Schott Asset

[dudewuttheheck]

All fair @dudewuttheheck . It's just me. I think of this jacket as a natural evolution of the traditional cafe racer style. Which this is. Every detail... No, not detail but rather every feature of this jacket is in keeping with the style without sacrificing a single feature that is an integral part of it. I don't personally care for historical accuracy as much as I do for the general... vibe if you will, of the thing and that, combined with extreme durability and functionality - aspects I find most important - tell me that this jacket has it all. It's still a true American cafe racer jacket. The real deal.

And that's all I want.

Don't know how to explain any better.

I believe that as a Schott original, this jacket is going to be a collectors piece in a few decades, just like Buco today. . . while repro will always be just that - a repro.

Anyway, yeah, as @ton312 says, the Japanese sell the image. The cosplay. Which they've turned into caricature of itself.
Looking at the old photos of bikers of the 40's, 50's, even 60's... Man, hard to find a single bloke that's dressed like what you see advertised on all these Japanese, and more and more US/European sites selling "heritage" clothes. Suspenders, rolled cuffs, shiny engineer boots, not to mention tattoo's and stuff etc... I honestly don't believe anyone outside of The Wild One set dressed like that. Especially not for the price tag they've hanged onto this stuff which makes it all so ironic it's not even funny.

That's why I love this Schott. It speaks to me. And it says I don't need to cosplay.

Hey, if you love it, go for it! I'm sure it will look better on you than it does on their website. I really feel that @ton312 was right when pointed out the picture quality issue.

I agree that like you said, nobody really dressed like that, but is that such a bad thing?

 

[Monitor]

Hey, if you love it, go for it! I'm sure it will look better on you than it does on their website. I really feel that @ton312 was right when pointed out the picture quality issue.

I agree that like you said, nobody really dressed like that, but is that such a bad thing?

Not at all. And I was wrong. 1950-something. But it's still kinda silly on RMC's blog, though...

 

[ton312]

I often wonder why Schott and Vanson don't try a bit harder with their online presence. Vanson site is straight out of 2001. Schott doesn't do much better.
My gut tells me that these companies know their customers and don't feel they need to press the issue with flashy photos or cooked up heritage. Nevertheless, I'd appreciate both of them taking a more modern approach to presenting their wares. If for no other reason than to simply see how the jackets actually look irl.

 

[ton312]

I'm sure it will look better on you than it does on their website.

I'm sure it would too. And by quite a bit! I say do it @Monitor. But. Don't. Sell the confedi.
That jacket is a rare beast and it was made for you. Sell some truckers

 

[Monitor]

I'm sure it would too. And by quite a bit! I say do it @Monitor. But. Don't. Sell the confedi.
That jacket is a rare beast and it was made for you. Sell some truckers

Which?? The truckers will get me $100 tops, except for Aero and I can't sell that one. Confedi and LL might get me closer but on the other hand, I really don't feel like selling Confedi, losing the best CR I've had so far only to do a full circle and end up back where I started.

I'll just deal with the fact that I can't have nice things and cry in the corner.

 

[ton312]

Which?? The truckers will get me $100 tops, except for Aero and I can't sell that one. Confedi and LL might get me closer but on the other hand, I really don't feel like selling Confedi, losing the best CR I've had so far only to do a full circle and end up back where I started.

I'll just deal with the fact that I can't have nice things and cry in the corner.

Chip away at it. The confedi and Aero should be off limits but I know for a fact you've got a Bates and a Cal you could get at least a chunk of change for.

 

[El Marro]

Keep the CM1 above all else! The fact that you still have it speaks volumes.

 

[Monitor]

I'm sure it would too. And by quite a bit! I say do it @Monitor. But. Don't. Sell the confedi.
That jacket is a rare beast and it was made for you. Sell some truckers

That might work, that just might do the job.

 

[ton312]

Keep the CM1 above all else! The fact that you still have it speaks volumes.

I tried one of those on at a M/C show in Chicago at the rosemont horizon a long time ago. It was a size too small but I remember thinking I'd max my cc to own it if it fit. And the bikes they make...

 

[ton312]

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I often wonder why Schott and Vanson don't try a bit harder with their online presence. Vanson site is straight out of 2001. Schott doesn't do much better.
My gut tells me that these companies know their customers and don't feel they need to press the issue with flashy photos or cooked up heritage. Nevertheless, I'd appreciate both of them taking a more modern approach to presenting their wares. If for no other reason than to simply see how the jackets actually look irl.

Could not agree more. I actually am quite interested in Vanson, but their website is so clunky and ugly. I can't even easily tell if they have brown competition weight cowhide available to purchase or not. I may have bought through them already if they had better pictures and a more user-friendly interface.

@Monitor it is a little silly, but keep in mind that RMC is supposedly a hobby for the owners and they are rumored to lose money on it overall. It's a passion project and I think these Japanese dudes really live for that vintage Americana thing.

This is why my blog and instagram name are both ALMOST vintage style. I am aware that what I wear is not actually vintage. It's mostly modified or repro stuff that has a vintage look or quality to it and I personally like that. Though I will agree that some go too far in the vintage look department.

 

[Fonzie]

Could not agree more. I actually am quite interested in Vanson, but their website is so clunky and ugly. I can't even easily tell if they have brown competition weight cowhide available to purchase or not. I may have bought through them already if they had better pictures and a more user-friendly interface.

@Monitor it is a little silly, but keep in mind that RMC is supposedly a hobby for the owners and they are rumored to lose money on it overall. It's a passion project and I think these Japanese dudes really live for that vintage Americana thing.

This is why my blog and instagram name are both ALMOST vintage style. I am aware that what I wear is not actually vintage. It's mostly modified or repro stuff that has a vintage look or quality to it and I personally like that. Though I will agree that some go too far in the vintage look department.

I’m curious about which Vanson jacket are you interested in?
I can’t think of any of the current models they carry that would suit your style, which by the way is very cool.
I have a new Vanson Gambler in brown cowhide and I love it. Heavy, comfortably supple out of the box and tough as nails.
Not too flashy but a beast of a jacket.


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[ton312]

I’m curious about which Vanson jacket are you interested in?
I can’t think of any of the current models they carry that would suit your style, which by the way is very cool.
I have a new Vanson Gambler in brown cowhide and I love it. Heavy, comfortably supple out of the box and tough as nails.
Not too flashy but a beast of a jacket.


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The Gambler is a nice jacket!

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I’m curious about which Vanson jacket are you interested in?
I can’t think of any of the current models they carry that would suit your style, which by the way is very cool.
I have a new Vanson Gambler in brown cowhide and I love it. Heavy, comfortably supple out of the box and tough as nails.
Not too flashy but a beast of a jacket.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd probably just go for the classic model A because a cafe racer goes with everything
However, if I were able to try on a gambler, that would be tempting. That's my favorite individual model from them.

 

[El Marro]

I’m curious about which Vanson jacket are you interested in?
I can’t think of any of the current models they carry that would suit your style, which by the way is very cool.
I have a new Vanson Gambler in brown cowhide and I love it. Heavy, comfortably supple out of the box and tough as nails.
Not too flashy but a beast of a jacket.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm also curious about which Vanson you're looking at Dude, and I can think of several models that would look great on you. I recommend talking to Carrie at Thurston because she knows just as much about Vanson as she does Aero. Recently Thurston came through with some Vanson jackets in a really beautiful medium weight brown cowhide. I'm thinking a CHP in that leather would be out of sight!

Edit: I see you posted the Model A while I was writing my own post, nice choice.

 

[ProteinNerd]

I really don't feel like selling Confedi

 

[Fonzie]

The Gambler is a nice jacket!

It’s because of you that I bought it! [emoji16]


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[G'c]

Personally, I find that jacket posted on the first page to be lackluster, especially compared to many of your own jackets that you have shared here. I don't like the angle of the chest pockets, I don't like the color of the stitching, I cannot stand the hardware color, and the leather looks awful to my eyes. To be brutally honest, it kind of looks like a Fisher Price 'my first biker jacket' with all the wannabe cool details. It pales in comparison to jackets that you yourself own in my personal view.

I find it very funny that someone claimed that the Japanese brands are fashion brands while Schott is very clearly a fashion brand themselves.

Something I have to point out is that it is rumored that ALL of the Japanese brands listed apart from Iron Heart and Flat Head have their jackets made in the same factory. You could see this as good or bad, but I have to say, handling jackets from all of the Japanese brands (having owned them, tried them on, and visited Japan this year) that the construction quality is superior to Schott. If they are all made in the same factory, it would make sense given the consistency of the quality of these jackets. I am NOT saying that they are more durable. There is a difference. I am sure that a Schott is every bit as durable and having finally handled a Vanson recently, I cannot deny that they are absolute tanks and I actually kind of want one now.

Let us also keep in mind that Shinki is indeed the most expensive hide used on any of the jackets that we on this forum discuss. I know many do not love it, but you cannot deny the simple fact of its cost which certainly has something to do with the prices of the Japanese jackets.

I will agree that there is something to the point of them charging more because of their branding. Freewheeler's leather jacket prices have absolutely skyrocketed in recent years to the point where they are not worth the asking price anymore. Anyone who has been here a while knows that I would have never said anything like this previously, but their jacket prices have gotten ridiculous.

I agree that the Iron Heart jacket is ridiculous. It is not made as well as the jackets from Flat Head or RMC, FW, or Rainbow Country. Heck, I think Aero makes a nicer jacket that that IH jacket especially given how ugly the leather is on it. However, what you have to understand is that in the raw denim world, Iron Heart is a golden god to many with an impeachable reputation and the type of cult following that mirrors the following Aero has here. Let me put it this way, Iron Heart fans act the same way as many are acting in this thread right now: claiming what they like to be superior to something else for no reason at all.

Hopefully it is plain to see that I do not entirely disagree on the issue of the pricing of Japanese brands. I also agree that some are not as well made as some claim, with that Iron Heart jacket being a prime example. Also, I do not think that Japanese jackets are actually the end all be all of jackets as much as you may think that. I have more respect for Good Wear and Himel Bros than any of the Japanese makers. Heck, I just bought another Himel instead of a Japanese brand so all of my eggs are not in Japan's basket.

P.S. I know I have strong words on this, but I do not mean any negativity towards any person taking part in this discussion.

Not strong words at all dudewuttheheck and I think this post is partly in reply to my post.

You definitely raise some good points on the japanese jackets. Just to clarify, what I deem many of these brands as "fashion" brands does not mean it's a bad thing. In fact, I purchase quite alot of pherrow's and orgueil stuff myself (which is what I think is still within my price range, some other brands are plainly too expensive for me). In fact, I appreciate the niche fashion aspect of these brands more than say, Schott, which I totally agree with you that they are now definitely a fashion brand, and a more weird one in fact, since as ppl mentioned here, their direction seems to be everywhere rather than focused.

Also just to clarify, if I had the cash, I would definitely go for the Japanese brands myself since off the rack it might fit my better, and the details are good too. In fact, I just purchased an orgueil leather jacket recently, and I am very happy with it, although I think the pricing is a bit crazy.

Furthermore, I am not just talking about Shinki leather, it's just leather jackets in general that these japanese brands are charging more. For example, my orgueil jacket costs like 900 US after discount, originally it may be slightly over 1,000 US. My jacket is only what they call an "oiled steerhide", basically cowhide. I bought it knowing that part of the cost is towards their "branding" and "japanese made". Also great point about them being well made with great consistency doesn't mean they are built like a tank. Which I think, depends on one's preference, may not be the first priority. I think their durability is good enough and not everyone needs a jacket that builds like a tank.

Also good point on Iron Heart. Maybe that's why once I look at the prices they are charging for a shirt or something, I immediately hesitated. Even though they have some very nice pieces.

 

[navetsea]

It is a 4 doors sedan with steel rim... I mean 4 pockets CR with blackened hardware ... I don't know Mon ( i hope the analogy could wake you up from schott spell )

 

[Fonzie]

I'd probably just go for the classic model A because a cafe racer goes with everything
However, if I were able to try on a gambler, that would be tempting. That's my favorite individual model from them.

There’s a very nice Vanson Comet in brown cowhide in the Thurston’s affiliate thread recently. You should check it out, the Comet Plus-3 is a very nice cafe racer.

I’m not sure if the brown Gambler would really suit your style though IMHO.


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