Size difference based on leather?

Mr. Das · Post by **Mr. Das** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:55 am

It might be a weird question, but here's the story...

I ordered my first Wested around this time last year. I found it tight in the shoulders, but decided to keep it. Then I wanted a Goat for Winter wear. I e-mailed Peter/Gerry and talked to them about my first Wested(which was Lamb). I gave them some suggested measurements for approval and they gave their suggestions. When I got the goat, it was a perfect fit. I ended up selling the Lamb since I was just using my goat. A couple months ago, I got the urge to buy a new Wested Lamb, but when I orderd it, I requested to use the same patterns from my previous order. I got it and it wore pretty good. A little loose for just a t-shirt, but perfect for Grandma's knit sweaters. Then I tried my goat today and it was a tighter fit.

I don't get it. Leather doesn't shrink that much over such a short period of time, does it? I also measured it and there's .6 inch difference in the shoulder and a .5 difference on the length of the back.

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 11:41 am

The best answer to your question is the fact that these jackets are cut
by humans, by hand, after they have placed the patterns onto the leather
by humans, by hand.

They are then stitched together by humans, by hand, and finished off by
hand as well by adding pockets, straps, collars and what not.

This whole process is done by human hands, and no two jackets will
ever be exactly the same in cut, stitching or size. There will always be
some variations in the way they are made. This is what makes handmade
items so special. Each one is made by a human for another human.

If the jackets were cut like Mall jackets, on big machines, then stitched
together by machine, and finished by machine, then each size would be
exactly the same, with no variations.

You will even get variations if the same person cut the patterns, but
two different people put them together. Thats just the nature of hand
made items. I will bet if you measured each sleeve, on each of your
Wested jackets, they will all be slightly different. Not much, maybe an
eigth of an inch, but its almost impossible to make things exact when they
are made by hand. Again, this is what makes them so special, and such
a pleasure to own and wear. You have a jacket that no other person had
in the whole world!

Flathead

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:32 pm

Each one is made by a human for another human.

Maybe even... made of human.....?

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:51 pm

Scandinavia Jones wrote:
Each one is made by a human for another human.
Maybe even... made of human.....?

I don't think Peter offers that as an option, and it wouldn't be very screen accurate.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 1:34 pm

INDY JACKETS ARE PEOPLE!!!!!

I can see it now... Soylent Raiders...

bink

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 1:37 pm

INDY JACKETS ARE PEOPLE!!!!!

I can see it now... Soylent Raiders...

bink

Hmm... Charlton Heston is... Indiana...Jones?!

Post by **Michaelson** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 1:40 pm

Heck, I've been saying that my clothes have been shrinking for YEARS! Heck, I CAN'T be expanding. I'm sure I wear the exact same size I did when I was younger! Of course, when I make statements like that in front of the family, I usually get either a

or a

, but more often than not, I get a

, and drop the whole thing.

Regards. Michaelson

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 1:52 pm

LOL Michaelson.

Charlton Heston is Indiana Jones? Well, he IS isn't he...?

<img src=http://www.greatposters.com/heston/secretoftheincas.jpg>

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:38 pm

I would love to get a copy of that movie. I wish it would come out on dvd.

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:06 pm

ob1al wrote:LOL Michaelson.

Charlton Heston is Indiana Jones? Well, he IS isn't he...?

<img src=http://www.greatposters.com/heston/secretoftheincas.jpg>

I don't get it.

What does that movie have to do with leather shrinkage?

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:16 pm

Blues, you need to read the rest of the thread leading up to that. There is a tenuous link.

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:25 pm

OOOPS!, Sorry OB1AL, I totally missed the Soylent Green Reference.

I'll try and make up for it with a similar funny joke from SNL:

The late Phil Hartman playing Hestons Soylent Green character in a skit about Soylent Green Part 2:

"They said they changed the recipe, but they lied, Soylent Green is STILL made from people!....PEOPLE!!!"

Anyway, to keep it on topic, I noticed my goat Wested sleeves seem to have shrunk about 1/2" inch since I received it.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 8:18 pm

Maybe even... made of human.....?

Not Indy related, but:
You can get screen accurate garments from the "sotlambgear.com/" site I hear. (Don't forget the "slash".) A great fan site of the movie 'Silence of the Lambs', by the way.

Late hour in Sweden? Yeah...

Regards,
Swindiana

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:14 pm

I'm sure that there have been times Peter probably would have "liked" to make a few jackets out of humans.....especially the demanding and detailed oriented collectors.........whoops! That includes me, lol!!!

Kind Regards,
Capt. D

Mr. Das · Post by **Mr. Das** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:03 am

You will even get variations if the same person cut the patterns, but
two different people put them together. Thats just the nature of hand
made items. I will bet if you measured each sleeve, on each of your
Wested jackets, they will all be slightly different. Not much, maybe an
eigth of an inch, but its almost impossible to make things exact when they
are made by hand.

The problem I have with what you said is that there's a difference with the measurements being slightly off(or an eighth of an inch as you say) and half an inch as I'm reporting. Half an inch is the difference between a size 38 and a 46.

I remember my goat being a bit loose as I used to wear thick sweaters under it for winter, but I doubt I'll do that now(probably just near thick sweaters).

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:58 am

Half an inch is the difference between a size 38 and a 46.

Not quite. The actual chest measurement on a size 38 Wested, when
measured around the chest of the jacket is 42 inches. The actual chest
measurement of a size 46 Wested, measured the same way should be
50 inches. There is alot more of a difference than a half inch there.

There is 4 inches of movement room incorporated into these jackets.
A half inch, if measured from armpit to armpit, would only change the
chest measurement of the jacket by one inch. This could happen if
the jacket was not cut by the same person, or if it was not sewn by the
same person. Heck, even two jackets, made by the exact same person,
on the same day, in the same size could be slightly different.

Also, different leathers can be stretched out more when they are being
cut on a flat table than others. Lamb for instance, is able to stretch much
more than goat can. Yes, its not much, but it can make a difference in
the way a jacket is made and fits.

I am not doubting you that your new jacket fits slightly more snug than
the old one, but a half inch difference is not the difference between a size
38 and a 46.

Also, you have to remember this. The jackets are made from several
pieces of leather, not one continuous piece that wraps around you. There
is one back piece, two side pieces, and two chest pieces that make up
the body of the jacket.

If each panel is cut to just an eigth of an inch off or so, and the jacket
is pieced together a little closer than another one might be, then a half
inch is not too uncommon.

If it does not fit to your liking, please send it back before you start to
wear it, and Peter will get you a new one. If you start to wear it, and it
starts to show some wear on it, you will not get a new one in exchange
for the old one.

Peter is very good about making your jacket purchase right.

Hope this helps.

Flathead

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:24 am

I concur with Flathead. I mean, c'mon... think of a typical size 38 guy and a size 46 guy. As much as the size 46 guy might hope and pray to look a little smaller, there's more than half an inch seperating them

Mr. Das · Post by **Mr. Das** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:45 am

I was referring to my original post where I was talking about the shoulder length. On Wested's website, it lists size 38 as 6.55. A size 46 is listed as 7.00. A difference close to .5

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:08 pm

I was referring to my original post where I was talking about the shoulder length. On Wested's website, it lists size 38 as 6.55. A size 46 is listed as 7.00. A difference close to .5

Thats a good point. But again, the size given is approximate, not an
exact length. Each jacket in any given size will vary due to who cuts
the leather, and who sews it together.

I have a friend who has a size 44 Wested just like I do, and no two
dimensions on them are exactly the same. They are all very close,
I would say within your half inch, and other than the length of the sleeves
of mine (which I needed to be shortened) they seem to fit the same to
me.

As a matter of fact, his side straps are at least an inch longer than mine
when we measured them. I noticed this on mine because I have them
left fairly loose so I have plenty of movement, but still, his are longer
than mine. Its just the nature of the beast.

I am sure that Wested uses the same size side straps for jackets that
are in a range of sizes, say, 38 to 44. Then over that, since the jackets
are getting larger, they might use longer straps.

My friend probably just got the longer ones for a bigger size because
thats the straps the tailor happed to pull out of the bin with straps in it.

Flathead