Club Obi Wan

I just received a Flightsuit Expedition goatskin. I was wondering the best way to soften it up. I read somewhere that putting it in a clothes dryer with no heat will help out, as of course will wearing it everywhere plus sitting on it. Does the clothes dryer really work?

Thanks, Kaleponi Craig

Yes, it does. Zip it up, place in a pillow slip and tie the end. Place in a dryer on NO HEAT and turn it on. Do this for several cycles. As I recall, Lee Keppler did his over a period of 40 hours (not all at once, mind you) You also may as well as roll it in a ball and tossing it in the closet when not wearing it, and rolling it up and sitting on it while you're watching tv. I've even heard of folks sleeping in it a couple of nights REALLY loosen it up. ALL these will work wonders. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:... I've even heard of folks sleeping in it a couple of nights REALLY loosen it up. ALL these will work wonders. Regards. Michaelson

That would be me. Yes, sleep with the windows wide open and wear it. The heat-humidty from your body really breaks it in. I also sat on it. And never hang it up. Dave Marshall's advice was to crumple it up and throw it in the corner. Eventually the leather just gives up and relaxes. If you do the clothes dryer trick, make sure to put the jacket in a pillow case. Also tape down the zipper clasp or else it will really do a number on the surrounding leather. In my opinion, just wear it, sleep in it, sit on it, crumple it up in the corner. Just have patience.

-Sergei

Rats, Sergei, you ruined it. I told Indiana Jess and bink they had to wear the jacket and have someone beat the stew out of them with a ballbat. Now you've let the cat out of the bag! Regards. Michaelson

Yikes, I have been a spoiler lately! But I am really a fan of sleeping in jackets. My HH A2 broke in real fast using that method. Dave Marshall was surprised that my Horsehide broke in that fast.

But I am up for that visualization you just described.
-S

I knew I could count on your vote. High regards. Michaelson

Oh!, so one is supposed to wear the jacket too?

It might look good on me... I'll try that.

Regards,
Swindiana

Yep, a novel approach, but one to consider. High regards. Michaelson

I don't know about the wearing to bed thing, my wife may object!

Regards, Kaleponi Craig

Interesting tips. I would say, however, that having owned a thick cow hide A-2 from Avirex, I found the Expedition goat remarkably supple strait out of the box. Cheers--Lao Feng

I agree Lao Feng. My goatskin Expedition and G-1 are very supple, as you say, right out of the box and only got more so simply by wearing them. The goat, however, still cannot be confused with my lambskin Expedition, but I don't think it ever will be that 'buttery soft' or drape quite like the lamb simply because it's a completely different hide.

The tips given seem more appropriate for the thicker, tougher hides IMHO, but I suppose they can't hurt any.

I did everything that was suggested in this thread. Eventually, the goat started to soften. What took it to the next level however, was the Pecards Leather Jell that I applied and let soak in overnight. It really relaxed the fibers in the leather. It's much softer now.

Regards, Dr. J

On the Pecard site, what is the gel called? I didn't see anything about a gel.

Kaleponi Craig

I think it may be called "Leather Creame". It's not a cream, though...the consistency is much closer to a gel, like hair gel, and goes on much easier than standard pecards paste. I had to spot treat the FS goatskin I have, trying to get the straps to lay down and relax and such, and it did the trick over a few applications. Other than that, you really can't beat just good old time and wearing it as often as possible.

I slept in my Aero HH A2-woke up sore because the thing just wouldn't give! That was 3 years ago, and now it's FINALLY loosening up. Just took time.

Later!
Indydawg

Here is the link for the gel:

http://www.pecard.com/IndyGear.htm

Regards, Kaleponi Craig

Funny y'all should mention sleeping in a leather jacket. Back in 2001 I was in Suzhou, China (about 3 hours west of Shanghai) in November and it was cold as H...well, it was cold. I slept all week in my cowhide A-2...by the time this sleeping routine was over, it looked like the off-the-rack A-2 was a custom made jacket; that's how much it contoured to my body.

Kaleponi Craig wrote:I don't know about the wearing to bed thing, my wife may object!

Regards, Kaleponi Craig

I solved that problem by sleeping on the couch. It's where I would have ended up anyway if I went to bed wearing it...

...I just stayed up late watching movies, and slept on the couch, or in the big rocking chair...two nights did it.

By morning it was Jerry-shaped. (Bink, let's see you leave a straight-line like that one alone. )

P.S. That was a lamb. So mine was already soft, but it contoured it so it didn't look BRAND new anymore.