Predistressed Yes or No?

giantthugee86 · Post by **giantthugee86** » Sun May 08, 2016 12:56 pm

For my next Wested purchase I was thinking of getting either a TOD or LC pre-distressed cow....Should I avoid per-distressed skin? I know it does have somewhat of an artificial look to it.

Post by **Holt** » Sun May 08, 2016 1:05 pm

With the current wested pre -d skin offerings. I vote no.

Hammerklavier · Post by **Hammerklavier** » Sun May 08, 2016 2:16 pm

I am happy with my current wested pre distressed LC. it is thick and substantial, while not being stiff, only thing you have to watch out from Wested is they seem to have different quality of jacket , you might get a good quality like what I have right now, or you could get the thin, cheap plastic feel leather like the one I returned , and they are same LC pre distressed jacket

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Sun May 08, 2016 7:38 pm

Have a look at their latest blog... it will probably make it even more complicated

https://westedleatherco.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CM · Post by CM » Mon May 09, 2016 3:27 am

No. I've never liked the look of any pre-distressed hide - even the jacket from Indy 4 with its artificial mottled effect looks pretty awful IMO.

hovitos loincloth · Post by **hovitos loincloth** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:54 pm

The pre-d stuff doesn't seem to have any substantial grain or character about it and never seems to hold any creases. Plus mine had a strange odour that never went away and was really noticeable the warmer it got, and no it wasn't body odour.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Mon May 09, 2016 2:02 pm

I noticed that also. A few years back I bought a Wested pre-distressed cowhide LC in the Cairo Bazaar, and immediately noticed a weird sweetish smell from the hide. I thought the previous owner might have smoked pipe tobacco, but he assured me that wasn't the case. I concluded that it was something in the leather tanning process which resulted in that characteristic odor. So that's the risk you take with pre-d cowhide.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Mon May 09, 2016 4:01 pm

I have a pre-distressed hide Raiders. It is alright and a medium weight. Not in the top of my favorite hides but it is a good jacket and something different to wear instead of the various shades of brown.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Mon May 09, 2016 4:56 pm

Predistressed, with some grain, and a bit of work.

One of my favourites for an LC jacket.

giantthugee86 · Post by **giantthugee86** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:11 pm

Wow...that jacket looks great. You didn't distress that yourself also?

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Tue May 10, 2016 8:31 pm

Tremendous job on your distressing! Looks great !

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Tue May 10, 2016 8:34 pm

giantthugee86 wrote:Wow...that jacket looks great. You didn't distress that yourself also?

I think he said he did " a bit of work" on it. Otherwise I think we'd all opt for this particular jacket when buying. Save a lot of sandpaper.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Wed May 11, 2016 3:52 am

LOL yes it's only a little work, but no sandpaper needed at all.

This this technique works well on pre-d leathers but also on the standard lamb. Not tried it on cow or horse.

Water + dish soap as a lubricant, well wetted green dish scrubber, wet the outside of the jacket well then soak the scrubber in the water dish soap mix and scrub away then rinse well with clean cold water. The raised lines on the Smithsonian shows that a very similar technique was used as the wetted leather bunches up and catches in exactly the same way.

Start gently, wait for the jacket to dry to see how much you've taken back and then repeat.

Dangerfreak · Post by **Dangerfreak** » Sun May 15, 2016 6:46 am

That looks like a fantastic job. Great looking jacket.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:20 pm

Agreed, great lookin' jacket!

As for the pre-distressed hide, I would actually vote 'yes.' Reason being, I've owned numerous Indy jackets (ranging from lambskin, goatskin, and cow). And, all of the jackets received were almost too 'perfect' whereas the distressed cowhide can be treated with Pecards to help darken up the leather leaving very nice brown / distressed undertones underneath. Hence, distressed, lol. You can apply as much or as little Pecards to darken up the leather in areas that 'you' prefer. In owning a pre-distressed cowhide, even though it is practically new - it looks like it's 20 years old and actually been on numerous rough expeditions. In short, I've worn my cowhide in some pretty adventure-like places, but that distressed hide gives it that extra impression that it has been on some more wilder ones,

.

CM · Post by CM » Fri Jun 03, 2016 3:27 am

The problem for me Captain D is that in no way does predistressed hide does look twenty years old. It looks like fake wear. There's only one thing more embarrassing than showing up for an adventure in a brand new jacket. And that is showing up in one with pretend wear. It's like those folk who drive 4x4's in the city and coat them in mud by hand so they look like they've driven through country...

Unless you need the jacket to look worn for a Halloween Indy costume thing (and even then you can use fullers earth for temporary fake wear), why not let the real world take care of the wear?

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 6:00 pm

Might want to look into the "heavy pre-distressed lambskin" at Wested. Great leather smell and it wrinkles and has striations. Very cool stuff.

Post by **Holt** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 7:33 pm

Nice whip!! Maker?

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 8:22 pm

Strain, 8' Raiders

Fed IV by Fedoraider.

WConly · Post by **WConly** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:30 pm

Tibor wrote:Might want to look into the "heavy pre-distressed lambskin" at Wested. Great leather smell and it wrinkles and has striations. Very cool stuff.

It does indeed! I just recently purchased this hide in a 'TOD'! And, it is the most incredible hide I have seen in a very long time. Great texture, deep color saturations which take the colors (depending on the lighting) in many different directions. Very pleased and very happy with this one. I also (and this was after swearing off 'Indy' jackets a few years back) have one of their Cow Hide (pre-distressed, or whatever they are calling it today -- originally it was 'worn hide') jacket in an 'LC/CS' cut that I really like as well. Similar to this new one, but with a bit more greyish tones showing through. And (not to disrupt this thread), shortly after receiving the 'Cow-LC/CS', I ordered and received a Black Cow Hide with heavy grain texture in the 'LC/CS' style, as well and it is really one beautiful jacket especially with my grey 'Train' (CS) Fedora from Penman.

Back to topic however, yes this new heavy duty pre-distressed lamb is really something to consider and it distresses further, very quickly and wrinkles just like what one sees on the screen. Great stuff! W>

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 12:35 am

CM wrote:The problem for me Captain D is that in no way does predistressed hide does look twenty years old. It looks like fake wear. There's only one thing more embarrassing than showing up for an adventure in a brand new jacket. And that is showing up in one with pretend wear. It's like those folk who drive 4x4's in the city and coat them in mud by hand so they look like they've driven through country... Unless you need the jacket to look worn for a Halloween Indy costume thing (and even then you can use fullers earth for temporary fake wear), why not let the real world take care of the wear?

CM - I certainly see your point. Don't get me wrong, I respect your views. But, I probably wouldn't say 'fake wear' is an accurate term in my opinion with regards to the pre-distressed cowhide. Without any Pecards leather care (hence, the jacket looking in its lighter brown condition), I can see your point in that the jacket may appear as looking 'fake / artificial' for the artificial distressing is just as consistent throughout the whole jacket as any other hide, etc. Just take a look at Tibor's jacket pictured above as an example. However, once the jacket is treated with Pecards care, all you are doing is adding moisture back into the leather. If you take it one step further by adding the black Pecards (works as a form of dye), it'll darken up the jacket to a nice deep dark brown to anywhere you choose to apply it. And, through natural wear, the jacket as a whole will gradually show the scrapes / scratches of every day life onto the darkened leather just as good as, say, lambskin.

As for my pre-distressed cow, it actually does look 20 years old and it in no way looks embarrassingly fake. What I particular like about the pre-distressed cow is that, once treated with the Pecards, you have a very 'gradual' and 'natural' blending transition from dark brown to light brown (the areas that you didn't apply the Pecards). In fact, and based on this description, I would argue that a treated pre-distressed cowhide actually looks more 'naturally' aged than any other Indy jacket that I have ever owned. I never thought that I would like the pre-distressed cow, but having experienced it first-hand, I sincerely doubt that I will ever buy another Indy jacket in any other hide. And lastly to answer your question, I'm sure that this has been mentioned countless times before - but, most folks don't go on Indy-like adventures to make the jacket look like Ford's by the end of the film. It's perfectly normal to like not only the style of the Indy jacket, but also a particular scene of the film showing a beat up rendition of the jacket and wanting that look now,

.

CM · Post by CM » Sun Jun 05, 2016 3:24 am

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Mark Raats · Post by **Mark Raats** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 7:16 am

Of course, because I'm not very knowledgable about these things I'm probably wrong but something tells me that Harrison didn't wear his jacket for years of exploring and enduring all manner of danger before Raiders or any of the subsequent movies. Therefore, is the argument regarding wear and tear on a jacket being "natural" possibly a little lame given that the yardstick for all jackets is the wear seen in the movies themselves?

Regards
MARK

CM · Post by CM » Sun Jun 05, 2016 4:28 pm

K, I think you missed the point, prdistrssed hide even looks terrible in the movie - see Indy 4. The point isn't about home made wear, which although fake looks more like real wear, it's about the cookie cutter worn look of pre-distressed hide.

Post by **Holt** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 4:58 pm

+1000

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 12:41 pm

Hi there Mark (in your avatar, you kinda remind me of Schwarzenegger in T2, lol), but I agree - I wasn't sure exactly what CM was trying to get at either. I just know that I have personally had folks say that my Pre-distressed cow looks 20 years old and it doesn't look artificially aged at all whatsoever. I love the look of KT Templar's jacket posted above, as well. Once they're darkened up, they can show the natural age very well since folks go on different type of 'adventures' from each other with their jackets.

I suppose, in a nutshell, the pre-distressed cow directly from Wested can be seen as 'cookie-cutter,' but then again - if you think about it, look at how many other hides in their 'brand new' finish arrive just as much as a 'cookie-cutter' as ever in all fairness. In that light, I can say just as easily: 'look how cookie cutter lambskin jackets look from those who choose NOT to allow them to age very well (always new looking).' In the end, it's what one does to their jacket after they've arrived that makes them anything but 'cookie'-cutter.' I guarantee you, my pre-distressed cow looks different than another pre-distressed. We're splitting hairs by this point y'all,

...

WConly · Post by **WConly** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 4:26 pm

Captain D wrote:Hi there Mark (in your avatar, you kinda remind me of Schwarzenegger in T2, lol), but I agree - I wasn't sure exactly what CM was trying to get at either. I just know that I have personally had folks say that my Pre-distressed cow looks 20 years old and it doesn't look artificially aged at all whatsoever. I love the look of KT Templar's jacket posted above, as well. Once they're darkened up, they can show the natural age very well since folks go on different type of 'adventures' from each other with their jackets.

I suppose, in a nutshell, the pre-distressed cow directly from Wested can be seen as 'cookie-cutter,' but then again - if you think about it, look at how many other hides in their 'brand new' finish arrive just as much as a 'cookie-cutter' as ever in all fairness. In that light, I can say just as easily: 'look how cookie cutter lambskin jackets look from those who choose NOT to allow them to age very well (always new looking).' In the end, it's what one does to their jacket after they've arrived that makes them anything but 'cookie'-cutter.' I guarantee you, my pre-distressed cow looks different than another pre-distressed. We're splitting hairs by this point y'all, ...

What 'he' said

! W>

CM · Post by CM » Mon Jun 06, 2016 4:31 pm

It's very simple and I don't think your trying to appropriate my cookie cutter term helps your case. All new jackets look alike - yes. That's how I should be. But when the jacket wear is mass produced too, that's where the trouble begins. Genuine wear is uneven and highly individual. Predistressd is even and mass produced and looks wrong.

Nevertheless there are some people here who hand age their jackets to match the film look and this sometimes looks pretty realistic. Why? Because it is individually done and not uniform like the cookie cutter pre distressed hide option.

Clearly people can choose what they like. But the question was asked and I'm providing my reasons. I don't care if people disagree but I like to make the case clearly.

Forrest For the Trees · Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:12 pm

I like to wear mine with a acid-washed jeans.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:37 pm

CM wrote:It's very simple and I don't think your trying to appropriate my cookie cutter term helps your case. All new jackets look alike - yes. That's how I should be. But when the jacket wear is mass produced too, that's where the trouble begins. Genuine wear is uneven and highly individual. Predistressd is even and mass produced and looks wrong.

Nevertheless there are some people here who hand age their jackets to match the film look and this sometimes looks pretty realistic. Why? Because it is individually done and not uniform like the cookie cutter pre distressed hide option.

Clearly people can choose what they like. But the question was asked and I'm providing my reasons. I don't care if people disagree but I like to make the case clearly.

I get it... I mostly agree, but I think what's being said is, there's no reason why pre-distressed won't wear uneven and be highly individual also and represents "genuine wear" just as much as any jacket. It's just starting from a different place and likely will show that uneven and highly individual wear sooner. I totally get what you mean when they're new off the rack but they don't stay that way long if you wear them.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:23 am

I think what's being said is, there's no reason why pre-distressed won't wear uneven and be highly individual also and represents "genuine wear" just as much as any jacket. It's just starting from a different place and likely will show that uneven and highly individual wear sooner. I totally get what you mean when they're new off the rack but they don't stay that way long if you wear them.

Tibor - Thank you - exactly my point, especially if one chooses to darken the pre-distressed cowhide. Regardless of which hide, enjoy your jacket and make it your own,

.

CM · Post by CM » Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:12 am

I got that point Captain. Again, I was simply saying that a new jacket looks less silly than a uniformly distressed one. For the next 5 years you're going to walk around with fake wear. A new one at least will develop creases and lose shine and look better faster. I had a distressed (mottled) jacket like this in the 1980's when they were all the rage the first time around and no matter how much real wear you put on them, it was the fake wear that remained the most prominent. But we obviously differ on this.

Yes, marble wash jeans... that's the predistressd look.

I was going to do that joke myself, FFTT.

No further amount of wear on those jeans ever makes them look quite right, eh?

Jeez, I remember a baggy predistressed grey lambskin jacket a friend wore with grey, marble wash denim jeans. Like an ugly suit.

I hated the 1980's.

Post by **Holt** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 6:56 am

Pretty simple choice to me.

Allthough, I do see some nice Pre-d jackets out there and some kinda grow on me..... But I allways fall back to plain skin.

Mark Raats · Post by **Mark Raats** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:43 am

CM wrote:K, I think you missed the point, prdistrssed hide even looks terrible in the movie - see Indy 4. The point isn't about home made wear, which although fake looks more like real wear, it's about the cookie cutter worn look of pre-distressed hide.

Hahaha.. my Aussie mate no hard feelings. My comment was intended to be lighthearted and in no way taken seriously.

In truth (and seriously this time), I only have two thoughts on this matter:-
Some folk micro-manage their hobby as well as their interest and for them the smallest detail matters very much indeed - which is intensely analytical and ramrod straight.
For others its a more of trying to capture the feeling of the movie and the character - which is more general, emotional and creative.

While I fervently believe that both fan categories are equally deserving of merit I personally don't fret either way.
All I care about is that folk love this character and that they love living the spirit of Indiana Jones because after all, if it wasn't for guys like you, I wouldn't have a job.

Fortune and Glory fella's
MARK

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:46 am

- deleted following 'Markus - interruptus'.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:50 am

Holt wrote:Pretty simple choice to me.

Allthough, I do see some nice Pre-d jackets out there and some kinda grow on me..... But I allways fall back to plain skin.

Well, me too really. But I do like my new pre-distressed lambskin. And for what it's worth, it does wrinkle and wear though I know some pre-distressed doesn't.

Have to say, neither of the pics above appeal to me much- never liked that Nowak CS cowhide and really not a fan of the LC sleeves that look like somebody took a belt sander to them and left stripes.

Still a Riaders jacket fan all the way (don't like the big TOD yoke).

CM · Post by CM » Tue Jun 07, 2016 6:23 pm

Good picture Holt.

No worries, Kramstaar.

I think Kt did a pretty impressive job aging his predistressed hide, by the way.

I only have one Indy jacket, a G&B in the notoriously hardwearing, pristine goat which I've owned for 10 years. I did not try to distress it. I am very happy with the real world wear it has - nice creasing and a kind of burnished quality to the hide. No one would ask if it was new but the wear is very subtle. Like it that way.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 7:12 am

I was bored yesterday and gave my Wested predistressed jacket in cow a good coating with pecards. It really looks like a completely different jacket now.

Bradsburns · Post by **Bradsburns** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 2:22 pm

Any pics? I've thought about doing that with my wested.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 2:35 pm

Bradsburns wrote:Any pics? I've thought about doing that with my wested.

No pictures yet. It basically went from a very light tan/brown color to a dark brown with some distressing showing on the whole jacket. IMO, the distressing looks natural now after being darkened with the pecards. I did notice this jacket took quite a lot of pecards as the distressed leather seemed very thirsty.

Forrest For the Trees · Wed Aug 03, 2016 5:41 pm

Yep, Pecard leather dressing did wonders form my Nowak CS. I left the leather strip inside the inner pocket untreated just to remind myself what the leather originally looked like. Night and Day.

Post by **Indy Magnoli** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 10:12 pm

I think a pre-distressed hide can be used to give you a good jump-start on natural distressing. Normally, we distress our jackets after construction, but there are a few pre-distressed hides that we do use. For example, here is our Skyfall Leather Jacket in an antique (predistressed) cowhide after a bit of natural wear (not additional distressing, just regular use) and a pecard treatment:

Arch Stanton · Post by **Arch Stanton** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:30 pm

WConly wrote:
Tibor wrote:Might want to look into the "heavy pre-distressed lambskin" at Wested. Great leather smell and it wrinkles and has striations. Very cool stuff.

It does indeed! I just recently purchased this hide in a 'TOD'! And, it is the most incredible hide I have seen in a very long time. Great texture, deep color saturations which take the colors (depending on the lighting) in many different directions. Very pleased and very happy with this one. I also (and this was after swearing off 'Indy' jackets a few years back) have one of their Cow Hide (pre-distressed, or whatever they are calling it today -- originally it was 'worn hide') jacket in an 'LC/CS' cut that I really like as well. Similar to this new one, but with a bit more greyish tones showing through. And (not to disrupt this thread), shortly after receiving the 'Cow-LC/CS', I ordered and received a Black Cow Hide with heavy grain texture in the 'LC/CS' style, as well and it is really one beautiful jacket especially with my grey 'Train' (CS) Fedora from Penman.

Back to topic however, yes this new heavy duty pre-distressed lamb is really something to consider and it distresses further, very quickly and wrinkles just like what one sees on the screen. Great stuff! W>

This is exactly what I plan on ordering soon. A TOD in heavy duty pre-distressed lambskin.

Conly, can I trouble you for some photos of yours?

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:43 am

I gave mine a pecards treatment and it looks very good now. Never had any strange smells. Wore it today to work (2nd wearing) and my coworker who has some nice jackets thought it was an older jacket until I told him.

The worst smelling jacket and one I love is the G&B Expedition. It had a really strong chemical smell from the tanning process which lasted a long time. It made the whole house stink even after hanging outside for a week. Even after that, when you wore it, it had a bad smell that even made your shirts stink after wearing it. I eventually gave it a wash with laundry detergent to get the smell out. It is fine now but took a long time. It was goatskin. I also have a G&B Expedition in lamb that had no bad smell.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:57 am

Not sure if this has been mentioned as of yet, but Wested informed me that they're changing their pre-distressed offering after the new year. It'll still be called 'pre-distressed' cowhide, but a new and improved offering. Curious to see the results as things progress...

davyjones007 · Post by **davyjones007** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 7:57 pm

I have pre distressed cow Raiders and I think it looks good when I apply some pecards. Once it dries out some, it looks odd. Not a supple as when it's wet.

Crazyc2314 · Post by **Crazyc2314** » Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:50 pm

I was wondering if anyone has bought a pre distressed from wested lately and what the look like after a treatment of pecards

xmasters · Post by **xmasters** » Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:24 pm

They go a bit darker. That's all really.

The thing I don't like about predistressed is when the panels don't match up, even if it's just slightly not matching up it bugs me. That's just me though.

Captain D wrote:Not sure if this has been mentioned as of yet, but Wested informed me that they're changing their pre-distressed offering after the new year. It'll still be called 'pre-distressed' cowhide, but a new and improved offering. Curious to see the results as things progress...

Yes it's darker, and much softer than the old stiff as cardboard pre-distressed. The distressing is more subtle as well.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 1:05 pm

Are there any updated pictures of this new pre-distressed cowhide from those who now one one? I'd love to be able to see the color and character of this new offering...

Thanks!

Spudomatic · Post by **Spudomatic** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:04 pm

Hello all, I'm a first time poster here but a long time lurker. I thought I'd share these pics of my pre-distressed hide Raiders from Wested. I'm not happy with the color... very, very light for my taste. The photos don't even show how truly light it is. It'd say it's pretty much tan. Lighter in color even than my Indy pants from Wested. I was hoping this would be multiple shades darker. So, now begins the task of deciding what to get in exchange.