Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Johnson Leather Jacket

TheDonEffect

Practically Family
Messages
623
Yes, and in the case of JL’s “black overdye” that name itself is a misnomer as the leather is actually coffee bean brown and never black. It simply goes from coffee bean to tan in fairly short order. This was my JL CXL overdye. It’s clearly not black. Been passed around the forum a bit. I don’t know who has it now…
View attachment 397320

I get that it looks more seal than black, but is this not an overdye since there is a top color coat that's different than the lighter leather? The zipper pulls shows that, so the misnomer is black and not overdye?
 

TheDonEffect

Practically Family
Messages
623
Semantics discussion. I think your definition is spot on. Sometimes the top coat is thicker (and therefore the brown takes longer to show through, sometimes it's rather thin like on my Thedi.

Agreed, I don't really like these semantical discussions, it's like being on a car forum and defining what a sports car is, but @Hh121 raised that point that JL is misleading people which I'm trying to understand how, because it doesn't appear to be the case.

Then again, Hh121 goes out of his was way to bad mouth JL at every opportunity.
 
Messages
17,509
Location
Chicago
I get that it looks more seal than black, but is this not an overdye since there is a top color coat that's different than the lighter leather? The zipper pulls shows that, so the misnomer is black and not overdye?
Indeed and that’s exactly what I meant. It’s absolutely an overdye, but certainly not black.
 

TheDonEffect

Practically Family
Messages
623
Indeed and that’s exactly what I meant. It’s absolutely an overdye, but certainly not black.

So I guess that's consensus then, it's overdye.

Yeah I'd call that more of a seal brown, but correct my noobness if I'm wrong but from all the cxl I've seen, I've seen alot that some batches do sometimes appear more warm or brown while some are inky jet black, and generally they look more seal when it's next to say a black aniline
 
Messages
17,509
Location
Chicago
So I guess that's consensus then, it's overdye.

Yeah I'd call that more of a seal brown, but correct my noobness if I'm wrong but from all the cxl I've seen, I've seen alot that some batches do sometimes appear more warm or brown while some are inky jet black, and generally they look more seal when it's next to say a black aniline
I would concur. All my straight black CXL jackets had warm brown undertones. Horween’s “CXL overdye” just calls out attention to the effect, has a softer hand, more brown than black and achieves the “teacore” effect (patina) in much quicker fashion. If you look at very well worn CXL “Black” jackets, they exhibit the same properties. I believe calling the hide Horween offers as black overdye is a bit misleading…it’s really just a brown overdye that has been applied in a way to fade quicker than the typical (any color) CXL recipe.
 

TheDonEffect

Practically Family
Messages
623
I would concur. All my straight black CXL jackets had warm brown undertones. Horween’s “CXL overdye” just calls out attention to the effect, has a softer hand, more brown than black and achieves the “teacore” effect (patina) in much quicker fashion. If you look at very well worn CXL “Black” jackets, they exhibit the same properties. I believe calling the hide Horween offers as black overdye is a bit misleading…it’s really just a brown overdye that has been applied in a way to fade quicker than the typical (any color) CXL recipe.


Yeah I hear you on that, but to my eye at least it looks black in a vacuum, and my decadent lifestyle still has not shown any brown on my jacket like @Hh121 example earlier. Guess we're not working our jackets hard enough to take advantage of the quicker fading properties.

But side by side with a jet black, yeah the brown undertones are definitely more notable. I always chalked it up to like painting anything without a a high conceal primer, the color underneath has a way if affecting the top coat.
 

Jaswinder Singh

New in Town
Messages
16
Well, I am about to get my first leather jacket ever. I went with JL mostly because of the m2m option, and the reviews I have heard on this site.
This is calfskin with a red lining. I will post fit pics when it arrives. I think for my next jacket, I will be going for a half belt in teacore black.
IMG_1217.jpg
IMG_1216.jpg
IMG_1215.jpg
 

JCSD

Practically Family
Messages
904
Had a shrinkage issue with the Masaye horsehide (got caught in rain) of my aviator inspired Cross Zip so @johnsonleathersf did a remake with full aniline Shinki (which I sourced on my own) this time around- couldn’t be happier

F9897B0C-6891-45C6-B86E-F13462C913AF.jpeg
279A98B4-8284-4248-A49C-051278392709.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Hh121

Banned
Messages
3,004
Am I understand this correct? They use shinki horsehide that is double or even triple price of German horsehide for your remake jacket? It doesn't make sense.
 

Mrfrown

One Too Many
Messages
1,654
@JCSD is the remake completely the same measurements? It appears to be trimmer but cant tell if that's just the leather talking. Looks fantastic
 

JCSD

Practically Family
Messages
904
@JCSD is the remake completely the same measurements? It appears to be trimmer but cant tell if that's just the leather talking. Looks fantastic
Thanks, man. Same measurements as the first version but the rigidity of the Shinki gives it a tighter look. The Masaye hide was soft and pliable so didn’t hold it‘s shape as well.
 

Mrfrown

One Too Many
Messages
1,654
Thanks, man. Same measurements as the first version but the rigidity of the Shinki gives it a tighter look. The Masaye hide was soft and pliable so didn’t hold it‘s shape as well.

Makes sense.

Really seems like the Masaye is turning out to be more trouble than its worth...

Anyone have experience with Horween Vermont when it gets wet?
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,718
@born113

Not trying to further complicate your half belt situation, but here is are the numbers from JL's half belt model DEL-66, medium and large, so equivelant to 38/40 Aero but American style of construction:

DEL-66 (M/L)

Shoulder - 18.5” / 19”

Chest – 22” / 23”

Waist – 19.5” / 20.25”

Bottom - 19.5” / 20”

Sleeve - 25” / 25.5”

Back – 25” / 25.5”



And the American style M200L which to me is also a half belt in disguise:

Measurement for the M-200L in size 38 are as follows:



Shoulder – 19”

Chest – 23”

Waist – 21”

Bottom – 20”

Sleeve 24.5”

Back – 26”
 

born113

One of the Regulars
Messages
270
Not trying to further complicate your half belt situation
Thank you very much. This is valuable information. I already almost accurately understand the sizes I need, depending on the many characteristics of the jackets. I actually ordered from three different manufacturers last year but while I have the opportunity I will adjust some measurements.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,287
Messages
3,077,928
Members
54,238
Latest member
LeonardasDream
Top