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cuchulain

Familiar Face
Messages
95
Schott makes nice jackets, I had a Perfecto and the leather was so soft and supple, it broke in so nice. My only complaint is Schott doesn't make enough casual styles they're mostly motorcycle jackets which i only like on the bike, not to wear daily.
 

Doctor Damage

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,321
Location
Ontario
So what's the "Topcoat" that comes on the steer that DOES let the leather breathe and WONT hurt the the leather???
Oren Schott clearly states in the comments thread on the Schott website that the steerhide they use has had the pores of the leather sealed in the tanning process. This does not involve the application of a substance or chemical to finished leather, instead it's accomplished as part of the original processing of the leather, and can be considered "baked in" rather than "sprayed on".
 

Phillips88

Familiar Face
Messages
66
Oren Schott clearly states in the comments thread on the Schott website that the steerhide they use has had the pores of the leather sealed in the tanning process. This does not involve the application of a substance or chemical to finished leather, instead it's accomplished as part of the original processing of the leather, and can be considered "baked in" rather than "sprayed on".

That's it, I agree. I have just always been taught from the beginning that sealing the pores of any type of leather is a bad thing and causes the leather not to last as long as a jacket without the pores sealed?
 

Phillips88

Familiar Face
Messages
66
Does anyone know much about Thedi leather jackets? Their all natural veg tanned leather to be exact. Is It the same situation as Schotts naked hide minus the veg tanning process? Its unsealed as well right??
 

Doctor Damage

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,321
Location
Ontario
That's it, I agree. I have just always been taught from the beginning that sealing the pores of any type of leather is a bad thing and causes the leather not to last as long as a jacket without the pores sealed?
Sure, but if you want waterproof leather -- such as on a motorcycle jacket -- then you probably need the pores sealed, and possibly accept a shorter life (if it's true). I think it's kind of an armchair discussion, since most people will probably never wear out their jackets in their lifetime, especially people here who have multiple jackets. The best test would be to buy Schott steerhide and cowhide jackets and wear them alternating days in the same conditions and tasks for 10 years, then see which one is lasting better!

Digression: There was in years past in other forums much debate about Church's shoes, which used to offer what they called a "bookbinder" finish leather, which was super shiny and smooth. The Internet Shoe Experts (cough cough) always said it was inferior because it was shiny and the grain was smoothed at the processing stage, but Church's didn't consider it inferior and didn't price it lower. I suspect it was just horses for courses, some people just wanted/needed a shiny smooth leather.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
That's it, I agree. I have just always been taught from the beginning that sealing the pores of any type of leather is a bad thing and causes the leather not to last as long as a jacket without the pores sealed?

As I said before most leather will last for decades, processing irrelevant. It will matter more how it is looked after. Just buy what you like. People are still wearing 50 year old Brimacos which look great even though they used a pretty poor, light chrome tanned, coated leather that we would probably only find on cheaper makers today.
 
Messages
16,803
As I said before most leather will last for decades, processing irrelevant. It will matter more how it is looked after. Just buy what you like. People are still wearing 50 year old Brimacos which look great even though they used a pretty poor, light chrome tanned, coated leather that we would probably only find on cheaper makers today.

This.

And what I said earlier - it works. These jackets work. The tanning works. They know what they're doing. eBay Schott, you'll find at least 50 Schott jackets at any given time that are 30 or 40 years old and good for two times as much.
 

Phillips88

Familiar Face
Messages
66
As I said before most leather will last for decades, processing irrelevant. It will matter more how it is looked after. Just buy what you like. People are still wearing 50 year old Brimacos which look great even though they used a pretty poor, light chrome tanned, coated leather that we would probably only find on cheaper makers today.

This.

And what I said earlier - it works. These jackets work. The tanning works. They know what they're doing. eBay Schott, you'll find at least 50 Schott jackets at any given time that are 30 or 40 years old and good for two times as much.

Their just isn't too many naked cowhide Scotts to go by on eBay or really anywhere, Monitor. They are mostly steer and horse. Even most of the 118 iv saw are just a couple years old. Id feel much better about the situation if Schott or any other manufacture, had something to go buy that was made prior to the late 70s-80s in naked cowhide. Find me a 50 year old unfinished/naked cowhide to go by? I'm just gonna wear it and find out myself. I'm just hoping that the original Picards I ordered that is made especially for unfinished/naked hides will be ok even though it goes against what Gail says with it being petroleum based.

Does anyone know much about Thedi leather jackets? Their all natural veg tanned leather to be exact. Is It the same situation as Schotts naked hide minus the veg tanning process? Its unsealed as well right??

Do either of you know anything about these jackets?
 

BobJ

Practically Family
Messages
609
Location
Coos Bay, OR
Their just isn't too many naked cowhide Scotts to go by on eBay or really anywhere, Monitor. They are mostly steer and horse. Even most of the 118 iv saw are just a couple years old. Id feel much better about the situation if Schott or any other manufacture, had something to go buy that was made prior to the late 70s-80s in naked cowhide. Find me a 50 year old unfinished/naked cowhide to go by? I'm just gonna wear it and find out myself. I'm just hoping that the original Picards I ordered that is made especially for unfinished/naked hides will be ok even though it goes against what Gail says with it being petroleum based.



Do either of you know anything about these jackets?

I can't "find you a fifty year old unfinished/naked cowhide" jacket, but I can tell you about a 26 year old one... I got a Schott naked cowhide jacket in 1985 when I lived in Nome, Alaska. It saw a LOT of harsh weather: cold, snow, rain, dust - my quad was my only transportation for several years. After a few years, my brother bought the jacket right off my back while I was visiting him in San Diego, and wore it in that dry climate for a few years. Then, he too, moved to Nome and wore it in the rough Alaska weather for 15 years. Then he, once again, followed me down to the Oregon coast and wore it in our perpetual rain, mist and fog for a few more years before passing it on to his son, who promptly lost it :(

But the bottom line is that that naked cowhide was as soft and supple as the day I bought it. It had folds, creases and character, and the collar was permanently shaped to my brother's neck, but there was not even a hint of dryness or stiffness. Thick, luxurious leather. Good stuff.

Bob

It was this one (the collar is detachable):

184smbr.jpg


https://www.schottnyc.com/products/a-2-naked-cowhide-leather-flight.htm?catID=46
 
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TREEMAN

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,562
Location
USA
I can't "find you a fifty year old unfinished/naked cowhide" jacket, but I can tell you about a 26 year old one... I got a Schott naked cowhide jacket in 1985 when I lived in Nome, Alaska. It saw a LOT of harsh weather: cold, snow, rain, dust - my quad was my only transportation for several years. After a few years, my brother bought the jacket right off my back while I was visiting him in San Diego, and wore it in that dry climate for a few years. Then, he too, moved to Nome and wore it in the rough Alaska weather for 15 years. Then he, once again, followed me down to the Oregon coast and wore it in our perpetual rain, mist and fog for a few more years before passing it on to his son, who promptly lost it :(

But the bottom line is that that naked cowhide was as soft and supple as the day I bought it. It had folds, creases and character, and the collar was permanently shaped to my brother's neck, but there was not even a hint of dryness or stiffness. Thick, luxurious leather. Good stuff.

Bob

It was this one (the collar is detachable):

184smbr.jpg


https://www.schottnyc.com/products/a-2-naked-cowhide-leather-flight.htm?catID=46
Man..........thats a Schott story!!
 

Phillips88

Familiar Face
Messages
66
I can't "find you a fifty year old unfinished/naked cowhide" jacket, but I can tell you about a 26 year old one... I got a Schott naked cowhide jacket in 1985 when I lived in Nome, Alaska. It saw a LOT of harsh weather: cold, snow, rain, dust - my quad was my only transportation for several years. After a few years, my brother bought the jacket right off my back while I was visiting him in San Diego, and wore it in that dry climate for a few years. Then, he too, moved to Nome and wore it in the rough Alaska weather for 15 years. Then he, once again, followed me down to the Oregon coast and wore it in our perpetual rain, mist and fog for a few more years before passing it on to his son, who promptly lost it :(

But the bottom line is that that naked cowhide was as soft and supple as the day I bought it. It had folds, creases and character, and the collar was permanently shaped to my brother's neck, but there was not even a hint of dryness or stiffness. Thick, luxurious leather. Good stuff.

Bob

It was this one (the collar is detachable):

184smbr.jpg


https://www.schottnyc.com/products/a-2-naked-cowhide-leather-flight.htm?catID=46

Bob, WOW.... just as TREEMAN said! What a Schott story! I really appreciate you sharing your story with us. That has really reassured my doubts on my naked cowhide. I could just vision you and your brother testing the limits of what I'm sure was an unbelievable looking jacket. I must ask...did you ever "treat" it? Definitely sounds like your jacket saw its fair share of the weather and elements. If so...how often and with what?

That is exactly what I want out of my jackets. I'm a very sentimental person and get attached to my stuff, my jackets are no different. I'm hoping to pass mine down to my kid one day. If you were to ever run across any pics of your old jacket, we would love to see it!
 

SJC

Suspended
Messages
230
Location
Pennsylvania
I'm not going to knock Schott. I'm a big fan of their work, leather, and customer service but this isn't the first time they've been accused of false advertising. I myself who also live born and raised in East Tennessee around farms my whole life definitely know the difference in these animals but I just don't know what to believe after reading Orens post. I once saw Gail mention this and someone called her out on it just as we are now but there was never a response...
I learned a lot from Oren Schott's articles. I did not know that the horsehide used for the sleeves in the jacket come from the hind of the horse.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,843
Location
East Java
I don't think a leather sealer that claims to make your jacket waterproof would do any lasting harm to the leather, it wears off, even the protective coat waterproofing from the manufacture would eventually wears off too, and it is just a micron of a film to make the surface smoother for the water drop to slide, it won't seal every pore on the surface... at least that is what I believe.
 

JVanBro

Familiar Face
Messages
83
I don't think there's really any difference between the hide of a cow, steer or bull once they're tanned no more than it is distinguishable in a pile of ground beef. It's manufacturer selling terminology. Different grades of bovine leather as far as imperfections, sure. Remember Ricardo Montalbon advertising for the Chrysler Cordoba? Seats made of "fine Corinthian leather" was advertising hype.

Sent from my Venue 8 3830 using Tapatalk
 

TREEMAN

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,562
Location
USA
I don't think there's really any difference between the hide of a cow, steer or bull once they're tanned no more than it is distinguishable in a pile of ground beef. It's manufacturer selling terminology. Different grades of bovine leather as far as imperfections, sure. Remember Ricardo Montalbon advertising for the Chrysler Cordoba? Seats made of "fine Corinthian leather" was advertising hype.

Sent from my Venue 8 3830 using Tapatalk
I think most companies suggesting a leather is better because it's steer and another is superior because it's cow are FULL of bull. It seems like the can tell you anything and put anything they want on the label. I'm surprised they haven't used the terms stallion and mare to describe HH yet.
 
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JVanBro

Familiar Face
Messages
83
I think most companies suggesting a leather is better because it's steer and another is superior because it's cow are FULL of bull. It seems like the can tell you anything and put anything they want on the label. I'm surprised they haven't used the terms stallion and mare to describe HH yet.
Now with HH they do describe it as "front quarter" which seems to mean better quality. I wonder if that's really the case or is it also merely advertising as well? Who knows which part of the hide is actually being used.

Sent from my Venue 8 3830 using Tapatalk
 
Messages
16,803
This leather lotion, tanning, pores, etc. nonsense is nonsense.

The entire internet whines about how silicone is the worst thing ever yet Langlitz own inhouse leather lotion is silicone based. So, if Langlitz recommends silicone based leather lotion, how freaking bad can it be? I mean, this is a company that ought to know a thing or two about leather. . .
 
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JVanBro

Familiar Face
Messages
83
This leather lotion, tanning, pores, etc. nonsense is nonsense.

The entire internet whines about how silicone is the worst thing ever yet Langlitz own inhouse leather lotion is silicone based. So, if Langlitz recommends silicone based leather lotion, how freaking bad can it be? I mean, this is a company that ought to know a thing or two about leather. . .
mmmm langlitz! I need one. Wish I had remembered they were there last time we were in Oregon.

Sent from my Venue 8 3830 using Tapatalk
 

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