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Vanson Model F Brown Comp Weight 42
- Thread starter Al 916
- Start date
Peter Mackin
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,245
- Location
- glasgow
Lovely colour in the sun.....
Biff42
Practically Family
- Messages
- 549
Nice one Al.
BB1239
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 168
PM sent
BB1239
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 168
Jacket arrived in great condition, ahead of schedule. If anyone ever gets a chance to buy from this guy, do not hesitate. I couldn't be more impressed and thank you!
So happy to have us in this group. What a magnificent jacket. Honestly it's just gorgeous.
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Is this naked cowhide or has a top coat? This is not veg tan, correct?
I am floored by the look. Can it be cared for with light sprits of distilled water and horsehair brush coupled with some bickmore 4? I wouldn't think obenauf's oil would be great but way too risky for darkening.
Also, the new style vanson model b jackets you can buy today on their websire don't offer this naked cow hide I suspect. The vintage model b is special with the naked cowhide. Hopefully the threads are polyester, could last forever!
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BB1239
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 168
I believe there is a thread on here, indicating the owner of the jacket prior to @Al 916 may have actually used Obenauf's oil on it. Here it is, unless I'm mistaken.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vanson-model-f-sz-42”-tobacco-leaf-brown.111110/#post-3012604
However the end result was achieved, I think it turned out great. The leather is soft and supple, and of course Vanson Competition Weight thick. It's a rare bird indeed. @Al 916 has a knack for finding those and obtaining them.
As for the availability of naked competition weight from Vanson, now or in the past, I'm also not aware of that availability directly from Vanson. I've often been curious whether some of the older Vanson CW jackets were ever made without a heavy top coat. I'd really like to know. It's well documented that there have been significant variations in the Vanson CW over the years, with most enthusiasts preferring the older varieties, from their prior tanneries which no longer exist. One interesting point on that is, I've read on this forum that Phoenix Leathers was one of their previous suppliers during the "preferred" era. That statement can be found here in post #41.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...oys-vs-vanson-cross-zip-jackets.107310/page-3
A quick google search shows me Phoenix Leathers is still in business.
https://www.phoenixleatherhides.com/about-us
Their website also shows they started in 1974, the same year Vanson started. Interesting.
I don't claim to know which tannery / tanneries did the best job for Vanson, but out of interest I'd like to know that too. For that matter, I can't be sure Vanson doesn't still use Phoenix as a supplier of leather. I would have no way to know. Phoenix appears to not be a tannery itself. The industry has suffered the loss of several amazing tanneries.
There are also threads on here where Vanson owners have gotten brave and used acetone to remove the heavy top coat, revealing the supple leather underneath.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/why-should-i-buy-a-vanson.104065/page-16#post-2936673
It's not something I'm brave enough to do yet, but the members on here who have, certainly have more knowledge and experience than myself, and are getting great results.
As a motorcycle jacket, which is what Vanson designs them for, a top coat is not a bad thing at all. It provides weather protection for the leather. For use as a jacket on the bike, I personally love having the top coat on my 2012 C2. But the 'hand" of that leather will never be what this Vanson Model F currently is. Different leathers for different uses. I'm thankful to have both.
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Just to correct some bad information here. There is absolutely no such thing, at all , ever, as “naked comp weight”. This was my jacket. A tan sun baked comp weight. Not rare, not unusual, in fact quite common on late 70’s early 80’s Vanson jackets. It arrived completely sun baked. I oiled it, used dark brown Urad and sold it to Al. Unfortunately guys who didn't even know what a Vanson was 5 years ago have put their ignorance on display as industrious false facts.
I am expecting to have one soon in the mail.
Anything to consider or look out for? How are the threads?
I assume there's no top coat or if there was it's worn away.
Would be fine to get wet and use obenauf's oil?
I think the color is very interesting, a brown that Fades?
I don't think the previous information was that flawed at all though. Glad to hear you had the jacket at some point. Did it fit true to size?
It was flawed in that there is no such thing as naked comp weight. This is the same tan that Vanson has used since it launched in the 70’s. It will take you 20 years of daily wear to get through the topcoat. Here are some examples, I’ve had a few tan Vanson.
The only way the model F in this FS thread achieved the look it did was through decades of sun and wear, and what I did to it.
Here was the jacket when it arrived. Horrible color IMO
And then post oil and dark brown Urad:
You can probably expect your new jacket to look nothing like either one (if it’s tan comp weight).
The model F is true to size. Al chopped 2” off the sleeves. In my pics they are 26” long. He doesn’t mention this but you can find the stock length in my original FS ad.
The only way the model F in this FS thread achieved the look it did was through decades of sun and wear, and what I did to it.
Here was the jacket when it arrived. Horrible color IMO
You can probably expect your new jacket to look nothing like either one (if it’s tan comp weight).
The model F is true to size. Al chopped 2” off the sleeves. In my pics they are 26” long. He doesn’t mention this but you can find the stock length in my original FS ad.
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BB1239
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 168
Great knowledge and great jackets on this forum indeed.
I'm thankful for both, including this Model F which I'm enjoying.
Both have added positivity to my life.
I'm thankful for both, including this Model F which I'm enjoying.
Both have added positivity to my life.
Shame you didn’t get it directly from me, prior to Al turning it into a baseball shirt… and I think you have this one that used to be mine as well.
If you need real information instead of made up BS. Don’t hesitate to ask. Happy to oblige.
My package is super delayed but once I get it I will take some pictures in some decent light for you to see. And maybe we can plan on trying to figure out how to make it look more like what you did. I have tons of obenauf's and am ready I think?
Do you have some pics? If there’s a topcoat still present you’ll certainly need more than that. This jacket had most of topcoat baked away. Either way we can take it to PM
BB1239
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 168
I actually do have that jacket! My first Model E. It's an excellent jacket to ride in for cold weather, and so stylish off the bike. As a lurker some time back, I remember your posts on that jacket. It is well broken in and has aged very well. The Model F was the first jacket I took a chance on with shorter sleeves, I'm glad I did. They'd be too short for me to ride the motorcycle in for sure, but as a casual jacket it happens to fit me spot on. Vanson patterns seem quite good. I only have 6 of them, well 5 now that I sold the Dakota, but so far they've all been amazing. Happy to learn from the OG's, and thank you for that. A lot of cool people on here and I really appreciate that man.Shame you didn’t get it directly from me, prior to Al turning it into a baseball shirt… and I think you have this one that used to be mine as well.
View attachment 675561
If you need real information instead of made up BS. Don’t hesitate to ask. Happy to oblige.
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That model e is pretty special. I’ve owned around 15 of them over the years. What makes that one special is the brown core. Not too many floating around that weren’t struck through black. Little bit lighter, thinner batch, smoother and a bit less grainy. The collar came of a nylon cop coat and I retro fitted it to the Vanson. Enjoy it. It’s a stellar version of that jacket. The newer model e lost a bit of soul. Belt loops are not snap reinforced to the body of the jacket and the collar got weak.
