In the Market for a Leather Jacket....
#71
09-07-2010, 09:58 PM
That Schott 689H looks REALLY good. I think I'll have to see that one in person. I had decided (a few months ago) to just spend the money and buy a quality leather jacket.
The whole Cowhide, Horsehide leather thing is something I would like to figure out. Which is Which???? I don't care for the thin cardboard feel of the Pakastani leather jackets. On the other hand, My one buddy has an expensive Harley "Biker" style jacket. The leather is heavy but I don't like that one either. Hard to explain but it has a dull flat finish to it and feels more like rubber than leather. And it always feels damp and cold, like he got stuck out in the rain and it never completely dried.
I like leather that is thick but shiny and dry to the touch (if that makes any sense). That Schott 689H LOOKS like the kind of jacket I would like. It says it's a "Horsehide" jacket.
The whole Cowhide, Horsehide leather thing is something I would like to figure out. Which is Which???? I don't care for the thin cardboard feel of the Pakastani leather jackets. On the other hand, My one buddy has an expensive Harley "Biker" style jacket. The leather is heavy but I don't like that one either. Hard to explain but it has a dull flat finish to it and feels more like rubber than leather. And it always feels damp and cold, like he got stuck out in the rain and it never completely dried.
I like leather that is thick but shiny and dry to the touch (if that makes any sense). That Schott 689H LOOKS like the kind of jacket I would like. It says it's a "Horsehide" jacket.
ALL leather is tough, but in order of toughness.
Horsehide: horsehide is the toughest, and is the only leather that is naturally water resistant. It is stiff when new and takes some time to break in. Usually comes in one weight for clothing because the skins are so thick not all of the skin can be used for clothing. It is very smooth in texture, almost looks like plastic and will mold to your body, it wears like iron. It will develop a smooth, shiny patina over time. It is more scarce than CH and thus more expensive. I have a HH A-2 flight jacket that I have been wearing for 10 years, does not show ANY wear. The first U.S. army air corps flight jackets were HH until WWII broke out and they ran out of HH, the government then went to goat. It ages very well.
Cowhide: probably just as tough as HH in heavyweight but is not naturally waterproof. CH can be grainy or smooth in texture and some jackets will have a mix of both. It is made in many different weights and quality can vary a lot. CH dries out faster than other leathers and should have conditioner applied at least once per year. Since it is much more plentiful, it cost less.
Goat skin: a good tough leather that is a little thinner than HH or CH with the heaviest weights equal to midweight CH. It is a grainy, soft, flexible leather that has a "buttery" feel and has a "broke-in" feel when new. It molds well to the body and develops a nice patina as it ages. Cost wise, it falls between HH and CH. I have a GS from Langlitz and love it, it is the heaviest GS I have seen.
Lamb skin: tough, but it is thinner than the others. Usually not used for MC jackets but I did stumble across a very nice HD jacket in LS and bought it. The thing about LS is, it has a very distinctive feel...really, soft and velvety, women cannot keep their hands off it. Soaks up water like a sponge and will show water stains. Cost is usually the same as CH.
Hope this helps a little.
Last edited by O6FXST; 09-07-2010 at 10:01 PM.
#72
09-07-2010, 10:45 PM
Big Kahuna HDF Member
I don't really want to spend that much coin on a jacket.That is why I'am going to get a cheaper Harley leather jacket on Ebay.I'am sure the other jackets are far nicer,but hey they are going really cheap on Ebay right now.Also a large fat man with alot of orange on would be hard to miss by a cager 
#73
09-07-2010, 11:02 PM
Road Warrior
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Being a life long fan of leather, maybe I can help you out. This is what I have learned. I am not a leather expert by any means.
ALL leather is tough, but in order of toughness.
Horsehide: horsehide is the toughest, and is the only leather that is naturally water resistant. It is stiff when new and takes some time to break in. Usually comes in one weight for clothing because the skins are so thick not all of the skin can be used for clothing. It is very smooth in texture, almost looks like plastic and will mold to your body, it wears like iron. It will develop a smooth, shiny patina over time. It is more scarce than CH and thus more expensive. I have a HH A-2 flight jacket that I have been wearing for 10 years, does not show ANY wear. The first U.S. army air corps flight jackets were HH until WWII broke out and they ran out of HH, the government then went to goat. It ages very well.
Cowhide: probably just as tough as HH in heavyweight but is not naturally waterproof. CH can be grainy or smooth in texture and some jackets will have a mix of both. It is made in many different weights and quality can vary a lot. CH dries out faster than other leathers and should have conditioner applied at least once per year. Since it is much more plentiful, it cost less.
Goat skin: a good tough leather that is a little thinner than HH or CH with the heaviest weights equal to midweight CH. It is a grainy, soft, flexible leather that has a "buttery" feel and has a "broke-in" feel when new. It molds well to the body and develops a nice patina as it ages. Cost wise, it falls between HH and CH. I have a GS from Langlitz and love it, it is the heaviest GS I have seen.
Lamb skin: tough, but it is thinner than the others. Usually not used for MC jackets but I did stumble across a very nice HD jacket in LS and bought it. The thing about LS is, it has a very distinctive feel...really, soft and velvety, women cannot keep their hands off it. Soaks up water like a sponge and will show water stains. Cost is usually the same as CH.
Hope this helps a little.
ALL leather is tough, but in order of toughness.
Horsehide: horsehide is the toughest, and is the only leather that is naturally water resistant. It is stiff when new and takes some time to break in. Usually comes in one weight for clothing because the skins are so thick not all of the skin can be used for clothing. It is very smooth in texture, almost looks like plastic and will mold to your body, it wears like iron. It will develop a smooth, shiny patina over time. It is more scarce than CH and thus more expensive. I have a HH A-2 flight jacket that I have been wearing for 10 years, does not show ANY wear. The first U.S. army air corps flight jackets were HH until WWII broke out and they ran out of HH, the government then went to goat. It ages very well.
Cowhide: probably just as tough as HH in heavyweight but is not naturally waterproof. CH can be grainy or smooth in texture and some jackets will have a mix of both. It is made in many different weights and quality can vary a lot. CH dries out faster than other leathers and should have conditioner applied at least once per year. Since it is much more plentiful, it cost less.
Goat skin: a good tough leather that is a little thinner than HH or CH with the heaviest weights equal to midweight CH. It is a grainy, soft, flexible leather that has a "buttery" feel and has a "broke-in" feel when new. It molds well to the body and develops a nice patina as it ages. Cost wise, it falls between HH and CH. I have a GS from Langlitz and love it, it is the heaviest GS I have seen.
Lamb skin: tough, but it is thinner than the others. Usually not used for MC jackets but I did stumble across a very nice HD jacket in LS and bought it. The thing about LS is, it has a very distinctive feel...really, soft and velvety, women cannot keep their hands off it. Soaks up water like a sponge and will show water stains. Cost is usually the same as CH.
Hope this helps a little.
From your explanation I'm sure Horsehide is what I'm looking for. I like a heavy duty shiny leather jacket. I don't mind leather products that need to be "broken in". because the personal fit they offer after break-in is well worth the few months of that break-in period.
Thanks for the informative post!!!
#74
09-08-2010, 01:32 AM
Be careful of ballooning
I have a had two Vanson leather perfecto style jackets over the past 20 years, a 48 and a 46 (after the 48 was stolen). Both USA made and bought in the early/mid 90s. They literally weigh a ton. Even so the 48 was prone to ballooning at highway speed. And God forbid that you did not snap the lapels back or they would start to flutter (an uncontrolled resonant oscillation) out of control. The 46 not so much but still can balloon a little over 80 mph and it fits like a glove. So I would highly advise you to try one on before purchasing to make sure that it is literally as tight as latex paint. Tommy
#75
09-09-2010, 03:57 PM
Update:
I was out of town for the past few days. The city I was in, I found a Schott dealer. Went down and checked out the product. They had in stock the Pefecto 118, no different in comparison to the online price. Feel (leather) was excellent, the quality was clear in the craftsmanship of the jacket. The only thing, ONLY thing I did not care for was that the jacket was insulated...this really does me no good.
I contacted Mike at Lil Joes, he explained that the jacket is made from 3.75 oz. leather. That he (Lil Joes Legendary Leather) was producing the thickest motorcycle jacket available. After a few questions about me (shirt size, weight) he stated what size jacket I might need, but instructed me to get measurements around my chest and waist. As with those numbers, he would be sure what size would do me best.
I will keep everyone posted. Keep posting ideas and links everything is still on the table for discussion.
I was out of town for the past few days. The city I was in, I found a Schott dealer. Went down and checked out the product. They had in stock the Pefecto 118, no different in comparison to the online price. Feel (leather) was excellent, the quality was clear in the craftsmanship of the jacket. The only thing, ONLY thing I did not care for was that the jacket was insulated...this really does me no good.
I contacted Mike at Lil Joes, he explained that the jacket is made from 3.75 oz. leather. That he (Lil Joes Legendary Leather) was producing the thickest motorcycle jacket available. After a few questions about me (shirt size, weight) he stated what size jacket I might need, but instructed me to get measurements around my chest and waist. As with those numbers, he would be sure what size would do me best.
I will keep everyone posted. Keep posting ideas and links everything is still on the table for discussion.
#76
09-09-2010, 04:23 PM
I got my Lil Joes vest from Drew at Dr. V-Twin, saved some money going through them, and could not be happier.
The Lil Joes vest has the thickest best quality leather and craftsmanship I have ever seen in a vest, and I would suspect you will find same in their jacket.
I myself will probably be getting one of their jackets soon too, and will again go through Drew when I do.
The Lil Joes vest has the thickest best quality leather and craftsmanship I have ever seen in a vest, and I would suspect you will find same in their jacket.
I myself will probably be getting one of their jackets soon too, and will again go through Drew when I do.
#77
09-09-2010, 04:34 PM
Road Master
Do yourself a favor and check out the armored leather jackets on Draggin Jeans dot com. I've had mine for about 8 yrs. now with the orange "Harley" stripe. Heavy leather, CE Armor on elbows, shoulders, spine and kidney, YKK zippers; very heavy and comfortable except in really hot weather. They run around $200 plus shipping for the armor and all; compare at about $500 for a similar jacket. Check out the Kevlar jeans too. They've saved my *** ( literally) once already.
http://www.dragginjeans.com/ProductI...uctid=JACKET_5
http://www.dragginjeans.com/ProductI...uctid=JACKET_5
Last edited by Tactical111; 09-09-2010 at 04:41 PM. Reason: update price add website link
