). Firstly, the contrast stitching was perfect. Not too loud and noticeable, but definitely there. Secondly, these were the most beautiful buttons I had ever seen in my life. They are a light-medium brown with a diamond pattern in them as well as some textured lines in the pattern itself. The amount of detail in the buttons themselves was astounding and I still marvel at them every time I grab the jacket.
Thirdly, the hide itself was breathtaking. This is the 5th Shinki horse hide leather jacket that I have owned and the third in my current collection. It is easily the best hide that I have ever owned and by a fairly wide margin. This specific color and hide has the most stunning depth of color I have seen which is impressive considering how much I already prize this feature among Shinki leather hides. It is also rather variable in terms of grain, which I personally love. Parts are fairly smooth with other parts being more grainy. I love both characteristics in this jacket. I am not going to say that this is the best Shinki leather hide that I have ever seen, but it is up there for me and it is definitely the best that I personally own. This is a perfect example of why I, along with David Himel and many others believe that Shinki Hikaku’s vegetable tanned horsehide is the best jacket leather in the world.
The other important details include a beautiful khaki/olive color lining that Dave chose for me. I have to say that it looks perfect with the jacket, buttons, and stitching. In addition, it has an inner pocket on the left and most importantly, hand warmer pockets! Other than my peacoat which I cannot frequently wear, I did not have a jacket that had hand warmer pockets that are easy to use. The Wolverine has them, but they are not user friendly. These are very comfortable to use and it feels so great to have a jacket with these again after at least 6 years.
Unsurprisingly, the quality is top notch and pretty much unbeatable in my personal opinion. The button holes are very cleanly stitched. The liner is attached beautifully and the buttons feel very solidly secured. Most importantly, the stitching on this jacket is absolutely gorgeous. Himel Bros. makes a point to stitch all jackets with 100% cotton thread, which is done much slower than stitching with polyester or poly-cotton thread. Perhaps as a result of this, the thread count is very high for a leather jacket. Some people do not care for this, which is fair, but I go crazier than Maria Carey during a New Year’s Eve performance when I see beautiful stitching on a leather jacket.
This particular jacket has some of the tightest, neatest, and most beautiful work that I have personally seen. There is one slightly less than clean stitch on one of the cuffs, but I still would not call it wonky. It is just slightly less perfect than the rest of the jacket. It does not bother me at all given how jaw dropping the rest of the stitch work is. The pattern on the hand warmer pockets is executed to perfection and I could stare at how tight and completely free of seam puckering this jacket is for hours. In fact, I have done just so for quite some time while writing this review!
Many do not care for stitch work on leather goods the way I do and that is perfectly OK, but it is something that I value very highly. Interestingly, while Freewheelers, The Flat Head, and my own Real McCoy’s jacket technically have ever-so-slightly cleaner stitch work, there is something that makes me prefer the way Dave’s jackets are sewn. Perhaps the Japanese do not use the same techniques that he uses, but there is some X factor that makes his jackets the most beautifully sewn in the entire world to me.
As the fit pictures should show, the fit is absolutely perfect. The test jacket was very helpful because while this is also a shawl collar jacket with a similar silhouette to my Wolverine, it is in fact a different pattern and not just the same jacket with buttons, hand warmer pockets, no fur, and a slightly different hide. This means that I chose slightly different measurements for this one and Dave and his team unsurprisingly nailed the measurements. It is very tough to say whether this or my Wolverine fits better. My first Himel jacket fits slightly tighter while this is slightly more relaxed and comfortable, but maybe not as slim. Either way, I am more than satisfied with the fit. This is by far my most comfortable and easiest jacket to wear which is exactly what I wanted from it.
Everything about this jacket is exactly what I wanted. The fit is perfect, the hide is one of the best I have ever seen, the buttons are out of this world, the liner matches beautifully with the other details of the jacket, and the stitching is stunning in a way that only Himel Bros can seem to do. Most importantly, the jacket fits the criteria of being carefree and easy for me to wear with absolutely anything (except black boots of course). In the weeks after receiving it, I have thrown it on over all of my outfits without thinking, making it my easiest jacket to wear on a given day. If I could afford to buy five more leather jackets, I am pretty certain that at least four of them would be other Himel jackets, perhaps all five. I try to be as tempered and balanced as I can in my reviews, but items such as this one make me gush and are the reason why I love this hobby of being so obsessed with high quality heritage clothing. It is with the greatest enthusiasm that I suggest anyone and everyone give Dave a call or an email and check out his incredible jackets. Along with my Clinch and Role Club horsehide boots, my Himel Bros. leather jackets are my absolutely favorite items that I own and if you really pressed me, I’d say that the Himel jackets are at the very top.
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__________
Nearly two years ago, I went to Inspiration in Los Angeles almost entirely to try on Himel Brothers jackets. At the time, I was most interested in the Kensington café racer and Canuck car coat jackets. Partly as a joke, I tried on his Wolverine grizzly jacket and immediately fell in love with it. In fact, it was so great that my fiancé actually encouraged me to purchase it! To this day, it’s still her favorite item that I own and it has essentially become my signature clothing item. People have actually recognized me at events just because of that jacket.
It certainly stands out and I love it for that, but it can be a bit too much at times. I have been hankering after another jacket from Dave for quite some time, but was unsure which model to choose given just how many of his designs that I love. I actually came quite close at one point to purchasing the Mister Freedom Campus jacket due to the fact that I have really fallen in love with shawl collar/Cossack-style jackets ever since purchasing my Wolverine. I am not entirely sure what it is, but I feel like this style of jacket looks quite good on me and fits my body type well.
However, there were a couple of issues that I had with the Mister Freedom jacket. Firstly, I was not completely in love with the leather color, even after being aged. Additionally, I wanted a jacket that I could easily chuck on and not have to think about at all. My grizzly does not quite fit this category and the leather on the MF jacket meant it would not fit that need either. Secondly, the sleeves, as with all MFSC pieces, were far too long for me. Thirdly, and most arbitrarily, I really wanted contrast stitching.
After mulling all the options, I decided that my best bet was to ask Dave if he had a model similar to this available. Fortunately for me, he said that he did and that he also had the leather that I wanted on the way. He had Ian from Nine Lives send me over a sample jacket and I gave Dave the modifications in size based off of that jacket and the exact specs including the choice of red/brown Shinki horsehide, lighter brown buttons, and light tan contrast stitching. Being able to choose and change all of these details is such a pleasure and it really shows why going custom is the best option when possible.
Dave finished the jacket in just over a month which was quicker than I was expecting. He also did not even ask me for a deposit this time, though that is likely because I am a repeat customer. He usually asks for at least a 50% deposit which is quite fair. Given a very poor recent experience with WH Ranch, it was refreshing to have Dave finish my order and be so easy to work with. As many people know, Mr. Himel is not as easy going as guys like John Chapman, but he does make sure to get all of the details exactly how you want them and I love talking with and working with him. He is a true pleasure to deal with.
The jacket arrived a little after the New Year and it was like a second Christmas for me. There were three things that jumped out at me as soon as I took the jacket out of the box (which was covered with a ‘Cards Against Humanity’ box- great touch Dave). Firstly, the contrast stitching was perfect. Not too loud and noticeable, but definitely there. Secondly, these were the most beautiful buttons I had ever seen in my life. They are a light-medium brown with a diamond pattern in them as well as some textured lines in the pattern itself. The amount of detail in the buttons themselves was astounding and I still marvel at them every time I grab the jacket.
Thirdly, the hide itself was breathtaking. This is the 5th Shinki horse hide leather jacket that I have owned and the third in my current collection. It is easily the best hide that I have ever owned and by a fairly wide margin. This specific color and hide has the most stunning depth of color I have seen which is impressive considering how much I already prize this feature among Shinki leather hides. It is also rather variable in terms of grain, which I personally love. Parts are fairly smooth with other parts being more grainy. I love both characteristics in this jacket. I am not going to say that this is the best Shinki leather hide that I have ever seen, but it is up there for me and it is definitely the best that I personally own. This is a perfect example of why I, along with David Himel and many others believe that Shinki Hikaku’s vegetable tanned horsehide is the best jacket leather in the world.
The other important details include a beautiful khaki/olive color lining that Dave chose for me. I have to say that it looks perfect with the jacket, buttons, and stitching. In addition, it has an inner pocket on the left and most importantly, hand warmer pockets! Other than my peacoat which I cannot frequently wear, I did not have a jacket that had hand warmer pockets that are easy to use. The Wolverine has them, but they are not user friendly. These are very comfortable to use and it feels so great to have a jacket with these again after at least 6 years.
Unsurprisingly, the quality is top notch and pretty much unbeatable in my personal opinion. The button holes are very cleanly stitched. The liner is attached beautifully and the buttons feel very solidly secured. Most importantly, the stitching on this jacket is absolutely gorgeous. Himel Bros. makes a point to stitch all jackets with 100% cotton thread, which is done much slower than stitching with polyester or poly-cotton thread. Perhaps as a result of this, the thread count is very high for a leather jacket. Some people do not care for this, which is fair, but I go crazier than Maria Carey during a New Year’s Eve performance when I see beautiful stitching on a leather jacket.
This particular jacket has some of the tightest, neatest, and most beautiful work that I have personally seen. There is one slightly less than clean stitch on one of the cuffs, but I still would not call it wonky. It is just slightly less perfect than the rest of the jacket. It does not bother me at all given how jaw dropping the rest of the stitch work is. The pattern on the hand warmer pockets is executed to perfection and I could stare at how tight and completely free of seam puckering this jacket is for hours. In fact, I have done just so for quite some time while writing this review!
Many do not care for stitch work on leather goods the way I do and that is perfectly OK, but it is something that I value very highly. Interestingly, while Freewheelers, The Flat Head, and my own Real McCoy’s jacket technically have ever-so-slightly cleaner stitch work, there is something that makes me prefer the way Dave’s jackets are sewn. Perhaps the Japanese do not use the same techniques that he uses, but there is some X factor that makes his jackets the most beautifully sewn in the entire world to me.
As the fit pictures should show, the fit is absolutely perfect. The test jacket was very helpful because while this is also a shawl collar jacket with a similar silhouette to my Wolverine, it is in fact a different pattern and not just the same jacket with buttons, hand warmer pockets, no fur, and a slightly different hide. This means that I chose slightly different measurements for this one and Dave and his team unsurprisingly nailed the measurements. It is very tough to say whether this or my Wolverine fits better. My first Himel jacket fits slightly tighter while this is slightly more relaxed and comfortable, but maybe not as slim. Either way, I am more than satisfied with the fit. This is by far my most comfortable and easiest jacket to wear which is exactly what I wanted from it.
Everything about this jacket is exactly what I wanted. The fit is perfect, the hide is one of the best I have ever seen, the buttons are out of this world, the liner matches beautifully with the other details of the jacket, and the stitching is stunning in a way that only Himel Bros can seem to do. Most importantly, the jacket fits the criteria of being carefree and easy for me to wear with absolutely anything (except black boots of course). In the weeks after receiving it, I have thrown it on over all of my outfits without thinking, making it my easiest jacket to wear on a given day. If I could afford to buy five more leather jackets, I am pretty certain that at least four of them would be other Himel jackets, perhaps all five. I try to be as tempered and balanced as I can in my reviews, but items such as this one make me gush and are the reason why I love this hobby of being so obsessed with high quality heritage clothing. It is with the greatest enthusiasm that I suggest anyone and everyone give Dave a call or an email and check out his incredible jackets. Along with my Clinch and Role Club horsehide boots, my Himel Bros. leather jackets are my absolutely favorite items that I own and if you really pressed me, I’d say that the Himel jackets are at the very top.
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