My first Aero -- is it a keeper?

[Guppy]

Yep. I'll probably send it out next week (to Johnson Leathers) for the zipper replacement.

Holly at Aero was kind enough to send me an entire stock replacement zip (not just the one side). For those of you who have experienced zip issues with Aero FQHH, would it be a mistake to not go with a larger zip?

I do think that for heavy horse and steer, Aero would do well to break with tradition and use a more robust zipper, or at least offer it as an official option for custom builds. They can do larger zips, but don't seem to like to advertise that fact to customers for some reason. I get that they prefer "historically accurate" zipper sizes, but as I've said before, when they up the thickness of the leather beyond what is historically accurate, it changes the mechanical load placed on the hardware, and it needs to be re-engineered to match.

 

[ton312]

I do think that for heavy horse and steer, Aero would do well to break with tradition and use a more robust zipper, or at least offer it as an official option for custom builds. They can do larger zips, but don't seem to like to advertise that fact to customers for some reason. I get that they prefer "historically accurate" zipper sizes, but as I've said before, when they up the thickness of the leather beyond what is historically accurate, it changes the mechanical load placed on the hardware, and it needs to be re-engineered to match.

Amen. Nothing golden age equated to even half the weight and thickness of CXL. And never with a #5 zip. I love the look. But the performance isn't there. My j106 broke every single pull.

 

[Gamma68]

Yeah, I think you guys are right. I appreciate the Aero replacement zip, but repairing it is something you only want to do once. I'll go with what Alan at JL recommends.

 

[Gamma68]

So I sent my jacket to Alan at Johnson Leather for a new zipper and received it back today. I'm really unhappy with the job and how it turned out.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what I'm seeing is not what I expected.

I chose to have a YKK #10 paperclip zipper put in place of the original. In some places the workmanship is really sloppy.

Here's one side of the leather and the underside. Looks like whoever did the work didn't care to use the original stitching holes (as I requested) and punched in new row of holes (oops) that were out of line and obviously not used.

The stitching looks sloppy at other areas.

And to top it off, one of the lapel snaps is completely missing. The underside of the other lapel snap is dented and will no longer snap closed. You'd think someone would have noticed this before packing it up and sending it back. The snaps were both present and operable before I sent it out.

This jacket wasn't cheap and it sure as hell wasn't cheap to send to JL for repairs. I didn't send it across the country to come back needing more repair. I'm really pissed off.

Yeah, I know he moved back to his former location recently and I'm sure it was hectic. Doesn't excuse sloppy work. Take an extra week or two to do it right. I can't wear this jacket in 90-degree heat anyway.

Obviously I'll contact Alan and let him know I'm unhappy. Before I do so, I want to be sure my complaints aren't out of line.

 

[Monitor]

So I sent my jacket to Alan at Johnson Leather for a new zipper and received it back today. I'm really unhappy with the job and how it turned out.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what I'm seeing is not what I expected.

I chose to have a YKK #10 paperclip zipper put in place of the original. In some places the workmanship is really sloppy.

Here's one side of the leather and the underside. Looks like whoever did the work didn't care to use the original stitching holes (as I requested) and punched in new row of holes (oops) that were out of line and obviously not used.

View attachment 125698
View attachment 125699

The stitching looks sloppy at other areas.

View attachment 125700
View attachment 125701
View attachment 125702

And to top it off, one of the lapel snaps is completely missing. The underside of the other lapel snap is dented and will no longer snap closed. You'd think someone would have noticed this before packing it up and sending it back. The snaps were both present and operable before I sent it out.

View attachment 125703

This jacket wasn't cheap and it sure as hell wasn't cheap to send to JL for repairs. I didn't send it across the country to come back needing more repair. I'm really pissed off.

Yeah, I know he moved back to his former location recently and I'm sure it was hectic. Doesn't excuse sloppy work. Take an extra week or two to do it right. I can't wear this jacket in 90-degree heat anyway.

Obviously I'll contact Alan and let him know I'm unhappy. Before I do so, I want to be sure my complaints aren't out of line.

You are not out of line - the work done on this jacket is very shoddy... The stitching is horrid. You either do an entirely new row of stitches, or you go through the existing ones. This is just amateur work. The missing snap alone is a problem, let alone what was done with the zipper. I'd be extremely unhappy with this. Worst thing is, I have seen repairs by JL, they were always nothing short of perfect. Couldn't even tell the zipper was replaced on the few that I've seen.

 

[Gamma68]

Now this jacket is ruined. I can't get this zipper repaired a second time and risk a third set of holes.

 

[nick123]

Dislike

 

[JMax]

Please let us know what they tell you and how they try to make it right.

 

[handymike]

The #10 zipper is twice the size as the #5, so wouldn't it also be twice as wide? This might account for the new holes...maybe.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Man Gamma that’s really ashamed. I feel bad weighing in on keeping it and fixing the zip. What a cool project to begin with and to have someone “repair” it to death is heartbreaking!! I think i’d prob go ballistic about being compensated no matter who the shop was! Hope you get satisfactory compensation some how.
B

 

[Gamma68]

I asked Alan to use the same stitch holes. He said this would be done. It wasn't and was irreparably botched. And the lapel snaps are botched too. What garbage.

 

[handymike]

Eeek! So sorry to hear that.

 

[Gamma68]

This was not an inexpensive purchase to begin with. I cleaned the damn jacket inside and out and conditioned every inch of the leather. I did this wanting to bring it back to life, knowing it needed a new zipper. So I sent it across the country to someone with a supposed excellent reputation rather than have someone local botch it up. And I get it back botched up anyway. My local shoe repair place might have done better work and not effed up the lapel snaps, too.

 

[Guppy]

Boy that's a shame. Really too bad. I hope they can do something to make you satisfied.

 

[Gamma68]

Boy that's a shame. Really too bad. I hope they can do something to make you satisfied.

Well, it's not like those holes can be filled or something. Don't know what I can do with the damned jacket now.

Johnson Leathers repair work was spoken of highly here. I trusted them with my Kehoe CR repair which turned out fine. I have no idea what happened this time except maybe Alan subcontracted the work to some butcher.

 

[Guppy]

Well, it's not like those holes can be filled or something. Don't know what I can do with the damned jacket now.

Yeah, I meant more on the order of refunding you the work and shipping, and maybe compensating for the damage.

Johnson Leathers repair work was spoken of highly here. I trusted them with my Kehoe CR repair which turned out fine. I have no idea what happened this time except maybe Alan subcontracted the work to some butcher. But I sure as hell wouldn't trust them now. Complete garbage.

They do have a good reputation among the members of the forum here, lots and lots of good testimonials from happy customers.

I don't know what happened in this case, obviously, but a zipper replacement isn't a sure thing.

I found this out when I ordered a jacket form Aero's sale page back in February, a super heavy 4.5oz steerhide Highwayman with a shearling lining. I asked them to double check the zipper, as I'd had a few zipper issues with my recent Aero purchases, and hoped to avoid sending this one back for repair as well.

Well, they looked at it, and decided that for the weight of the leather warranted a heavier zipper, and they offered to install it for me before shipping it, at no extra cost. Of course I agreed to this. A couple weeks later, I still hadn't heard anything, so I asked if they were going to ship soon. I learned that they had twice attempted to do the job, the first time they weren't happy with the result, and the second they ended up ruining the panel with unsightly stitch holes. Julie, commonly regarded as their top machinist, had done the work personally. So it just goes to show, it's not easy to do, and even the very best can make a mistake and ruin a jacket.

In my case, Aero are going to try to replace the ruined panels, and if the results are good, I may yet get to receive my jacket. They said that they expected that they'd get to the work over the summer months, when they had less work going on. So we'll see. I hope it is worth the wait.

 

[Gamma68]

Yeah, well JL also inexplicably f#%ed up the lapel snaps too. You've got to put some effort into removing one of those and denting another into makig it inoperable. This isn't something subtle like stitching flaws.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Wow. That is absolutely horrid work! I am very sorry that happened to you. It's a shame.

 

[Hh121]

The attitude is horrible, I am glad I didn't choose JL to do my next jacket, I did look up many jacket they done in the past, and I found their stitch looks little sloppy and rough compare to other high end maker, consider what I need to pay is nearly $1500, it's just not worth it.

 

[Fonzie]

Gamma, I’m really sorry this happened to you and you have every right to be pissed off as that outcome is unacceptable and should have never happened, but to all other members weighing in on the issue I suggest that a little decorum should be on order here and let Johnson’s Leathers answer to this issue first instead of writing them off completely and dragging their name through the mud.
Alan and his company have a long history of happy customers and good reviews here and anyone can have a bad day or make a mistake.
Let’s not get carried away and destroy a company’s reputation for a mistake without letting them explain themselves first.
Just my two cents.