Rehabing a Wested?

[Solo4114]

So, I have a Wested, which was purchased in 2001. It's seen plenty of wear and tear (actually in one minor example, quite literally). It's an old Raiders style lambskin jacket. I love the thing but it's time to get it repaired.

The problems:

- The liner. I went with an all satin liner. BAD IDEA. The sleeves of the liner are, I believe, torn at the elbows, and the spot where they join the leather at the end of the sleeve are almost completely frayed loose. The body interior is basically nonexistent at this point. Next time, cotton for me, thanks.

- The straps. One of them is just starting to tear loose. If I zip the thing and put my hands in the pockets, it could probably tear loose at some point in the coming year pretty easily.


Normally I'd send the thing back to Wested and get it fixed up but given that Halloween season is coming up, I have no idea how backed up they'd be or how fast they could turn it around to me with the needed rehab. Or even if they COULD rehab it at this point. It's possible that the jacket interior is damaged enough that it might not even take a new liner, and I have no idea if the strap can be reattached (or just replace) where it's started tearing loose.


Anyone have any suggestions? Does Magnoli Clothiers do repairs on other people's gear? I'm planning on breaking out the Indy costume for Halloween, and I wear the jacket all the time anyway in the fall, so I'd really like to have it available... Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Discussion items?

[RCSignals]

Have you contacted Wested? they've refurbished other jackets and they turned out good as new

Your only other option is a Tailor that does leather clothing work or another jacket manufacturer who is willing to take it on. There are specialists who refurbish A-2s etc, but you'll have to hunt them down

[Michaelson]

Unless it has some REAL sentimental value, I'd say just put it back as a 'backup' jacket and order you a new one.

Once you factor in shipping to and from Wested, along with cost of repair, you probably could have purchased a brand new jacket. Considering the cost of a Wested, it's well within possibility. Any other jacket, this wouldn't really be an alternative, as cost for replacement vs. repair isn't that close with anyone else.

JMO, but that's how I see it.

That said, if you live near a military base, sometimes you can find a small shop that specializes in sewing uniforms and the like for military personnel, and are equiped to make the kind of repairs you're looking for.
That said, though, even THEY may be cost prohibitive.

I was recently quoted a re-lining of a Wings jacket at $80 by a local shop, and that was with me supplying the liner!!

Still cheaper than buying a new jacket....but you have to start questioning do I REALLY want this jacket fixed, or just give it an honorable semi-retirement and move on toward green pastures....specifically a replacement. In my case, I did a quick hand stitching job on the ripped lining seam myself and semi-retired the jacket to the back of my closet.

Regards! Michaelson

[Holt]

I agree with Michaelson here. get a new one..

and I would love to see some pictures of it.

[RCSignals]

Good points Michaelson. I just assumed he's asking because he's attached to it like an old friend. i.e. sentimental value.

[Kt Templar]

I agree the cost will probably be prohibitive, plus the shipping back and forth, I'd be worried about getting it back by halloween.

I have a friend who just had his done. Back good as new. Took about 2 weeks. But that is taking it there and then picking up.

If you want to do it drop Peter a email to check on price.

Oh, get them to put your old label back in. They put a new one in my friends one.

I had my lambskin done a while back, don't know how long it took. I just left it there and picked it up again next time I was over.

[Michaelson]

Good points Michaelson. I just assumed he's asking because he's attached to it like an old friend. i.e. sentimental value.

Yeah, that's why I opened my comment with :

Unless it has some REAL sentimental value....

I don't think he'd ask for opinions if he had no other plans than a rebuild.....

Regards! Michaelson

[Solo4114]

Actually, I'm not THAT attached to it, I just figured it'd be cheaper/faster to get it fixed than to get a new one. Plus, I'm a little daunted by buying a new one. The first one I got I just said "Gimme a Raiders style one." I didn't get into any real details, etc. They also had FAR fewer options back then, so far fewer choices to blow my mind. Nowadays there's lamb, goat, cow, distressed, gnu.....wait, maybe not gnu.... Anyway, they have a lot of choices and I'm trying to figure out what I want. I'm happy with what I have now, but not over-the-moon about it. I'm not a stickler for SA, but I'd like it to strongly resemble the jacket. I'm far more concerned with the thing fitting ME. I actually have a tailor I go to periodically here in town, and he has my measurements, so I suppose I could just call him for the information. He doesn't work in leather, sadly. I approached him with the jacket a few months ago and he said "Nah, you're better off sending it back to the original maker." Sadly, I frittered away the summer instead of doing just that, and now I'm figuring if I want to have the jacket for fall and Halloween, I'd at least need a backup. I have an ooooold bomber jacket (somewhere), but dangit, I at least want a Wested (or Magnoli, Nowak, something). I take pride in wearing something other than the old LL Bean bomber jacket I used to wear when I was a kid.

I guess this means I'd better start perusing the recommendations for custom jackets and hit my tailor up for the measurements. That or just deal with a jacket that basically has a trashed liner.

[RCSignals]

I just figured it'd be cheaper/faster to get it fixed than to get a new one.

I'm not a stickler for SA, but I'd like it to strongly resemble the jacket.

If that's your criteria, why not look at a Todd's standard? Has the look you want and a lower price.

Otherwise if you want to spend more there are many options to look at.

[CM]

Standard price for replacing lining in a leather jacket in my town is $100 (US $80) It's easy work.

That said, the satin Peter uses is fine, his cotton of that period, which I also have, didn't wear all that well becasue it was thin. Get some good cotton twill or quality poly from a fabric shop, then bring it to your repair person.

Jacket lining in a well worn jacket typically lasts between 3 to 8 years before it begins to tear, etc. Although with a good cotton twill, you might get 10-15 years...

[Solo4114]

Yeah, if I can get a new one fast enough for a decent price, I may just get a new one. For $100 or so to replace the liner, I might as well just spend the extra money for a new jacket.

[Raider S]

Maybe I have a different take here, but 8 years for a leather jacket shouldn't be that old.

I've seen guys wearing A2 sytle jackets purchased/issued while in the service 2 or 3 decades earlier that, while certainly looking "vintage", are still in great shape and worn on a regular basis. I understand different leathers will age and wear according to their characteristics, but I have lamb jackets given to me when I was a teen that still are excellent.

Unless you've been very rough on your jacket, I don't see why it should be in such bad shape that a bit of tailoring can't fix it up. Since nobody sees the lining, I'd simply put my own patches in if there was enough of the original to work with.

Could be I'm old fashioned, but a ripped lining and even patched leather and new stitching all add up to something with character. Isn't that what a "real" Indy jacket is all about. New jackets (don't care how good the leather is) just don't have that until they've been worn and lived in for a few years. I plan to wear my jackets until the police pull it off my back and make me burn it for environmental reasons.

[Michaelson]

We just jumped to this thread, so may as well close this one.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=43044

Regards! Michaelson