Club Obi Wan

Hey Guys,

I'm getting ready to order another Wested and had a question or two. I already have one in Lambskin, and I was thinking of getting one in predistressed cowhide. Do any of you guys have pics of the jacket made with this leather that you could post? I'm looking for something a bit more durable than the lamb and have heard that cowhide holds up better.

Also, I have read a few posts on here that mention the "flying squirrel" issue when you raise your arms. If I put in my order and say that I want my jacket NOT to do this, is "flying squirrel" the technical term that he would understand ?

Thanks for the help! And any further suggestions are welcome!

fulltangninja wrote:Hey Guys,

I'm getting ready to order another Wested and had a question or two. I already have one in Lambskin, and I was thinking of getting one in predistressed cowhide. Do any of you guys have pics of the jacket made with this leather that you could post? I'm looking for something a bit more durable than the lamb and have heard that cowhide holds up better.

Also, I have read a few posts on here that mention the "flying squirrel" issue when you raise your arms. If I put in my order and say that I want my jacket NOT to do this, is "flying squirrel" the technical term that he would understand ?

Thanks for the help! And any further suggestions are welcome!

Well, I've never ordered a jacket, but I do know a thing or two based on what I've read. When you order your jacket, ask for it to made with an '80s fit. This will prevent the flying squirrel effect, though it may be tighter than you want (or need, as it'd be in my case). Or you may be able to ask for just the sleeves to have an '80s fit, though that may cost more.

NOTE: in no way do I claim to be 100% sure. Just givin' ya my two cents.

Thanks for the info! That helps

AC suggested that adding gussets also helps cut the risk of the flying squirrel effect.

I've not really had much trouble to that effect, just as long as the jacket is measured correctly for chest size it seems not to do it. JMO.

Here are 3 different leathers for you, lamb, horse and novapelle cow (a slightly predistressed leather).

KT

Wow! that new LC collar is great (or is that an I4?). It really looks like the LC jacket now. The novapelle is nice as well... I think I prefer the look of the horse best, though!

I agree! Very nice looking jackets.

On the whole "flying squirrel" deal, I think I might just not worry about that part. The jacket I have right now does it and I haven't really ever thought about it NOT doing it until I saw some people on the forum talking about it. I like the way my current jacket is so I may just go with the same specs but choose a different, tougher leather. Thanks for the input and the pics!

I'm new to the forum and I have already ordered a second Wested jacket. My first is undistressed like yours and my second one will be predistressed. I'm hoping to pick it up on my trip to London next week. I'll post pictures of the jacket after my trip.

My first jacket still does the flying squirrel even with the underarm gussets. I think it might have to do with the fact that it was cut on a ladies pattern and the right side of the jacket seems shorter than the left side. When I lift my arms, the jacket tightens out in the chest area, underarms, and the back shoulders. I've added an inch to a couple of measurements and hopefully I won't get the flying squirrel effect again.

JR wrote:I'm new to the forum and I have already ordered a second Wested jacket. My first is undistressed like yours and my second one will be predistressed. I'm hoping to pick it up on my trip to London next week. I'll post pictures of the jacket after my trip.

My first jacket still does the flying squirrel even with the underarm gussets. I think it might have to do with the fact that it was cut on a ladies pattern and the right side of the jacket seems shorter than the left side. When I lift my arms, the jacket tightens out in the chest area, underarms, and the back shoulders. I've added an inch to a couple of measurements and hopefully I won't get the flying squirrel effect again.

I'll beat you to it. My pre-distressed, ordered December 28, just arrived. I'm blown away by the overall quality and surprised at how heavy it is. I wonder if I should have gone custom made rather than off the rack--it fits perfectly through the body but the sleeves are about an inch too long.

I see you've got a raiders in novapelle, very smart looking!

The sleeves will ride up a bit with wear. I'd wear it for a couple of months and if they still feel too long get a local shop to shorten them, shouldn't cost much.

Now, lets see some pics with you wearing it!

Kt Templar wrote:I see you've got a raiders in novapelle, very smart looking!

The sleeves will ride up a bit with wear. I'd wear it for a couple of months and if they still feel too long get a local shop to shorten them, shouldn't cost much.

Now, lets see some pics with you wearing it!

I suspect you're right about the sleeves. I wear a size 48 jacket but always have the sleeves of my suits and sports jackets taken up.

Since the jacket arrived a few minutes ago I'm sitting here wearing it. I already have my first adventure planned out for me--my wife had to go pick my daughter up so I've been instructed to pull her muffins out of the oven when the beeper goes off.

Now that's an adventure!

Luckily no Nazis interfered while I had oven mitts on.

One more. (That's a David Morgan Adventurer, by the way).

I really love the look of that novapelle leather on a raiders jacket. I've been put off of the 'pre-distressed' looking stuff after I bought the wested Wolverine style jacket and I really didn't like how light in colour it was. It was almost more of a beige than dark brown.
Rockbottom is this stuff quite dark?

KT have you seen both these leathers I'm referring to? How do they compare?

Guardian Devil wrote:
Rockbottom is this stuff quite dark?

KT have you seen both these leathers I'm referring to? How do they compare?

The close up pictures I posted are pretty accurate. Actually, since I've taken them, I treated it with Lexol and that made it a tad darker but I'm assuming it will lighten back up a bit as that stuff wears off.

Guardian Devil wrote:I really love the look of that novapelle leather on a raiders jacket. I've been put off of the 'pre-distressed' looking stuff after I bought the wested Wolverine style jacket and I really didn't like how light in colour it was. It was almost more of a beige than dark brown.
Rockbottom is this stuff quite dark?

KT have you seen both these leathers I'm referring to? How do they compare?

Rock bottom's pics are pretty accurate, that leather is darker and doesn't have the yellow hue that the Wolverine has (although the lighter leather does suit that jacket pretty well), it is also a lot less 'cracked'. I really like it. Has a bit of body to it too without being over heavy.

Kt Templar wrote:

Guardian Devil wrote:I really love the look of that novapelle leather on a raiders jacket. I've been put off of the 'pre-distressed' looking stuff after I bought the wested Wolverine style jacket and I really didn't like how light in colour it was. It was almost more of a beige than dark brown.
Rockbottom is this stuff quite dark?

KT have you seen both these leathers I'm referring to? How do they compare?

Rock bottom's pics are pretty accurate, that leather is darker and doesn't have the yellow hue that the Wolverine has (although the lighter leather does suit that jacket pretty well), it is also a lot less 'cracked'. I really like it. Has a bit of body to it too without being over heavy.

I noticed in your pictures above that your sleeves are fairly long too. Is that the way you like them?

RockBottom wrote:
I noticed in your pictures above that your sleeves are fairly long too. Is that the way you like them?

Me? That was brand new outside the shop. I thought they were about an inch too long... but when wearing a thin fleece now they are just about perfect. It's a fine line!

RockBottom wrote:I'll beat you to it. My pre-distressed, ordered December 28, just arrived. I'm blown away by the overall quality and surprised at how heavy it is. I wonder if I should have gone custom made rather than off the rack--it fits perfectly through the body but the sleeves are about an inch too long.

Actually, you only beat me by a few hours. I picked up my jacket from Wested on Jan. 12th a little after 2:30 PM from Peter Botwright. I was wearing my Raiders/LC jacket. I would have been there earlier, except for the bad directions on the Transport for London website. I got the scenic route runaround. Anyway, it turns out my jacket is not predistressed after all. I didn't select the "Predistressed Cowhide" leather option, which is probably the selection that you made which is why your jacket is heavy. I did note predistressed in the "Special Requests" section, but Mr. Botwright said that his workers probably didn't see and/or understand it. So, I have another LC non-predistressed jacket. I did notice that the collar is larger than my first jacket and that the inside pocket is now on the right-hand side. I still get the flying squirrel, but at least it's not tight around the chest area, underarms, and the back shoulders when my arms are lifted.

RockBottom wrote:

Rockbottom - I love the look of this jacket, but just to get things straight, do I understand it right, that this is predistressed cowhide? Exactly what leather did You ask for to get this jacket?

Cheers
Indy-K

"predistressed dark brown hide"

RockBottom wrote:"predistressed dark brown hide"

Great. I just wondered what the word "Novapelle" that Guardian Devil uses meant.

May I ask how this predistressed cowhide feels, is it very durable, thick, soft, warm etc.?

The reason I ask is because I was considering horsehide for a possibility as a more real-life durable alternative to the lamb I allready have. The new CS-jacket from Tony Nowak seems to be just that, but if Peter offers a jacket in the same quality, with the same look, as I think it is here, that would be perfect.

Cheers
Indy-K

IndyK wrote:

RockBottom wrote:"predistressed dark brown hide"

Great. I just wondered what the word "Novapelle" that Guardian Devil uses meant.

May I ask how this predistressed cowhide feels, is it very durable, thick, soft, warm etc.?

The reason I ask is because I was considering horsehide for a possibility as a more real-life durable alternative to the lamb I allready have. The new CS-jacket from Tony Nowak seems to be just that, but if Peter offers a jacket in the same quality, with the same look, as I think it is here, that would be perfect.

Cheers
Indy-K

I don't have a horsehide to compare with to but compared to lamb (which I do have), the cowhide is thicker and heavier, but also more durable. I would suspect that the hide, being thicker, would be marginally warmer. In my case, I can't say because my lamb is an A2 and my hide an Indy style. The A2 is naturally warmer since the sleeves and bottom are closed.

From what I've heard about horse, I would guess that the predistressed hide is much softer and, of course, needs no breaking in. In terms of durability, I wouldn't think there would be a discernible difference. Both will last for decades and, more than likely, something other than the leather will wear out before the leather.

I think that "Novapelle" is a trade name for a type of predistressed cowhide which is chromium tanned and aniline dyed, buffed on the grain side to achieve a velvety surface, full aniline, and non-pigmented.

Your jacket looks great, RockBottom. *must not be envious* Here are pictures of my current jacket and the new jacket I picked up from Wested.

Current Jacket



New Jacket




I'm imagining my new jacket as predistressed. *Eyes RockBottom's predistressed jacket with pee green envy*

The reversed "ladies" stormflap is an unusual and cool touch.

I must say the first one, with a bit of mileage is my favourite. Hopefully the new one will get the same. How old is the older one?

Thanks. Let's me I got my jacket the first week of Feb. 2007 and wore it only for 3 months. Then, I wore it again starting at the end of Oct. 2007. So, I've only worn the jacket for a total of 6 months.

I was just wondering, since I'm going to order a wested soon. is the "predistressed hide" from the "off the reg" jackets the same as "dark brown predistressed cowhide" from the custom made order form? if not, would it also be possible to order a raiders "off the reg" with dark brown predistressed cowhide (novapelle)? can anyone comment on this?
Thanks!