Re: Ironic

Posted by Patterson from 63.104.29.46 on September 28, 2000 at 18:23:55:

In Reply to: Ironic posted by DeWayne on September 28, 2000 at 00:29:29:

: It's not quite 60, but my Grandpa did give me his jacket that he got in 1949. It's still in descent shape, and it says horsehide in big, bold letters on the inside tag. He told me he wore the jacket everywhere, constantly in his travels for about five years. (I know some have heard me talk of this jacket before, but it's just so darn cool!) It's pretty broken in. It's wrinkled good on the sleeves, but there really isn't much give or a hang to it. It's very stiff. When I asked him if it ever loosened up at all when he wore it, he said no, it just got more comfortable after forming to him, but the stiffness never went away.

: When he gave it to me about 4 years ago, it was the closest thing I had ever seen to an Indy jacket. It has cargo pockets, leather cuffs and waist, etc. It even has side-straps with square, black, rectangular buckles. Sorry, no gussets though. I wore it for a while, then I got paranoid something might happen to it. now it sits safely in my bedroom. Though, this would be the jacket to wear if I had to drag behind a truck! Nearly bulletproof. Honestly, it's not very comfortable. The jacket is priceless to me, but I much prefer wearing my lambskin jackets. Altogether, I have twelve leather jackets. Two of them horsehide. They are both pretty stiff. It just depends on what you're looking. I'm sure I'll wind up ordering a Flight Suits lambskin.

: See ya! DeWayne

Yes, I've heard it will never be like lambskin, but does form to your body. I have been told that Pecard's is a must for horsehide - it really softens it up and keeps it hydrated, making it quite comfortable. One die-hard horsehide guy compared it to calfskin, but I'd discount that one a bit on the expectation scale? You may want to apply Pecards to your Grandpa's jacket to make it last another 51 years. Wow - what a cool keepsake!

On that note? I did have a chance to talk to the folks who did the restoration of the original Raiders jacket. Some may recall it was stored in a plastic bag for 10 years, and was as hard as wood. You'll never guess what they used to restore it? Yep - the start by heating up a little Pecards and then brushing it on about a 4X4 inch area. Then they apply low heat from a hairdryer - just enough to liquify the Pecards so it penetrates the leather. The whole jacket received 3 to 4 complete treatments of that before they began applying it by hand, and get this? They use a swatch of horsehide to rub it in - not a cloth, but horsehide. I thought it was interesting.

Cheers!

Patterson

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: : It's not quite 60, but my Grandpa did give me his jacket that he got in 1949. It's still in descent shape, and it says horsehide in big, bold letters on the inside tag. He told me he wore the jacket everywhere, constantly in his travels for about five years. (I know some have heard me talk of this jacket before, but it's just so darn cool!) It's pretty broken in. It's wrinkled good on the sleeves, but there really isn't much give or a hang to it. It's very stiff. When I asked him if it ever loosened up at all when he wore it, he said no, it just got more comfortable after forming to him, but the stiffness never went away.

: : When he gave it to me about 4 years ago, it was the closest thing I had ever seen to an Indy jacket. It has cargo pockets, leather cuffs and waist, etc. It even has side-straps with square, black, rectangular buckles. Sorry, no gussets though. I wore it for a while, then I got paranoid something might happen to it. now it sits safely in my bedroom. Though, this would be the jacket to wear if I had to drag behind a truck! Nearly bulletproof. Honestly, it's not very comfortable. The jacket is priceless to me, but I much prefer wearing my lambskin jackets. Altogether, I have twelve leather jackets. Two of them horsehide. They are both pretty stiff. It just depends on what you're looking. I'm sure I'll wind up ordering a Flight Suits lambskin.

: : See ya! DeWayne

: Yes, I've heard it will never be like lambskin, but does form to your body.  I have been told that Pecard's is a must for horsehide - it really softens it up and keeps it hydrated, making it quite comfortable.  One die-hard horsehide guy compared it to calfskin, but I'd discount that one a bit on the expectation scale?  You may want to apply Pecards to your Grandpa's jacket to make it last another 51 years.  Wow - what a cool keepsake!

: On that note?  I did have a chance to talk to the folks who did the restoration of the original Raiders jacket.  Some may recall it was stored in a plastic bag for 10 years, and was as hard as wood.  You'll never guess what they used to restore it?  Yep - the start by heating up a little Pecards and then brushing it on about a 4X4 inch area.  Then they apply low heat from a hairdryer - just enough to liquify the Pecards so it penetrates the leather.  The whole jacket received 3 to 4 complete treatments of that before they began applying it by hand, and get this?  They use a swatch of horsehide to rub it in - not a cloth, but horsehide.  I thought it was interesting.

: Cheers!

: Patterson

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]