Small scratch/chip on new Aero jacket

[Morrowless]

I just got my first FQHH brown Aero jacket, bought new. Quite happy overall. Nice fit and everything.

However I could't help but notice this little imperfection: A 0.4 inch mark on the left sleeve. It looks like a deep scratch, taking with it some of the surface leather. I worry that the area around it is gradually going to peel away at some point. Is this thing sort of common for new leather jackets? If so, I don't want to be overly nit-picky. Would you return it or keep it?

Thanks for your input.

EDIT: 2 more photos showing the whole thing.

 

[handymike]

It should be fine. The first mark is the hardest, but in time the whole jacket will only look better with a bunch of scratches and marks. Let's see pictures of the whole thing. If you are bothered by the lightness, you could put a little dab of Vaseline on it to darken it down. If it's CXL you might be able to rub it out with your fingers.

 

[jacketjunkie]

What leather is this? Also, can you post more close up pictures? I can barely recognize the scratch on this one.

 

[Morrowless]

Yes the leather is CXL FQHH brown. Uploaded a closeup photo. I also got an Aero leather conditioner for free. Would that help? (I know it isn't advisable to use the conditioner on new leather. I would only be applying it to the scratched area)

 

[l0fielectronic]

Did you email them to see what they said?

If its somewhere quite visible on the sleeve I don't think I would be that happy with this on a full price brand new item.

 

[Morrowless]

Did you email them to see what they said?

If its somewhere quite visible on the sleeve I don't think I would be that happy with this on a full price brand new item.

Not yet. I wanted to hear some opinions first.
It's located below shoulders, facing outward. So it's somewhat visible, not glaringly so.

 

[l0fielectronic]

Well, as a couple of people have said, over time a well worn jacket may pick up marks like this. Its not going to cause the jacket to fall apart.

At the same time if bothers you then it bothers you and at the kind of prices we are talking then trying to 'fix' a brand new jacket by trying to darken it with a product seems like something you shouldn't have to do. I'd contact Aero and see what they say and go from there. I wouldn't have thought they wouldv'e deliberately placed something like this on a prominent part of the jacket, maybe it got snagged on something when it was being packed to be sent out and nobody noticed?

 

[jacketjunkie]

This looks like a very superficial scratch that rubbed off some color. The CLX leather is kind of prone to that kind of thing, losing color quickly and also not very abrasion-resistent, the Aero HWM I bought used very recently has a few of these marks, scratches and scuffs and I have seen it on other used jackets before, too. Once you have worn this jacket for a few months, it'll have few of these.

That being said, this is no used jackets, this is a brand new jacket and you paid brand new jacket prices for it. And also, is this only my impression or maybe only unfortunate lightning on the pic, or is the entire area around that scratch on the first picture kind of odd-looking? Partial colorloss or whatever to call it.

To answer your questions; No, not common on new jackets. Common on used jackets though. Very unlikely the area/damage gets worse. Return or keep? Tricky one. I guess technically you could, but as it would be only one out of a few in a while to come, it'd be kind of nitpicky and maybe make me wonder whether this leather was the right choice for you in the first place.. The only thing that matters in the end is, does it bother you? Yes or no. Because if it does, I can assure you it won't stop or get better.

 

[Monitor]

Brown shoe creme or paste and you're good to go. That's literally how jacket (or shoe or belt or whatever) makers deal with this sorta thing.
Almost all hide they get has a few (or a lot) of such nicks and scratches and that's how they fix it. Whoever made the jacket must've missed this spot but yeah, literally nothing to worry about.

 

[nick123]

When I smoked, I must have burned a tiny nick into my thin, 2.5oz Johnson Leather flight jacket. Was freaking out. Rushed it over to Alan to find out if it was going to make it. He applied a little epoxy substance, probably to sedate my anxiety; so I took it home, somewhat reassured it'd live. Same fear...would it turn into a hole and fall apart?

A few years on, that epoxy stuff or whatever it was seems to have evaporated, and the jacket still has the nick in the top coat of the leather. I don't even think about it anymore and my jacket was much thinner. Lesson of this story is that leather is resilient. Also, smoking is bad.

Hopefully this helps you put away your fears of the durability of your jacket. Your jacket is new and it looks like a flaw, so you could bring it to the attention of Aero... but one which in time will matter less and less. If everything else is bang on, you can relax.

 

[Morrowless]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I'm now inclined to keep it. I obviously didn't buy this jacket for the "new" look. If it's not a defect that will get worse I don't really mind. If anything, now I don't have to fear scratching it.

That being said, this is no used jackets, this is a brand new jacket and you paid brand new jacket prices for it. And also, is this only my impression or maybe only unfortunate lightning on the pic, or is the entire area around that scratch on the first picture kind of odd-looking? Partial colorloss or whatever to call it.

That's probably just the harsh phone LED light. Its much less pronounced to my naked eye.

 

[handymike]

First try rubbing the area with your fingers. CXL has lots of wax in it and might hide the scratch. If not, put a little (very little) conditioner on a Q tip and paint in the mark. Let it dry, then rub the whole area.

 

[sweetfights]

Just like getting a new car: the first ding or scratch drives you crazy, after that, it doesn’t bother you anymore.

 

[kojax]

i would send it back does not look good

 

[Monitor]

Christ, people, they use black marker pens on black leather... It's just a bit of scraped away overdye. Literally no damage.

 

[dan_t]

As they say, your jacket will look the worst it ever will the day you get it.
Wear the hell out of it, collect lots & lots of these scrapes, dings, character marks.
This is what will make your jacket uniquely yours.
Think of it as a free ‘getting started’ gift.
Honestly, if the fit is nigh on perfect, forget this mark & move on.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I have several of these on the CXL Steer & Horse jackets I own. I wear a backpack daily with my work, so I get more of these scratches than some. I would not worry about it, unless you "can't" wear it as is.

 

[Sloan1874]

This is a negligible ding, it possibly occurred while it was being packed. If you want something to help you get past the initial 'oh god, what's this!?' phase of your jacket, I'd dab a little brown polish on it and give it a bit of a buff. I've done this to an analine leather A-2: I managed to get a thwocking great grease mark on it, so I used a special solvent on it but accidentally stripped out some of the colour too. After scraping myself off the ceiling, I touched it up with some russet shoe polish mixed with a dab of brown polish and gave it a good hard buff. It wasn't *exact*, but it looked fine - it's an A-2, it's not meant to look pristine - and after a couple of weeks I had trouble detecting where the original mark was.

 

[TREEMAN]

IMO one should not have to polish or rub out scratches or try not to let it not bother you on a new high end jacket. I would contact them and see what they say..........if my jacket is going to have marks or scratches on it, I want to put them there........

 

[handymike]

mine have a knick or two