The Leather Jacket Thread

[Hopethisoneisnttaken]

First ever leather jacket arrived today. It’s the sports jacket from Moto/r. Beautiful jacket, hand dyed in black. The fit is great except for the shoulders that are a tad too big but also might be fine in cooler months if I wear a flannel or buttoned up shirt underneath. Also I’m wear a super thin t shirt as it’s 40 degrees outside so might just be that. Very happy with the jacket. 
 

sorry for the messy background. We’re moving in a week and living in boxes right now. 

[dudewuttheheck]

Glad the sizing worked out for you!

[Duke Mantee]

I thought I’d make myself a belt and maybe that Wickett & Craig strap at the bottom will be a good match for the brakeman … but then I’m not sure ‘perfect’ match is really the point?

[buler]

Such a great jacket Duke. I'd go for the top strap.

[MJF9]

Ditto. Top strap, provided it's a good match to your footwear.

[Duke Mantee]

32 minutes ago, MJF9 said:

Ditto. Top strap, provided it's a good match to your footwear.

51 minutes ago, buler said:

Such a great jacket Duke. I'd go for the top strap.

Thanks lads - then that’s the strap in the Tender thread

[Facini]

Does anybody know of places in mainland and no brexit EU that sells leather jackets? I’m thinking of parting with my Aero Highwayman as the I can’t really get comfortable with the fit. 

[chicote]

Anyone know anything about this style of jacket, whether it was ever repro’d, anything of that sort? I saw it described as a 30’s French motorcycle jacket, but can’t find any other info.

[Duke Mantee]

That’s lovely @chicote

That particular one looks 60s~70s … the collar, zips and snaps, but I’m no expert.

However it is based on a 30s French Cyclist Jacket which was used through WWII … some German pilots based in France had them made/adapted and the style came to be known as the Hartmann … and if you google Hartmann jacket you’ll get a fair bit of info

https://www.eastmanleather.com/german-flight-jackets/156-hartmann-wwii-german-flying-jacket-capeskin.html
 

 

[Double 0 Soul]

Apologies for the shameless plug superpeeps..  I'm struggling with thoughts towards letting my Brakeman go... I  dearly love it but i rarely get the opportunity to wear it, i wore it 2 or 3 times in 2019-20 but it hasn't been worn for the last couple of years, it's been worn 10x max since i bought it in 2016...seems nuts having such an expensive piece hung in the wardrobe going unworn.

I'll get it photographed and listed in the appropriate thread when i get 5mins.. i will ship worldwide but in the meantime..  I appreciate fit is king (size 40) so if anyone in the UK fancies one but hasn't taken the plunge due to sizing/border charge worries, i don't mind 'try before you buy' if you fancy hooking up?

Edited March 14, 2022 by Double 0 Soul

[bartlebyyphonics]

@Double 0 Soul - seems a pity to be rid of such a well fitting top line garment... what is stopping you from wearing it? (that you ride cycles not motor-cycles or open top cars as its design intended?); can't imagine it will age badly and there may be a 'time of life' when it hits a sweet spot? what happens if you sub it for your type 1 for other activities than the workshop?

[edit; plus, also, ignore me, I'm a goddam hoarder...]

anyway, should be posting this in 'old pix' thread, but feel this fits better here... one of Chris Killip's photographs of bikers from the Isle of Man TT races... 30s grizzly meets 70s fringing (but in werewolf mode) with a pompadour reaching for heaven... 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by bartlebyyphonics

[Double 0 Soul]

1 hour ago, bartlebyyphonics said:

@Double 0 Soul - seems a pity to be rid of such a well fitting top line garment... what is stopping you from wearing it? (that you ride cycles not motor-cycles or open top cars as its design intended?); can't imagine it will age badly and there may be a 'time of life' when it hits a sweet spot? what happens if you sub it for your type 1 for other activities than the workshop?

[edit; plus, also, ignore me, I'm a goddam hoarder...]

In an ideal world t'would be lovely but my ride to work bears no resemblance to the tweed run..  commuting, i'm usually caning it on a road bike in all weathers wearing a shakedry gore jacket, jersey, track pants and chucks which i can easily get dry before my ride home.. if i'm riding MTB, i'm usually beard deep in mud wearing a tee, old combat shorts and Vans which all go in the wash when i get home... I bought the Brakey before we moved house and i became a full time cyclist.

I would rather have the £££'s than see it trashed in the workshop.. most of my activities out of the workshop are centered around the outdoors/doing stuff which i have more (dare i say) suitable clothing for.. i think i've only worn sufu-style boots maybe once or twice in the last few years, tis why i don't hit the boots thread up anymore.

edit- whoops "that you ride cycles not motorcycles" yes.. sorry bartles, i was on my way out the door.. I will get the hang of this 'reading' malarkey one day..

Edited March 14, 2022 by Double 0 Soul

[bartlebyyphonics]

2 hours ago, Double 0 Soul said:

In an ideal world t'would be lovely but my ride to work bears no resemblance to the tweed run..  commuting, i'm usually caning it on a road bike in all weathers wearing a shakedry gore jacket, jersey, track pants and chucks which i can easily get dry before my ride home.. if i'm riding MTB, i'm usually beard deep in mud wearing a tee, old combat shorts and Vans which all go in the wash when i get home... I bought the Brakey before we moved house and i became a full time cyclist.

I would rather have the £££'s than see it trashed in the workshop.. most of my activities out of the workshop are centered around the outdoors/doing stuff which i have more (dare i say) suitable clothing for.. i think i've only worn sufu-style boots maybe once or twice in the last few years, tis why i don't hit the boots thread up anymore.

edit- whoops "that you ride cycles not motorcycles" yes.. sorry bartles, i was on my way out the door.. I will get the hang of this 'reading' malarkey one day..

fair enough!

from your original post couldn't tell if you were really committed, so just was trying to find a way to divert any potential seller's regret as it is hard to recall a better fw fit and style combo of you and that jacket [and that isn't even me trying to be nice...]

but, yes, a jacket that isn't worn is closet clutter, it is true. 

from wearing my sears perfecto rip off I am amazed at how practical it is; but it stops at the waist; less overcoat-ish than a car-coat, so more of a type 1 / blouson option... also as a pre-thrashed c.40 yr old piece I am less precious about it than I would be with many other things I own...

good luck with the sale!

[persco_]

16 hours ago, Double 0 Soul said:

Apologies for the shameless plug superpeeps..  I'm struggling with thoughts towards letting my Brakeman go... I  dearly love it but i rarely get the opportunity to wear it, i wore it 2 or 3 times in 2019-20 but it hasn't been worn for the last couple of years, it's been worn 10x max since i bought it in 2016...seems nuts having such an expensive piece hung in the wardrobe going unworn.

I'll get it photographed and listed in the appropriate thread when i get 5mins.. i will ship worldwide but in the meantime..  I appreciate fit is king (size 40) so if anyone in the UK fancies one but hasn't taken the plunge due to sizing/border charge worries, i don't mind 'try before you buy' if you fancy hooking up?

Hmmmm... I'm on a bit of a leather jacket binge of late. Could you post photos and measurements? I wear a 40 in TFH single rider and Original Garment Bros OG-2. Both of which I've had for a few weeks. But I'm in Canada so can't drop by and try it on!

[Double 0 Soul]

Morning @persco_ there are photos on pg5 & pg13, just looking at them has made me think twice about selling   it'll not be going dirt cheap cos i still love it and it is a Brakeman after all.. but it'll certainly be cheaper than rrp.. especially for folks in the UK. for ref.. i'm 5' 11" ish and 74kg ish.. i'll measure it up when i photograph it.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Double 0 Soul

[mpukas]

@Double 0 Soul keep it. keep it. keep it, for f's sake! That's a grail piece. Even if you only wear it once a year, or once every 10 years, it'll put a smile on your face. You'll never recoup the initial cost at this point in it's life. Is the coin you'd get for it really worth more than the value of it to you? It'd be on thing if you didn't like it, or it didn't fit, or you found something better for you. But it's none of that - it's one of the most awesome articles of clothing ever, and it fits and suits you so well. It should really be posted in the "nice things" thread. 

[persco_]

@Double 0 Soul I'll echo @mpukas here. Looking at the fit on you, you should keep it. And wear it. It's beautiful and it fits you perfectly. 

[bartlebyyphonics]

having spammed the waywt thread with my sears and my aero, just thought to post some leather details...

from the sears 'the leather shop' - presumably 70s or 80s piece; great fit, terrible treated and crinkly/scaly leather... buttery shinki it is not... but heavyweight and easy wearing...

 

and then; the aero leather 'everyman' a more 40s half-belt style; lower priced due to using up mis-matching grained leather in more of a multi-panel piece; great quality for the price point (less than 25% of a real mc-coy etc); but definitely a fit for the gaijin husky-boi: trim shoulders, but big expanse for any midriff to expand into (pretty a triangle but very much in the opposite direction to a motorcycle jacket which is trim in waist and expansive in shoulder)... quite bulky in front; hopefully wear will make it drop a little [but not holding my breath]... this apparently was the proto-type, made in mismatching grain 'jerky' horsehide [with a scratching to leather on one arm that would not be acceptable on a full priced piece...] - sold as a midweight leather it has definite presence... I'd struggle to wear their full weight front quarter horsehide

 

 

Edited March 22, 2022 by bartlebyyphonics

[bartlebyyphonics]

and then, pardon me if this is old hat, and is spamming from Rin Tanaka's 'Motorcycle Jacket's...' book; just some images that I think are worth sharing...

a portrait of the beloved man and men of Buco...

more of the tie-n-jacket advert combos... as far from Marlon or Ramones as one might get...

some stud work in honour of the sterling work of @Duke Mantee

and then a medley of d-pockets across the mid-century for jollies...

[Duke Mantee]

3 hours ago, bartlebyyphonics said:

some stud work in honour of the sterling work of @Duke Mantee

 

‘Excellent spots work’? My arse it is …

[bartlebyyphonics]

2 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

‘Excellent spots work’? My arse it is …

posted in excitement more than with an eye to rigour sirrah...

forgot to post this 'kidney' belt spotting too...

edit: also, to be sure, also on my mind for wobbly biker studs meets canonical experimental film; the opening and ending credits for Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising is perhaps of thread relevance, even if tangentially...

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by bartlebyyphonics

[Thanks_M8]

Not sure about this jacket, sleeves seem a little long, but else it fits well imo. 'Nuff room for layering in winter, nice buffalo-plaid black/green lining in the body, raglan sleeves, lamb nappa, great price. 
What do y'all think? 

[mpukas]

IMO, it looks a bit big on you. 

[bartlebyyphonics]

agreeing with the above; leather doesn't shrink (but rather stretches out, perhaps some arms lose length as the inner elbow creases set in) so is one of the few things I would get more fitted rather than oversized and draping... 

[Geeman]

Agreed.

[Thanks_M8]

^^^ thanks guys, been thinking the same seeing the pics for the third or so time...

[persco_]

I recently purchased two jackets. First one is the Flat Head Single Rider in black. This replaced the smaller brown pre-owned version I had (I gifted that to a friend who fits it perfectly). This is the best leather I've ever seen. Just incredible feel and texture. The slightly larger size (new size 40) means I can actually raise or cross my arms now. The previous size 40 restricted me to t-shirt only and even that was a bit tight. This one I can wear a shirt and light sweater underneath and it's not too bad (a little tight).

The second jacket was a total gamble. I had long looked at the OG-2 from Original Garment Bros, finally decided to use a proxy to order one when the pre-orders came up last September. Arrived in March. I really love it. A lot lighter than the TFH and the leather feels 'drier' but it's a really lovely horsehide and very well made. What I liked about it is the super minimal design.

Edited April 4, 2022 by persco_

[mpukas]

TFH single rider's is indeed a thing of beauty. Great fit. 

[spidereye]

This is beautiful art .. since Ace Cafe are newly open early this year in my place I got a reason to wear this stand out piece currently send my bike for cafe racer spec build. 

[Cozzie]

Just got this in the mail Wednesday.  The leather is incredible, the color is absolutely stunning especially when u see it in the sunlight.  The eco HH has to be one of the stiffest leathers I’ve handled new.   Although a couples days on the bike and it’s starting to take shape.  Here’s a couple pics, I’ll try to get some better ones soon.