A quite relevant and timely thread i found today, as my new 1930s slim fit halfbelt just arrived today. man, first thing I noticed was how heavy that UPS box was!!!! some brick inside! then out came the jacket, the horsehide is 3mm thick, maybe 4 given the folding, and it's heavier than any Schott or American horsehide jacket i've ever seen. The color is a vintage cordovan, ha, right, the perfect candidate for bleeding. but it's almost summer now, so I've have to pack it away for the winter to test it. I have a feeling that it is actually going to bleed, here is why, it feels soaked!! the leather feels damp and soggy. I doubt that it got wet on the way, so I think it's the dye and the oil in the leather, the way it gravitates towards the earth is really like a wet jacket, I wonder how I can dry it??
I know what you mean by heavy and damp feeling, I also have a Cordovan highwayman, that feels like it is wet, but it isn't. I have not had it bleed, maybe a little of the exterior finish rubbed off on my car leather seats but thats it.
I also have a cordovan Aero and have had a black Aero. Both the cordovan and black had this feeling when the leather was very warm but the black or cordovan never bled, fortunately. I found it easier breaking in the jacket when it was warm since it had more flex and drape. I don't know if it's a property of horsehide or the stuffing (wax) they put in the hide that makes it so stiff when it's cold. I wouldn't wait until it's really cool outside to start wearing the jacket.
How do you like the 30's half-belt in the FQHH - I'm debating goat versus FQHH in the 30's Half-Belt for my next jacket order.
I'm like you, regius. But - over time, I've given up a little of that. Growing up in places like Montana and Pennsylvania where gear was made to be used for hard work, I learned early on to appreciate such things as heavy cow/bison/horse hides and the gear made of it. Now, I've come around some to the goat and thinner hides. but not too thin - I think the 1.1 mm stuff is my mental limit. I have some beautiful hide samples, but once they get thinner than that, I can't do itHi Colorado, I tend to associate weight and substantiveness with value, it's just me, I know a lightweight high end A2 is just as good, but it still itches in me when thinking about its price (I have three Goodwears), thank goodness the GW A2 are heavy. So, this Cordovan is real stuff, so I like it, also, it is well made, nice beautiful shape, only problem is the armhole is too large and low, so very little reaching, but i guess this is the old-fashioned cut. I would be a little happier if the horsehide can be lighter, it's just wayyyyyy too heavy! If it's the veggie horse like on a A2 that'd be great.