New member, starting up a crazy JL 6oz leather jacket order

[steelbahamut]

For sure. Ive spent a good bit of time talking with Damon about the measurements, and will do more im sure once they get the leather in.
One thing they suggested to add is a bi-swing back to give some better range of motion, which I think will be very cool.

@red devil I love that jacket! Its so cool.

 

[Canuck Panda]

This was the 7oz Bull jacket JL did for one customer from Japan, from this thread below. Took me a while to find it again. It has a zip out shearling lining, and the whole jacket is over 10lbs...
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/scarecrow-yah-ta-hey-leathers.95485/post-2905728

 

[tuanhng614]

JL has the skill and experience of doing these beastly jackets.

I’m curious to hear a review from the owner of this jacket though. He mentioned about the love for heavy weight leather and yet not a review on the jacket itself.

View attachment 578216
This was the 7oz Bull jacket JL did for one customer from Japan, from this thread below. Took me a while to find it again. It has a zip out shearling lining, and the whole jacket is over 10lbs...
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/scarecrow-yah-ta-hey-leathers.95485/post-2905728

 

[red devil]

View attachment 578216
This was the 7oz Bull jacket JL did for one customer from Japan, from this thread below. Took me a while to find it again. It has a zip out shearling lining, and the whole jacket is over 10lbs...
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/scarecrow-yah-ta-hey-leathers.95485/post-2905728

Yep! That's the one I was referring to.

 

[Canuck Panda]

JL has the skill and experience of doing these beastly jackets.

I’m curious to hear a review from the owner of this jacket though. He mentioned about the love for heavy weight leather and yet not a review on the jacket itself.

Mr Arrandale has been MIA since his last post about the 7oz beast. It would be nice to get an update.

6 to 7oz jacket is like the one ring that rules them all, except no one gets to wear that one ring, but there are many who chase after it, me included. haha.

 

[WillyW]

If you want a 10lbs, I would recommend a bit of a longer jacket in their bison. This jacket here is 4.06 kg / 8.95lbs

So a longer jacket, say a car coat will hit the 10lbs goal while still be something you can wear everyday. If I didn't have quite a few orders already with JL, I would actually order that myself now lol



You might have missed it, but someone else got a beast of jacket from JL aptly named "the beast".



I didn't see that jacket when you first posted it @Tom71 ! It looks fantastic!

I currently own the “beast” from JL. Purchased it from a member here over a year ago. 4.25-4.5 oz cxl overdye. Havent worn it too much, the hide is thick, but soft and pliable. I believe it pushes 8.5-9.0 lbs.

 

[steelbahamut]

I love seeing all of these crazy jackets in my thread. Gets me super excited for mine and all the advice is great as well!

 

[Canuck Panda]

Man I keep coming back to this thread...

So I've got a DEL-66 in 2mm horsehide. No where near close to your upcoming project in terms of thickness or weight, I think mine only weighs around mid 6 lbs. But I can give some info on the DEL-66 pattern. So I read in this thread previously that Damon suggested to go with action pleats on the back right? And I would think it would be best option for the mobility too. I dug out this store shot by a member here. I think your jacket will be closest to the one in the circle? and stock is similar to the jacket on the far left.

Here is my custom DEL-66 with Peter's fan back and 2mm horsehide. I over-dyed it myself to darker brown. The Del-66 pattern does work with thicker leather, the sleeves don't have that much taper so I can actually bend my arms. If the sleeve had more taper it would look slimmer for photos but there is no way I can bend the arms comfortably. The other thing I would caution is the front pocket designs. I went with the four pocket set up because I was in the symmetrical phase at that time. But I do think the regular two handwarmers plus a chest pocket goes a long way, it's a classic design, or even just two hand warmers for a more cleaner look. Can't wait to see your jacket when its all sewn up!

2mm veg tan horsehide

Before and after dye job:

BTW, what color is your super heavyweight CXL project? Brown or Black? Navy? Cordovan?

 

[steelbahamut]

Man I keep coming back to this thread...

So I've got a DEL-66 in 2mm horsehide. No where near close to your upcoming project in terms of thickness or weight, I think mine only weighs around mid 6 lbs. But I can give some info on the DEL-66 pattern. So I read in this thread previously that Damon suggested to go with action pleats on the back right? And I would think it would be best option for the mobility too. I dug out this store shot by a member here. I think your jacket will be closest to the one in the circle? and stock is similar to the jacket on the far left.
View attachment 578267

Here is my custom DEL-66 with Peter's fan back and 2mm horsehide. I over-dyed it myself to darker brown. The Del-66 pattern does work with thicker leather, the sleeves don't have that much taper so I can actually bend my arms. If the sleeve had more taper it would look slimmer for photos but there is no way I can bend the arms comfortably. The other thing I would caution is the front pocket designs. I went with the four pocket set up because I was in the symmetrical phase at that time. But I do think the regular two handwarmers plus a chest pocket goes a long way, it's a classic design, or even just two hand warmers for a more cleaner look. Can't wait to see your jacket when its all sewn up!

2mm veg tan horsehide
View attachment 578270
Before and after dye job:
View attachment 578271
View attachment 578272

BTW, what color is your super heavyweight CXL project? Brown or Black? Navy? Cordovan?

Yes, I believe the back of mine will be closest to the jacket you circled. They will eliminate the gusset that usually goes down the center back, and do the biswing back instead.

I am going with two handwarmers, and the single slanted chest pocket. One interior pocket.
The CXL will be in brown.

 

[Aloysius]

I’m curious to hear a review from the owner of this jacket though. He mentioned about the love for heavy weight leather and yet not a review on the jacket itself.

Probably because most of those guys end up hating their jackets in the end because of the compromises brought on by the overly-thick leather, but don't feel comfortable admitting to it because they think it's like capitulating to unmanliness.

 

[tuanhng614]

Mr Arrandale has been MIA since his last post about the 7oz beast. It would be nice to get an update.

6 to 7oz jacket is like the one ring that rules them all, except no one gets to wear that one ring, but there are many who chase after it, me included. haha.

I don’t necessarily chase after the heavyweight but I love the pronounced grain of the shrunken bison leather, which just happens to be very thick, 6-8oz. If it’s only just for the pronounced grain, my option can be to skive the entire panel down to 3.5-4.5oz, and make it somewhat wearable.

I have other concerns with thick and heavy hide, so I’ll be watching on the sideline for now.

Probably because most of those guys end up hating their jackets in the end because of the compromises brought on by the overly-thick leather, but don't feel comfortable admitting to it because they think it's like capitulating to unmanliness.

it really is a heavy and costly mistake if the jacket does end up not wearable, I get that part. That’s why I’m seeking for that review on the thickest/heaviest leather jacket to understand what it wears like.

Regardless how little you wear it, one still has to be able to do the very basic actions, if not, the jacket becomes a closet queen.

 

[ton312]

The quest for ridiculously heavy leather is one I couldn’t be happier about moving beyond.
Sado masochistic adventures in leather….no thanks. After the 5 oz suitcase jacket from sub par star I’m convincingly over that pursuit.

 

[bolted]

I’d suggest the OP steelbahamut consider different weighted sub-sections geared toward conventional humans movements.
You seem to have connected with the right providers.

 

[morrison2951]

Heaviest leather in my collection is a HH Vanson Comet. Literally bullet proof.

I like it.

 

[cbez]

I will have to weigh my trophy, it's probably 5lb, I can't imagine being comfortable in twice that.

I like a thick grainy jacket but the y2 one is moving deep into zany costume territory, imo.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Yes, I believe the back of mine will be closest to the jacket you circled. They will eliminate the gusset that usually goes down the center back, and do the biswing back instead.

I am going with two handwarmers, and the single slanted chest pocket. One interior pocket.
The CXL will be in brown.

Nice combo, can’t wait to see the final result!

I don’t necessarily chase after the heavyweight but I love the pronounced grain of the shrunken bison leather, which just happens to be very thick, 6-8oz. If it’s only just for the pronounced grain, my option can be to skive the entire panel down to 3.5-4.5oz, and make it somewhat wearable.

I have other concerns with thick and heavy hide, so I’ll be watching on the sideline for now.



it really is a heavy and costly mistake if the jacket does end up not wearable, I get that part. That’s why I’m seeking for that review on the thickest/heaviest leather jacket to understand what it wears like.

Regardless how little you wear it, one still has to be able to do the very basic actions, if not, the jacket becomes a closet queen.

the heavy hide chase to me, is simply just the weight in pounds so to speak, or the thickest possible while still wearable. And the wearable part is gonna be ymmv.

if chasing just the weight (in pounds), then this would be the hardest to wear. If chasing the thickness, 3mm plus, then this can be easier to wear given that the action panels like under sleeve and side torso panels are done in half the thickness 1.4mm for mobility. I have done the later and it works well, good enough for me to wear it for two weeks in a row. But if it’s the first, aka 10lbs plus, I don’t think I can wear it for two weeks in a row. Thicker leather isn’t necessarily heavier or stiffer, it would also depend on the tannage too. I’ve never attempted yet, but I do think a deertan type of leather in 6oz can be both thick and wearable, while weighing close to or over 10lbs.
eidt: This is the jacket I was referring to, before the navy over dye its easier to see the darker thinner action panels which are Vermont tannage so much softer too. So even the outer shell is stiff thick horsehide, the underside is thin and soft, I took the idea from my armored mesh jackets when I was younger. It also works when translate to leather. The down side is the weight in pounds reduction, the upside is thick leather sort of and very wearable.
The MLEI trucker pattern has tapered sleeves and I custom tapered the torso too, so I felt it was necessary to install the thinner panels to offset the thick ones. But the DEL66 pattern doesn’t have the aggressive taper so all over 2mm works. Would 6oz work, it would be ymmv, but I think OP/Damon is going the right direction by using a biswing back.

but pronounced grain or shrunken grain doesn’t have to be thick. The whole hide would still have to be split down to garment leather thickness 3oz. I’ve got some 3oz shrunken grain jackets from different animals, sheep, goat, and soon horse, they’re all easy to wear, but the leather thickness is only 3.5oz on average, normal garment thickness.

JL has the Horween shrunken horse butt? leather in stock still I think, it can be skived down. Very pronounced grain. Below isn’t my jacket but I have one that’s similar,

 

[JMax]

My LW J23 is 8.5 lbs. Made around 2015 I believe. The Trojan is about 8, also an older jacket. A comfortable 10 lb jacket is certainly doable.

 

[cbez]

I woonder how the measurements scale between sizes. How much heavier proportionately is a 42 to a 36?

 

[steelbahamut]

Im doing this to scratch an itch. If its unwearable id never blame it on the maker, and im keeping it forever regardless. If I can wear it reasonably, all the better!

Sometimes you just want to do something that goes against logic.

 

[ton312]

A lot has to do with temper. This jacket was a full 9lbs and draped like lamb skin. Heavy and stiff don’t add up. Heavy and soft and you’re golden. I’m sure I wouldn’t wear this now but it’s one of the nicest jackets in this style I’ve owned.