Club Obi Wan

Is the jacket ment to be worn in the rain or snow? In the movie it went through some hard times but they had 40 some odd.

Most leather jackets make poor rainwear. Two of my Westeds shrunk from getting soaked (I didn't learn the first time). Snow is usually okay.

I think it will depend on which leather it's made of, too.

I would hazard a guess, for example, that goar or horse Wested won't be doing any shrinking, under natural conditions, anytime soon.

My jackets have been soaked and I've had no adverse effects happen except that the leather isn't so supple anymore.

Rob wrote:I think it will depend on which leather it's made of, too.

I would hazard a guess, for example, that goar or horse Wested won't be doing any shrinking, under natural conditions, anytime soon.

Maybe, but I still do not classify leather as rainwear. Can it be worn in the rain occasionally? Sure. Should it be used as a rainjacket? Not in my opinion. Unless it is heavily treated - and even Pecards will not prevent the jacket from getting soaked in a good, heavy rainstorm leather is not the best choice.

ij1936 wrote:My jackets have been soaked and I've had no adverse effects happen except that the leather isn't so supple anymore.

ij1936, couldn't a lack of suppleness be classified as an adverse effect?

Personally, I wear a Barbour jacket in the rain. I was out this morning at the Arnold Arboretum; it was raining, as it frequently does in Boston; and I was in full gear, except my Wested was replaced with a Barbour Bedale. Leather just isn't rain-wear.

Depends on your point of view, I guess. To me an adverse effect would be shrinking. Aside from the intentional damaged due to the artificial distressing I put my jackets through, I just wear it and whatever happens, happens. My jackets are not handled with kid gloves and as long as the stitching holds up I'll wear it in any weather condition.

ij1936 wrote:My jackets are not handled with kid gloves and as long as the stitching holds up I'll wear it in any weather condition.

Spoken like a true adventurer.

I'm too fastidious for that. When it rains, I change to Gore-Tex or waxed cotton. I worry too much about my Wested.

I've owned my wested lamb for a year now and show no adverse sign at all. I live in good ol rainy oregon and we get all kinds of rain. I have a twenty year old bomber jacket aswell and still looks great old but great.

I dont own any Wested, nor FS or wings, but ive had a bunch of leather jackets and from my experience, leather + water its not a good mixture, but hey just my view

Luisiana Jones wrote:I dont own any Wested, nor FS or wings, but ive had a bunch of leather jackets and from my experience, leather + water its not a good mixture, but hey just my view

I've never seen a cow, sheep or goat shrink and I am SURE that they get wet!

ij1936 wrote:

Luisiana Jones wrote:I dont own any Wested, nor FS or wings, but ive had a bunch of leather jackets and from my experience, leather + water its not a good mixture, but hey just my view

I've never seen a cow, sheep or goat shrink and I am SURE that they get wet!

Yeah, but they have a thick coat of fuzzy water repellant.

ij1936 wrote:

Luisiana Jones wrote:I dont own any Wested, nor FS or wings, but ive had a bunch of leather jackets and from my experience, leather + water its not a good mixture, but hey just my view

I've never seen a cow, sheep or goat shrink and I am SURE that they get wet!

They must use Pecards by the truckload if they don't shrink!

Maybe sheep and goats used to be cows, but they have already started the shrinking process.

ij1936 wrote:I've never seen a cow, sheep or goat shrink and I am SURE that they get wet!

LOL! well my leather jacket must be of fake leather or something

I've worn all kinds of leather jackets over the years and worn them in all weather - rain and snow and hot sun and never had any problem with the jackets shrinking or becoming rigid or anything. Though, my Harley jacket has seen some unusual distressing, I can't blame the weather for it.

Check here for some advice from the master. Peter himself.

ij1936 wrote:Depends on your point of view, I guess. To me an adverse effect would be shrinking. Aside from the intentional damaged due to the artificial distressing I put my jackets through, I just wear it and whatever happens, happens. My jackets are not handled with kid gloves and as long as the stitching holds up I'll wear it in any weather condition.

Agreed that's exactly my sentiments, I wear my Wested what ever the conditions the Rain has got to be one of the best natural distress you can give to the jacket. I will get some leather treatment sometime though, but what's the best for lamb.?

I wear my Wilsons Lamb rain or shine. It takes the beating pretty well though. As I've said before, it kind of looks like Indy's in TOD it's been distressed so much, but it was all natural.

Geoff

Yep, I've had my wested lambskin, for around 3 years now, and it still looks as good as the day I got it. And it's been through some ruff stuff aswell.

Hemingway Jones wrote:

ij1936 wrote:My jackets have been soaked and I've had no adverse effects happen except that the leather isn't so supple anymore.

ij1936, couldn't a lack of suppleness be classified as an adverse effect?

Personally, I wear a Barbour jacket in the rain. I was out this morning at the Arnold Arboretum; it was raining, as it frequently does in Boston; and I was in full gear, except my Wested was replaced with a Barbour Bedale. Leather just isn't rain-wear.

what do you use on your hat to protect from the rain?

Scotchgard.

Now, Scotchgard is something I need to get, when my AB get's here.

Be sure to get the red can. I'm not sure if the others are safe to use on felt. Maybe someone that knows will chime in.

I use Scotchgard red on my hats, and Scotchgard brown on some of my leather jackets. Not a usual thing, but I've used the brown with complete success on highly (and naturally) distressed lambskin. Regards! Michaelson

Thanks for the tips guys, I didn't know anything about the red one.

Michaelson wrote:I use Scotchgard red on my hats, and Scotchgard brown on some of my leather jackets. Not a usual thing, but I've used the brown with complete success on highly (and naturally) distressed lambskin. Regards! Michaelson

how much?

how much?[/quote]


ONE MILLION POUNDS..muha..ha..ha.haaa

Vannevar wrote:

Michaelson wrote:I use Scotchgard red on my hats, and Scotchgard brown on some of my leather jackets. Not a usual thing, but I've used the brown with complete success on highly (and naturally) distressed lambskin. Regards! Michaelson

how much?

Sorry I fell off radar. I use just a light misting over all the crown and top of the brim, then allow to completely dry at room temperature. I've found this to work great, short of a frog strangling downpour.....but you should be looking for cover by then! Regards!! Michaelson

I have worn my wested goatskin in the rain many times and it has not affected it in the least. I havent added any kind of water proffing or pecardes and the water just seems to sit on the surface just like a rain jacket.

Brendon

Goatskin is naturally water repellent. My Wested goat has been in the rain many times too, but it has never soaked up any of it. I've never been caught in a downpour though. (well at least not for very long ) But remember, leather jackets aren't raincoats.

I thought we were done with this. I still say the answer to the original question is "no". Remember the original question was "Is the jacket meant to be worn in the rain or snow?" I say it can be, but it is not meant to be.

Yup, your right Rick. A leather jacket is not a rain jacket and certainly not a good choice for extended periods in snow. However, I've never hesitated to wear my jacket because of rain or snow. I see no harm coming to the jacket by wearing it in rain or snow from your house to your car and then from your car to your office, etc. But again, leather jackets aren't rain jackets. If you know your gonna be out in the weather for a while you need a raincoat.

I've worn leather jackets while riding in some very inclimate weather with no adverse reactions to the jacket. :junior: Give it some treatment & a little TLC once you get it to dry out and it'll be right as rain. No pun intended. 8-[

Cheers!

Dan

this is kinda funny my firehelmet is a traditional leather helme. I have to tell you it see's a lot of heat and water. I wonder why one type of leather is not suposed to be worn in wet weather as my leather helmet can take anything?

Jpenman: I would have to think that it is a different tanning process alltogether for your helment. I used to have a leather German police helment from the 1910's complete with a spike. It was made up of several thin yet dense layers of lether all laminated together then moulded. Unfortunately the ravages of time have taken their toll on this item and it has since fallen apart. My folks also have a steamer trunk that has the same kind of leather treatment on the outside. It belonged to my great grandparents when they imigrated here from Ireland. The thing is still very tough after all this time. The leather on your helment is most likely chrome tanned then laminated together, then varnished. sort of like building up layers of fiberglass or kevlar.

Cheers!

Dan

Take it from the man himself from back in 2002.

There.

Regards,
Swindiana

.....and that's why we 'preach' about Pecards.....(grins) Regards! Michaelson

daniel jones, my helmet is two peices crown and brim thats all ( painted ). it may be treated with something but the leather can move with just a little bit of heat.

What is tanning ( leather)?

Swindiana wrote:Take it from the man himself from back in 2002.

There.

Regards,
Swindiana

Hey Swindiana,
Look at the link in my post (about 20 posts above this one) and see if it looks familiar

Jpenman: Quite simply tanning is the process of making leather from skin. This is commonly done with the acidic compound tannin, which prevents normal decomposition and often imparts color. There are different methods of course, vegitable tanning (Oak & Hemlock being the most common), then there is alum tanning, chrome tanning (using chromium) and the most primitive brain tanning.
Tanners would take an animal skin and soak it in water. Then they would pound and scour the skin to remove flesh and fat. Next, either they soaked the skin in urine to loosen hair fibers or they let the skin putrefy for several months & , after which they dipped the skin in a salt solution calle a brine. After the hair fibers were loosened, the tanners would scrape them off with a knife.
Once the hair was removed, tanners would bate the material by pounding dung into the skin or soaking the skin in a solution of animal brains (thus the brain tanning). They would also take cedar oil, alum, or tannin and stretch the skin as it lost moisture and absorbed the tanning agent.

Probably a lot more than you wanted to know, but thats how leather was made. The most common method today is chrome tanning. This process makes leather a very weather resistant substance if done correctly. The other end is the vegitable tanning which I'm guessing is the method used by the hide supplier for wested. It's a lot less toxic, and easier on the leather. It creates a much nicer smelling leather too.
I've only tanne done hide using the brain method, but never to the extreme using urine and dung. That's just nasty . But I have done an elk hide using the vegitable method, and it works quite nicely.
Anyway, that's the long and the short of leather tanning. Teach you to ask. 8-[

Cheers!

Dan

thanks for the info. more info. is always better than to little in my book. I'll try and post pics of my helmet or send it to you in a pm ( let me know).

rick5150 wrote: Hey Swindiana,
Look at the link in my post (about 20 posts above this one) and see if it looks familiar

Sorry, I guess I kind of jumped at it. I've started looking through old threads, from the "beginning" and backwards/onwards, and found that post by Peter.I then jumped directly here and haven't read through this thread thoroughly enough it seems.

Well... Worth mentioning twice I guess.

It's a lot of fun though. I found Michaelson's post announcing that Peter had found the 'leftover' Raiders jacket, and that the authentic brown was coming along, among others.

Regards,
Swindiana

Yep, that was one of those exciting times for us, and I was pleased and honored that Peter asked me to announce that here. I wish I still HAD my authentic lambskin, but unfortunately, it disappeared after one of the daughters car wreck Christmas before last, as well as my gray Keppler. (and no, insurance didn't cover those items that disappeared from the car. )

Ah well....fortunes of war....
But onward and upward, I say!! Just another one of those useless experiences we have in life that we gripe about when we're old.....

High regards! Michaelson

I know what you're saying. That's how I lost my MP3 player including a Pearl Jam concert on it, I haven't found that music anywhere since. Didn't occur to me to go back and look for it as I was kind of glad to get out of the car alive, actually and it wasn't until I was home safe that I realized it was gone.



Of course, the player must have gotten lost while the car was looted before it was towed away. A common thing to happen according to the police...

This was before I had a license, and I was not the driver mind you.

Anyway, like you said, it's a small sacrifice to make for still being able to breath. And I remember when that happened to your daughter and I'm equally glad she was and still is OK.

What was this thread about again? Oh! Jacket and rain, not upside down Fords and snow.

High regards,
Lars

Jpenman: Why yes, lets see the cranium protector. It's rare in this area to actually see the traditional leather helme. Usually it's a kevlar or something similar. I had learned about leather tanning while with an organization known as the American Mountain Men. I even learned how to build a flinlock musket & rifle. Learned quite a bit with that group.

Cheers!

Dan

Is it just me or does it say on the scotchGard spray can do not use on leather?
Regards,
Adam

Swindiana wrote:


High regards,
Lars

Swindy, you should always keep the shiny side up. Trust me.

Bufflehead Jones wrote:

Swindiana wrote:


High regards,
Lars

Swindy, you should always keep the shiny side up. Trust me.

Nice landing.

Fly yes, land no.