New ELC "Time Worn" A2s

[aswatland]

At Duxford Gary showed me some original maker A2s with a time worn effect. They have been "aged" like the new 50 Cal A2. I bought a "Time worn" RW 1401p, made from the more grainy warhorse hide, which I am extremely pleased with. He is now making all original maker A2s with the time worn finish, but they will cost around £50 more than the ordinary version. I will post some pics of the 1401 shortly.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Isn't this trend a bit like ready-ripped baseball caps and ready-soiled jeans? Paying full price for a new product that won't last so long as a non-"time-worn" same product. [huh] I'll bet the process used to "wear" the jacket into it's "time-worn" state is a damn site harsher than real time-wearing, too.

Smacks a little (a lot) of gimmickery. How long 'til they bring out a "Bullet-holes-and-burnt-in-crash-landing" A2? Of course, for just slightly more than full price.

bk

 

[aswatland]

Isn't this trend a bit like ready-ripped baseball caps and ready-soiled jeans? Paying full price for a new product that won't last so long as a non-"time-worn" same product. [huh] I'll bet the process used to "wear" the jacket into it's "time-worn" state is a damn site harsher than real time-wearing, too.

Smacks a little (a lot) of gimmickery. How long 'til they bring out a "Bullet-holes-and-burnt-in-crash-landing" A2? Of course, for just slightly more than full price.

bk

The time worn effect is only done to the leather and I very much doubt if it will shorten the life of the jacket. I guess it is a matter of personal preference. Gary was saying that the time worn 50 Cal has proved very popular and there is demand for more time worn jackets. Certainly comparing the time worn RW with a non time worn one the time worn one wins hands down!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I probably agree with you, aesthetically (worn better than new). I always thought part of the joy of owning a jacket - particularly leather - was watching how it developed over time into a "time-worn" garment. But i guess people demand the look of an old jacket without actually going out to get an old one. [huh]

But surely, if anything is done to "wear" the leather it cannot help but reduce the lifetime of that particular piece leather - introduce weak spots etc. Unless of course it's just a surface fake-patina treatment. I mention "worn-look" baseball caps and jeans as they regularly get done-down (by me for one) on this forum.

bk

 

[aswatland]

The jackets look like lightly worn originals. The treatment involves breaking and burnishing instead of scuffing, to achieve a slightly more subtle vintage appearance.

 

[Senicko_Spain]

Isn't this trend a bit like ready-ripped baseball caps and ready-soiled jeans? Paying full price for a new product that won't last so long as a non-"time-worn" same product. [huh] I'll bet the process used to "wear" the jacket into it's "time-worn" state is a damn site harsher than real time-wearing, too.

Smacks a little (a lot) of gimmickery. How long 'til they bring out a "Bullet-holes-and-burnt-in-crash-landing" A2? Of course, for just slightly more than full price.

bk

Talk about taking the wind outta a man's sails, gesh, gimmie a break. Hey, if bullet holes sell then that's what the manufactures will provide. You will never outlive an Eastman anyway so I really don't know what the problem is. These jackets will be sold on eBay by our grandkids anyway, that, after after they put us in the old age home. Relax, it may not be for you, but there are a lot of people that like this kind of stuff.

Can't wait to see the pictures Andrew!

 

[Fletch]

This trend has me a little distressed... HEE HEE HEE hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee *GASP* *CHOKE*

 

[Edward]

It's interesting to me to see this debate spread to flight jackets, as I've been reading pretty much identical debates about pre-aged electric guitars for much of the last decade. While I would, like Pete, prefer to break in my own jacket (especially at a fifty quid saving!), I can see how a subtle aged effect would appeal to a significant chunk of the market. Specifically, those who would prefer an original jacket, or one that looks like a sixty year old jacket, as opposed to one that starts off looking fresh-issued. The difference between a jacket worn a few times and then carefully stored since 1943, and one acquired by a time traveller and brought back to 2008. As the value of the originals spirals ever upwards, I suspect we'll see increased demand for pre-aged jackets as the closest affordable equivalent.

 

[Feraud]

It's interesting to me to see this debate spread to flight jackets, as I've been reading pretty much identical debates about pre-aged electric guitars for much of the last decade.

This is interesting. I had no idea distressing went beyond the Punk, denim, and Indy Gear hobbyists.

The concept of distressing must say something about the wants and needs of the hobbist who collects and wears such items. What it says I have no idea.

I am glad to read people have the opportunity to purchase whatever makes them happy and look forward to the pics.

 

[1911 Man]

I am sure the jackets will look great. However, I am also in the camp of breaking in my own new stuff. That way it takes on my own personality, and it becomes mine, not a replica of something I saw in a museum or in a movie.

 

[aswatland]

The jacket has been gently burnished with "wear" on the higher areas. There some nice areas of pronounced grain, which are similar to my original 1401.

 

[scotrace]

Is that also their "War Horse" hide?

I don't think my 1401 will ever be that grainy. Well, not in my lifetime.

 

[aswatland]

Is that also their "War Horse" hide?

I don't think my 1401 will ever be that grainy. Well, not in my lifetime.

I should have said its War Horse hide. Everytime I wear it the grain seems to become more pronounced, similar to my original 1401.

 

[Feraud]

I have seen worse distressing done to a garment. This jacket looks gently worked over. Not visually bad at all.

 

[Senicko_Spain]

I should have said its War Horse hide. Everytime I wear it the grain seems to become more pronounced, similar to my original 1401.

Andrew, it really doesn't look distressed at all. It appears to be just worn a little. Great looking jacket, how many ELCs does that make for you. You are gonna have to stay away from the Mobile QM Shop, you are becoming a much better customer of Gary's than I am

 

[jamespibworth@n]

My ELC Werber is just starting to look very similar.

I don’t think they have over done it and I can see this A2 selling well.

Nice jacket Andrew.

James.

 

[Mark P]

Distressing

The ELC distressing process looks very subtle. I think you can achieve the same thing yourself very easily and save £50 - see my thread on 'How to Age Horsehide Quickly'.

As for why people want this, in my view it's because very few of us use tough horsehide jackets in the conditions for which they were designed for. If I wore my Aero to the office to develop it's patina I think it might take about 30 years (I don't have that kind of time spare). 60 or 70 years ago I guess it was the opposite - people liked things to look new for longer. Now we live in a modern, cosseted age we want clothes that look like the owner had to work physically hard for a living.

 

[aswatland]

The ELC distressing process looks very subtle. I think you can achieve the same thing yourself very easily and save £50 - see my thread on 'How to Age Horsehide Quickly'.

As for why people want this, in my view it's because very few of us use tough horsehide jackets in the conditions for which they were designed for. If I wore my Aero to the office to develop it's patina I think it might take about 30 years (I don't have that kind of time spare). 60 or 70 years ago I guess it was the opposite - people liked things to look new for longer. Now we live in a modern, cosseted age we want clothes that look like the owner had to work physically hard for a living.

Agreed! I actually bought this jacket because it had grainier hide than the other size 42 available at Duxford.

 

[kinabalu222]

My recent decision

Hello,
Newbie here. I just ordered a Pearl Harbor American Walnut A2 from History Preservation Associates, which is more weathered than the .50 CAL. I've been wanting a Eastman A2 Jacket for over 15 years believe it or not and when I finally decided to do it this year, I struggled over a long time trying to decide whether to get a all new version or the "weathered" version. I mean like many has said, I wanted to wear it in myself. (I have an Avirex A2 for over 20 years and love how that jacket weathered over the years) but didn't want to wait 20 years and also didn't want to walk around for a few years looking like I just got the jacket. They sent me an all-new sizing jacket and I also did not like how stiff it was.

Still, I hated the fact that I was not getting an all-new jacket, but ultimately, decided on the broken-in version. I like the .50 CAL version in terms of the amount of "weathering" which is less than the Pearl Harbor but did not like the almost red/orange knitted cuff and waist bands, it simply had too much contrast to the leather color although authentic. I ended up requesting that they try to match the amount of wear of the .50 CAL but in the Pearl Harbor jacket, they weren't sure they could do it but said they would try.

And then I had a hard time deciding whether to leave out all insignias and the name tag strip and ended up with just the AAF decal. Now the waiting game begins....6-8 weeks to produce if you believe it!

 

[ethanedwards]

ELC Pearl Harbour

Hi Kinabalu, some time ago I posted pics of my ELC pearl Harbour, they're
here if you scroll down the page a little.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=32205
For the serious collectors a jacket like this probably doesn't sit right, but a few months down the line I'm still very happy with it. Good luck with that long wait, it's a tough one!