Repairing a hole not a rip...

[gtdean48]

I've done my feeble search attempts to no results... sorry if this has been covered & appreciate links to existing threads...

I have a goatskin civilian A-2 that has a hole in the sleeve. This is not a rip so that I have edges to work with but a hole with missing leather. It looks like the previous owner slid on his elbow & wore off a patch. Any recommendations on a DIY fix? Are any of the leather repair kits worth trying? I don't have much invested but would like to clean this up if possible & practical. TIA

PS - I also have a vintage Sears cafe racer jacket that needs the pocket zippers repaired/replaced. The pulls are gone. Thinking of taking the zippers totally out. Thoughts?

 

[Silver Dollar]

I'm not a repair expert but the only thing I can think of is to open the lining somewhere in the arm that can be resewn without being seen. Then thin the leather around the holes so the edge is superthin. Then with a glue like Sobo Glue, put in a patch of matching colored leather and feather the hole edges down tightly. Resew the lining and hopefully you have a success. If there is an easier way, better way to do this, I hope that one of our jacket experts will weigh in here.

 

[gtdean48]

Thanks SD, I'll start looking for patch material...

 

[Baron Kurtz]

What are the dimensions of the hole? If it's small enough you might be able to get enough out of a seam allowance to patch it. I know leather jackets don't typically have much extra seam fabric, but if the hole was small enough …

bk

 

[Seb Lucas]

What I've generally seen in such repairs is this.

Get someone with sewing skills to stitch a patch of matching leather at the back of the hole - behind the lining. If done neatly, it looks okay. Glue can dry hard and make the sleeve look strange, and it tends to come loose.

 

[EVEN-STEVEN]

Another solution...

Leave the hole alone.

Hole = character!

Every hole tells a story. Make up a good one.

 

[Silver Dollar]

What I've generally seen in such repairs is this.

Get someone with sewing skills to stitch a patch of matching leather at the back of the hole - behind the lining. If done neatly, it looks okay. Glue can dry hard and make the sleeve look strange, and it tends to come loose.

It really depends on what kind of glue you use. That's why I use Sobo glue. It stays flexible. I've used it on the jackets I have and they're about 20 years old. They're still soft.

 

[Seb Lucas]

It really depends on what kind of glue you use. That's why I use Sobo glue. It stays flexible. I've used it on the jackets I have and they're about 20 years old. They're still soft.

Cool. Problem solved then.

 

[gtdean48]

Leave the hole alone.

Hole = character!

Every hole tells a story. Make up a good one.

I'm liking this suggestion more & more. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Thanks for all the replies.

 

[gtdean48]

...PS - I also have a vintage Sears cafe racer jacket that needs the pocket zippers repaired/replaced. The pulls are gone. Thinking of taking the zippers totally out. Thoughts?

Any opinions on the pocket zippers??? [huh]

 

[Baron Kurtz]

No-brainer: Replace the zippers.[huh]

bk

 

[Silver Dollar]

I'll definitely agree with that. If it came with zippers, it needs zippers.

 

[gtdean48]

Thanks for the replies, will look into zipper repairs during these warm months while I'm wearing my perf'ed jacket for riding.

 

[Peacoat]

If you wear this jacket while riding, you probably ought to have the hole repaired, and not with glue, but with strong stitching.

I'm sure you have considered this, but it you go down, you may well need protection in the same area that the previous owner needed, and received, the protection. In this situation you aren't looking for pretty, but for protection.

In my opinion, a patched hole that resulted from a go down has as much character as an un-patched hole, and is a whole lot more safe for the rider.

 

[Silver Dollar]

If you wear this jacket while riding, you probably ought to have the hole repaired, and not with glue, but with strong stitching.

I'm sure you have considered this, but it you go down, you may well need protection in the same area that the previous owner needed, and received, the protection. In this situation you aren't looking for pretty, but for protection.

In my opinion, a patched hole that resulted from a go down has as much character as an un-patched hole, and is a whole lot more safe for the rider.

Ahhhaaaaaaa!!! I didn't know you were going to use this as riding protection. That's a whole 'nother kettle o' octopus. Peacoat is spot on. In that case, you definitely need to use stitching there and with good thread. I don't know what the experts will say about this but what I would do would when you patch that area is use a heavier piece of leather than the jacket as added protection and then do the same thing on the other sleeve. If it happened to one rider, it can happen to another.

 

[RockyHorror]

If the zipper teeth are in good condition it's a huge waste of time too put in all new zippers! You can buy new pulls separately and they're really quite easy to put on!

 

[Peacoat]

Ahhhaaaaaaa!!! I didn't know you were going to use this as riding protection. That's a whole 'nother kettle o' octopus. Peacoat is spot on. In that case, you definitely need to use stitching there and with good thread. I don't know what the experts will say about this but what I would do would when you patch that area is use a heavier piece of leather than the jacket as added protection and then do the same thing on the other sleeve. If it happened to one rider, it can happen to another.

Yep, that is the nature of those who ride only on two wheels.

 

[gtdean48]

Yep, that is the nature of those who ride only on two wheels.

I have some other jackets for riding & this one is just casual wear. Thanks for the replies.

If the zipper teeth are in good condition it's a huge waste of time too put in all new zippers! You can buy new pulls separately and they're really quite easy to put on!

The teeth seem to be okay. Where do I find the pulls online & determine the right size? [huh]

 

[gtdean48]

...
The teeth seem to be okay. Where do I find the pulls online & determine the right size? [huh]

Bump for the pull location & size question...