Distressing Advice On Wested Goat?

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 4:19 pm

I bought a Wested Goat, size 42 a while ago. It seems to be sized more like a 40. I think it belonged to someone who has posted here in the past.

Anyway, I think it's an unusual jacket because it has a custom brown flannel lining. I bought it to use on a Raiders display figure and plan to distress it.

So, here's the thing... Because the jacket is truely practically new and has this custom warmer lining, I've been hesitant about distressing it. This combined with everything I've read about distressing of goat versus lamb makes me wonder if I should just sell it to someone with an interest in such a unique jacket and instead, buy a new or used "cking" Raiders in natural lamb.

I may try to remove the finish of the jacket in a small unnoticeable area to see if I wind up with the "gray" problem I've read about. If I don't, I'll probably stick with the jacket.

Your thoughts?....

KC
(Too chicken to just dive in and have at it.)

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:05 am

Hi!

After reading this, I kinda remember INDIANAMIKEY mentioning that he took this jacket to have the lining replaced at Flightsuits....I haven't seen him post in awhile, but if he's still here, perhaps he could chime in.

"IF" your jacket does indeed have the Flightsuits lining in it, it might be a good idea to hang onto it just in case you ever decide to wear it because the Flightsuits lining is top quality....Just a suggestion!

Best wishes on your decision!
Captain D

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:34 am

Hes gone.

Looks like his account was disabled.

Maybe,,,,,,,,,,, the,,,,,,,commas,,,,,,,,,,did,,,,,,,,,,him,,,,,,in?

Regards,

Adam

Mr. Das · Post by **Mr. Das** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:37 am

Indianamikey bought two jackets. One was returned(which you most likely have). The first jacket, he sent in flannel to install in the authentic brown jacket. The second jacket, which was a dark brown, he got the flightsuits lining installed.

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:05 am

Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it.

In a PM I received, I was told that the jacket I have is the second one. Not the first that was not made to his specs. The jacket I have is a beautiful dark brown goat made with cking mods and the custom flannel lining. I have absolutely no problem with the jacket itself. It's beautiful.

My dilemma is over distressing this jacket because for my purposes, honestly this jacket is overkill. I'm a little haunted by the idea that I'd be distressing a completely real-world protective jacket for use on a display figure. I'm thinking the added durability of the goatskin and the added warmth of the flannel lining would be wasted for this application.

On the other hand, this is the jacket that I have and if the goat will distress reasonably without going gray on me, I'll probably just do it.

Reading some archived posts, it looks to me like the gray skin problem was being worked out around 2002. I'll have to verify this, but I think the jacket I have was made in 2003.

Is there any new info to share on the results of distressing goat?

edit: Hmmm... Maybe I should have posted this in the Gear Care & Distressing forum...

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:02 am

Okay! Thanks to the mods, this thread has been moved here. Hopefully, this is a more appropriate place for it.

So, I've been racking my brain and considering possiblities for distressing this jacket for a satisfactory Raiders look.

My latest whacko-extreme idea concerns lightening the color of the leather.

From what I've read, leaving the jacket in the sun will lighten it. If I were to attempt this, I would first strip the protective finish of the leather before letting the sun do it's UV number on it.

But that's not the whacko-extreme idea. The whacko-extreme idea involves the idea of using a leather bleach, if there is such a thing, or a non-chlorine bleach to lighten the dye.

Anyone know about such a product/process, or have tried it?

KC

Post by **Ken** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:44 am

Is it authentic goat or dark brown goat?

Ken

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:46 am

Dark Brown. That's why I would like to lighten it.

KC

Post by **Ken** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:49 am

Well i used acetone and sandpaper and it worked out well for me. Oh and a brick.

Ken

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:54 am

Indiana Ken wrote:...Oh and a brick.

I always like it when the brick thing pops up!

I'm thinking that this may not lighten the color to something closer to Authentic Brown. What do you think. Can you point me to some pics of your results?

KC

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:41 pm

Perhaps using some "light-brown fullers earth" would help give it the look you're looking for...

By using acetone, sandpaper, bricks, lol, it is irriversable. I think that I heard Rabbittooth say that the acetone isn't as harmful as the sandpaper, so that may be a good distressing option. However, the fullers earth gives it that dusty/dirty look without damaging the leather. Besides, if you ever wanted to have the jacket look brand new again, for whatever reason, all you have to do is simply wipe it off.

Just an idea...
Kind Regards,
Captain D

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:43 pm

Captain D, I 've been considering this possibliltiy lately. Although, not the light brown earth, as you suggest. Maybe this comined with the lighter "dusty" earth, would be a way for me to go. Basically, I'm still mulling it all over. I will give some different colors of Fuller's Earth a try though. Thanks for your suggestion!

KC

Texas Raider · Post by **Texas Raider** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:56 am

Has anyone ever thought of trying this? There is a hair product called "Sun In". It is a mild bleach-type of spray for your hair. You spray it on before going into the sun and the sun helps to lighten your hair.

I wonder if this would work if you saturated the jacket with it and wore or set the jacket in the sunshine for a while.? I dunno?

Just somethin' I thought I'd throw out.

have a nice day.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:19 pm

I have used the "light brown" Fullers earth for both my AB fedora and jackets. It seems that the light brown shade gives it that "Last Crusade" distressing look fairly well. However, I think I read that there are other color options out there that would look just fine...One word of caution I had forgot to mention is: the fullers earth will settle down in the seams/threads of your jacket. And, to ever get it out, you may have to get a damp washcloth to kinda get out all of the fullers earth granules.

As Indy-Tone had mentioned, some regular good ol' fashioned back-yard dirt may be good also to help give you the feel of "dirtying up the jacket" to see if you like it

.

Kind Regards,
Captain D

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:12 pm

Okay. I may try dirtying it naturally to get an idea of things, but I think Fullers Earth would be more stable for extended use.

I'm in the States and one place that I see that carries colored Fullers Earth is Cine Shoppe. The colors that seem to be possiblities are Natural and Cocoa Brown. Does anyone have experience with these colors or have another resource to recommend?

I think Natural would work for the dusty trail look, but I'm not sure how dark cocoa brown is. It would be nice to have reasonable idea of what color I'm getting before ordering and receiving it.

edit: Hmmm... I was just reading old posts. One said to avoid the colored Earth because the dye would transfer.

KC

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:13 pm

Thats where I received my fullers earth from Cine Shoppe....

But, the color/dye "transferring"...? Hmmmm, I'm rather uncertain what that means exactly. Does that mean that the color will permantly bleed itself onto the leather or felt....? I'm not really sure....

Kind Regards,
Captain D

Flix4Me · Post by **Flix4Me** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:26 pm

Captain D, here is the old thread that mentioned the dye being a possible concern.

You'll find the reference in the second post.

I have no idea if this is true or not. Just something to look into, I suppose, if one is planning on using Earth in other than a natural color.

BTW - Hi! And thanks for your help!

KC

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:54 pm

Hi, sorry about the delayed response!

I have used the Fullers Earth (Light-Brown) on several Indy items....on my Adventurebilt Beaver Fedora and on one of my Flightsuits Expedition Goatskin jackets....Both turned out great! I did remove the Fullers Earth off of my Goatskin jackets at one time and it left no hint that it was ever even there....This is good stuff if you wanted to age it up a jacket, yet, return it back to "new" if you ever need to, like I had done.

Even though I, personally, never had any problems with any of the colored Fullers Earth, I didn't want to go ahead and give you the green light and say that the colored stuff is "all safe" with no negative effects that could possibly show up later on down the road... So, I wrote to a couple of knowledgable folks here at COW, who dealt with the colored Fullers Earth before in he past, to see what I could find out for you and I. They all had pretty much the same responses...here is what one had to say:

"Fuller's won't harm your hats or jackets. It will wipe off the jacket with a damp cloth. Getting it out of the felt takes a bit more work, but it will not damage the felt. You should use the sand colored Fuller's though. The color goes a long ways. Some darker might be too over the top for just an Indy look."

I hope this info helps you out, best wishes on what you decide to do with your jacket, and any distressing that you do with it! Let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help out!

Kind Regards,
Captain D

Post by **Ken** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 5:14 am

Flix4Me wrote:
Indiana Ken wrote:...Oh and a brick.
I always like it when the brick thing pops up!

KC

Credit must go to Jan - he gave me the idea.

Ken