Club Obi Wan

Sooo, where do I begin. Hopped on a flight to London for a day to go to Wested and get fitted for my jacket. After a nice little train ride and a walk from the station, I was lost. I knew rougly where Wested was and knew that it was east, so I started walking east. Because Swanley isn't that large, I was sure someone would know where it was. I was wrong the first few times. Even two Gas station attendants didn't know, which must have been 2-300 meters away from Wested lane didnt' know. I finally found a shop owner that knew and off I went. Luckily I was going in the right direction to begin with. I didn't want to take a taxi because it was such a nice day. It was warm, sun was shining, and there was a nice spring smell in the air. After walking this frightening meandering path wher cars came out of nowhere, I was there.

First off, the lamb skin has no competition. No offense to all you guys that have the other skins, which are still good, but the lamb blows them out of the water. I didn't think i'd go for it when I first got the samples a few months ago, but when you see and feel a whole jacket made from the stuff it's truly amazing.

If you have even the slightest chance of going to Wested and getting fitted, GO! I can't stress it enough. Peter is truely a professional and extremly nice. He first made me try on a couple of jackets to gauge the fit and basics like sleeve length, etc. Then he noticed that my shoulders are a bit forward so he said he's going to add an extra inch across just the back so that the shoulder seam sits properly and has the right look. When in the #### would I ever think of something like that. We then went through the details of what I wanted and didn't. He helped me out with many of my decisions. Some things I wouldn't know worked or not like strap length, collar size, and stuff like that.

For you guys that are interested. Here is what I ordered:
Raiders
Auth. Lamb
X-box stitching
extra pocket
No gussets
Leather zipper lining
Rectangular sliders
Rounded storm flap
Standard pocket flap shape. ( I actually quite liked it in person)
and that's really about it. They've stopped stitching the action pleat closed. I asked about the back panel stretching the entire width of the back and the size of the skin is what dictates that. I liked the inside pocket with the leather because of the story around it and it doesn't affect the drape at all. The extra leather was added because the film people requested it for Last Crusade due to the fact that the regular slit was too weak for the grail diary going in and out. It was also made deeper to accomodate it.

I'm going back in a month to pick it up. Peter said it'd be read in two weeks. Too bad I can't change my ticket and school is kinda in the way too:( I'm going to email them in about three weeks just to double check that the details on the jacket are all correct so when I get there it's ready to go.

Pics to follw

I was lucky enough to have Peter measure me up for my Raiders Lamb at the QM--You are absolutley right, he is a true professional.

It sounds like your jacket will be the perfect jacket for you! I also love the way you found the place--my chosen method of city navigation (if I'm not on too tight a time limit) is wander and discover, and it seems that is yours too!

Congrats on the jacket,

Cheers
Craig

Thanks guys.
The choice of hides is great. It really does allow us to get exactly what we want. There's always going tbe someone who prefers lamb, goat, cow, or horse.

Wander and discover is the only way for me to truely see and enjoy a city. If someone tells me something is right beside (blank), i'll only be looking for blank and not see anythign else. I love getting lost in cities. London's really fun to get lost in. I don't know where I am half the time. Getting better the more I go there.

Here are some pics for those that aren't fortunate enough to make it there. Nothing special, just wanted to show what everything looks like for thos that hanv't seen. When I go back in a month i'll have more to show hopefully me, my jacket and Peter.

Nice!

Regards! Michaelson

I love the last two pics, My dream closet.

Thanks for sharing.

Whoa. Those people are driving on the wrong side of the road. On the one street, they had a drunk guy paint the lines on the road. I bet you would wear out the steering gearbox trying to stay between those lines.

...driving has been a big part of my life. What did you expect me to notice?

I noticed the lines too but I thought I would give Michaelson a break and not comment.

TFrosst, your very luck to get the visit the shop!

Wested is the Graceland of IndyGear, which, I suppose, makes Peter... Elvis!

Great trip and excellent photos!

Peter should post a picture of himself wearing big sideburns and sunglasses.

Hemingway Jones wrote:Wested is the Graceland of IndyGear, which, I suppose, makes Peter... Elvis!

Cheers, HJ, you got me to laugh out loud that time..."Uh, thank ya, uh thank ya very much, mate."

Thanks for the pics, TFrosst...it's just like driving up to the doors ourselves! The illusion is lost when I can't smell all the leather, though...darn.

So look at the pictures and put your Wested under your nose. Then breathe in. Just not the armpit.

Hemingway Jones wrote:Wested is the Graceland of IndyGear, which, I suppose, makes Peter... Elvis!

Great trip and excellent photos!

I think he would appreciate that a lot! I assume you know he is a big Elvis fan.

http://www.elviscostume.co.uk/index.htm

Thanks for the comments guys. I love sharing pics. I'll take a bunch more when I go back there. I can't wait to get my jacket, i'll finalyl be part of the wested club. I remember a good few years ago coming across indygear and was hooked getting thist stuff. I started ou with a noel howard gunbelt, we belt, and bag and strap. I always wanted to actualyl go to wested and get fitted for my jacket. That's whay I was holding back from buying one, till now.

Hey, it's my turn to say it!

"You have chosen...wisely."

TFrosst wrote:Thanks for the comments guys. I love sharing pics. I'll take a bunch more when I go back there. I can't wait to get my jacket, i'll finalyl be part of the wested club. I remember a good few years ago coming across indygear and was hooked getting thist stuff. I started ou with a noel howard gunbelt, we belt, and bag and strap. I always wanted to actualyl go to wested and get fitted for my jacket. That's whay I was holding back from buying one, till now.

I did know that!

Good post & pics

Working 30 minutes away from Wested I've been there too & have to say that's a great photographic guide of how to get there you've posted!

Bufflehead Jones wrote:Whoa. Those people are driving on the wrong side of the road. On the one street, they had a drunk guy paint the lines on the road. I bet you would wear out the steering gearbox trying to stay between those lines.

...driving has been a big part of my life. What did you expect me to notice?

Excuse me Sheriff! I'll have you know you know that we English gentlemen drive on the right side of the road... ...even if it is on the left...

Considering you're riding a horse in your avatar, Skippy, I imagine YOU ride anywhere you WANT to ride....right?

Regards! Michaelson

Yeah Skippy, but every time that I see it, it still freaks me out. A while back, they had a fully restored Datsun 240Z down at the shop that was right hand drive. I wish I would have gotten a chance to drive it, but alas I did not.

I can only imagine how uncoordinated I would probably feel at first. I'd like to give it a shot some day. But, it wouldn't be the same doing it over here. You need some of those roads that you can drive on the wrong side on, to get the full effect.

I get yelled at for getting off topic so much, so I just guess I'll have to drive all the way to Wested one of these days to visit with Peter.

I find it very amusing that many people say that people in the UK drive on the wrong side of the road. Might I point out that that was the original way of driving, even in America. It wasn't until Henry Ford wanted to change it and began mass producing those left hand drive t-cars that it changed to the way we have it now in North America. Just thought i'd throw that out.

most likely I will never make it over there, so seeing these pics are a real treat. Thanks for sharing.

Michaelson wrote:Considering you're riding a horse in your avatar, Skippy, I imagine YOU ride anywhere you WANT to ride....right?

It's not the riding, it's the stopping that's all over the place!

Bufflehead, get yourself over here & I'll get you out in one of our fast response cars We've had military jet pilots gripped with terror as we've driven them 100mph on a shout on road like those, solid with traffic & members of the public more than willing to throw themselves under you, even with blues'n'twos going! Out the other day & someone in an incident response vehicle off Oxford Street (Central London) miss judged a junction & ended up on his roof on the pavement

Skippy, I'll take you up on it, if I ever get over there. I bet the pilots felt right at home, like they were back in their jets, when they got upside down.

Great!