Club Obi Wan

So I've had my Wested Raiders for a few years now (thank you, Peter! it's my pride and joy!), and I think I take far too much care of it. I'd love to give it a nice, naturally distressed look---and yet at the same time, I find myself feeling the need to treat it with my Pecard's lotion every now and then, hang it up nicely, etc. What's the solution? If I want to get a great, natural look, shall I abandon the lotion? Shall I meticulously take a Brillo pad or sandpaper to it and be gentle?

In short--what's the best way to naturally distress the jacket without waiting years for it to happen?

If it was me, I would send the jacket to one of the pros around here and have them do it. Why take a chance?

Dont be afraid to distress your jacket....you dont have to go stupid with it, I just do all my edges and seams and a little around the back. And then after you've finished distressing, give it a coat of pecards. It will still be distressed and the pecards will help to protect it

On my first jacket I sanded some edges and splashed a little water on it, but on my new one I think I might just put it on and roll across the street a few times, then let nature take its course.

Wear it.

SD

Hide a steak in one of the pockets and throw it in a kennel.

Castor Dioscuri wrote:Hide a cat or squirrel in one of the pockets and throw it in a kennel.

Fixed.

Treadwell wrote:

Castor Dioscuri wrote:Hide a cat or squirrel in one of the pockets and throw it in a kennel.

Fixed.

Wouldn't it be the same result... once you open up the pocket again, that is.

And what's Johnny-5 doing around these 'ere parts?

Wear it.
Get it wet and let it dry.
Throw it in the corner when you're not wearing it.

Slightly off-topic: I'm SO glad that I didn't distress my Aldens when I got them. I'm not even an "outdoorsy" person but I'm amazed at how scuffed and worn they're already looking. I've had them for perhaps two months.

It doesn't take as long as you might think to break something in. Just enjoy it!

Tony

Wear it in the rain and snow, sleep in it, sit on it while its wadded up and always throw it on the floor instead of hanging it.

-Nebraska

elstevo wrote:So I've had my Wested Raiders for a few years now (thank you, Peter! it's my pride and joy!), and I think I take far too much care of it. I'd love to give it a nice, naturally distressed look---and yet at the same time, I find myself feeling the need to treat it with my Pecard's lotion every now and then, hang it up nicely, etc. What's the solution? If I want to get a great, natural look, shall I abandon the lotion? Shall I meticulously take a Brillo pad or sandpaper to it and be gentle?

In short--what's the best way to naturally distress the jacket without waiting years for it to happen?

I am getting more and more like our dear friend Dr. M. Let it distress on it's own -- it will and nicely, then it is yours for the 'wear' instead it owning you. W>

Wear it in the shower then push up the sleeves.

Leave them in that position while the jacket dries naturally. (after you take off the jacket)

Roll it up (when dry) and shove it under a couch cushion or your mattress at night when you go to bed.

Wear it near brick walls and brush against the surface.

I'd absolutely steer clear from artificial distressing. Part of what makes the jacket special is how it gains complexity over the years. I've had my Wested Raiders for 9.5 years now and the natural wear is great. I posted a thread a while ago with some pics. Here you go:

viewtopic.php?t=24433&highlight=

Sebas, you bring up a good point. Any artificial distressing (especially something as random as walking too close to a brick wall -- yikes!) will basically mean that the jacket will look NOWHERE near as good in 9 years as yours does.

To each their own. But I don't understand the idea of purposely damaging something that's brand new in an effort to make it look old.....so that when it really does get old, it's basically torn up.

Tony

It really depends on whether you want your jacket to match Ford's jacket as seen in Raiders, or whether you want a high quality jacket that gradually ages with time. If you want your jacket to look like Ford's, you've GOT to artificially distress it because that's what Deborah Nadoolman did to it!

Chris

Chris, true....but Deborah was also unconcerned about whether the jacket would be falling apart 5 years down the road.

I agree with you...if you want it to look like the Raiders jacket, you're going to have to damage the jacket. But, if you go for the "spirit" of Indy's jacket....then you would simply let it distress on its own.

In other words, Indy didn't beat up his jacket. He presumably bought it new and let it do it's own thing.

Tony