Here's one thing I like about the Wested pocket.
Look how they make the stitching on the pocket flap. It's different from the stitching on the pocket (Look at the red circles). The pocket flap stitching (the seam, or whatever is called) is wider. I really love that.
Unfortunately they don't make it like this on all the jackets.
Look at the photo below. The stitching of the flap is the same with the stitching of the pocket. (red circles) I hate that.
I have recently seen photos of jackets from fellow members who have it like in the second pic.
My guess is that Wested has two craftsmen. One is making them like the 1st pic, the other like the second pic.
That's better than a jacket I ordered from another nameless manufacturer in Chula Vista California (www.leather.com). The pockets on the A2 I ordered were glued on!!
Plus the collar snaps were attached very uneven, one sits about an inch higher than the other, so it makes the collar sit crooked.
You know how sometimes you'll be buttoning your shirt when your tired, and line the first button up to the wrong hole, and don't notice until someone points at you and laughs (that happened to me in High school).
That's what this jacket looks like all the time.
Man I hope I can order a Wested this year, if they ever get more goatskin in.....
Good catch, Platon. I had noticed the wider-stitched pocket flap on my October 2006 goatskin LC jacket, compared to my 2001 lambskin Raiders, which has the thinner-stitched flap. I supposed it was Wested's current stitching technique. But if you've seen some recent jackets with the thin-stitched pockets, your conclusion might be right. It could also be that the thicker leather has the wider pocket flap stitching (as your top photo looks to be a goatskin), but the bottom photo appears to be a pre-distressed cowhide.
you are correct in assuming there are two different craftmen, as a matter of fact there are several. Basically it's a luck of the draw kinda thing as to how the stitching is done. You really have to baby sit your order with Wested, if you want your jacket to come out right.
More screen accurate is the first one. (Note also that the first photo is from an FS jacket- couldn't find a wested photo at the time when I was writing the post).
Also most jackets (if not all) that have cargo pockets like this have the stitching like photo no1. That includes A2 and the like...
