I have received my Wested LC jacket. No it's not an Indy 4 jacket
I really like the fit of the jacket and the leather. But I've found something strange on the backpanel and before I send it back I'm gonna ask here
The 1/4 quarter gap is missing on the right side of the backpanel.
I haven't even requested this 1/4 quarter gap. So is this a flaw? or is this kinda SA?
The strangest thing. I have requested a Horsehide but I got a cowhide.
Now I ended up with one Todd cowhide, one Wested lambtouch and Wested Cowhide. Rofl.
May I should get a predistressed cowhide for the Indy 4 jacket
Just two points. SA or not, that back panel isn't centered, so you have the gap on the one side.
Secondly, are you sure that's not horsehide? I've owned horsehide jackets that I would have SWORN they were cowhide too, as the grain and feel were just a dead on match to cow....but it wasn't. It was honest to gosh horsehide. Not all horsehide is the smooth shiny hide.
The 'nitpickers' would be the only ones who would pick up on that 1/4" gap, as otherwise from my monitor, that's a fine looking custom jacket, my friend. Personally I'd think twice before putting it back in the mail.
JMO, though, as I'm NOT a nitpicker when it comes to these little details.
The grain and the smell is imo a cowhide. It's really hard to say. I had a Raiders HH once and this hide wasn't that grainy and this soft.
So Michaelson you think I should ignor this gap? Do you know if Wested could alter the backpanel or do I get a new jacket? Because I really like the fit and the look of the jacket. The leather is also fine.
I agree, KT. Cowhide seems to always be a LOT heavier than horsehide, or at least the one's I've owned in the past. I've always reserved my cowhide jackets for winter wear.
They'd have to tear the jacket completely apart, orb, and rather than go through all that trouble, it would be easier for them to just put the returned jacket in the sales room and make another one......the need to go through the work of removing that 1/4 inch and center the panel would not be the least bit cost effective for them.
If it fits, THAT'S what counts. Finding a garment that really feels good is not that easy. If this one fits and feels good, I'd forget that 1/4 inch myself. Once it settles onto your body and the wrinkles set in, you won't even know that slight gap is there. As a matter of fact, it will probably disappear to the eye.
Oh, and I'm not trying to talk you out of doing anything. If it bothers you to much, send it back. You are the customer. YOU are the one who needs to be satisfied. I mean, this is coming from a fellow who got a Wested with messed up cuffs and extra needle holes where the cuff was moved then resewn, and I didn't send it back.....so take my opinion for what it's worth. It wasn't worth the hassle of returning the jacket for me. You're a LOT closer to the shop than I am, so if you're not comfortable....box it up. If it's just a question of the gap, though, and it FITS!.....I'd give it long and careful consideration before acting to hastily. You might regret letting it get out of your hands.
Regards! Michaelson
Last edited by Michaelson on Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Kt Templar thanks for your input.
I have sold my first Raiders Horsehide a while ago. But I could remember it clearly. The hide wasn't that soft and it also wasn't that textured.
The horsehide I had before seemed tougher and stiffer.
I know the D-Rings are SA. I actually wanted D-Rings on this jacket.
It also has a silver zip and I have requested no leather facings by the zipper. I think I'll keep it. Because I knew before that I'm not getting a SA jacket. I'll rather call it Classic Wested LC jacket hehe.
I stared at your jacket for a few minutes (honestly) and it would be a tough call for me if it were my jacket. My thought process in situations like this is, what is the cost/time involved compared to what I am spending.
For me personally, since the jacket in the end (after exchange, duty, etc) would probably set me back around $400+ I would probably send it back. For example, I ordered a 24" computer monitor and it's considered passible if a monitor from the factory comes with up to 5 dead/stuck pixels.
Normally, I wouldn't have cared, but because I was paying $800+ for it (and because I'm a graphic designer and dead pixels drive me crazy) I sent the monitor back 3 times before I got one that fit my standards.
So, I guess the best advice I can give you is, if you feel that the price you paid for the jacket in both money and time demands perfection (meaning a millionare simply might not care, where as someone who saved for months might care a lot) then send it back and politely ask for it to be fixed.
I knew before I have placed the order that I won't get a SA LC jacket.
After the input of Michaelson and Kt I think I'm gonna keep it. It's not a big flaw like too big pockets. You definitly won't see it when you wear it.
I also don't think that anybody will notice it when I'm wearing it.
It's maybe one of the flaws you'll find on every jacket
I have also received the Wested shirt & pants with my jacket and the pants does not fit. So I could send back both but now I think I keep the jacket and sell the pants.
I must say that Todd's Cowhide and maybe also Todd's Lambskin does really resemble the leathers used in ROTLA/TOD. They also get this SA used look very fast. Just a little rainstorm or a bit water soaking and you get that look. The wested leathers are IMO one of the best quality leathers. They really the nicest leathers what you can get for the money IMO. But at the moment I can't really see any leathers from Wested that resembles the look from the indy films. Their predistressed lambskins are interesting and quite cool looking but their more costume jackets.
As a gearhead I must say that I like Todd's Cowhide best. As a normal guy wearing a leather jacket I like the Wested leathers best. Their Cowhide and Lambtouch are both very nice leathers. I'm gonna wear the cowhide in the colder days and the lambtouch is perfect for late spring and summer.
I have talked with Gemma about the back panel flaw. She meant if I send it back they will change the back panel out or she meant they correct it.
So maybe I'll send it back. So I would also get rid of the not fitting pants.
They 36/32 sized.
Orb, if you are going to send your jacket back, you might as well get an exchange for your pants as well instead of reselling them, since that might save you a few bucks
Yeah I know Castor
I have mention this before. I'll send it all back tomorrow.
I really love the fit of the jacket, I hope I get the same one back just with the corrected back.
just curious, was Gemma able to confirm wheathr your jacket was indeed cowhide and not horsehide?
Will you ask for a horsehide, or will they just repair this jacket?
Garzo I forgot to ask her.
But I'm sure it's a cowhide. I had a LC cowhide once a few days. I also had to send it back and I can clearly remember this obtrusive smell
I hope they can repair this jacket. Because this one fits perfectly. The length is also fine.
Hello, Orb. Returning a cowhide jacket certainly makes sense if you ordered a horsehide. My opinion on the space between the left arm seam and the back panel? Not a big deal for me. Obviously, you're the one shelling out the money for the jacket, so you want what you ordered, but I find the size of that space to be a negligable variance. (Plus, I recall there being a space like that on the Raiders hero jacket in any event, and I think Todd even acknowledged that. And it's not like the size of the space on the back of the USW jackets.)
Given the small differences in the Westeds from the screen jackets, I wouldn't even call that variance a SA issue -- it's more of a manufacturing matter, and I don't even consider that to be an error or slipshod fabrication. I think's it's completely within the parameters of the normal.
I was on vacation a few weeks and now I'm back.
In the meanwhile I have received my LC Jacket back from Wested and I was really shocked. They haven't changed anything on the jacket. Gemma said that they will correct the back panel but they haven't corrected anything. So I think everyone can imagine how I must feel. 15€ back shipping and 20 Pounds shipping costs again for nothing. I haven't contacted them yet. I think I will keep the jacket and live with the little bug.
this is kind of the reason I didn't go with the wested.. I'd be slightly annoyed at first, but if I paid shipping back AGAIN, and then received the jacket a second time with the SAME mistake, I'd be super ticked. the GB I just ordered today was off the clearance rack because one of the straps is situated 1/4 of an inch higher than the other. I think that's even less of a screw up than the back of your wested and, as _ said, I saved $150 on the jacket...
I bought a wacky gunbelt off NH which had "too many holes" and he described it as "strange" - I said "perfect for me!"
NOW, if the offset back panel causes uneven action pleat puffiness then I can see being upset about that, but visually, that's nothing. (and trust me, I'm a nitpicker)
I paid a premium for HH and would assume you did as well, so I would ask for what I paid for. Also, the imbalance would be enough in itself for me to return the jacket. That's just a mistake, and the customer should never have to live with that. That would put it on the "seconds and mismatch" shelf for somebody to buy at a discount - knowing it is defective but still perfectable wearable...
I was on vacation a few weeks and now I'm back.
In the meanwhile I have received my LC Jacket back from Wested and I was really shocked. They haven't changed anything on the jacket. Gemma said that they will correct the back panel but they haven't corrected anything. So I think everyone can imagine how I must feel. 15€ back shipping and 20 Pounds shipping costs again for nothing. I haven't contacted them yet. I think I will keep the jacket and live with the little bug.
Much regards
orb
So what did they do to the jacket and did they confirm that it was Horsehide?
I hate hassles like this. Had some problems recently with US Wings (shipping issues primarily). Did not leave a pleasant taste in my mouth at all (although I love the stuff they sent me). I do own a Wested and would buy from them again - got my eye on the Horsehide jacket myself. When they sent me the jacket the outside pockets were missing the snaps on the pocket (but they were on the flaps). Peter sent me the buttons I needed but quite frankly never took it to a tailor to get it fixed. Just not worth it to me and very pleased with the jacket as it is.
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