How I abused a new Wested Dark Brown Cowhide jacket

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 4:36 am

I just posted this in teh gear care and distressing section but thought it might be relevent here so here it is.......

I'm new here but wanted to share my experience distressing my new Wested Cowhide Dark Brown Raiders jacket.
When it first arrived I was amazed at how well it fit! They really got it right this time and I was grateful, since giving someone in another country measurements over the phone for a custom jacket made me a bit nervous. The cowhide was a bit stiff but I liked the way it held its shape and had a bit of weight that let me know that I was wearing a strong jacket. Overall very satisfied with the design, fit and material. The color and surface however didn't feel quite right. First of all it was too new and shiny for me and second the color seemed just a bit off for my taste. A dark brown but with a very slight avocado tone that I felt could have been slightly redder. Well, being the reckless sort that I am the first thing that I did was put one light coat of Lincolns dark brown leather dye over it. I had used this dye before and really liked the color.
I know! Most of you must see it as heresy to add dye to a new Wested but I threw caution to the winds and the first thing that it did was turn the surface an ugly chrome green! Now I was scared! Had I ruined a custom made jacket that had cost me close to $300 and had taken a month to make?!
Well, I'm not sure why I decided to do this but I got some acetone and paper towels and started to wipe the total jacket down with acetone. The green sheen imediately dissapeared leaving a beautiful deep dark chocolate brown, exactly the color I was looking for! I also noticed that if I rubbed a little more that the acetone was taking off a bit more than surface dye and it was lightening certain areas. I knew that I was on the right track! I started rubbing more with acetone in some areas and wiping down the whole jacket to get down to a deeper layer of color. After letting it dry I had managed to distress my jacket to a near perfect level of color and tone with no damage at all that I could see and the only negative was that it still had a slight shine in the areas that were still dark.At this point I VERY GENTLY rubbed the whole thing down with very fine sandpaper (440) and this took off any gloss. The key here is to know when to stop and I believe that I stopped well in time and it actually looks slightly underdistressed but has just the right color and appearance of wear that took it from a shiny new jacket to looking like an old well worn friend. I was lucky but am very happy with the result. On this particular jacket it is important to be extra careful of sanding as it can take the color right out in no time. I just lightly sanded the surface to take off any glaze and let the acetone take care of the color. All in all very satisfied and can recommend this procedure to anyone who wants to try it on the dark brown new cowhide. This doesn't seem to work at all on a lambtouch Cowhide Wested though. I tried a bit of acetone on a hidden inside spot and it didn't take any of the color out at all! Deep rubbing just seemd to flatten the finish without any change in color so it doesn't work with Lambtouch. Anyway, thats my Wested story.

ShanghaiJack · Post by **ShanghaiJack** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 7:14 am

Welcome to COW Shiva. Now, lets have some pics of this jacket!

Axel · Post by **Axel** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:07 am

Exactly ShanghaiJack! You can't tease us with a great story and not show us photos.

Axel

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 1:27 pm

I will get a digital camera sometime this week and take some pics. How do you post them here?

VP · Post by VP » Sun Dec 19, 2004 1:50 pm

http://www.indygear.com/forum/faq.php#24

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 6:09 pm

No pics yet but another similar experience to relate.
I bought yet another Wested on ebay! This one is a gift for my son and is in the dark goatskin. It arrived completely like new and appeared never to have been worn. The new finish on the goatskin once again didn't agree with me as being too shiny and that avocado undertone to the brown leather. The skin was also the glossiest of the bunch butr since I now had some experience I gave it the same treatment that I gave the cowhide with the same results. A single light coat of Lincolns Dark Brown leather dye and then after it dried a good rubbing with acetone soaked paper towels. The goatskin faded exactly the same way as the cowhide to that deep dark chocolate brown that looks perfect to me and with a little rubbing also distressed nicely into nice faded rub spots where i wanted them. then a rubbing with a scotchhbrite pad to take off any gloss and it looks perfect and now hope it fits him as well as I hope!

Fedora jr. · Post by **Fedora jr.** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:24 pm

I got a Wilson leather jacket back in July and wore it in August in Wisconson for a week. After being rained on, tussled around on the ground, slept in, slept on, being crushed in the Excursion we were ridin in and having the cooler accidentally leak all over it on the long drive home to maryland, it looked like Indy's. Now thats what ya call natural distressing!

Geoff

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:31 pm

Pics!!

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 1:00 pm

OK, here are some pics. I don't think they are very good but maybe will post more if I work on teh jacket further. Like I say I was a little understated with the distressing but it was mostly to take that shiny new look out of it and make the jacket fit for real wear from real adventures. Here are links to my Yahoo album
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph

ShanghaiJack · Post by **ShanghaiJack** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:39 am

Looks good Shiva, and not overly obvious, which is great in my book! If I ever go over to the dark side I hope I can distress my jacket as subtly as you have done to yours.

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:09 am

thanks Shanghai,
I really like it this way! The new shine just didn't appeal to me at all. Once I got over worrying that the acetone was going to destroy the leather surface I really got into it. The smell is awful but fortunately it doesn't last. I did a little more distressing on the back and sleeves today but want to stop there and not do any more. The acetone rubbing can leave a bit of its own shine and thats why a little deglazing with fine sandpaper or scotchbrite finishes the job. I prefer scotchbrite right now because it is easier to get a good grip on and is nor quite as rough though if you are not careful you can easily rub off the color in spots. i don't want a jacket that looks trashed, just one that looks like it has been lovingly worn for awhile and not all new and shiny.
Heres a couple more pics. i think its done now, don't want to overdo
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shiva_sha ... pg&.src=ph

Heirphoto · Post by **Heirphoto** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:51 am

Shiva,
The jacket looks perfect! This is pure torture though. I ordered mine on Dec.8 and was waiting just fine until now. Man do I want my jacket!

Hopefully I can get the same look you did.

Best,
Tony

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:47 pm

What type leather did you get, Tony?
My jacket arrived exactly one month after it was ordered but I think I beat the christmas madness as it arrived dec 12th. Yours may be delayed a bit, noy sure. That wait is a killer I know!
I did notice a size 42 Lambskin Wested on ebay last night for any impatient people out there but as someone who had one made as well as have one bought on ebay I have to say that the custom fit makes a real difference though you might get lucky.

Heirphoto · Post by **Heirphoto** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:01 pm

Shiva,
I got the authentic Lambskin. Pretty much a standard jacket except I wanted the double gussets under the arms like on a G1 jacket. I got dual inside pockets too.

Peter expected to have mine the week after Xmas so I am getting close.

Tony

Shiva · Post by **Shiva** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:30 pm

sounds great! I personally haven't seen or touched a lambskin other than online so am a bit curious about it. I hear that they distresss very well and are incredibly soft .let us know how you like it!