My Horsehide Wested Is Here...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 4:16 am

... actually it arrived about the same time that COW exploded. A good or bad omen, I do not know.

So... what do you folks wanna know?

Mr. Das · Post by **Mr. Das** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 4:24 am

I want to know where are the pictures

How does it compare to other leather? Does it seem tough to break into?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:08 am

Pics (very badly taken in the mirror because there was no one else around to help):

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:09 am

Mr. Das wrote:How does it compare to other leather? Does it seem tough to break into?

It's softer than I imagined, but certainly not buttersoft. Already I can feel it molding itself to my shape. I'm very impressed with it.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:21 am

Langpuss wrote:Looks pretty good I'd say. How about the weight, stiffness, shininess etc, etc.. Plus how does it meet your expectations? If you could take some pics outdoors that'd be great too.

Weight: Heavy! I handed it to a few people at work to look at, and they were visibly shocked by the weight (compared to their own jackets) and most of them said something about it. So I guess it's not just me

Stiffness: Yes, it's certainly stiff, but has quickly molded to my body. Having said that, I think it's got a loooooooooooong way to go before it's fully broken in... but I certainly feel 'one' with the jacket already.

Shiny: This is a hard one. Indoors (for example, under flourescent office lighting), the jacket looks chocolate brown and not overly shiny. Outdoors, the jacket has a real "red" colour running through it, and looks shinier... but not plastic, I hasten to add. Indoors, it actually reminds me of a pair of oiled leather workboots I have.

I guess the horse is like one of those cars that drives towards you looking like one colour, then changes colour as it goes by (I hope people know the kind of paintwork I mean!!!???!!!)

My expectations: I'm really happy with the jacket. My overriding concerns were (i) Will it be too short? (ii) Will it fit my chest properly? and (iii) Will the arms be a good length? I'm happy to say that none of these were issues for me.

Next, I looked to see if everything was in order... pockets were on straight... Xboxes has been added to the side straps... etc. Yep, everything done.

My only gripes: the underarm panel of the right arm has more "red" to its colour. When I am walking along the street outdoors, I look down, and the right arm has two distinct colours happening on each side of the seam. It's not enough to make me return the jacket, but it's... sometimes distracting.

The only other gripe I have is that the vents on the back of the jacket stay open a little too much... and one moreso than the other. But I've seen that as a common thing with many people, so I'm not going to get too worried about it, when I was half expecting it, anyway.

In all, despite these (very) minor things, I am VERY happy with the jacket, and look forward to wearing it for many, many years to come.

Langpuss wrote:Anyhow, congrats on your jacket!

Thanks

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:24 am

Thanks for sharing!
It looks great on you.

A cleaner version of your avatar in case you missed it in the other thread:

Let me know if you want it tweaked in either direction.

Regards,
Swindiana

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:27 am

Swindiana wrote:Thanks for sharing!
It looks great on you.

A cleaner version of your avatar in case you missed it in the other thread:

Let me know if you want it tweaked in either direction.

Regards,
Swindiana

Thanks for your comments and thanks for the avatar... I hadn't seen it in any other threads yet! It looks great how it is... although maybe "professional" is a little hard to read. What do you think?

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:30 am

I'll see what I can do and PM ya' later.

Regards,
Swindiana

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:33 am

Good man!

Now, back to the jacket... what else do you folks wanna know? Anything I can take a closer picture of? (I will do the outdoors shots this weekend when I am at home in the daylight...)

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:44 am

Well... I've changed it.

What did your order look like? Meaning, what's on that baby!

Regards,
Swindiana

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:48 am

Swindiana wrote:Well... I've changed it.

And I've adopted it! Cheers

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:21 am

Jacket looks nice, Rob. I understand what you mean about the color that changes in different lighting. Iridescent is the word you're looking for.
The sleeves look great on it, and seem to "crinkle" up really nicely.
Congrats!

English Adventurer · Post by **English Adventurer** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:51 am

Great jacket... Though I really like the way you took the pictures!
Talk about 'improvise, adapt and overcome'

Ian

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:11 am

Rob,
The jacket looks very nice and it fits you well. I was thinking that perhaps that two-tone color effect on either side of the seam of the sleeve might be resultant from the same irridescent effect that you have perceived elsewhere; if the jacket is one color from one direction and another color from another direction, and if you take that material and bend it around to itself, each side would appear tinged with two different colors.

Anyway, it looks great. Enjoy it.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:18 am

NICE!!!! And you gave us pics! May you be blessed with many camels! I would think that some of the "shininess" may be attributed to it being a new jacket. I know my goatskin seemed a little shiny when I got it, but it "dulled" a little the more I wore it.

bink

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:24 am

Hemingway Jones wrote:I was thinking that perhaps that two-tone color effect on either side of the seam of the sleeve might be resultant from the same irridescent effect that you have perceived elsewhere; if the jacket is one color from one direction and another color from another direction, and if you take that material and bend it around to itself, each side would appear tinged with two different colors.

I'm hearing what you're saying - and it's quite plausible - however when I look at the leather, even it looks different to the rest. Probably off the same chunk of leather from the tannery... but this redder piece is VERY VERY wrinkly, with lots of fine creases all over it. The corresponding piece on the other arm is a lot smoother, and not as red, looking more like the other, larger sections of the jacket.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:11 am

The colour of my goat is solid but the back of my sleeves are much softer than the front of them. Character it is.

Regards,
Swindiana

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:11 am

You can really tell it's taking shape on YOUR body by your photos. I'll be VERY interested in reading a report after you've worn it for a while. That's a FINE looking jacket, my friend. I'm envious! The one thing I'm reading that I REALLY like is you stating the color seems to 'shift' with the difference in lighting. This is the effect we saw with the original jacket in Raiders, and has been commented on many MANY times. The only other jacket leather I can recall doing this was the New Finish cowhide leather, no longer offered. Neat situation!!!! High regards. Michaelson

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:14 am

You are the man for posting pictures!! I am curious to know more about the sheen of the leather. I always thought horsehide would have a matte (flat) finish with almost no shine....but it looks like yours has a shiny finish. Also, if you could get a picture of the reddish hue you speak of, that would be cool!

Thanks and great jacket!

Ind J

Post by **Jens** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:14 pm

Great jacket! Looks really cool ... I gues that's the jacket Indy would buy, if he was real

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:30 pm

That's a great looking jacket. I've been waiting to see pics before ordering one for myself. Guess I better start working on my specs. Are you going to take any short cuts in breaking it is (time in the dryer or sleeping in or sitting on it)? If you do, I'd be interested to hear how the jacket responds. Does Peter offer the elastice on the vents to help keep them closed and if he does did you add that option on your jacket? Regards.

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 4:24 pm

Hey! The pics at last!

I'd love to see some more in direct sunlight Rob, if you get the chance, and a close-up of the grain of the hide.

The pics look very good, it seems to be a perfect fit - well done!

I'm looking forward to seeing this hide in person when I visit Wested next month....my credit card is looking forward to the trip...less so.

Indiana Croft · Post by **Indiana Croft** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:02 pm

Nice jacket my good man, very nice.
You should be very proud if this it really has the look of a Raiders jacket right of the silver screen. In your improvized pic's I can see those hints of red you talk about but they seem so ... whats the word I'm looking for.
Oh heck I'll go for faint, more of a rich dark brown colr, niiiice.
As for the different colors on different panels I agree with the others, adds character.
Croft

OK if no else is going to say it........... HelLoo WiiiillBBUuurR.

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:10 pm

Indiana Croft wrote:OK if no else is going to say it........... HelLoo WiiiillBBUuurR.

Hey just want everyone to know it wasn't me this time. I was bein' good.

Indydawg · Post by **Indydawg** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:21 pm

I still say Wested's distressed hides are the best ones, but that is one GOOD lookin' jacket!

Nicely done, Peter!
High Regards!
Indydawg

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:37 pm

More pictures in sunlight this weekend... I promise

Post by **Dalexs** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:29 pm

Indiana Irwin wrote:More pictures in sunlight this weekend... I promise

Yeah, come on Rob, that little camera is small enough... duct tape that thing to a tree and give us some adventure shots!

(and stop zippering those jackets people...)

Dalexs

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:36 pm

Indiana Jess wrote:That's a great looking jacket. I've been waiting to see pics before ordering one for myself. Guess I better start working on my specs. Are you going to take any short cuts in breaking it is (time in the dryer or sleeping in or sitting on it)? If you do, I'd be interested to hear how the jacket responds. Does Peter offer the elastice on the vents to help keep them closed and if he does did you add that option on your jacket? Regards.

I've pondered the dryer route - and I've already given it a couple of hours spinning. As expected, it did nothing, although I did notice two small marks on the arm where the colour had been taken right off back to the base leather. Must have hit the zipper or something... although I did have it zipped up. No actual response from the jacket as yet.

I believe Peter offer elastic vents, but I didn't get them on this jacket. In a sense, it felt like "cheating" to me

jjkillin · Post by **jjkillin** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:55 pm

That looks like it's a very good fit! Very nice!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 12:06 am

Dalexs wrote:
Indiana Irwin wrote:More pictures in sunlight this weekend... I promise
Yeah, come on Rob, that little camera is small enough... duct tape that thing to a tree and give us some adventure shots!
(and stop zippering those jackets people...)

I'll do my best! And, hey... I posted a zipped and an unzipped!

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 6:52 am

although I did notice two small marks on the arm where the colour had been taken right off back to the base leather. Must have hit the zipper or something... although I did have it zipped up.

Did you have the jacket turned inside out? Thats the way your supposed
to put it in when you use the dyer.

Flathead

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:32 pm

I think some recommend placing the jacket inside a pillowcase as well when using the dryer method

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:51 pm

Correct. If dryer sheets are used in the same dryer, the 'dust' from those sheets can and will stick to the leather in the tumbling process. Not a world ending problem, but a pain to clean off if you forget. (uh, yes, personal experience here.

) Regards. Michaelson

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:04 pm

Thanks Michaelson, I wondered what was the reasoning behind it. Personal experience - you mean you discovered this when one of the youngin's tried the dryer method right? :nudges Michaelson:

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:20 pm

Uh, yeah, that's it... $\:D/$ Regards. Michaelson

My Horsehide Wested Is Here...

My Horsehide Wested Is Here...

Yep...that does look good!