Iron Heart IHJ-64 black chrome tanned Horsehide made in Japan

[Robbie79]

Hi all,

Does someone of you guys have experience with Iron Heart's black chrome tanned horsehide which they use for their Type III and Rider's jacket? They describe the leather as follows: "This is seriously the nicest horsehide leather we have ever seen from any tannery anywhere." The HH is rather soft and more pliable than Horween CXFQHH and still heavy according to them. They definitely have Simmons Bilt's portfolio as a comparison but I'm not sure how it is compared to e.g. Shinki, Vicenza, etc. Is the original maker Four Speed Leathers or another manufacturer? I really like the pictures of their black Type III jacket but only large sizes are currently available.

I would appreciate your experience sharing with me.
Thanks, Robbie

 

[ton312]

Hi all,

Does someone of you guys have experience with Iron Heart's black chrome tanned horsehide which they use for their Type III and Rider's jacket? They describe the leather as follows: "This is seriously the nicest horsehide leather we have ever seen from any tannery anywhere." The HH is rather soft and more pliable than Horween CXFQHH and still heavy according to them. They definitely have Simmons Bilt's portfolio as a comparison but I'm not sure how it is compared to e.g. Shinki, Vicenza, etc. Is the original maker Four Speed Leathers or another manufacturer? I really like the pictures of their black Type III jacket but only large sizes are currently available.

I would appreciate your experience sharing with me.
Thanks, Robbie

No first hand experience Robbie but you may find some answers in this thread: https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10995.120
One user there really abused their jacket:

and it didn't fair well. TBH I have never been overly impressed with any of IH's leather offerings. Personally. I just don't like it. The cross zip they offered a year or two ago looked 100% printed. I dunno. Their denim can't be touched but for leather I think they are the last place I'd look.

 

[Carlos840]

No first hand experience Robbie but you may find some answers in this thread: https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10995.120
One user there really abused their jacket:

and it didn't fair well. TBH I have never been overly impressed with any of IH's leather offerings. Personally. I just don't like it. The cross zip they offered a year or two ago looked 100% printed. I dunno. Their denim can't be touched but for leather I think they are the last place I'd look.

Its funny that they call that "evo"...
I would call that a defect or damage, but to each their own i guess.

 

[sweetfights]

No first hand experience Robbie but you may find some answers in this thread: https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10995.120
One user there really abused their jacket:

and it didn't fair well. TBH I have never been overly impressed with any of IH's leather offerings. Personally. I just don't like it. The cross zip they offered a year or two ago looked 100% printed. I dunno. Their denim can't be touched but for leather I think they are the last place I'd look.

Terrible looking. Would not touch that leather with a ten-foot pole.

 

[Blackadder]

He put it in a dryer. Has anyone here ever put their dyed CXL or Shiniki in a dryer?

 

[ton312]

He did confess to machine washing and drying the jacket in a tumble dryer. Horrendous idea. No leather deserves that. Appears the painted top coat was simply/boiled and baked off.
To be fair, I'm not a fan of the hides to begin with. The brown looks depressingly flat and the black doesn't seem particularly special to me at all.

 

[Monitor]

If I know anything about leather, this shouldn't be happening, no matter what you do to it. Only means it'll start happening eventually on its own. I really like IH but this isn't a good thing at all.

 

[Carlos840]

He did confess to machine washing and drying the jacket in a tumble dryer. Horrendous idea. No leather deserves that. Appears the painted top coat was simply/boiled and baked off.
To be fair, I'm not a fan of the hides to begin with. The brown looks depressingly flat and the black doesn't seem particularly special to me at all.

I kinda agree with @Monitor, many people on the lounge have put jackets in the washing machine, and I have also read about people putting jackets in driers with tennis balls to break them in.
Admitedly he most likely used high heat in both washing or drying, but still this isn't a great sign.

It reminds me a lot of the peeling Lewis Leathers that we saw not long ago, they called it a defect and took the jacket back.

 

[ton312]

I kinda agree with @Monitor, many people on the lounge have put jackets in the washing machine, and I have also read about people putting jackets in driers with tennis balls to break them in.
Admitedly he most likely used high heat in both washing or drying, but still this isn't a great sign.

It reminds me a lot of the peeling Lewis Leathers that we saw not long ago, they called it a defect and took the jacket back.

What's most shocking to me is that the guy seems really pleased with it!

 

[Blackadder]

I will have to disagree with Monitor. Leather is fine (doesn't seem to be any cracks) but dye comes off and dye does come off. If dried without a laundry bag, the drum surface of the dryer would be like an iron. It may have to do with whether the leather is dyed through or not but whether a leather is dyed through is just a practice not indication of quality. Also, it has to do with whether the tanning company will envisage people putting the item through the "process" it has been given. I don't expect a leather jacket to be able to take abuse like a saddle.

 

[Blackadder]

What's most shocking to me is that the guy seems really pleased with it!

Well, I am shocked that people cut the epaulet and belt off their jackets but I guess to each his own. To clarify, I mean I am shocked that people don't seem to mind the exposed snaps and empty loops after the DIY cutting. I am ok if they professionally altered the jacket by removing the snaps and loops as well.

 

[Robbie79]

Thanks for your honest feedback and advice. Indeed the pics Ton shared don't look like a wear resistant leathe jacket but on the other hand I would never put a leather jacket in a dryer...just normal use. I hope there is at least one IH horsehide jacket owner around here for sharing his (long-term) experience. There must be something very good and special about this leather as all jackets on the Japanese market were sold out in just one day as far as I know and IH usually is known for its excellent quality (at least denim).

 

[ton312]

There must be something very good and special about this leather as all jackets on the Japanese market were sold out in just one day as far as I know and IH usually is known for its excellent quality (at least denim).

IH enjoys something of a cult following and while I'd agree that most of their stuff is really fantastic, I've also had my share of duds.

 

[GW KY]

I am in love with their denim and flannels...haven't pulled trigger on the leather. The roughout brown and black truckers look super cool to me.

Hard to imagine washing and hot drying a leather jacket in any circumstance..seems insane.

Maybe cold drying with tennis balls could be somewhat reasonable.

 

[Rosecitymike]

FWIW I have the riders jacket (IHJ-35) and the leather on it is spectular. I would put it on par with my Shinki from Himel and better than the aero cxl I have and the vincenza the IH replaced. I’ve had it less than a year, so I can’t as yet truly talk about long term use. But it has broken in beautifully and shows no sign of peeling, etc. I love this jacket, and get compliments on it every time I wear it. I can’t speak to the SB collabs but would recommend this leather without hesitation.

 

[Robbie79]

FWIW I have the riders jacket (IHJ-35) and the leather on it is spectular. I would put it on par with my Shinki from Himel and better than the aero cxl I have and the vincenza the IH replaced. I’ve had it less than a year, so I can’t as yet truly talk about long term use. But it has broken in beautifully and shows no sign of peeling, etc. I love this jacket, and get compliments on it every time I wear it. I can’t speak to the SB collabs but would recommend this leather without hesitation.

@Rosecitymike Thanks for sharing your experience. And after all the preciding discussions I was not expecting that the HH quality seems to on par or similar to Shinki from Himel and better than CXL and Vicenza stuff....I wish they could provide me with a small leather sample but now I at least know from first hand experience that the leather quality is good.

 

[Entropic Thunder]

I have the self edge version of their cafe racer jacket in black, the ihj-35 I believe and can likewise testify that it’s among the nicest leather I’ve had. At first it seemed kind of plasticky and stiff but very quickly the grain started popping and it softened up and some creasing set in. It’s now very similar to the Shinki I’ve seen. It’s a teacore hide so the black has begun rubbing off only very slightly around the high friction areas like the cuffs and the pocket that I put my keys into which looks even better, but it isn’t happening at an accelerated rate and you have to look for it to see it after 2 seasons of wear now. No weird flaking like those pictures but he clearly stated he submerged his for over an hour and then ran it through a hot cycle, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. I’ve intentionally tried to scratch mine in a discreet area to see how easily the paint comes off and I haven’t been able to lift any. I’d fully recommend this leather, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

 

[Robbie79]

I have the self edge version of their cafe racer jacket in black, the ihj-35 I believe and can likewise testify that it’s among the nicest leather I’ve had. At first it seemed kind of plasticky and stiff but very quickly the grain started popping and it softened up and some creasing set in. It’s now very similar to the Shinki I’ve seen. It’s a teacore hide so the black has begun rubbing off only very slightly around the high friction areas like the cuffs and the pocket that I put my keys into which looks even better, but it isn’t happening at an accelerated rate and you have to look for it to see it after 2 seasons of wear now. No weird flaking like those pictures but he clearly stated he submerged his for over an hour and then ran it through a hot cycle, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. I’ve intentionally tried to scratch mine in a discreet area to see how easily the paint comes off and I haven’t been able to lift any. I’d fully recommend this leather, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thanks - that makes me feel more confident in case I buy one!

 

[Imuricecreamman]

Terrible looking. Would not touch that leather with a ten-foot pole.

This peels like old paint... I don't think dye comes off like that.

 

[red devil]

The real lesson here is do not try this with any of your leathers, they would all get seriously damaged