My new Wested Raiders Hero

[IndyFan89]

It’s my birthday tomorrow and my wife got me a Raiders Hero! I want to do some light distressing (no sand paper) where do I start? Do I put it through the washer and dryer?

EDIT: Also the straps are a little long. Any advice on getting them shortened?


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[Glenville86]

Any alterations shop should be able to shorten them. You could also loop them back the opposite direction to make them shorter.

I would just wet the jacket and wear it until dry.

[The Character]

KT is a fan of the pot scrubber to knock off the edges a little ... i tend to over distress mine so im not necessarily the best to ask ... basic rule is that any light rubbing even with a mild abrasive surface will degrade the leather but your best options are indeed.

1/ Hot shower on a hanger ... (zipped up) .. try and get the leather (collars as well) soaked but as little of the lining as possible. This tends to de-gloss the surface and relax the leather. It also pops up any grain giving a bit of surface texture.

2/ Let it drip .. or until the dripping stops at least (longer than you might think)

3/ Put it on damp push your sleeves up a bit .... ... basically wear it for as long as you can ... dont hang it up after just lay it out BUT ... in an airy room ...Wear it as soon as possible again (i find a Friday night/Saturday morning timing works well) ...This is also the time for re-shaping collars and any other parts you want more Screen Accurate (if there is such a thing)

4/ if you really want to go at it after that wait till its dry (important as otherwise you cant see what you're affecting and how much)

5/ Use a VERY light abrasion on the obvious wear areas ... cuffs... pocket flaps, etc .. but go easy .... Biggest issue with distressing is once you start unless you are super light whatever you distress stands out like a sore thumb and you end up having to do more ..

6a/ Alternative option 1 is use fullers Earth all over it and a stiff brush to work it in .. ive seen amazing results with that ... or just go roll in the dirt (seriously) a little ...

6b/ Alternative option 2 is just use it a lot ... and let it happen

[IndyFan89]

KT is a fan of the pot scrubber to knock off the edges a little ... i tend to over distress mine so im not necessarily the best to ask ... basic rule is that any light rubbing even with a mild abrasive surface will degrade the leather but your best options are indeed.

1/ Hot shower on a hanger ... (zipped up) .. try and get the leather (collars as well) soaked but as little of the lining as possible. This tends to de-gloss the surface and relax the leather. It also pops up any grain giving a bit of surface texture.

2/ Let it drip .. or until the dripping stops at least (longer than you might think)

3/ Put it on damp push your sleeves up a bit .... ... basically wear it for as long as you can ... dont hang it up after just lay it out BUT ... in an airy room ...Wear it as soon as possible again (i find a Friday night/Saturday morning timing works well) ...This is also the time for re-shaping collars and any other parts you want more Screen Accurate (if there is such a thing)

4/ if you really want to go at it after that wait till its dry (important as otherwise you cant see what you're affecting and how much)

5/ Use a VERY light abrasion on the obvious wear areas ... cuffs... pocket flaps, etc .. but go easy .... Biggest issue with distressing is once you start unless you are super light whatever you distress stands out like a sore thumb and you end up having to do more ..

6a/ Alternative option 1 is use fullers Earth all over it and a stiff brush to work it in .. ive seen amazing results with that ... or just go roll in the dirt (seriously) a little ...

6b/ Alternative option 2 is just use it a lot ... and let it happen

This was very informative thank you


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[Indiana Jeff]

Another tip that was shared years ago as a mild distressing/breaking in option is to sleep in and with the jacket. NOTE: your wife may seriously reconsider her gift to you!

Sleeping in the jacket will help soften the leather and move it toward forming to your body. Or roll the jacket up in a ball, stuff it into a pillow case and sleep with/on it. Again, the warmth of your body will help relax the leather and soften it up.

Both of these options have the advantage of being very low stress on the leather and are close to real world adventuring circumstances to give your jacket a 'used everyday' look.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[The Character]

Just read your original post again and a couple of points

1/ DO NOT put it through the washer Dryer .. been there done that and killed the jacket .. it also ruins the lining.
2/ i assumed you got a standard lambskin or shrunken lamb in which case the above all still applies ... if its Pre-distressed don't bother as it will look ghastly and if its Goat or Horse you may as well try and distress a Rhino! ... kidding! ... but they can take a beating and have less of an obvious surface ... (in my experience .. others may disagree).

3/If you do go down the distressing route and even the wetting and drying route feed the jacket with a good Leather Lotion (not a greasy pecards or other treatment) Lotion is lighter and soaks in we'll and in a day or two will be unnoticeable, but your jacket will appreciate it.. i use AutoGlym (UK lotion) leather cleaner and lotion.

[Prodigal Son]

I got a hero in goat skin about three years ago. I've hardly worn it and am already seeing wear on the elbows. The leather underneath the finish is brown. So, the newer goat from Wested has a finish that wears off easier than one from, say, ten years ago. This new goat is awesome. It comes with grain showing right out of the bag, grain that I would have had to have spent a year trying to get with one of the older jackets. It's soft, too. I was totally surprised when I pulled that thing out of the DHL package that it was shipped in. I was expecting the same-old-same-old and was really blown away. I was planning on getting that goat skin hero and just beating the you-know-what out of it, but when I saw the leather and the design, my plans totally changed. I've babied that thing.

I had a horsehide ROTLA about ten years ago, too. That finish was pretty hard to get off with acetone. It really looked ugly under the finish, too. I wonder if they're using a different horsehide now. If it's anything like this goat, wow.

I've always wondered if there's a way to make a patina on the leather by rubbing it with something. My seatbelt did this to my washed goat ROLA that I got about ten years ago. I just buckled up with my jacket everyday on that ride to work and in time, the seatbelt started giving the washed goat this shine where it rubbed it.

[IndyFan89]

Another tip that was shared years ago as a mild distressing/breaking in option is to sleep in and with the jacket. NOTE: your wife may seriously reconsider her gift to you!

Sleeping in the jacket will help soften the leather and move it toward forming to your body. Or roll the jacket up in a ball, stuff it into a pillow case and sleep with/on it. Again, the warmth of your body will help relax the leather and soften it up.

Both of these options have the advantage of being very low stress on the leather and are close to real world adventuring circumstances to give your jacket a 'used everyday' look.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

I like to take a jacket out for at least a few dates before sleeping with it...


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[whipwarrior]

Dinner and a movie first, and no heavy petting on the first date!

[Indiana Jeff]

I like to take a jacket out for at least a few dates before sleeping with it...

You'd better take your wife out for a few dates before bringing a jacket to bed!


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[IndyFan89]

I like to take a jacket out for at least a few dates before sleeping with it...

You'd better take your wife out for a few dates before bringing a jacket to bed!


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Ah she’s used to the insanity now lol


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[The Character]

Thats what she tells you ... its NOT what she means! lol ...

[Prodigal Son]

Why do wives have that problem with us going to bed in our jackets? do any of you wear T-shirts to bed? I do, every night. I half-joked about with my wife about wearing to bed the washed goat ROLA I got back around 2008 and she said, "Okay, but I'm gonna stick my hand...." She said it would go to a place where the sun didn't shine, though she didn't use those exact words. Do they get jealous of our jackets? Do they just think we're retarded? To this day, when I pull one out from time-to-time, she rolls her eyes and asks if I'm about to, "hang that thing up and stare at it for a year." I think about the guy who started this thread and I laugh, because maybe your wife is eventually going to regret buying you that jacket for your birthday. Just do what everyone else says, either roll it up and use it as a pillow, or just sleep in it when you're downstairs, passing the night away on your comfy couch.

[IndyFan89]

After some distressing and wear



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[indy1936]

Looks great!

[IndyFan89]

Looks great!

Thank you!


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[The Character]

Nice .... looks great with the shine gone and the edges knocked off a bit.

[IndyFan89]

Nice .... looks great with the shine gone and the edges knocked off a bit.

I owe it to your detailed post sir, thank you.


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[The Character]

You nailed it .. distressing is a black art .. different for all leathers etc ...

so again nice work ..... very nice

[Havana]

The jacket looks great! Now, don't do anymore. I think the key to distressing is knowing when to stop. Wear it well and put some miles on it.

[IndyFan89]

The jacket looks great! Now, don't do anymore. I think the key to distressing is knowing when to stop. Wear it well and put some miles on it.

I agree!


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[Trenin]

That looks great. I like it. Just enough distressing to suggest it’s seen a few things. That said, you could always consider this method...

https://imgur.com/a/gvqZ6

[CM]

After some distressing and wear



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Looks great but did you have to sand off your face? Distressing is for jackets.

[Michaelson]

Oh, I don't know, CM, I've seen some pretty 'distressed' looks on folks faces when they took this sanding too far.



Regards! Michaelson

[IndyFan89]

After some distressing and wear



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Looks great but did you have to sand off your face? Distressing is for jackets.

My two year old distresses my face every day, no sanding necessary.


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[The Character]

THAT IS SOOOOOOOOOO TRUE! ......lol

[lorne73]

That's a nice jacket, IndyFan89

[IndyFan89]

That's a nice jacket, IndyFan89

Thanks!

[Metallicuda]

This is an old thread but I think it’s sold me on the goat. I’m about to get my first Wested jacket. Decided on the Standard OTR Raiders but have been going back and forth on whether to get goat or lamb. I like the idea of lamb distressing more quickly and having a better drape but I want it for a daily wearer, and goat is tougher. I feel an Indy jacket should have some miles on it and goat is notoriously hard wearing and doesn’t distress easily.
The distressing that Indyfan did on this jacket has kinda convinced me to go with goat.