Club Obi Wan

Indiana Strones wrote:So you think he make other 400-500 jackets (or other garments) a month for the TV and movie productions? The entire TV and movie leather production of the planet earth (plus mars) is in the hands of Wested?

No, but I think the margin on movie garb will be MUCH higher than the stuff we get...

As I said, just thinking out loud.

Perhaps it is just Peter, Gemma and another person?

This IS off topic, but since there is absolutely no new news on my order...

J!m wrote:[

This IS off topic, but since there is absolutely no new news on my order...

Bottom line: J!M is bored ;-)

Regards, Geert

Yeah, that happens a lot with me...


What were we talking about?

Well, I don't know how many jackets Wested sells, or to whom, but it seems pretty clear that J!im's order has thus far not gotten Peter all fired-up.

I do know quite a bit about custom manufacturing (fabricated and stamped metal products, not clothing), and if I saw a list of requirements like those submitted for J!im's jacket, I would probably at least double the normal cost, if I even entertained it at all.

The special requirements are not going to affect material cost much, if at all, but it's the TIME and EXPERTISE required, which will be much more than a standard, or even a regular custom order. Even with a big premium, his net profit will be less than just selling a standard, off-the-rack jacket.

Like I said, I'm not in the jacket biz, but it's tough to make a buck on customs, no matter what you're making) unless you charge accordingly. He may get to this order eventually, but one jacket ain't gonna make or break him.

Oh, trust me, I know ALL about it!

I made custom guitars for several years. Talk about a bunch of premodonnas! And they are VERY cheap too!

If he said it would be $1,800.00 for the jacket, fine. I would then look elsewhere (Nowak prhaps?) but I have not heard anything at all as of now.

I am also willing to compromise on some details, if that makes-or-brakes it with Peter. I'm flexible!

So, we continue to wait...

Actualy, J!m isn't requesting that much: most things have become more or less standard now, leaving only a few things on his list.

Regards, Geert

I thought that was covered already, but the big thing is the yoke seam.

I am getting to the point where I just don't care enough any longer to worry about it...

J!m wrote: but the big thing is the yoke seam.

I don't think yoke seam is a big problem...

You're right! The biggest problem is getting a confirmation at all...

I finally got my confirmation number. After my second phone call, I went home, cut copied and pasted the order email to both Gemma@wested.com as well as Wested@wested.com, along with my order info and that fact that i had paid already and my order had not been processed for some reason.
THEN I went to the site, and refilled out the order form and in the comments section told her that she was receiving two emails from me and that also I had already paid for my order and gave that date. By ten am my time this morning i got an order confirmation.

No explanation as to why all of us have not had our orders go thru tho, and no attempt at rectifying the inconvenience by say, throwing in another item or paying the shipping costs themselves, but whatever, i just want my jacket as soon as possible. I got creases in the sleeves to make dang it.

OK I think I have ben patient...

I'm calling again this morning...

Please stand by...

Spoke to Gemma again- she had no rememberance of my order...

"What is your confirmation number?"
"Um, I don't have one. That's why I'm calling."

"When was your card charged?"
"My card wasn't charged. I'm trying to get an order confirmation."

"OK. I've been out on vacation..."

I didn't bother to tell he I was aware of that.

So.... I re-sent the order; she said she'd contact me once she received it.

I have never had so much trouble spending money before!

No kidding. And like I said, a little annoying that no one has said geez we dont know what happened, sorry gang.

well, that is asking a lot...

If it was a simple order, I would have paid alrady. I don't know how much to pay!

Called again today, and was told I would be contacted tomorrow to discuss details / pricing...

Holding breath (NOT)...

OK Finally got somehting out of wested!

I sent my payment (via PayPal) and received an order number!

Then received an e-mail that "the photos were not atached"- the photos I sent htre times now? Those photos? Well, I sent them AGAIN.

So, I continue to wait, but fel a bit better that things are (hopefully) progressing... ;-)

Let's get cracking!

Hey Jim, thanks for the good news!!

It will be good once it's on my back...

and it fits...

J!m wrote:It will be good once it's on my back...

and it fits...

Hehe, yes you're right! ;-)

Another update for those keeping score...

Gemma e-mailed me Friday last week (sory for the delay!) and said that I need to send more money to cover the cost of the pants.

Um, I didn't order pants! I just included the sizes of ALL of me so that the jacket fits me properly.

(a few hours later)

Oh, OK I'll take the pants off of your order. (no idea if that information will make its way to Peter or not, but one can hope...)

The waiting continues... Maybe by November 7th I'll have it?

Perhaps you'll get it in time to wear it to thanksgiving dinner!

J!m wrote: Um, I didn't order pants! I just included the sizes of ALL of me so that the jacket fits me properly.

So... you put down your measurements under the pants section but didn't want pants? I can see why Gemma was confused...

Makes sense where the confusion might have come from.
That site is in need of some serious updating, though. Not user friendly and confusing, inconsistent info, it seems.

jnicktem wrote:[
So... you put down your measurements under the pants section but didn't want pants?

ABSOLUTELY! (since there was no other place to put them in the on-line form)

Why would I order a custom made tailored garment that covers my waist and not provide a waist measurement? That is just foolish!

If I had say a 40 chest and a 48 waist (read: gut) the size 40 would not fit properly AT ALL. I would look like a stuffed sausage.

Conversely, if I am a 42 chest and a 34 waist, I don't want the waist to be 42 as well, or it will look HUGE on me.

Do you understand now why all these measurements are important? Didn't you ever wonder why a tailor would do a full set of measurements, even if you are only purchasing a sport coat? No? Well now you know.

Hey J!M, I hope this order works out for you.

they seem to be having some comm trouble at Wested, but as you know it worked out for me.

My motto:

"Plan for the worst and hope for the best."

I've survived MUCH worse over the years....


Thanks for the good wishes!

Well...

As Patton said, no plan survives contact with the enemy.



But seriously, good luck man!

Thanks again.

I think it will be good once I finally get it...

Hopefully soon!

J!m wrote:

jnicktem wrote:[
So... you put down your measurements under the pants section but didn't want pants?

ABSOLUTELY! (since there was no other place to put them in the on-line form)

Why would I order a custom made tailored garment that covers my waist and not provide a waist measurement? That is just foolish!

If I had say a 40 chest and a 48 waist (read: gut) the size 40 would not fit properly AT ALL. I would look like a stuffed sausage.

Conversely, if I am a 42 chest and a 34 waist, I don't want the waist to be 42 as well, or it will look HUGE on me.

Do you understand now why all these measurements are important? Didn't you ever wonder why a tailor would do a full set of measurements, even if you are only purchasing a sport coat? No? Well now you know.

I just put all that kind of info in the special requests section...

well, I did that too- it was all in the first requests I made to Wested, which added about two weeks to the process because they kept losing it...

So, to be sure, I answered ALL the questions on the order form (did not indicate any quantities for shirt or pants) and also pasted my entire e-mail request into the special request section.

Then I had to re-send the original e-mail (I think that was the fourth time I ended up sending it) so they had the reference photos as well.

The jacket is cheap (meaning low cost) for a custom in Horse Hide. I just wish the whole custom order process was a bit smoother... If I was 'normal' sized, I could just get a Todd's and be a happy camper (it's a nice jacket), but I'm not, so the added durability of Horse Hide had to be done!

OK So here's the latest up-date (only minutes old) from Gemma:

Dear Jim,
Many thanks for your email,as your jacket was a custom made order this will take a bit longer then expected,this will be cut next Wednesday and machined in the next 7 days after that I do apoligise for the delay with making your order.
Thanks Gemma

I will be in Switzerland for the next two weeks, so I thought I'd touch base with them before I left.

If it was going to be ready, I would have had it shipped to me there, rather than here.

So, for those who ordered a custom after me, that at least gives an indication of the time line...

PS I e-mailed them today, so this is a pretty good response time!

I'm wondering when you know your order is beginning to be processed- didn't receive an e-mail notice when I submitted mine, I'm sure they're busy but I'm just curious on the communication here.

I'll give them a call this next week anyway, I have a few things I might want to ask/ confirm. After seeing the people here using 28" for their back who are around my height (between 6'1" and 6'3" seem to be using it) I'm worried mine will be much too short at 26" though I have a jacket with a 26" back and it fits ok...

From the specs, it looks like a great jacket in the making! I hope you get it soon!

I've got a Raiders HH in the making right now as well (ordered it a couple of weeks back so I don't know where it's at in the machine). I unceremoniously stole ideas right and left off Holt and asked for the thinnest HH they could source and went with his yoke pattern and Marc's pocket specs.

I went with a 28" back but I have a long torso as well. If I remember right, Ford was around 6 foot but he had a short torso and long legs. I only bring this up because I was reading about the NH jacket being 26 inches and began to panic. But I went off the measurements of a jacket that I love the fit.

well, I understand the reluctance of those thinking the back measurement is too long.

I also semed like I was adding a LOT of length to the back...

I chacked the length of a couple of my jackets (my Schott and the old black one I have in the Cairo Bazzar) and confirmed that on me, the "long" ack lentgth will give the look I want, on ME.

I also agree that Ford must have/had a short torso. The TN jacket seems to confirm this as well, with the ~24 inch back length... So off the rack, I'd say Ford was a 40 short.

My Schott is a 44 long (I measure 42 long), that I added an EXTRA inch beyond their standard long to the sleeves and as well as ands extra inch to the length. This was for proper coverage for my wrists and lower back in riding position. In normal wear, the sleeves of the Schott look exactly as they do on ford in Raiders- a bit too long.

The other nice thing is if I need to remove an inch from the length or sleeve, it is a LOT easier than adding an inch...

Oh, I am waiting with baited breath for this one! The jacket I have wanted since 1981...

It seems my jacket is ready for delivery!!!

But, there's a problem...

Aparently I asked for a specification I don't understand!

Can anyone help me with this one?

"Your jacket is finished but when checking the details I came across the ' No side vent stitches'
What do you mean by that.
Cheers" (From Peter himself)

Can anyone clarify this for me please? I won't see it for at least a week, even if it shipped today, so it doesn't have to be today (ok, it does have to be today come on!) but a bit of clarification would be great right now...

Hey, it was YOUR submitted specification. How do WE know what you meant? ;-)

Regards! Michaelson

I believe on some jackets the lower vent (below the side straps) has a stitch at the top that prevents it opening up all the way.

I've not noticed it one way or another on any of my jackets.

Anyway, too late it's gone 6!

Not sure what he does now but Peter used to include a stitch at the top of the side vent that keep it closed and in place but it prevented it from opening easily as it did in the film. I asked for no stitch on my last jacket several years ago and it was much better. Also, on my old jacket I simply removed the stitch and it also worked just fine. I think it was one of those things that Peter added to stregthen the vent but us screen accurate nutjobs don't need it. In all it's better to have it there but if you want to get it to react as you see on screen then I'd go without.

Humm. If that's the case, why didn't Peter know what it meant in his specifications list?

Ah well.

Regards! Michaelson

Can someone please post a pic of this stitch? I never understood exactly where it is. Or perhaps I'm blind.

It's up at the very top of the side vent. I can't show you min because I removed it. It was simple.

Michaelson wrote:Humm. If that's the case, why didn't Peter know what it meant in his specifications list?

Ah well.

Regards! Michaelson

On my last Raider one, In the Request I sent I said :
Side vent stitch - NO stitch holding the side vents closed.

And I get it, so I don't understand either....

I have them on my CS, I was wondering about get them remove or not, what do you guys think ??

I got mine J!m, so I hope you like yours when it comes in. Even with all the requests you put in, it still took less time for yours to be made and shipped to you than mine did to me.

Thanks fr the input guys!

I sent a reply to Peter and said that he can box it up and ship it out.

We will see what I get; howevr I'm sure I will be threilled!

I will have to post some pictures once I finally have it.

Note that I am in Switzerland now, and won't be back at my shipping address until around the 21st or so...

I will have a watch put on the mail delivery for it in the mean time!

I'll keep everyone posted.

PS (I.J.): Petr SAID it was finished; we know that doesn't necesarily mean it actually is now do we...

J!m wrote:
I will have to post some pictures once I finally have it.

A LOT of pictures!!!

Indiana Strones wrote:A LOT of pictures!!!

Yep!

OK This is geting abit crazy...

I know internal comm at wested is bad, and external is just about non-existent.

That being said, I had a message on my phone when I got bwck in the country that my jacket was done (this is from Peter himself) but he had the side vent stitch question. I though I addressed that with my e-mail reply to his e-mail, but just in case...

So, I called this morning (~2:15 their time) and spoke to Gemma. I forgot Peter does not come in on Monday, but Gemma told me that my order is not ready yet. I don't know if that is true, but that is what I wa told.

So, I will call tomorrow again. Gemma said she will let Peter know I called.

The wait continues...

You know what? I'm going to call the house and see if they did ship it before I call again. The stupid thing could be sitting at my house now...

Oh man... What a pain.

I give you guys a lot of credit for not losing it on her, for all her lack of info in your orders. Once in a while is acceptable. But this seems to be a running thing with them, huh?

I hope this gets settled soon.

I checked withj my Sister, and no package there yet...