TheDonEffect
Practically Family
- Messages
- 623
Nothing beats the smell of Horween, lol. Nice jacket man, a ton of graining already too!
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Johnson Leather Jacket
- Thread starter Jin431
- Start date
Propertyguy1981
New in Town
- Messages
- 6
Thanks TheDonEffect. I made the change to Horween Vermont from a different leather when the canvas mock up was done. (For those who aren’t aware, you can change basically anything the day of your canvas fitting, which is a huge benefit.) It added $200 to the bill, but it is beautiful horsehide leather, and not too thick either. For those of us who live in SF, a heavy jacket is rarely necessary.
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
Garment dyed two of my Johnson jackets. Both were made using the raw rustic heavyweight horsehide. The color was a little light/rustic and was hard to pair, so I went darker on both.
Del-66 with Peter's fan back now in mid brown russet:
M-LEI trucker now in navy blue:
I used Angelus (acrylic) dye/paint this time instead of the Fiebing Pro (oil). It's a lot easier to use, just roll it on like paint, not a lot of pre-treatment needed, except a good wipe clean. The Fiebing stuff required too much stripping and cleaning before the actual dye goes on and it doesn't stay on by it self and needs a sealant afterwards. The Angelus stuff is for lazy amateurs like me. Also I went with two light coats instead of laying them on heavy as it started to look plastic if I went fully opague. There is also a matte finish I will try next time.
Before pics:
I am now addicted to re-dye... Will try more different things next.
Del-66 with Peter's fan back now in mid brown russet:
M-LEI trucker now in navy blue:
I used Angelus (acrylic) dye/paint this time instead of the Fiebing Pro (oil). It's a lot easier to use, just roll it on like paint, not a lot of pre-treatment needed, except a good wipe clean. The Fiebing stuff required too much stripping and cleaning before the actual dye goes on and it doesn't stay on by it self and needs a sealant afterwards. The Angelus stuff is for lazy amateurs like me. Also I went with two light coats instead of laying them on heavy as it started to look plastic if I went fully opague. There is also a matte finish I will try next time.
Before pics:
I am now addicted to re-dye... Will try more different things next.
I'll be curious to hear how that stuff holds up. With acrylic's I always worry about cracking and peeling, as the pigment is just resting on the surface vs dye which actually soaks into the leather. Keep us posted, no doubt the chemical bath is far less severe. I was actually debating on using some minwax wood stain on a jacket, I may give that a shot this weekend.
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
One coat will have peeling. Two coat is solid but starts to look plastic. I did some test on the collar with the trucker. A good scrubbing under the sink will peel on the one coat, but two coat stays. This stuff can cover stuff hides like CXL too.
I would think a deep penetrating wool stain would also work well. But the top finish needs to be stripped back for better absorb. I wish there is a simpler way of doing this part.
One coat Angelus ---> Peels but semi aniline look
Two coats Angelus ---> Plastic/Pigment look, but strong top coat
I went with one coat on most parts of the jacket, as I prefer the semi aniline look, if the peeling got bad I'd just hit it with another coat. With a roller it's a quick job.
I used this product:
It’s an oil based stain to mute certain areas of distress from my abuse. It certainly would’ve absorbed much quicker without the Urad to fight through.
I haven’t gone over the whole jacket mainly along the main zip and bottom hem, and the one chest pocket, those areas lost too much color during my beating. Not terribly dramatic but I do see it darkened up those areas. I love to strip a jacket down and do a full dye with wood stain. It seems to be more forgiving than alcohol based dyes both to the leather and the brain.
Before:
After:
It’s an oil based stain to mute certain areas of distress from my abuse. It certainly would’ve absorbed much quicker without the Urad to fight through.
I haven’t gone over the whole jacket mainly along the main zip and bottom hem, and the one chest pocket, those areas lost too much color during my beating. Not terribly dramatic but I do see it darkened up those areas. I love to strip a jacket down and do a full dye with wood stain. It seems to be more forgiving than alcohol based dyes both to the leather and the brain.
Before:
After:
Jasonindenver
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 180
- Location
- Denver
Well, let me speak on the virtues of minwax. I used it to stain some concrete. This first was accidental. The second on purpose. Looked so good two of my neighbors did the same. What could go wrong?
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Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
Shrunken Goat straight zip CHP (archive pattern, not the current Bay area PD contract one), blacked out by me...
Brown before pics:
Brown before pics:
TartuWolf
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,224
- Location
- Tartu, Estonia
@Canuck Panda
Why did you go for the blacking out? Look incredible before the color change as well! Too rustic/rugged?
Why did you go for the blacking out? Look incredible before the color change as well! Too rustic/rugged?
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
Not so much looks but I wanted to see how redyeing this type leather would work. The deep grooves took twice the dye than normal hide. In time this jacket will fade back to brown, in about 100 years...
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
Yup, that's the one. There are three in the group, the X-zip the straight zip and the cafe racer collor one.
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
From jacket addiction to re-dye addiction...
My very first JL jacket was a stock M500, made in a Horween deerskin I supplied them with <150>. It has been re-dyed to give it a new look. Went two tone this time.
Before and After:
Deerskin leather drank like a fish. Took about 7 one fl oz bottles of Angelus to get to this point. Very squeaky and a bit shiny now. Applying top coating this weekend. The addiction continues...
Should I get some more Rustloleum paint to blacken the brass zips?
My very first JL jacket was a stock M500, made in a Horween deerskin I supplied them with <150>. It has been re-dyed to give it a new look. Went two tone this time.
Before and After:
Deerskin leather drank like a fish. Took about 7 one fl oz bottles of Angelus to get to this point. Very squeaky and a bit shiny now. Applying top coating this weekend. The addiction continues...
Should I get some more Rustloleum paint to blacken the brass zips?
Good for the wallet…
The zipper is nice as it is.
That's pretty cool, what kind of deerskin was it? I've always wondered about darkening zipper/snaps as I like look of antique nickel but I don't think JL offers it standard.
By the way, did you have any more pictures of that Kudu crosszip? I'm actually thinking of doing something similar myself, though a different kind of kudu with a more traditional grain. I've never done a crosszip before.
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,718
It was the Horween seconds from a few years back. Four skins for 190 shipped! 4.5oz, one of the best deals I've gotten. But the skins have a lot of stain marks. See below photo. I wore it for two years through rain and snow and it's fine, I just got a lot of comments from family members along the lines of the bum look, so I painted it.
The Kudu I have is from AA Crack Sons, CFS African Kudu Hyena, 4 skins about 50 sf for £395 shipped. Prices is pre covid not sure what they're at now. This tannage is too thick. They advertise 5.5oz but is really 6.5oz. And is too thick for jackets. The suede side is also finished, finest cashmere feeling suede ever. There is a thinner one now CFS naked Kude. Tannery Row also has the Kudu classic in thinner weights. The grain side is quite rough. We are talking wolverin claw marks. Not sure about the Kudu Classic from Tannery Row, best to call and check.
The light brown one is the Horween 4.5oz deer (Wapiti I think because the skins are very large), the dark seal
one is the Kudu Hyena. You can see the stain marks on the Horween deer and the claw marks on the Kudu:
The Kudu jacket. This is the stock M500. I just went rough on on the pockets. Really feels like cashmere the suede parts. Too thick though. Better if under 4.5oz. 6.5oz jackets are awesome in theory only. I rarely wear the kudu jacket because of the thickness, it's like a stag head trophy in my closet. I would go invisible collar snap on the lapels. I have just enough hides left over I will get the inside lapel panels swapped out so the snaps don't show. Much classier look. It was either this or go all out Perfecto look with the coin pocket and more snaps and belts. I am leaning more the muted looks these days.
If you need a group buy to get the Kudu from Tannery Row I might be in. They give different pricings for 100sf orders, so basically two and half jackets to three. But it will have to be later this year. It's painting jackets for the next few months. Taking advantage of the dry summer months.
Honestly I think Horween thick deer is actually the best bet. They run them a few times a year I think. We could just wait for an A grade mini run. Kudu only makes a lot of sense if you plan on using the reverse side too, like on an unlined jacket, otherwise the finished soft suede side sort of goes to waste if not used.
There is also the 4oz goat that JL sources, its in the similar category. A bit heavy in actual pounds though. My goat trucker is over 8lbs and it doesn't get as much wear as it should because of the actual weight. Something to think about. Deer is really the happy medium.
I wouldn't be opposed to a group buy, seems to be the only way to get a hold of some leathers with minimums too. The particular one I'm looking at is the black classic kudu. I had a boot made from it; didn't have nearly the amount of markings as that Hyena jacket, had more of a deerskin grain with a bit more sheen. It's still pretty heavy though (4.5-5.5 oz) but JL can have it skived down. I usually go with something in the 3-4 oz range.
I did like the Horween deer a lot (retailer was almost certain it was elk/wapiti, the hides were over 20 sq ft). It's just random when they'll run it and if they'll have any leftovers.
Agree on the cross zips. The minimalist, aviator style without the coin pocket, belt etc... always appealed to me the most. From the looks of it I won't need to modify the M500 much for that.
Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
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- 4,718
I can do 4 hides but the price needs to be more wholesale than retail.
3.5oz is really the best "heavier" weight for jackets. Anything over doesn't make much sense. The pleats won't work as well with the thicker leather and while it's ok to wear it's a pain to have to carry it around when not wearing it.
Yeah, the ones I got were about 20sf so it only took less than 3 skins to make the jacket and I got the extra one. The smaller white tail is usually only 12-15sf and thinner. The larger game hide from Horween is under valued. It would be my first choice if and when available.
There is the M500 and then there is a WWL-41. I don't have my WWL-41 x-zip with me right now, but it's a slimmer cut through the bottom half of the torso, with footballs under the pits, more vintage cutting. The M500 is the current police jacket that is more relaxed but not boxy.
Gr8Lakes
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Mid-Michigan, USA
OMG!! I look away for a minute and come back to find @Canuck Panda full on painting his jacket collection 
. Can’t say I prefer the two tone over the original, but everything else looks pretty cool. I especially like the black.
My current N-200 project got a bit delayed in the pipeline (by me) because of a couple of unexpected foot surgeries. And now, a muslin redo. Can’t say enough about the willingness of Johnson to get a custom jacket right. There were three modifications after receiving the first muslin fit jacket, so Damon felt it best to remake a second muslin to assure the alterations all worked together. For the record, I assume responsibility for any fit discrepancies… And I so appreciate Damon’s willingness to correct my mistakes.
I expect another muslin next week, and then a finished jacket within a few weeks after final approval.
I’ll certainly post final pics. So glad to see others receiving excellent jackets. I’m already planning a second of my own.
. Can’t say I prefer the two tone over the original, but everything else looks pretty cool. I especially like the black. My current N-200 project got a bit delayed in the pipeline (by me) because of a couple of unexpected foot surgeries. And now, a muslin redo. Can’t say enough about the willingness of Johnson to get a custom jacket right. There were three modifications after receiving the first muslin fit jacket, so Damon felt it best to remake a second muslin to assure the alterations all worked together. For the record, I assume responsibility for any fit discrepancies… And I so appreciate Damon’s willingness to correct my mistakes.
I expect another muslin next week, and then a finished jacket within a few weeks after final approval.
I’ll certainly post final pics. So glad to see others receiving excellent jackets. I’m already planning a second of my own.
