Undecided between Authentic Brown Lamb and Washed Lamb

[WhteRbt]

Hello guys,

this forum seems the right place to be. As this is my first post, I want to say „Hello“ to all of you. I heard of COW a few years ago, but never registered. Now I found my passion in Indy Gear and spent hours to read about leather jackets…

The story: I want to order a Wested jackets for months, but I still can't decide between the different types of leather. Please, help me - if not, I think I will dream about leather jackets for the rest of my life.

I found so may nice jackets on the Wested site and the Wested blog. I really like Dark Brown Novapelle, Shrunken Lamb, Authentic Brown Lamb and Washed Lamb. As this is my first jacket from Wested, I want to play save and don't order a custom item. I live in Germany and if the jacket won't fit as expected, I have to pay the shipping costs AND lose 50 % of the purchase price.

So, this results in only two skins left: Authentic Brown Lamb or Washed Lamb.

As I want to wear my jacket as often as I possible can (and not only in the cold months), lamb in general seems to be a good choice. I even prefer a lighter jacket, which is soft too much, so this seems to be right, too.

I heard that the Washed Lamb is a bit darker (and therefore, more screen accurate) than the Authentic Brown Lamb, but while comparing the pictures on the Wested site, the differences seem not so big.

Just by looking at the pictures, the structure of the Washed Lamb seems to be a bit too "extreme" (some of you talked about "dinosaur skin"), will the Authentic Brown Lamb seems to be a bit too "dull" on the pictures- oh guys, it is just so hard to describe what I think, it's even harder because English is not my native language… I hope you get me right!

I have no idea which of both jackets will show their age better. I have no problems to distress my jacket a little bit to give it more character, but I don't want to get pulled behind a truck… I heard about that some of you took a hot shower while wearing the jacket and let it dry, will this work to give the Authentic Brown Lamb a bit more "character", too?

I will come to an end now… I really appreciate your opinions and hope this little thread will help me to finally come to a decision!

Best regards,

Marcel

PS: With the jacket, I want to order the Adventurer Boots and the bag. It begins!

[Ken]

Hi Marcel

Welcome to the forum.

First of all no-one can make this decision for you as it's ultimately going to come down to preference. There are of course some things to consider (things I am considering at the moment as I am planning to get a new jacket in the near future):

- What is more important to you colour or texture? I don't currently own a Wested but my understanding is the Washed Lamb is one of their if not the darkest hide they offer but it comes with a specific texture too (which you say might be too extreme).

- Texture can vary from hide to hide - I have seen some washed lambs where the texture is subtle and to my mind perfect, and others where like you I feel it is far too extreme. My plan is when Wested opens again on 3rd September to request that they send me some photos of their current batches of hide so I can make a judgement based on what hide would go into a jacket they would make me specifically. Here are two washed lamb jackets from members here - note the difference in the hide texture:




- Colour also can vary photo to photo based on lighting. Both of the below photos are of the same shrunken lamb jacket belonging to MCFly here just in different lighting conditions:




- I would also says its worth looking not just at photos on the Wested site but at photos of people here wearing the jacket - this lets you see it under so many different lighting conditions as well as how it hangs on a person and I think really helps make a judgement rather than just looking at the website photos

- I think the hot shower will help bring out the texture and 'worn in' look of any jacket but it will be more effective with some leathers than others depending on what the base texture is. LostRaider seemed to have some great results after showering his Shrunken Lamb (probably because the texture of that specific batch of hide was pronounced to begin with):



- At the beginning a lot of us get into the mindset we are going to buy a jacket once and that will be the end of it. However in reality most of us buy a jacket at the beginning, then over time and wearing it, seeing other jackets offered by other makers, etc our opinions change and we end up selling our original jacket and getting something else. With a first jacket I would almost treat it like an investment - its a starting point to see what you like and what you don't so when it comes time that you get your second jacket then you know much more about what you like and what you don't

Definitely worth going through this thread here and looking through as many of the photos as possible to get an idea about the different options (remembering of course the current hide offerings may vary slightly or significantly):

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=51983" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On a personal notes my thoughts are to get photos of the Washed lamb and Shrunken lamb current hides. If the washed lamb hide looks subtle then I would potentially go with that but if not then I am tending towards getting the shrunken lamb and maybe dying the jacket darker (though that might be quite a step for you if it's your first jacket).

I am sure others will have thoughts too here but hopefully this gives you something to think about. Whatever happens have fun and make sure to get the jacket that works best for you!

Ken

[xmasters]

So he said it was between washed and Authentic as they are both OTR lamb options.

Authentic lamb: Smoother skin, glossy, brand new skin. Possibly a little darker than washed lamb. I've seen people work miracles with this skin, both from artificial weathering and just years of wearing.

Washed Lamb: Nice dark skin. Nice character/texture to the skin. Has a good head start on character.

Personally I do like both. If you want your jacket to feel brand new and that you can put character on it yourself through age and wear, get the authentic lamb. If you want a skin that looks a bit more vintage straight out of the box get the washed lamb.


I can't make the final decision for you.

[WhteRbt]

Hi Ken,

thanks a lot for your reply! I have to admit that I like the Washed Lamb more and more every time I look at it, but I would prefer a slightly subtle look than on your first picture.

You said in another thread (yes, I am reading everything at the moment ) that you will contact Wested on September 3rd. Is Wested closed for now? I now that the shop in England is closed right now (because of the pandemic, I think?), but they do accept orders and read support mails right now, or do I overlook something? This was my idea, too - just contacting them and get some information about the items currently in stock.

Some times, I just think to start with the Authentic Brown Lamb for my first jacket and call it a day. Even if the graining is a bit too subtle, this seems to be changeable by a hot shower or other distressing methods (didn't search for that, yet). It's the cheapest one, too - and I really think If I enjoy this jacket and now that it fits, I would be brave enough to order a second one, custom made, in the future… Maybe a Hero, too, as with a size of 1,92 m (around 6.3 ft) and a weight of 102 kg (around 225 pounds) this could be an option to consider (but not for now ).

Thanks a lot! Will see if there will follow any additional comments and advices.

Marcel

/edit:

xmasters, thanks to you, too! This is a great comparison of the key features of both skins. I wonder that the Authentic Brown Lamb could even be darker than the Washed Lamb? I will follow the advice and look for a few pictures from real guys in real lighting conditions and take a look.

To summarize your questions: I would be very happy to get a dark brown jacket, but not as dark as an almost black one. It does not need to look like new, I would love if the jacket has some character from the beginning; but on the other hand, I would not be scared about to take a hot shower or other "slight" distress methods – I will have to read more about that later this day…

[Ken]

So I had an e-mail exchange with Wested a few weeks ago asking about when they thought the shop would open again as living nearby I was thinking to pop in but they told me it was closed indefinitely. When I asked about hide photos they told they couldn't send them to me as they were currently closed and on holiday out of the country but would be back 3rd September so could send me photos after then.

The authentic brown is probably a safe choice if you are getting overwhelmed by options. Like you say it's the cheapest choice as well which is always a good selling point.

Whatever you decide, good luck!
Ken

[WhteRbt]

Hi Ken,

thanks a lot! Good to know, so I don‘t need to hurry with my order (which I try to submit for about a year now. ).

Just watched Raiders and look what I‘ve found - a nice shot of the grain which almost (;)) looks a bit washed to me.

I have to make a decision and I will. I will keep you updated. Thanks to all of you!

Marcel

[WhteRbt]

Washed Lamb, will it be.

[Ken]

Glad you have decided on what you want. Just remember that's potentially going to have the more pronounced grain but if that's what youa re after then perfect! I know people who have one and love it!

Ken

[indymassilia]

I bough in the past more than 50 Indy(all styles,all leather leather) jackets to Wested(i know ,i'm totally crazy),this is my opinion about the difficulty to choose between two nice leather:
-ask simply to Wested some samples of the leather you're interested,a picture as nice as it be,can not give you the right feeling ,the right vibe you will have with your jacket,the texture,the softness,the color in light or sun,the smell,the delicate pigmentation and undercolor of a brown for exemple,etc...and remember Wested or other manufacturer showed on their website their jackets with the style of leather(same pictures always,it's normal..),but the most important to know is the batch they received from their tannery and actually worked with at THIS MOMENT of your order,because the quality even the same kind of skin ,color thickness,change every time with a subtle way..
Hope it helps you !
PS.i have keep from BillKelso and Wested,all the samples they shipped for me and i thanks them a lot for their effort for fans !!

[McFly]

- Colour also can vary photo to photo based on lighting. Both of the below photos are of the same shrunken lamb jacket belonging to McFly here just in different lighting conditions:

Just to pop in quickly and clarify, these are not the same jackets pictured. You can tell by the collars, which are completely different from photo to photo. The outdoors photo is a shrunken lamb, while the indoors photo is a washed goat.

Here's the shrunken lamb indoors. It's still pretty dark, and the texture is nice. It's got more character than the Authentic Lamb, but it's not as "dinosaur" looking as the washed lamb, in my opinion.

[Ken]

Ah Shane apologies - I must have gotten confused in the Wested Hero thread where you posted the pictures. I thought they were the same jacket and couldn't understand the colour difference. No it makes more sense.

Apologies also WhteRbt for my mistake.

Ken

[McFly]

It's alright! I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about the Shrunken Lamb, which I love! Also, that old Washed Goat is a really weird jacket. The collar sticks straight out, and for some reason the pockets are different color than the rest of the jacket!

[WhteRbt]

Ah, pictures!

Thanks a lot for the clarification, McFly, and no reason to apologize, Ken. It's a relief to see that the "same jacket" looks not THAT different in the same lighting conditions.

To be honest: I decided to go with Washed Lamb, because this is the one available as a Standard stock size item. If Shrunken Lamb would be available, I think this would be the way to go - more character, but not as extreme.

Guys, making decisions is such a hard thing.

@indymassilia: Thanks a lot for your comment. You've got 50 (fifty!) jackets? That's crazy, but pleasant! Asking for leather samples is an option I don't even know it exist, maybe I will do that just to get sure. Thanks!

Marcel

[marker2037]

Ah, pictures!

Thanks a lot for the clarification, McFly, and no reason to apologize, Ken. It's a relief to see that the "same jacket" looks not THAT different in the same lighting conditions.

To be honest: I decided to go with Washed Lamb, because this is the one available as a Standard stock size item. If Shrunken Lamb would be available, I think this would be the way to go - more character, but not as extreme.

Guys, making decisions is such a hard thing.

@indymassilia: Thanks a lot for your comment. You've got 50 (fifty!) jackets? That's crazy, but pleasant! Asking for leather samples is an option I don't even know it exist, maybe I will do that just to get sure. Thanks!

Marcel

Marcel, you won't regret the washed lamb. Trust me. I believe that first pic posted by Ken is a screenshot of my jacket. Trust me, in person the texture is more subtle than that pic which is high contrast.

I just recently finally received my Bill Kelso Relic Hunter and I hold the Wested up there with it, especially considering the price points.

[whiskyman]

- Colour also can vary photo to photo based on lighting. Both of the below photos are of the same shrunken lamb jacket belonging to McFly here just in different lighting conditions:

Just to pop in quickly and clarify, these are not the same jackets pictured. You can tell by the collars, which are completely different from photo to photo. The outdoors photo is a washed goat, while the indoors photo is a shrunken lamb.

Here's the shrunken lamb indoors. It's still pretty dark, and the texture is nice. It's got more character than the Authentic Lamb, but it's not as "dinosaur" looking as the washed lamb, in my opinion.

ShrunkenLambIndoors.jpg

I keep re-reading this - are you sure it's not the other way round with the indoors/outdoors? You say the indoors pic is shrunken lamb and then later offer a pic of the shrunken lamb indoors for comparison - plus you say the washed goat has a collar that sticks out and that would seem to be the indoor jacket...

[McFly]

I keep re-reading this - are you sure it's not the other way round with the indoors/outdoors? You say the indoors pic is shrunken lamb and then later offer a pic of the shrunken lamb indoors for comparison - plus you say the washed goat has a collar that sticks out and that would seem to be the indoor jacket...

Oh my god, you're right. Yes I mis-typed my clarification. The OUTDOORS IS THE SHRUNKEN LAMB. Talk about an epic fail. Thank you for calling me out! I've edited that original post.

[xmasters]

Shall we just scratch this thread and start again.

[McFly]

Yes please!

[whiskyman]

It's not a bad thing to keep people on their toes!

[Tibor]

So, the basics:

Washed lamb is a darker hide, with a range of grain from KT’s jacket above (which is just about perfect ) to very coarse. I think it takes to wrinkling more readily.
Shrunken lamb is a lighter shade of brown, with strong, coarse, more linear grain, and it is “spongier (?)” and seems more resistant to wrinkling.

I think shrunken lamb is slightly heavier than washed lamb, but just a little. Both do a great job and it just depends on your personal preference.

[Ken]

Hi Tibor

Sounds like you hot the nail on the head.

I did request photos and samples of the current hides. Wested's official response was:

Hi,

I am sorry but the shop is closed and only the factory is running so I can’t get samples at present.

There are pictures on the website of all the skins available and they are all the current stock.

Regards,

Wested Leather Co Ltd

[Canyon]

McFly and Ken. Good to see you both posting here again.

[Ken]

McFly and Ken. Good to see you both posting here again.

Still some familiar people here

[McFly]

McFly and Ken. Good to see you both posting here again.

I'm like a bad penny, I al- never mind. I just got excited about Indy stuff again when I got my new fedora, and old habits die hard, don't they? Soon as I knew it, I was ordering a new Wested, shirt, trousers...

[Michaelson]

Heck, my friend, I just got a new jacket myself, so it never ends....

Regards! Michaelson

[McFly]

Heck, my friend, I just got a new jacket myself, so it never ends....

Regards! Michaelson

My favorite is to order a jacket, post pictures of it and another jacket, and then mix up the captions and confuse everybody as a way of announcing that I'm back.

[WhteRbt]

OK, it´s been a long time… but life is what happens while you are making plans.

I just wanted to share that I just pulled the trigger. This was not planned, but driven by the current Black Friday sale. I went a bit over the top and got the Super Combo - including the jacket in… (silence)… WASHED LAMB. I am really excited to see the jacket life and in person!

As I also wanted the boots now and the rest of the gear in the near future, I just went all-in and got the Combo. I hope I ordered the right size for the boots (EU46, I only wear 44 and a lot of 45, but I heard the boots are real small and 45 was not available, so 44 seems a way to small for me) and the shirt (large, with exactly 44“ chest size - I am not a skinny person and I don't like to tight shirts, but as I heard that they went a bit too large I thought that would be the right choice).

I will keep you updated (if you want ) and just want to thank all of you again for the great support!

Marcel

[WhteRbt]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to share some pics. What do you think, did I choose the right size? Is the length okay? I went with the 44, as this leaves me the option to wear a light sweater with it… I just found an offer for an used 42" OTR which looks great, too - but I think that would be too small (e.g. too short) for me.

And of course: Do you like the texture? I do, even as it's a bit on the more pronounced spectrum grain! Ken, I hope the photos are helpful for you, too!

[twistedotter]

I think it looks spot on. Fantastic jacket and perfect fit. Don’t change a thing.

[WhteRbt]

Thanks a lot for the compliment! I like it very, very much and want to wear it even at night…

This was an adventure three months in the making and I am very happy with my decision. And: It won't be my last jacket, I want to try different skins in the future… (but I will not buy the used jacket mentioned above, with size 42 it will be too short and too small for sure).

Best regards,

Marcel

[marker2037]

Looks great Marcel! You made an excellent choice in both size and leather.