Wested Leather choice

[egarcia]

Here is part of the email I send Gemma about the ordering of a Wested Jacket.

"I have a few questions in order to finally order the jacket. I am deciding between the Seal brown soft goat and the seal brown lambskin. How soft is the soft goat and how well does it drape when compared to the lambskin? Also, how dark is the soft goat and how grainy is the soft goat when compared to the lambskin? An alternative question would be how durable is the seal brown lambskin? I am looking for a leather that is lightweight but also durable."

Does anyone have any experience withthe seal brown soft goat?

Thanks to everyone for answering my questions, especially Holt

[kwad]

Seal Brown Soft Goat.....




It's a little heavier than the lamb and a lot tougher, but, still drapes well.
After wearing it for a while, it has softened up nicely.

The color in the pics is pretty accurate for indoor lighting. In direct sunlight, it has more of a chocolatey color.

A big plus is that even though this is a chrome tanned leather, the color underneath the pigment is a light tan.

This is by far, my favorite leather, out of any jacket I've ever owned!

Hope that helps

[fateoftheduck]

Interesting, maybe there's variation in the hides used for individual jackets, but my goat Hero seems thinner than my lamb. I would say the difference between them is that the goat skin is a bit harder. It almost has a paper-like feel, though I don't doubt its toughness. The lamskin, while also light, has more body to it in that it moves with more weight inside it. It flops around more heavily than my goatskin. The lamb is also noticeably softer to touch and when new is shinier than the goat.

[CM]

Interesting, maybe there's variation in the hides used for individual jackets, but my goat Hero seems thinner than my lamb. I would say the difference between them is that the goat skin is a bit harder. It almost has a paper-like feel, though I don't doubt its toughness. The lamskin, while also light, has more body to it in that it moves with more weight inside it. It flops around more heavily than my goatskin. The lamb is also noticeably softer to touch and when new is shinier than the goat.

Of course there is a variation. Leather is a natural product and treated in a process which has different results depending on many variables. One batch of the same hide may differ greatly to the next. That's the whole nature of leather, it is not like aluminium sidings.

[kwad]

Leather will vary in thickness and density within each hide!

Here's a little bit of info courtesy of Tandy....

Leather is usually measured in terms of ounces. One ounce equals 1/64th of an inch thickness. Thus, a weight of 7 to 8 oz. means the leather is 7/64th to 8/64th of an inch thickness. In an effort to make leather a uniform thickness, wet hides are run through a splitting machine. However, each animal is different and there is always a slight thickness variation throughout the hide. This is why leathers are usually shown with a range of thickness, such as, 4 to 5 oz., 6 to 7 oz., etc

fateoftheduck,

My new soft goat is overall a little thinner and firmer than my old authentic lamb. The lamb was thicker, more spongey feeling, and buttery soft.

When new, the firmness of the goat kind of scared me. It could almost stand up on its own.
After running it through the dryer with no heat a few times and wearing it nonstop (our heater broke, so, yes, I sleep in it ) it has become much softer and drapes much more.

[Forrest For the Trees]

If you are looking for a lightweight, durable leather, then goatskin is what you want.

[CM]

If you are looking for a lightweight, durable leather, then goatskin is what you want.

Here's the problem. My goatskin jackets (early Wested and three G&B's - 2 non-Indy's) are very close in weight to my 4 cowhide jackets. Sure they're not as heavy as a Vanson motorbike 3.5oz cow, but I'd say some goat at 2.5oz, is about the same weight as cowhide. Goat is not always light, just somewhat lighter than some cowhide. Again the individual hide will vary.

[Forrest For the Trees]

That would be a question for Wested then, I suppose. My Wested Goatskin jacket is much lighter than my cowhide jacket.

[CM]

That would be a question for Wested then, I suppose. My Wested Goatskin jacket is much lighter than my cowhide jacket.

The answer is here already. Different batches of the same hide have different qualities. Wested used to go with a 2.5 to 3oz goat. These days it's more 2 to 2.5 oz.

[fateoftheduck]

Thanks for the info, guys! I knew that leather has variations so the same garment might have panels with different texture/colour, but I didn't know that the weight/thickness of hide used in one jacket could vary so much from the hide used for another jacket in the same line. My goat Hero would never have stood up by itself, not even close. It makes me curious now about getting a jacket in that thicker goatskin!

[Mr. T]

Anybody know what the soft seal cowhide from Wested is like? Is it as thick as novapelle or thicker than the predistressed hide?

[Tibor]

Check out Kt's post from March 4th here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=51983&start=1000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds like it's significantly lighter than any other Wested cowhide, Novapelle or predistressed...

[Forrest For the Trees]

Looks like they have lambtouch cowhide again as well!

[Mr. T]

Does anybody out there have one of these new Seal Brown Soft goats that's not around the same thickness and weight of lamb? I like a heavier jacket.

[Captain D]

If you could please post some pics of your new goatskin outside, I'd love to see em.' Reason being, I'm on the fence whether, since Wested doesn't offer a dark-brown goatskin, to purchase the dark-brown novapelle cowhide or one of these goatskin jackets in this shade of brown.

At this point, I really would like the durability of goatskin, but like the shade of brown better of the dark-brown novapelle. Also, I had just seen Wested's new Antique Lambtouch cowhide offering and it too looks to appear as the authentic (not the dark-brown) shade. So, decisions, decision, . Outdoor pics in direct sunlight of Wested's current goatskin, and/or of their Antique Lambtouch cowhide, offerings will really help me to make a decision...

Thank you for any and all pics!
Aaron

[kwad]

Aaron,

I'll see if I can snap a pic outside tomorrow.
It's a hard color to capture. Indoors it looks almost black, but, in daylight it is very brown.
Personally, I think the new seal brown is closer to the correct color than the old "authentic" brown.

[Captain D]

Awesome! Thank you for your time and efforts in snappin' a few pics for me. I'm looking forward to them and thank you again!
Aaron

[kwad]

Here ya' go!
It's hard to get an accurate picture of the color, so I took a few in different lighting and camera settings.

Direct sunlight, with no flash


Indirect sunlight, no flash


Indirect sunlight, with flash

This last shot shows the little bit of distressing on the stormflap cap/collar. Underneath the top-coat of pigment, the leather is a tan color.

Hope that helps you

-Kevin

[Captain D]

"Thank you" Kevin for taking the time to snap a few pics for me -

Hmmmm, I suppose the seal brown isn't too bad . I'll see if I can locate some pics of Wested's dark-brown novapelle just for a comparison, but this current goatskin offering is pretty good I think. When you noted that you felt that the new seal brown is closer to the correct color than the old "authentic" brown, what makes it different in your opinion?

Thanks again man for your time!
Aaron

[whiskyman]

I have a dark brown goat in the classifieds in case you're interested - even just for colour comparison.

[kwad]

"Thank you" Kevin for taking the time to snap a few pics for me -

Hmmmm, I suppose the seal brown isn't too bad . I'll see if I can locate some pics of Wested's dark-brown novapelle just for a comparison, but this current goatskin offering is pretty good I think. When you noted that you felt that the new seal brown is closer to the correct color than the old "authentic" brown, what makes it different in your opinion?

Thanks again man for your time!
Aaron

No problem.

Something to consider when deciding is the goat and novapelle are two very different leathers (color, weight, drape, feel, etc..).

The novapelle is a heavier, predistressed cowhide that does not have a top coating, and has a slightly sueded finish.
It looks very similar to the leather TN used on the screen used Crystal Skull jackets.

The goat is thinner, more dense, and has a pigmented top coating.
It drapes like lamb, but, is tougher and has more grain.

The seal brown just looks more like the color I see on screen. My old authentic lamb ROTLA had a greenish/greyish undertones and just never looked right to me.

Good luck choosing a leather for your new jacket

[JC1972]

Anyone have a side by side pic of the seal brown goat and dark brown lamb? I like the dark color but haven't had a goatskin jacket yet and tempted to get one. Thanks!

[Captain D]

Thank you Kevin and Whiskeyman for the info With our discussion, I think I'm beginning to lean towards the new seal brown goatskin.

Thank you again for your input gents!
Aaron

[kwad]

Happy to be of service