Help me re-proof my old Barbour Jacket...

[Weston]

Hi Folks.

Well, after many years of service, my old Barbour needs a reproofing. Unable to find a Barbour stockist here in KC, I bought some Filson's proofing wax. Several questions:

1. Is the Filson's OK for my Barbour?
2. How do I reproof it exactly?

I can turn this nice English hunting jacket into junk in a second. Any ideas on how to maintain it well?

Thanks!

 

[scotrace]

Rewaxing Cotton

I can only speak from a single experience. My wife has a floor-length outback style waxed cotten coat in dark green (from Victoria's Secret, of all places). She's had it since 1990 or so. Last year, it had to be rewaxed for the first time.
I would think that any wax that is made for garments would work fine.

I warmed the wax slightly (it's thick) by sitting the can on a warm stovetop (not the burner itself), then used a small cotten cloth to slowly wipe the whole coat, collar to hem. It darkens at first (and stinks), and I used as much as it would absorb. You can easily see where you've coated and where you haven't, but it works into the fabric pretty quickly (though not easily).
After the coat had been gone over (used the entire small can), I used a hair dryer on a low heat setting to further drive the wax into the fabric. Any spots that still looked bare got another coat.
The coat stiffened up like new, and is truly like a new one.
Not a hard process, and if you stick to garment wax, it's hard to go too far wrong.

 

[Andy]

I hope you have a spare weekend.

The Flison wax should work just fine, I've used it on a lot of non-Filson jackets. It also helps if you have a heat gun a blow dryer might work, but I've never found one that would get hot enough.

This is how I do it.

1.My method works better if you have a shed or room that does't have important flooring in it.

2. I hose down the jacket and scrub it well with a brush. You may not have to do this depending on how you've used your jacket, mine is a work jacket and it looks it.

3.Once dry, I use a sturdy hanger and hang it from the ceiling.

4.Melt two tins of Filson wax in an old pot over low heat, it smells bad. Pick your pot with care, you'll never be able to use for anything else.

5.Use a paint brush and brush the melted wax onto the jacket. It will harden up quick. Work on small areas.

6.Once I have the entire jacket well coated I let it hang overnight. I've heard of people putting space heaters in a closet with the jacket to help the wax absorb better, that doesn't seem all that safe to me. I tried putting mine in a sauna but it didn't help much.

7.At this point I use the heat gun to heat up small areas of the jacket. As the wax melts I use a cloth diaper to rub away the excess, this will take awhile.

8.After another night in the shed I go over the jacket one more time with the heat gun to get any spots that still feel sticky.

It sounds like a lot but it works, and just rubbing the wax in will not work.

 

[scotrace]

Worked perfectly fine for me.

And welcome Andy!

 

[Andy]

With Filson wax?

 

[scotrace]

Ah, no.

I honestly don't remember. "Jacket Goo" or somesuch. Got it from the Filson dealers though.

(and thanks for getting me my 1000th post - ha!)

 

[Alan Eardley]

Waxed cotton

When I used to work at Belstaff we devloped a way of reproofing jackets that were returned to the factory that was pretty much as Andy describes. Either method should work OK. The secret is even regular heat.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

In my experience, the only way to do it right, is to have it done by a professional. Home reproofing is for wear spots, like elbows. If the entire jacket needs reproofing, a professional will make it look uniform, as it did when it was brand new.

I sent my old Bedale to Barbour North America in New Hampshire:

BARBOUR INCORPORATED
55 MEADOW BROOK DRIVE
MILFORD
NEW HAMPSHIRE 03055-4613

Tel: (603) 673 1313
Fax: (603) 673 6510
Toll free: 1 800 338 3474

Dbroadley@Barbourna.com

Mine came back perfect! The wax job was uniform, yet had great depth. It looked well loved, but the wax felt natural. I highly recommend them.

These folks to it as well, but I don't know the quality of their work: http://www.newenglandreproofers.com/

Just a suggestion. Good luck with whatever you decide. They're great jackets.

 

[Weston]

Avoiding the process has my ears perked up,

But the key question: How much?

If it matters, mine is a knocked about old Beaufort from 10-15 years ago.

 

[Andy]

If Barbour offers that service that's what I'd do. I wish Filson would do that.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Avoiding the process has my ears perked up,

But the key question: How much?

If it matters, mine is a knocked about old Beaufort from 10-15 years ago.

Email Barbour and ask them; they give estimates. I think mine was $35 or $40 and worth every penny, though it took a month, but then I had my sleeves lengthened also -the sleeve lengthening was additional.

 

[Tim P]

i treated a number of Barbour jackets by hand and always just melted the barbours own brand wax by standing it in boiling water. Having applied it I then did the obligatory hair dryer thing. it went well but an occasional professiona rewax is worth the money.
Barbour definately do their jackets and a professional rewaxing will render the jacket as good as new.
I was told by a fellow barbour enthusiast that they take the jacket, clean the liner and then using a hot gun actually spray the wax on in a custom drying room where it then hangs.

 

[Aerol]

Barbour- New Hampshire

I have them re-proof my coat about every two years. They've also repaired tears and wear spots (pockets, cuffs, etc.). They do a good job and offer reasonable value for money.

Just avoid high season...work can drag on for months in the fall!

 

[EdinLA44]

I had my Bedale done by the folks at Barbour in NH a couple of years ago. If I recall, it was less than $50 and they did an excellent job. Give them a call and get an estimate.