Canuck Panda
I'll Lock Up
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Ok Gents, I think it's safe to say that if it has a MiUSA label it will have better material, regardless of brands, LW, Schott, Vanson, I will throw in WD too who should be a good representation of the small mom/pop indies. I will start with the zipper. The American ones looks like this:
and this
There is that little "U" marking, and the metal is a bit thicker, and the operation is a bit smoother, than the import:
Which has no "U" marking the back and is a bit thinner, and sometimes gets stuck. But overall it's still very good zip. Most people wouldn't even notice the difference. I am just anal about this.
US YKK thickness:
Import YKK Thickness:
The US YKK does operate smoother, 9/10 times than the import which will get stuck at least 1/10 times.
Now the leather:
Not all Vansons comp weight are equal. I bought mine new, all comp weight, at different price points. I have to say that the lower priced Highwayman (I had two sizes and returned one), have different/inferior leather to the higher priced Chopper or the Bones jacket. The Highwayman jackets I have also had a gasoline smell when new, but not the Chopper or the Bones. The price difference between each is about 200 dollars. I will suggest to stay away from anything with a center back seam.
I haven't got around to complete my East Coast collection and replace the Vanson Highwayman with a new Schott 61x yet, but I am quite certain the Schott uses the same leather as Walter Dyer. Which has no top coat, but nice and thick. The good Comp weight is basically the same leather with a water proof coating that makes it stiffer and needs more break in. Both are most likely from the same tanneries on the East Coast, there aren't that many left.
I have a consipiracy theory that the cheaper comp weights material came from import source, not US tanneries. Just a theory, based on the gasoline smell and my tin foil hat.
WD naked cow:
Vanson good comp weight:
Vanson BAD Comp weight (I think its imported material, just my theory)
Now my rant on the pattern and mobility. It's like Betty Crocker Receipe. All East Coast brands are more or less the same thing! The Vanson Highwayman size 44 is almost identical to the LW J24 Size 46. The only difference is the PRICE, and the thickness/stiffness in leather and of course the finishing. All are excellent products.
Vanson Highwayman 44 measured P2P to neck the same the Lost World J24 46, both has almost identical sleeves and rotation. The thing that makes these jackets great is the BIG folded pleats that allow more extention. But jackets like the wide P2P Cafe racers are the same, or the CHP jacket above. They just do it with the big back panel and no pleats, for a more streamline look.
Vanson
Will continue in the next post because can only attach 10 photos in one...
and this
There is that little "U" marking, and the metal is a bit thicker, and the operation is a bit smoother, than the import:
Which has no "U" marking the back and is a bit thinner, and sometimes gets stuck. But overall it's still very good zip. Most people wouldn't even notice the difference. I am just anal about this.
US YKK thickness:
Import YKK Thickness:
The US YKK does operate smoother, 9/10 times than the import which will get stuck at least 1/10 times.
Now the leather:
Not all Vansons comp weight are equal. I bought mine new, all comp weight, at different price points. I have to say that the lower priced Highwayman (I had two sizes and returned one), have different/inferior leather to the higher priced Chopper or the Bones jacket. The Highwayman jackets I have also had a gasoline smell when new, but not the Chopper or the Bones. The price difference between each is about 200 dollars. I will suggest to stay away from anything with a center back seam.
I haven't got around to complete my East Coast collection and replace the Vanson Highwayman with a new Schott 61x yet, but I am quite certain the Schott uses the same leather as Walter Dyer. Which has no top coat, but nice and thick. The good Comp weight is basically the same leather with a water proof coating that makes it stiffer and needs more break in. Both are most likely from the same tanneries on the East Coast, there aren't that many left.
I have a consipiracy theory that the cheaper comp weights material came from import source, not US tanneries. Just a theory, based on the gasoline smell and my tin foil hat.
WD naked cow:
Vanson good comp weight:
Vanson BAD Comp weight (I think its imported material, just my theory)
Now my rant on the pattern and mobility. It's like Betty Crocker Receipe. All East Coast brands are more or less the same thing! The Vanson Highwayman size 44 is almost identical to the LW J24 Size 46. The only difference is the PRICE, and the thickness/stiffness in leather and of course the finishing. All are excellent products.
Vanson Highwayman 44 measured P2P to neck the same the Lost World J24 46, both has almost identical sleeves and rotation. The thing that makes these jackets great is the BIG folded pleats that allow more extention. But jackets like the wide P2P Cafe racers are the same, or the CHP jacket above. They just do it with the big back panel and no pleats, for a more streamline look.
Vanson
Will continue in the next post because can only attach 10 photos in one...
