Wested's HERO jacket...

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 3:11 am

I think they got deleted when I reorganised my stuff.

Indiana Croft · Post by **Indiana Croft** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:39 pm

Thanks RayROnline, I'm glad you like my pic's, as were starting to get to the warmer weather up here in NH (finally $\:D/$ ) I look forward to donning my Wested hero. And I do have Alden's and yes they are very comfortable, but mine are in need of a restoration, nothing serious, that's why I only wear them occasionally.

Glad you like the last pic, it to is one of my favorite's.

Croft

MARQ · Post by **MARQ** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:04 am

Indiana Croft...what can I say

So Nice!!..I wish I had such a Hero!

Asked for light weight and it is, Dark brown lambskin, a shade lighter than my Todds

Listen Indiana..how much does it weigh!? I thought that Todd had the lighest jackets around,which one to get

HMMMM..

Adventure Dog · Post by **Adventure Dog** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:54 pm

It looks like Wested has taken down most of the leather options for the HERO Jacket, leaving only Seal Crispe Lambskin.

Any news about this? Kind of a bummer for me, as I was hoping to eventually get a goatskin HERO.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 3:30 am

They'll make it in any hide they have, if you ask them to. I've just ordered one in a soft grainy cowhide, just yesterday in fact. Phoned Peter to chat about different hides he had, then wrote an email with my details.

RayROnline · Post by **RayROnline** » Sun May 05, 2013 12:59 am

First, sorry but no pictures yet. It's not quite ready...

About a week ago, I bought a Wested Shrunken Lamb Hero from whiskyman. Sure enough like he said, it seems to have been almost new, as in not worn much at all.

He had worked the collar a bit and I really loved the look of it in the bazaar photos. Not sure if it would fit exactly (as I guess we never really are) I purchased it. Another intriguing feature to me was that it was made in the Shrunken Lamb. It's not exactly like striated or grainy that I have had in any other jackets. Let me just ramble out a few thoughts on the whole experience for you.

First, the fit was excellent. The sleeves, the body. The length. It's like it was made for me. At least the way I envision the Raiders cut...not fitting perfectly in all the right ways. The leather is strange. I like the coloration. It looks old...not one even color but some darker and lighter mix. Very cool really, like it's been around a while. This will add to the look when it's really broken in.

The leather quality to the touch was another thing. I don't know enough about leather to use the best terminology, but I have enough experience with very high end shoes and jackets and very low end product, to know what it's supposed to feel like. Medium to low end usually has a slightly stiff feel and often feels a bit like pleather. The surface of this lamb was right on that boarder. Not cheap, but not BK soft or nice like my cordovan shoes. At the same time, it is flexible and soft is a way, it creases in the arms and bends like it should. Quite a paradox, really. On the great side is, the jacket has some heft to it. whiskyman said it felt too heavy for his taste, so I was worried. I don't want another heavy jacket like all my Wings versions. Well this feels substantial, but in a good way. and it hangs just right. I totally love it! And it's not hot to wear.

But back to the leather. I immediately hand rubbed in Picards cream to smooth it out. After that (at least 24 hours) I wet the whole thing down (outside) and used a towel dry to get the shine off and bring out the grain. When that dried it got 2 coats of Lexol spray, again to try to get that leather to become totally flexible. Now it was getting right. To continue the breaking in, I got some nice white sand-trap sand from a friendly neighborhood golf course and hand rubbed it in to the entire outside. This was not done to wear it out like sand paper or steel wool! This was to give the effect that this jacket had been outside in the elements and on adventures for years. It replicates natural wind, rain, etc. I really like how it came out. If I hadn't spilled the beans, I bey you would think it's several years old and worn a lot.

I still want to rub in some more leather softener, but I don't want to shine it up again and have to bring it back down. So, for now, I'm going to wear the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of it.

No disrespect to any of my other fine jackets or their makers...but, I finally got a Wested and OMG, I feel like I'm wearing something that could have come right from the set. I'll try to get a friend to shoot a few pics in the next few days to follow up.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sun May 05, 2013 1:15 am

Texan Scott wrote:I was looking back through old shots when I stumbled onto this one:

Take a look at that left sleeve, especially how "crusty" the upper left sleeve looks:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm590527232/tt0082971" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We always wondered why we never could get the same type of texture from any other leather source, past or present? Here are the reason(s):

PETER wrote:LETS BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
I MADE THE ORIGINAL RAIDERS JACKETS. I BOUGHT THE SKINS AS NEW ZEALAND LAMB IN CRUST FROM JIM HUME (FELLMONGERS) IN SCOTLAND. I SENT THE SKINS TO MR JEFF CLARK OF TURN LEATHERS TANNERY AT TODMORDEN IN YORKSHIRE. THEY CONTRACT TANNED THE SKIN TO MY SPECIFICATION WHICH WAS A WORN LOOK FINISH.
THE RIB MARKS ,TICK MARKS AND MACHINE SKINNING STRETCH MARKS ARE TYPICAL OF NEWZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN SKINS AND WERE ALL PUT INTO THE JACKETS TO ADD CHARACTOR WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE.
IT WAS NOT SHRUNKEN LAMB. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF SHRUNKEN LAMB UNTIL RECENTLY AND JEF CLARKE IN 1980 WOULD HAVE SCRATCHED HIS HEAD AS HE ONLY TANNED IN THE TRADIONAL WAY OF PEGGING OUT TO DRY NATURALLY WHICH PRODUCED A FIRM SKIN TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO MODERN TANNING SYSYTEMS WHICH CAN CREATE BEAUTIFUL VARIATIES YOU CAN GET NOW.
I DONT USUALLY QUOTE NAMES BUT FACTS ARE FACTS.
CHEERS
PETER

PETER wrote:I know l dont usually but it seemed the thing to do and stop all the speculation.
The crust cost about $1 a foot and 50c per foot to contract tan. total $1.50
in those days. About 75p in English.
Modern tanning systems cannot make leather like that, it was tanned in vast wooden drums and then pegged out on wooden frames to dry naturally before pigmentation and pressing but a jacket made from it could stand in a corner by itself. which is why the film jackets were put into old tumble dryers with no heat and a few large pebbles to soften and rough up a bit.
I have been experimenting to recreate the effect and the washed lamb is close but still too soft. Itailians only know soft.We are getting there though
Sorry, Michaelson. my manners are terrible 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' to you and all.
Cheers
Peter

The reason why we could never find the right leather is that it does not exist anymore...in exactly that type and texture.

It would seem that this material as Peter described it is about close as he has ever been to the actual movie leather, as it was tanned in the rough, it was stiff leather, etc. Fairly thick and robust, nothing about its grain and finish is uniform.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Sun May 05, 2013 5:11 am

Soft grain hide. More pics in the classifieds

tomek9210 · Post by **tomek9210** » Mon May 06, 2013 3:48 pm

Pagey, why don't you try another vendor? Every jacket you'd ordered from wested, ended up in Cairo bazaar

RayROnline · Post by **RayROnline** » Mon May 06, 2013 4:35 pm

tomek9210 wrote:Pagey, why don't you try another vendor? Every jacket you'd ordered from wested, ended up in Cairo bazaar

it's funny you say that. I was thinking the same thing. But on the good side, that's the reason I have my wonderful Wested Raiders jacket.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue May 07, 2013 12:19 am

You seem to forget I've had two Todds and two Novaks in the clasifieds too.

Post by **Holt** » Tue May 07, 2013 7:21 am

You really seem to enjoy that side of the forum!

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue May 07, 2013 8:06 am

Yeah, my hobby is to buy stuff new and sell it at a loss.

TheExit148 · Post by **TheExit148** » Tue May 07, 2013 3:00 pm

I noticed Wested doesn't have many options left for the Hero, only the Cripse leather. Does anyone know if they discontinued it?

RayROnline · Post by **RayROnline** » Tue May 07, 2013 3:57 pm

OK, dress up time. I strapped on this WG just before the UPS man showed up...and forgot I was wearing it. Nothing was said, lol

Submitted for your approval, this is the Wested Hero I recently got from whiskeyman. I previously described in detail what's been done for aging, so no repeats this time. The sun finally came out so I got a friend to snap a few in my back yard.

with TODDS pants, Alden 403 Indy boots, Webley WG gun, TODDS gunbelt, Adventurebilt Raiders hat, Jeremy McEachern 8' Raiders style whip, Magnoli shirt, Lee Keppler holster, authentic WWII MK VII Gas Mask bag, and if you want to see the texture up close...well, I'm out of pics so: http://s198.photobucket.com/user/shoote ... 4.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:49 pm

Glad it's found a happy home!

Bdgsi11 · Post by **Bdgsi11** » Tue May 07, 2013 5:42 pm

Very nice!

looks very natural on you and like its been a trusty ol' friend that you've had for years. Congrats on such a fine acquisition.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sat May 11, 2013 10:08 am

NICE, Ray!

Love those shots!

4505marcel · Post by **4505marcel** » Mon May 13, 2013 3:45 pm

Nice cant wait to get my hands on a hero

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue May 14, 2013 9:03 am

I have another on the way. If this one doesn't do it for me, I'm going switch to Xmen

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Tue May 14, 2013 9:15 am

Well, we'll miss you around here, but maybe we'll bump into each other at xmengear.com.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 7:50 am

Peter says he has some new, washed lamb in stock. There was some difficulty in filling orders with SL, especially the larger sizes. Other than SL, my next fav. leather would be that thin, dark brown goatskin. Excellent stuff for a Raiders jacket. It has the color and grain, is thin and durable.

Also, the Raiders cloth jacket is on the drawing table.

Post by **Holt** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:46 am

you mean that thin, dark, durable goatskin you got rid of an sold?

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 12:03 pm

You have a good memory Holt. Yeah, I had ordered it just before the Hero project was officially launched, and I sized it wrongly. It was 2 inches too long in the torso and at least 1 inch too long in the sleeves. It would have been a perfect fit using the RoLA pattern, but as we know, the Hero is a different cut. This was not something that you could send back for alterations, as you would have to move pockets and zip too. Sleeves were a little tight. It was an excellent jacket, well made and is great leather, one of the best for a Raiders jacket in my opinion, in terms of the outdoor, Tanis/truck scenes. Thin and almost black looking, yet abrasion resistant goatskin. I didn't really want to get rid of it, but better to put it into someone else's hands, so the new order. I believe Hobbs bought it.

Post by **Holt** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 3:21 pm

Yeah, Yeah, sure, sure

..

Hobbstc · Post by **Hobbstc** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:26 pm

Texan Scott wrote:You have a good memory Holt. Yeah, I had ordered it just before the Hero project was officially launched, and I sized it wrongly. It was 2 inches too long in the torso and at least 1 inch too long in the sleeves. It would have been a perfect fit using the RoLA pattern, but as we know, the Hero is a different cut. This was not something that you could send back for alterations, as you would have to move pockets and zip too. Sleeves were a little tight. It was an excellent jacket, well made and is great leather, one of the best for a Raiders jacket in my opinion, in terms of the outdoor, Tanis/truck scenes. Thin and almost black looking, yet abrasion resistant goatskin. I didn't really want to get rid of it, but better to put it into someone else's hands, so the new order. I believe Hobbs bought it.

Yep I have it now. Looks NIB lol! Perfect fit for me too. Thanks again.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:06 pm

..."they come and they go, Hobbs.."

moses · Post by **moses** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 7:40 am

Just received my Hero jacket in dark novapelle! Great jacket..also the HEAVIEST jacket I've ever had. Almost need two hands to pick it up!! Pretty cool leather, a sort of dusty charcoal colour with a lovely grain. It'll take some braeking in as I think it's the thickest leather I've ever handled. Makes me feel bulletproof.

moses · Post by **moses** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 4:52 pm

Also seems to smell like petrol..which is a bit stange..

Post by **Holt** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 5:00 pm

DON'T SMOKE IN IT!!!

moses · Post by **moses** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 5:12 pm

I think Wested must've got a new batch of novapelle as mine looks fairly different to the other jackets I've seen over the years. It'S not so much two tone as one tone, not so much brown as grey - and completely matt. A bit like the old washed goat - just 8 times heavier and thicker.

RayROnline · Post by **RayROnline** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 5:45 pm

moses wrote:Also seems to smell like petrol..which is a bit stange..

I once got a Raiders (one of many versions) from U S Wings that had that smell. I hated it although I loved the jacket. It took a good 2 years for that smell to go away. And that includes giving it Picards, hanging out in the air, and sitting in a closet with other leather jackets.

MARQ · Post by **MARQ** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:44 pm

This is on Wested´s site,http://www.wested.com/hero-44-crispe-653-p.asp,it says "crispe" and "shrunken lamb",so which one is it?
This has been discussed here frequently but is the shrunken lamb thick,heavy,striated and all

TenuredProfessor · Post by **TenuredProfessor** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:06 pm

MARQ wrote:This is on Wested´s site,http://www.wested.com/hero-44-crispe-653-p.asp,it says "crispe" and "shrunken lamb",so which one is it?
This has been discussed here frequently but is the shrunken lamb thick,heavy,striated and all

I can't speak to the newest shipment of shrunken lamb, but the last batch is not what I'd consider thick or heavy. Striated, yes...but not all over in any uniformity. Mine is very similar to Ray's (formerly Whiskeyman's) and Texan Scott's. I've got pics of it a page or so back. I would contact Peter of Gemma for a sample.

moses · Post by **moses** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:32 pm

Mine is neither shrunken lamb nor crispe - it's novapelle. Not sure if anyone else has ever ordered a Hero in this hide. The novapelles I've seen pics of have all been LC or KOTCS. But anyway my novapelle doesn't look like those anyway.

Post by **Holt** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 8:51 pm

would be Nice to see some Pictures of the Hero in this hide!

moses · Post by **moses** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:36 am

Would love to oblige, but I don't have a camera - except on my phone which is rubbish.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:22 am

In all these pages, I don't think you will find a NP Hero. Pics would be cool, if possible. PC camera?

moses · Post by **moses** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:34 am

I'll see what I can do.

moses · Post by **moses** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 11:08 am

Ok, I got a friend to take some pics!

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:15 pm

Great looking jacket there, Moses, and the only dark NP Hero on this site so far!

MARQ · Post by **MARQ** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:25 pm

Man NICE ONE!!

I´m so disappointed to my jacket...

moses · Post by **moses** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 5:24 pm

Thanks. What'S wrong with your jacket??

MARQ · Post by **MARQ** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 8:35 am

In 2003-04 I made the mistake of ordering all wrong; too big! it´s size 46 (I´m a size 44) , it´s got leather-facings,zipper´s "heavy duty" and I believe parts of the jacket is made in goat as I ordered in lamb as in auth.brown. I had LC style in mind but now my mind has changed and I´d get either Todd´s/Wested´s standard as light-weight as possible,in Raiders style,so..I´ve thought of making alterations to it but it would cost as much as new jacket,apparently.Oh and the lining is cotton body,satin sleeves...I learned that I like all cotton better. It´s "Heck of a Jacket"

all the same.

moses · Post by **moses** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:17 am

Mine is also cotton with satin sleeves. Never actually thought about all cotton for some reason. But this anything but a lightweight jacket! It weighs a ton!

Forrest For the Trees · Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:20 am

Great looking jacket. That's very different than the Novapelle Wested has offered in the past. Much less distressed and much darker.

Indiana Strones · Post by **Indiana Strones** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 6:29 am

Great jacket moses!

micsteam · Post by **micsteam** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:37 pm

From what I can tell the jacket is beautiful, perfect Raiders color (althought that can be the camera, lighting), and nice finish. The only thing puting me off from ordering in this leather is the weight. I have a Wested Raiders I bought second hand here in the Bazaar and it is very light weight, I like it but I'd like a slightly longer jacket from the collar down, plus I'd like a more greyer brown (like yours).

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:43 pm

Wested has been sending shipments UPS, and we are now charged a fee or import tariff each time. Any chance of sending them USPS, as was the old custom? Used to, they would even deliver on Sunday with signature delivery. UPS is a sub-standard carrier here.

Just received the Hero II in dark brown goatskin. It was practically jumping out of that plastic bag.

whipcracker · Post by **whipcracker** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:20 am

Hero II?