Using old suede jackets as distress tests

Rosenet · Post by **Rosenet** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:47 pm

I've taken baby steps towards distressing my Wested authentic goat - I rubbed it down with rubbing alcohol. I'm pleased with the results but I'd like to do more. I'm not excited about using acetone and I'm skittish about damaging the jacket with sandpaper. Reading old posts gave me an idea - I have a couple of old suede bomber jackets I never plan to wear again now that I have my Wested. Would I learn anything by using my old suede jackets as distressing test subjects, or is a suede jacket too different from a goatskin to be a useful test subject?

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:20 pm

Entirely to different a surface to try what you're wanting to do. I wouldn't suggest it myself.

Regards! Michaelson

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:33 pm

Yeah, what Michaelson said. Unless you wish to practice the very movements involved in distressing a jacket (wax on, wax off)

, I don't believe the structure of suede will be of much help.
As non-abrasive distressing methods go, acetone is your best bet. Grab your Wested by the ears and find a good hidden spot (inside jacket, underneath collar) where you could test a little acetone rubbing and do so, cautiously. Once you get the hang of it, kick it up a notch.

If you'd choose to go the abrasive way late on, I'd recommend the various 3M/scotch Brite pads and sponges available before sand paper. A fine sanding sponge is a lot more gentle on the leather and at least I think I have more control of the process using them. Sand paper tends to give the jacket a, well, sandpapered look if you're not careful.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:38 pm

The speed at which acetone can take off the colour on a jacket can be disconcerting! Have you tried the hot water treatment it can be quite effective.

Post by **Ken** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:44 pm

Kt Templar wrote:The speed at which acetone can take off the colour on a jacket can be disconcerting! Have you tried the hot water treatment it can be quite effective.

what results did you get with hot water?

Ken

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:46 pm

A very nasty tasting soup.

Regards! Michaelson

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:56 pm

Kt Templar wrote:The speed at which acetone can take off the colour on a jacket can be disconcerting!

Which is exactly why acetone must be used sparingly and with extreme prejudice.

I'm also interested in knowing more about the hot water treatment - been soaking my Wested in hot water several times, but that hasn't removed any dye.

:

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:47 pm

Sorry, Rosenet, my comment seems to have hijacked your thread. Suede is the lower section of the leather with all the hard packed "shine" layer scoured off, it's sometimes just the reverse of the skin. Essentially it is fully distressed so it probably isn't a good candidate for experimenting.

You might try selling them to some BSG fans could be used for parts for original Viper costumes! Or maybe TFL

.

Indiana Ken wrote:
Kt Templar wrote:The speed at which acetone can take off the colour on a jacket can be disconcerting! Have you tried the hot water treatment it can be quite effective.
what results did you get with hot water?

Ken

I think using hot water is like what you got with completely soaking it in the river but more controlled, all the bumps and wrinkles that are ironed out of the leather in manufacture are allowed to come back and some of the surface waxes/shine removed.

I'm no expert in this, there are a couple of other guys who have reported showering in their jackets so I decided to try rincing the jacket in just very hot water from the shower head. Just getting the surface wet and not letting it competely soak through.

(this is my WOW it was just too shiny and I'm not as attached to it as with my Raiders! There is some acetone work too.)

Before:

After (ignore the huge colour difference that's just the different camera):

Sorry Peter!

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:09 pm

Ah, OK. Now I see. Being one of the showering guys, I too can vouch for this method. However, it doesn't remove the dye, which is what the acetone rubbing does.

I'd actually call the H2O method for a variant of "natural distressing" - it speeds up the process of getting a worn-in jacket, but it does not really alter the jacket's structural integrity.
Artificial distressing (acetone & abrasives) do make a nice complement to the water torture though.

Captain Ron Solo · Post by **Captain Ron Solo** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:05 am

So, basically if I just wanted to remove the shine from my goat Wested, the hot water treatment would be the way to go? I really don't care to remove any dye, but I'd like to make it as non-reflective as possible. And hot water works better than cold?

JKL
Ron