jeo
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,075
- Location
- Philadelphia
I apologize in advance for the long backstory, but I feel it's worth telling. So here goes.
I've always loved the popular Sears Hercules half belt from the 30's. You guys know which one I'm talking about.. I knew that getting my hands on an original in my size and in good condition would be almost impossible, and if I ever found one, it would be very expensive. I needed to pursue one of the various reproductions such as The Real McCoys version, Rainbow Country's single riders or the GW Imperial. I wanted one for years. But I was always a bit reluctant to buy new direct from Japan. Wether it was measurements that always seemed off or any other number of reasons, there was always something holding me back. And I definitely wasn't about to get into the GW queue. HELL NO!!!
I knew that David Himel has made GW jackets for John before and I had already purchased my Frobisher from him and was extremely pleased with the process and the jacket. I knew the materials and craftsmanship would be top notch. So almost a year ago I reached out to see about having him make me an Imperial. Of course, I had no idea what was involved so he informed me and said that he would need John's permission and for him to send the pattern. So I reached out to John and asked if he would consider (with compensation of course) loaning the pattern to David. Never heard back.
So even though the shoulder measurement seemed WAY off, I said screw it and went ahead and ordered the RC single riders jacket in seal brown from Mushmans. They were fast to respond, and the whole process was very smooth. This was July of last year. They told me that delivery would be around November due to order production and there are no returns. Ok, a bit of a gamble but a gamble that I felt was worth taking.
Then a couple of months later David sends me an email saying John sent him the pattern and asked if I still wanted him to make me the jacket. To this day I have no idea how that happened and who reached out to who. I had already ordered the RC jacket but I was thinking the cut/design/details/leathers would be different enough and I also couldn't pass up this opportunity. So I said yes and told David I wanted it in his dark brown, oil tanned, wax finished horsehide as I think the Imperial looks best with a darker leather. At the time David was out of his dark brown horsehide, so I was in wait mode.
November came around and I finally got my RC, and while I'm extremely pleased with the jacket, it turned out to be a very dark brown and not quite the seal brown depicted in the Mushmans site pics. Not an issue except for the fact that I told Himel I wanted dark brown. Still, I didn't want the same mid brown Shinki that my Frobisher is made out of and I didn't want black as I have plans to get another jacket (or two!) in black and I wear browns more than I wear black anyway.
I met David at Inspiration LA in February and it was there that he told me has able to get a batch dark brown Shinki horsehide and would be able to start making the jacket...finally!!
The jacket was delivered a while back and I've been meaning to make this post for a while now. I finally got around to it. Not going to do a review since you all know what's up anyway...tight stitching, awesome leather yada yada yada. The only thing I will say is that this jacket is ****ing awesome! Thank you David Himel!!
These first photos are taken from Himels instagram.
And here are the fit pics:
So now I have two jackets that are very similar yet still very different. The leather on the imperial, while being dark brown just like my RC, is still pretty different. It's a slightly lighter shade of brown and a lot grainier, shinier and seems a bit thinner. Just like my Frobisher, break in period will be minimal for this guy. The cut is way different than the RC too. Overall it's roomier all around, boxier and little shorter and a lot more comfortable to wear. Overall I'm super happy with it!
I've always loved the popular Sears Hercules half belt from the 30's. You guys know which one I'm talking about.. I knew that getting my hands on an original in my size and in good condition would be almost impossible, and if I ever found one, it would be very expensive. I needed to pursue one of the various reproductions such as The Real McCoys version, Rainbow Country's single riders or the GW Imperial. I wanted one for years. But I was always a bit reluctant to buy new direct from Japan. Wether it was measurements that always seemed off or any other number of reasons, there was always something holding me back. And I definitely wasn't about to get into the GW queue. HELL NO!!!
I knew that David Himel has made GW jackets for John before and I had already purchased my Frobisher from him and was extremely pleased with the process and the jacket. I knew the materials and craftsmanship would be top notch. So almost a year ago I reached out to see about having him make me an Imperial. Of course, I had no idea what was involved so he informed me and said that he would need John's permission and for him to send the pattern. So I reached out to John and asked if he would consider (with compensation of course) loaning the pattern to David. Never heard back.
So even though the shoulder measurement seemed WAY off, I said screw it and went ahead and ordered the RC single riders jacket in seal brown from Mushmans. They were fast to respond, and the whole process was very smooth. This was July of last year. They told me that delivery would be around November due to order production and there are no returns. Ok, a bit of a gamble but a gamble that I felt was worth taking.
Then a couple of months later David sends me an email saying John sent him the pattern and asked if I still wanted him to make me the jacket. To this day I have no idea how that happened and who reached out to who. I had already ordered the RC jacket but I was thinking the cut/design/details/leathers would be different enough and I also couldn't pass up this opportunity. So I said yes and told David I wanted it in his dark brown, oil tanned, wax finished horsehide as I think the Imperial looks best with a darker leather. At the time David was out of his dark brown horsehide, so I was in wait mode.
November came around and I finally got my RC, and while I'm extremely pleased with the jacket, it turned out to be a very dark brown and not quite the seal brown depicted in the Mushmans site pics. Not an issue except for the fact that I told Himel I wanted dark brown. Still, I didn't want the same mid brown Shinki that my Frobisher is made out of and I didn't want black as I have plans to get another jacket (or two!) in black and I wear browns more than I wear black anyway.
I met David at Inspiration LA in February and it was there that he told me has able to get a batch dark brown Shinki horsehide and would be able to start making the jacket...finally!!
The jacket was delivered a while back and I've been meaning to make this post for a while now. I finally got around to it. Not going to do a review since you all know what's up anyway...tight stitching, awesome leather yada yada yada. The only thing I will say is that this jacket is ****ing awesome! Thank you David Himel!!
These first photos are taken from Himels instagram.
And here are the fit pics:
So now I have two jackets that are very similar yet still very different. The leather on the imperial, while being dark brown just like my RC, is still pretty different. It's a slightly lighter shade of brown and a lot grainier, shinier and seems a bit thinner. Just like my Frobisher, break in period will be minimal for this guy. The cut is way different than the RC too. Overall it's roomier all around, boxier and little shorter and a lot more comfortable to wear. Overall I'm super happy with it!
Couldn’t fit you any better!
