Club Obi Wan

I walked into my room and noticed my Nowak jacket, which was hanging on the wall, had developed a black "spot" on the leather. Really noticeable and I hadn't seen it before. I looked back at pictures I had when I bought the jacket new and no spot. To tell you the truth, I haven't really worn it when I bought it about four months ago. No need really but now I can start wearing it because its gettin chilly. So, I did what tony instructed and rubbed two sides of leather together where the spot was, nothing happened. So I rubbed in some pecards yesterday morning and the spot is still there. It actually seemed to darken the leather!! What can I do, if anything? Should I just wait and wear it, see if it comes out? More pecards and let it sit? Help! I hate to have a black spot of death ruin my $700 custom made jacket!!!

I don't think I'd have put pecard's on the spot. You may have sealed it in.

Very odd it would 'just appear'

Maybe just wear it and see if it goes away like it appeared.

Oh man.... I'd have a knot in the pit of my stomach!

That's got to be some type of chemical reaction happening with the leather. Did you spill something on it or sprayed something near the jacket as it hung?

Pecards is just a conditioner so it will darken the leather but it should return it to its normal color as it dries out. That black spot may be a bad sign. Tony could not offer any explanation?

You would figure he'd have come across this before in the past.

Hey Browncoat...

I can't tell you how many times your avatar has caused me to swat at my computer screen.

Is someone in your house not telling you something??!! A secret accident involving your jacket

Pecards the entire jacket. That'll darken it all up and at least make the spot less visible, maybe even unnoticeable.

TR

...would that be consistent with a pocket on the inside?

Worst case scenario: you may have to send it back to Tony and have him replace that panel...if you can swear you didn't do anything to the jacket to cause that spot, he may even do it for free. -M

Pecards won't do anything......it may temporarily darken the jacket but the original color will return in a few days. I'd say send it to Tony to see if he can fix it or exchange it.....if not, live with it, the spot makes the jacket "unique."

looks like you put a pen into the inside pocket and it leaked.

I can see how you would be so upset since the jacket is essentially new. As others have said, the darkening effect of the Pecards will eventually go away and it will lighten up again. Cause of the spot aside, I'm not so sure that taking any drastic action would be in the best interest of your jacket. In eliminating the dark spot you may end up with a light spot. That would be equally annoying no?

I second RC Signals motion to start wearing the jacket. And if it is at all in your character, wear the %$%@ out of it. Chalk this spot up as "character" and go out there and have some other character defining moments. Not that I've done anything daredevilish. I don't quite lead that type of life anymore. Let's see what have I done in my TN CS jacket?I've crawled along the ground on my stomach and back a few times, once while cutting down some trees and another time when doing some Christmas lights. I've hauled wood. I've gotten caught in a rain storm. Changed my oil. She can take it.

Will such things clean up your spot. Perhaps not but they'll probably help - in the spirit of the jacket. As other character defining moments occur that spot will start to less conspicuous. And over time the spot itself may get worn. I can tell you this. My jacket does not look exactly like the one I originally received. Nor does it look damaged in any way. It just looks like a tough leather jacket that's been on a few grand, albeit mundane, adventures.

Call Tony and get his take on it. He'll know exactly what to do.

Mola Ram wrote:looks like you put a pen into the inside pocket and it leaked.

Agreed. It sure looks like an ink spot.

jacksdad wrote:Call Tony and get his take on it. He'll know exactly what to do.

Looks like he already called.

Russian Raider wrote:

Mola Ram wrote:looks like you put a pen into the inside pocket and it leaked.

Agreed. It sure looks like an ink spot.

Ouch!!

Thanks guys...yes, I guess I will call tony. I have not worn it at all, just tried on a few times. Seriously, an ink spot maybe but than means someone must have worn it. I am at a loss. Yeah, the inside pocket has no ink inside. I really dont know what happened! The only reason I noticed it was when I brought it out to where it. Well, I will call tony and ask for a replacement panel, I have no problem paying a $100 or so but anything more than that, I might have to pass. I will let you guys know!

ReturningSon wrote:Thanks guys...yes, I guess I will call tony. I have not worn it at all, just tried on a few times. Seriously, an ink spot maybe but than means someone must have worn it. I am at a loss. Yeah, the inside pocket has no ink inside. I really dont know what happened! The only reason I noticed it was when I brought it out to where it. Well, I will call tony and ask for a replacement panel, I have no problem paying a $100 or so but anything more than that, I might have to pass. I will let you guys know!

It will be interesting to see how Tony responds to this, given the jacket is a few months old and the stain wasn't there when it was shipped. (We all know what happened to Whiskeyman when he tried to return his jacket).

Well sent Tony an email...what happened, if I may ask, to Whiskeyman? I offered to pay Tony for his time and material. This jacket is just too cool to have a huge black mark on it....

Try this. I had a USW vintage cowhide. I put Pecards on it regularly to darken it. The last time I did it before selling the jacket, it felt really slimy after the Pecards. I put the jacket in the dryer with heat on with a towel for about 20 minutes. When I pulled the jacket out, it looked like it did when it was new, the Pecards was gone!

hmm...interesting...I will try this after I get a response from Tony. He is a great guy and treated me well so I think he will be able to fix the problem. I wouldn't mind paying a $100 or so just to get the panel replaced as long as he can distress it so that the new panel isn't noticeable. I will let you guys know what happens!

Are you married with kids? I know my little one has done some coloring in places he shouldn't.

Kids was the first thing that popped into my head.... Having done some things along those lines when I was a lad.

You been sneaking over to KFC at night again?

Looks like a grease spot. Not been messing about with the car or some WD40 recently?

I would be careful putting it in a dryer with heat, it may shrink the jacket.

Was there anything else in the closet that had a black spot that could be the source of the leak?

ReturningSon, smell the stain. Oil or stuff like that should leave a scent.

You know - it may give you that "new car dent" feeling - but perhaps it will add character to the overall jacket. IMO it doesn't look that bad (when you stop considering the cost of the jacket and that I mean) - Leather can have inconsistencies - and this is the jacket's first "adventure" of sorts.

Saying all that, I feel your pain.

Nick

Hey nicktheguy, what good is an adventure, when you don't know what happened? ;-) Of course should you decide to keep the jacket "as is," you can invent a pretty good adventure and WOW everyone!

Well to answer some inquries!

No kids, single...so all you Indyfan ladies out there! (wink, wink) ;-)

Like I said, I hadn't worked on the car, snacked out to KFC and wrote anything while I was in this jacket, it has been hanging up ever since I bought it. I tried it on a couple of time but never, ever went out with it.

I smelled the spot and didn't smell anything different or unusual...

My father, who has worked with leather before, called me and said it might be some chemical that was spilled onto the leather but just didn't appear at the time of purchase. After several months, the chemical residue reacted with the leather to give it this stain...???

To tell you the truth, it does kinda give it some character but it would have been better on the sleeve or shoulder or somewhere else, not in the middle of the freakin' jacket. I could go around and say I was stuck in a temple of death under the sleep of the kali and the mark is a torch burn after this little asian kid stuck me with a torch....but...that might be a stretch

Yeah know, I wouldn't feel as bad as I do if I had made the mark through use. It would be somethin' cool but it was just sittin here. I have been scratching my brain trying to figure it out. Who knows though, Maybe Tony will just make me another jacket!

Anyway, here are some more pics. These are in natural light. It is kinda hard to photograph, its darken than it looks and definitely noticeable.


Well, still waiting for big Tony to lay it down on me but I am still curious about the situation concerning whiskeyman? Did Tony act unprofessional in some way?

Thanks guys for all the responses and suggestions! I luv the COW!!!!

PSBIndy wrote:
It will be interesting to see how Tony responds to this, given the jacket is a few months old and the stain wasn't there when it was shipped. (We all know what happened to Whiskeyman when he tried to return his jacket).

Did you not catch Whiskyman's last post on the subject? He ended up posting it in a different thread as the first was closed.

Maybe the jacket's haunted?

Have you had a dry cleaner who specializes in leather look at it ?? That or one that TN recommends ..

BTW, dryer with heat will not (in my experience) shrink a DRY leather jacket. A WET jacket, different story. I put all my leather jackets in the dryer with heat to soften them up and break them in, no ill effects thus far.

#### dude that *****.
Definitely looks like a chemical reaction and not an ink spill/grease stain.

What happened with whiskeyman?

blueoakleyz wrote:#### dude that *****.
Definitely looks like a chemical reaction and not an ink spill/grease stain.

What happened with whiskeyman?

yeah, thats what my dad thought it was...Well its Sunday so Tony should hit me back tomorrrow!!!

I think the Whiskeyman incident was mainly a misunderstanding... best forgotten.

PSBIndy wrote:Maybe the jacket's haunted?

or cursed...

bigrex wrote:

PSBIndy wrote:Maybe the jacket's haunted?

or cursed...

Could be the theme for the next Indy movie: "Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Nowak Jacket"

There you are, an example of the Michaelson school of natural distressing and you're unhappy. Some folks are never satisfied.


Just joking.

If you've ruled out every possibility that this is your fault then I say you're owed a new jacket from scratch.

Don't listen to the "it's not that bad," crowd. When you're shelling out that much money for a jacket you should receive nothing short of complete customer satisfaction. Everyone is too polite to say it (I think) but that really does look horrible. It doesn't add character, it adds flaws.

Sorry to be blunt, but I think you deserve complete compensation or a new jacket.

Yep, this jacket is ruined if you asked me. Big, ugly spot on the front panel of the new jacket does not add character to the jacket. I hope Tony can offer you a solution.

Cassidy to the rescue!

Don't listen to the "it's not that bad," crowd.

You've basically summed up more than half the board.

Of course if you bought it with a credit card, don't you have insurance?

Well I think the issue here would be trying to prove that it wasn't owner error that caused that spot.

Price is irrevelant. It is rare that any type of clothing comes with a warranty unless it is a defect. Still you have to prove its a defect. Custom made products rarely fall into that spot.

Ultimately, you should not purchase a piece a clothing at a price that you cannot afford to lose it or at least have some means of insurance against damage or loss.

yeah..well...I paid by check...still waiting for Big Tony's response. I sent him a detailed email with pics and such. Hopefully he can replace the panel....I am still scratching my head. I have looked around the room where it was haning, no markers or anything. My Wested jacket, which I hand right beside it, is fine..no marks or anything...Well, hopefully Tony will get back to me today!

agent5 wrote:Cassidy to the rescue!

Don't listen to the "it's not that bad," crowd.

You've basically summed up more than half the board.

Yes, why in fact it looks great, I think it adds needed character to your jacket. You should feel good about your spot and I bet it looks really great on you...etc., etc. (tongue and cheek parody). No offense intended

ReturningSon wrote: My Wested jacket, which I had right beside it, is fine..no marks or anything..

Maybe the Wested did it! ;-)

ReturningSon wrote: My Wested jacket, which I hand right beside it, is fine..no marks or anything...

You might be onto something here. The Wested did it.

So I've really got to learn how to do this faster.

On another note, am I thinking like Bink?

binkmeisterRick wrote:

ReturningSon wrote: My Wested jacket, which I had right beside it, is fine..no marks or anything..

Maybe the Wested did it! ;-)

So it's the Wested in the closet with the marker!