The Great Thing About Indy Gear Is...

Indiana Jackson · Post by **Indiana Jackson** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:39 pm

The Great Thing About Indy Gear Is... that, unlike other clothing and gear, the more you put wear & tear on it, the more correct it looks. I mean think about it. If you had bought a new leather jacket, pants, shirt, hat, etc., and not known of Indy gear, and spent this much on the items, you probably would want to keep it in perfect new looking condition. Right!? Where else could you be convinced to buy clothing as expensive as this and then not care what you do to it?!? Some actually wear & tear the items intentionally. The rest of the world must think we're crazy! Think about it from their point of view. BUT, If you're on the inside, it all makes perfect sense. Its perfect harmony. I got my $300 plus Wested and scraped it across my filing cabinet today on the way out of the office and for a brief moment I cringed, but then I thought, "Oh well, a little more authentic!" What a great hobby!!!

Cheers
Indiana Jackson

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:27 pm

that is quite true, but i am all for natural destressing though.
I dont like the idea that people take a large thing of sandpaper and
assault their wested. Or take their 250$ alden boots and purposely
scrape the boots 1 time a day on a pile of rocks. I look at it this way:
If the gear is made to last give it everyday wear and give it as much as it can take. Dont give it extra abuse and wear it down. I like things to last a long time so i dont have to spend more money on the same thing all the time. If you give it regular use then it will last for a long time, if you give it regular use plus that rub with fine grain sand paper, its that less longer that the item will last you. Wear your gear in the rain and snow and give it everyday use. Just dont cover your jacket in actone and drive over it with a car to get that look, so your gear is just that much more worn out.
give your gear the abuse you go through, just my opinion.
kindest Regards

molorom

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:43 pm

Molorom,
I couldn't agree more. I think of the hiking boots and casual boots I have had before I got into this hobby; you wear them, then shine them, and over time they get this incredible patina. You can almost read your history in the blemishes in the leather: this scratch from a boulder on Mt. Washington, this dark spot from the cappucino I spilled on them in San Marco. If you intentionally distress a jacket, you get the appearance of age, but not history, no real romance. My Wested will be perfectly distressed, in ten years, and I will be able to account for every scratch and blemish.
The main point is live an extraordinary life.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:51 pm

Hemingway Jones wrote:You can almost read your history in the blemishes in the leather: this scratch from a boulder on Mt. Washington, this dark spot from the cappucino I spilled on them in San Marco.

Wow, you are Hemingway. Very well written.

auntsugar · Post by **auntsugar** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:41 am

Hemingway Jones wrote:

this dark spot from the cappucino I spilled on them in San Marco

Funny, I actually spilled cappucino on my Wested in San Marco piazza last September. We found out the hard way about ordering anything from the cafe to the left as you walk up to the piazza. The one with all of the tables and chairs. My cappucino cost 9 euro, and my wife's one-scoop ice cream cone cost 13 euro. I figure I only spilled about 1 euro worth of the cappucino, though.

Ciao

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:13 am

I'm all for natural distressing...but...

You kids have all the time in the world. I'm going to be 50 (yes, FIFTY!) in March. By the time my jacket looks any good, I'll be dead.

The best I can hope for is that my six-year-old son will have a perfectly distressed jacket when he's the age of you young whippersnappers.

Dagnabit!

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:23 am

Thank you for the compliment, Pyroxene. I am humbled.

I think Flash Gordon has an interesting perspective, which raises a question: How long would it take to naturally distress a Wested to the point that it looks authentic to the films?

I've only had mine for about three weeks and I've worn it only a few times. It doesn't have a mark on it. At this rate, I might be very old indeed by the time it's worn in (I'm 36 now); and I know I'll be buying other jackets to spread the wear around. Hmm. This may be the most persuasive argument for distressing your jacket.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:25 am

Flash,
I was just thinking about how great it would be to receive a jacket passed down from my father. Now that's history! Remember, the stories must be passed with it. At least those that you can tell!

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 11:23 am

Oh, come on Flash, you still have at least 40+ good years left in you (I know I do, and we're about the same age). Your jacket will naturally distress very nicely in that time....then they can bury you in it,....that is if you decide to go by then...

Regards. Michaelson

IndianaCollins · Post by **IndianaCollins** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:27 pm

I gotto admit, I'm getting kinda antsy about getting my jackets broken in. I lightly sandpapered my PFLCO holster, just to get some of the shine off, but wouldn't even consider acetone-ing (well, OK, considered it once) my beloved wested lamb(my "dress" jacket) or my Expo goat (My "all-the-time" jacket), and wish they'd distress faster. I don't get as much wear out of them as I'd like down here in the south, I need some real adventures to break the goat in. Of course, Peter and the guys at flightsuits would have to make lower-quality items that would naturally distress that fast, so...

indybill · Post by **indybill** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:02 pm

Michaelson wrote:....then they can bury you in it,....

Hey, you been peekin' at my will?

I can think of no better way to go than in full Indy attire!

IndyMac · Post by **IndyMac** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 8:37 am

In my closet I have a horsehide jacket that was my fathers,he wore it when he was a teenager in the 40's. I discovered it when I was a teen and wore it until I grew into it and grew out of it. When my son was a teen I had new cuffs and wiastband put on it and the liner repaired and he wore it until he outgrew it. Its waiting for a grandson to come along someday. Lots of memories in that leather, but no artificially ditressed ones.