Thickness of the Raiders movie jacket

[Joeyeah_right]

I think Tony's first batch of shrunken lamb was probably closer than what he later used. Mine was one of the earlier ones and was not anything like some of the sci-fi looking jackets he later produced. I think he ended up accomodating fan's calls for "striations" and specific areas of graininess, and gradually moved further away from what he originally felt was a close approximation of what he examined in person.

Wow! To my eyes, that looks like the closest I've seen to the Raiders jacket! The way it drapes, the colour...Just the general look of it, looks perfect!

Regards
Joe

[whiskyman]

Don't worry about my bubble
But if my old one is about 50% over the top, then the later and more recent ones must be way off the mark!

[Dr.JonesClone]

Hello everyone, I need your help with deciding about a jacket I'm thinking about purchasing. It is an earlier model Todds custom cowide that was special ordered for the current owner. Very good condition with a mild amount of distressing. The sizing is almost what I would order for myself. The issue I have is that I have been planning on buying the standard lamb version partially because its reputation for being thin and better in warmer temperatures. The cowhide version is $120.00 shipped, that is why I'm tempted. Can you give me any insight as to whether or not the cowhide version is a good or not so good choice for temps of about 48 to 60 degrees? Or for that matter any other points that can be made. Thanks.

[Michaelson]

Hello everyone, I need your help with deciding about a jacket I'm thinking about purchasing. It is an earlier model Todds custom cowide that was special ordered for the current owner. Very good condition with a mild amount of distressing. The sizing is almost what I would order for myself. The issue I have is that I have been planning on buying the standard lamb version partially because its reputation for being thin and better in warmer temperatures. The cowhide version is $120.00 shipped, that is why I'm tempted. Can you give me any insight as to whether or not the cowhide version is a good or not so good choice for temps of about 48 to 60 degrees? Or for that matter any other points that can be made. Thanks.

You'd be better served starting a new thread asking this question rather than burying it deep in a discussion about the thickness of the leather of one of the film jackets. I understand the connection, but if you're looking for advice, best post it in the 'clear'.

Regards! Michaelson

[davex247]

with regards to thickness, would you want a heavy thick coat in the middle of a hot steamy jungle?

[Michaelson]

Better yet, would would want ANY leather jacket in a hot steamy jungle?



Regard! Michaelson

[davex247]

i would to protect my arms from getting scratched and infected

[CM]

i would to protect my arms from getting scratched and infected

That's what duck cotton was meant for.

[Texan Scott]

In the good old days when men were men and only shaved on Saturday nights before hitting the Town there was a tannery at Todmorden in Yorkshire, England called Turn Leathers.
The leather they produced was lambskin, not the soft supple skin of today but the thick stiff leather that could almost stand by itself in the corner.
The tanning was done in giant wooden vats and the skin pegged out to dry, not modern chemicals but oil from whales (now banned).
This tannery used to contract tan the english lamb/ sheep skins supplied by us and it was this leather was used in ALL of the Indy films, with the exception of a few TOD's we did not make.
Sadly Turn Leathers went to the wall and current tanners only have the modern machinery and systems designed to produce super fine skins, so we struggle to get back to that look.
Cheers
Peter

Notice in the opening sequence, Indy with his back turned holding the pieces of the map up to the light, his cuffs and parts of the lower sleeve. This does not appear to be a thin jacket and seems consistant with this quote, but also, Peter has said that the skins were ribby Marino. Is this animal found in England, as the post seems to imply? Maybe he just acquired the skins from somewhere else, then forwarded them to this place for tanning?

"This tannery used to contract tan the english lamb/ sheep skins supplied by us and it was this leather was used in ALL of the Indy films."

Yet when I see this photo, this jacket does appear to be thick leather:


...or this one (presumedly the same jacket as the People photo):


Evidence that the Hawaii and the (main) Hero appear to be two different jackets. Take your pick.

In this cobra still, you can see a striation on the upper part of the shoulder near the seam. From looking at all the stills, those of the Temple, RB, WoS, Flying Wing, etc., appear to be the same jacket.

[Holt]

it's as easy as this..

we can't judge how thick/thin leather really is when we only see it on film. we need to handle it. Like Tony did. he perosnally told me it was a thin'ish leather. not very strong. it allready had alot of scars and holes in it when he saw it.

[CM]

I always thought the Raiders looked like a reasonably thick (2.5oz) leather jacket. That's what the magic of film does. Heck, it was probably not meant to be seen as soft, fragile lambskin at all, but a robust horse hide or goat, just as that zip is not meant to be dicky aluminum. I've always wanted the jacket Indy would wear, not the one Harrison wore.

[Texan Scott]

G&B still makes a 'robust' Raiders jacket in goatskin. Peter also offers a variety of thicker, more durable hides. As mentioned before, lambskin is the right and at the same time, the wrong type of skin to use, because it distresses easy and looks good on camera, but for real world application, rough and tumble, not the most durable out there. Lamb is more suited for fashion leather (or possibly to be used once in a movie), knock around town kind of thing.

[Gorak]

but I also think that not very many of us lead "rough and tumble" lives.....even those with slightly more adventurous lives most likely do not put a leather jacket thru the rigors that the fictional Indiana Jones did and so, for me, the lambskin does just fine...had many lambs and never wrecked one at all...and I do occasionally hike and travel and adventurize myself..sometimes just to break in my jackets....and I guess if I lived in a colder region of the world my needs may call for a thicker warmer jacket but I can`t ever see needing a tank of a jacket. Maybe its just me and my life just aint that adventurous...

[singsingjohnny]

Here in Grand Rapids, MI, a lambskin gets me through spring and fall and a lighter cowhide works great for winter, with layering, as Michaelson stated recently. Had a goatskin, but I found I wasn't a huge fan of the leather, though it is a nice tough-yet-thinner leather. As Gorak said, I don't live an adventurous life, I'm a graphic designer, so a tank of a jacket is sort of wasted on me as well. If I rode a motorcycle or was an avid outdoorsman, a nice thick cowhide or goat would be my pick for durability...and in that case, I'd get use to the goatskin!

[Marcus60]

it's as easy as this..

we can't judge how thick/thin leather really is when we only see it on film. we need to handle it. Like Tony did. he perosnally told me it was a thin'ish leather. not very strong. it allready had alot of scars and holes in it when he saw it.

That is puzzling. I've had the pleasure of holding a swatch that is supposed to be from the leather used for the two hero jackets made for Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'm very familiar with leather and I would not call it thin. Possibly this is a subjective matter, however the gentleman who still has these samples referred to it as "3.5oz cape leather." I believe that is a medium-heavy leather.

I apologize as I'm not aware of who "Tony" is as I am new and just reading what I can. My interest and passion are the jacket and fedora from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Cheers!

Marcus

[Charybdis]

I have never owned a lambskin jacket, but I do have a cowhide, a couple of goatskins and a horsehide jacket. That horsehide is tough!

I actually like the goatskin and if I ever do buy the jacket, I think my decision will be between the lambskin and the goatskin. I live in the South so lighter weight jacket would be right for me...

[Michaelson]

I apologize as I'm not aware of who "Tony" is as I am new and just reading what I can. My interest and passion are the jacket and fedora from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Cheers!

Marcus

Tony was Tony Nowak, the maker of the jacket used in Crystal Skull.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiego Jones]

That is puzzling. I've had the pleasure of holding a swatch that is supposed to be from the leather used for the two hero jackets made for Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'm very familiar with leather and I would not call it thin. Possibly this is a subjective matter, however the gentleman who still has these samples referred to it as "3.5oz cape leather." I believe that is a medium-heavy leather.

Could you tell us where you had the pleasure of holding that leather?
How did you know that it was supposedly the same leather used in the original jackets?
Why are you so familiar with leather?
And finally, I hope not to bother you with so many questions, who this gentleman was in possess of this leather samples?

Thanks, regards.-

[Michaelson]

Some of those answers could be in his intro post:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=58272" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regard! Michaelson

[Kevin Anderson]

it's as easy as this..

we can't judge how thick/thin leather really is when we only see it on film. we need to handle it. Like Tony did. he perosnally told me it was a thin'ish leather. not very strong. it allready had alot of scars and holes in it when he saw it.

That is puzzling. I've had the pleasure of holding a swatch that is supposed to be from the leather used for the two hero jackets made for Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'm very familiar with leather and I would not call it thin. Possibly this is a subjective matter, however the gentleman who still has these samples referred to it as "3.5oz cape leather." I believe that is a medium-heavy leather.

I apologize as I'm not aware of who "Tony" is as I am new and just reading what I can. My interest and passion are the jacket and fedora from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Cheers!

Marcus

Fascinating, if true. Any proof? Just curious; there's been a lot of 'tall' tales here over the years, it gets hard to sort the fact from the fantasy unless you ask
these questions.

[Marcus60]

I am acquainted with Mr. Ian Higgenbotham who was part of the costume team on Raiders. He has a folio with material samples from each production he worked upon. The folio has samples from the shirts, trousers, and so on. It was from him that I first heard that Leather Concessionaires' claims were false. So as to proof, I would refer to a person who was there when everything happened. I certainly was not.