As you can see, the Raiders jacket was not super-grainy, but it did have grain, and obviously striations on the upper right panel. There are subtle differences between the Hawaii jacket and the main Hero, mainly the unusual shapes of the collars and the slight differences in pocket flaps. Notice how thin the yoke was in the infamous cobra scene. Check out all the lacerations on the Hawaii jacket, etc. Photos really do speak a thousand words.
Some time ago, Peter posted a couple of comments that described exactly how the leather was sourced and tanned, and are very important in terms of identifying exactly what the jacket was, and in possible repro. jackets:
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
Actual measurements of the Raiders jacket from the Lucas archives, as taken by Nowak:
#000/888 Measurements that I took:
Front Flap w/ Collar Stand vertically from bottom to top: 23"
Shoulder from sleeve seam to collar seam: ~7"
Sleeves from cuff to sleeve seam: between 25 1/2" to 25 3/4"
Back vertical length from Collar Stand to Lower back panel: 23"
Chest width: 22 1/2"
Waist width: 21 1/2"
Pockets: 8" x 6.5" (Crystal Skull Pocket for comparison: 7.5" x 6")
Let us know what you decide when the time comes.
Oh, man - I nearly blew a mouthful of chips all over the keyboard just now!
