Club Obi Wan

I ordered a Raiders jacket from Tony back on July 13. I've been without an Indy jacket for over a year and really liked what I saw from Tony on the forum, so I decided to take the plunge. I went with the 747 cowhide as the shrunken lamb is still a bit too radical for me, and I picked number 47 because it is the number (and as a tip of the cap to my alma mater).

Tony was very receptive to my input throughout the ordering process. I think he must have been working on a movie order this summer, as it took a bit longer to get the jacket than I expected (and longer than some of his estimates), and he emailed me a few times late at night and on weekends. Given that it's a bespoke jacket made by a craftsman of some renown, however, I didn't really mind the wait (up to the point I got the FedEx tracking number, of course, which started me on an obsessive quest to hit the "refresh" button on the FedEx tracking page).

Tony is a great guy to buy a jacket from. In dealing with him it was clear that he was going to make me the jacket I wanted made. I found this level of deference from a vendor to be both refreshing and a bit scary. But I've bought a few custom and off-the-rack jackets over the years and was pretty sure about the measurements, so I gave Tony the ultimate specs last week and began the final wait.

Today that wait came to an end. My initial impression of the jacket is WOW. It just looks like a Raiders jacket right out of the box. I basically got the original movie specs, plus one inch in the length on the front (24") and two inches on the back (25"), along with an inch in the sleeves (26.5"). The fit is just about spot on. The sleeves are perhaps a touch long, but with some creasing I expect they'll settle in right where they should.

Details that I love: the handwarmers are incredibly functional -- bigger and tougher-feeling than Wested, much more practical than G&B (which basically consists of only the space between the leather patch for the pocket and the body of the jacket). The lining is comfortable, smooth, and robust. The inside pocket is deep, and per my request is where the TN label and 47/888 embroidery is located. (I like the clean look this gives the lining.) The zip is a nice, heavy-feeling 5 gauge YKK in nickel, with a left hand pull.

What to say about the leather? It's cool, almost like a cow-lamb hybrid. I've never seen anything quite like it. It has great graining, with subtle lighter highlights in the grain that stand out and then recede depending on the lighting. It's heavy and feels both tough and soft. It drapes very, very well and the sleeves are already developing some nice crinkles. It has some scuff marks, but they don't appear to be anything but cosmetic and in fact work with the overall impression of the jacket. The leather has a bit of a shine, but I expect that to tone down with some wear and breaking in.

The quality of the build is great. It's an extremely well-made jacket. At least one stitch line is less than laser straight, but it is on the interior and doesn't bother me at all. I actually kind of like it, as it's a reminder that the jacket is hand made. (I contrast this with the almost total precision of the G&B cut and stitching, which gave those jackets a bit of a "machine" like feel to me.)

Overall I am thrilled with the jacket so far. This is not a complete review, however, as I've learned from hard experience that you can't really give an honest assessment of a jacket until you've owned and worn it for a few months. You won't notice all the details right away, and the niggling little problems that eventually drive you nuts and convince you to get rid of it won't show up until the novelty of ownership has worn off. So I'll provide an actual "review" six months or so from now. But for the time being, I am in hog heaven. When I called Tony today to tell him how delighted I was with the jacket, he told me to wear the #### out of it. I intend to.

Pictures coming in the next few days when I have a few moments at home with a camera and some daylight.

EDIT: Here are some more shots in evening sunshine, with a couple of closeups with my Adventurebilt Deluxe:






Here are links to the indoor nighttime shots with flash:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... et/TN1.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... et/TN2.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... et/TN4.jpg

Congratulations. My thoughts on Tony and this experience are nearly identical to yours. My TN CS jacket should be here by weeks end. I can't wait. Again, congrats!

congrads cannot wait to see it enjoy.

Congrats. 47 is my buddy's hockey number too.

As someone who has finally saved up enough money and will be meeting with Tony next month, I'm pleased with the review. Though its made my thoughts of leather choice a bit more complicated.

So, by mid-October, the #612 (my b-day and Raiders release) Tony's been holding for me will be ordered, and I'll start the anxious waiting.

Oh, and you know I gotta say it…

;0

747 is one of the best leathers Tony offers. Great for a Raider's. You won't be dissapointed with this option.

Glad you love your jacket! I can't wait to see some pics!

Can't wait to see pics...

Would you say that areas that are scuffed or creased show through brown, red, or gray. In Raider's they look kinda brownish red.

And one other thing, does the leather feel on the dry side, or more like it would be a bit water resistant?

It looks awesome.

Tibor wrote:Can't wait to see pics...

Would you say that areas that are scuffed or creased show through brown, red, or gray. In Raider's they look kinda brownish red.

And one other thing, does the leather feel on the dry side, or more like it would be a bit water resistant?

It looks awesome.

The scuffed areas are a brownish-tan that is slightly lighter than the leather.

The leather does not have a heavy or shiny finish -- my guess is that it is aniline or semi-aniline dyed without a top coat (or only a very light one). It absorbs water fairly easily, but this is not a mark of bad leather; in fact, Tony told me to wear it in the rain to break it in. (But if you're looking for a leather jacket to wear in wet weather, I'd probably consider goatskin first -- there's a reason the Navy has specified goat for its flight jackets for decades.)

That's a beautiful jacket and that's 747 cowhide is a really, really beautiful hide.

Raider S wrote:747 is one of the best leathers Tony offers. Great for a Raider's. You won't be dissapointed with this option.

That's taken on an even more beautiful look. Great stuff RaiderS

Ooooh! Fine jacket!

Man, great looking jacket! Looks awesome. I gotta give Tony a call one of these days soon to get one of these sweet jackets! Just gotta get the funds and the GF approval Or is better to ask for forgiveness then permission...
That liner looks pretty cool too, is it that parachute material that some have gotten, or is it the cotton version he uses? Is the zip stop short of the collar stand like Chris Kings #81 jacket? Can't wait to see worn pictures of the fit.

TheExit148 wrote:That liner looks pretty cool too, is it that parachute material that some have gotten, or is it the cotton version he uses? Is the zip stop short of the collar stand like Chris Kings #81 jacket?

I don't know what the liner is made out of, except that it is not cotton. It's quite comfortable, though.

As for the zip stop, it is a bit short of the collar stand. (Even after belonging to this forum for 6+ years I can still be surprised at the details people pick up on from the original jackets!)

24 hours after receiving the jacket I am still in love with it. Some jackets just have "it" in capturing the look of Indy in Raiders. This jacket has it in spades.

TheExit148 wrote:Man, great looking jacket! Looks awesome. I gotta give Tony a call one of these days soon to get one of these sweet jackets! Just gotta get the funds and the GF approval Or is better to ask for forgiveness then permission...
That liner looks pretty cool too, is it that parachute material that some have gotten, or is it the cotton version he uses? Is the zip stop short of the collar stand like Chris Kings #81 jacket? Can't wait to see worn pictures of the fit.

depends if your going to marry her, when she is a wife that saying doesn't always work. learned that one the hard way.

Dog, I don't want to rag on your photo skills but you got to get some natural light shots to really show what that leather is like! Do that baby the justice it deserves!

That is just a beautiful leather. I love the grain!!

Raider S wrote:Dog, I don't want to rag on your photo skills but you got to get some natural light shots to really show what that leather is like! Do that baby the justice it deserves!

I know, I know... but it's not easy with a full time day job and various commitments in the evenings after work. I'll have some natural light shots by the weekend.

LOVE your jacket.
BEAUTIFUL!

now that's a nice leather. congrats
can you show worn pictures?

Congrats that Dog! i felt the same way about the water soakin up the jacket! i put a very thin layer of pecards.. even though tony said not to but its much better now..now more water soakin up !

The thing to keep in mind about these leathers of Tony's. He doesn't just go through a tannery's catalog and pick an existing leather. (other than the CS leather)
He develops the different leathers, colours and effects himself with the Tannery and this can be a long process. The ability of the leather to absorb and react to water is sometimes part of this process, and leaves further effects to the leather by design.

This brings me closer to placing the order!

See new pics in original post. I love this jacket.

love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it, love it, love it, love it..LOVE it

I NEED one of those

Indiana Holt wrote:love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it,love it, love it, love it, love it..LOVE it

I NEED one of those

time to order yourself one

yep. I am in contact with Tony. it will be around christmas, in that goatskin..


..... if not any obstacles come in the way... bills....

Tell the Bill-man he can wait, you have bigger fish to fry

Oh man Dog, that jacket looks mean! Love it!! I gotta call big Tony soon and get one of these Raiders jackets he makes, they are just so perfect! Looks awesome

That's The Jacket itself, man. Wow. You won't find a better one in your life. Congratulations!

At first I thought the shrunken lamb was it. Then the Holy Goat, but seeing some broken in 747...man.

My advice to anyone who really wants a Raiders jacket that looks and behaves like the one on screen? Get. A. Tony. Nowak.

Every time I put it on I am geeked at how much it looks like the jacket. Is it dead on 100% in every respect? No, nor could it (or any other jacket) be -- I'm not Harrison Ford, and I'm not on screen in an early '80s action film. But it captures the overall look, feel, and vibe of the Raiders jacket perfectly, without tweaking, without a laundry list of specs, and without any build or fit issues.

I am in serious like with this jacket.

Dog.......here's a BIG..........AMEN BROTHER !!!.........people really don't know what they're missing

Speaking for myself, you're preaching to the Choir here, fellas!

I'm SOLD on getting one of Tony's fine (and AMAZING) jackets... there's just the little matter of saving up the cash and placing an order and waiting for it to arrive.

But MAN...
I'm going crazy waiting for the time to come when I can even place the Order... I can't even imagine what I'm gonna be like once my order's been placed and I'm waiting...

(You guys'll have to "talk me through it" once my time comes...)

It is rough, Mitch. I just placed an order yesterday so I've got the wait in front of me.

Go ahead and order yours and we'll form a support group!

Yeah, I'm looking at these pics and I'm just thinking, "THIS is the only jacket I'll ever need to buy. For the rest of my life. For any reason.

And it's funny because I already have a TN CS, which makes me feel that I don't need another TN, but having one makes me FULLY understand what AMAZING jackets they are, which makes me know I must have a TN Raiders.

Why, Tony, WHY must you make such fine products?!?

DHW

cris, you ordered another TN?! Didn't you get a TN LC like just "yesterday?" Let me guess, you're trying to beat Han Jones for most TN jackets, right?

It must be nice having a bottom-less wallet. I'm still recovering from the $1K hole in my bank account left 6 months ago by the infamous Shrunken Lamb.



You know it's funny......when I look back at the posts from last year when the Nowak CS jacket was first announced, there was this huge uproar over the price...and an even bigger uproar when the TN Raiders was announced.......now, some guys are acquiring half a dozen TN's without giving it a second thought.....crazy world.

PSBIndy wrote:cris, you ordered another TN?! Didn't you get a TN LC like just "yesterday?" Let me guess, you're trying to beat Han Jones for most TN jackets, right?

It must be nice having a bottom-less wallet. I'm still recovering from the $1K hole in my bank account left 6 months ago by the infamous Shrunken Lamb.



You know it's funny......when I look back at the posts from last year when the Nowak CS jacket was first announced, there was this huge uproar over the price...and an even bigger uproar when the TN Raiders was announced.......now, some guys are acquiring half a dozen TN's without giving it a second thought.....crazy world.

I think people are just believers. They know now what a fine product Tony delivers.

DHW

They are believers alright.....believers w/deep pockets.

PSBIndy, this jacket was funded by my selling of some other jackets. I'm wanting to go for one jacket that I love from each movie.

And I certainly don't have deep pockets (I'm a high school history teacher for goodness sakes ), and now they're just filled with lint!

You've ordered the ToD jacket, right cris?

Can't wait to see that bad boy!

PSBIndy wrote:They are believers alright.....believers w/deep pockets.

This is how you talked before you announced you had a TN Raiders in SL. So when are you going to tell us about your TN ToD?

crismans wrote:PSBIndy, this jacket was funded by my selling of some other jackets. I'm wanting to go for one jacket that I love from each movie.

And I certainly don't have deep pockets (I'm a high school history teacher for goodness sakes ), and now they're just filled with lint!

Yeah, and I teach High School English. So, I'm with you about the lint-filled pockets. I have a Wested LC Goat and a Wested ROTLA Lambskin, plus a TN CS, a half dozen bullwhips, Aldens, HJ poet plus a Penman on the way, and all the rest of the acoutrements, etc.

I love all of this stuff, but I don't buy it because I can afford it. I can't. I'm just like all the rest of you: I want this stuff because I obsess over it. I'm sure if I had a LOT of money, I'd be spending it all on fancy cars, vacation homes and trips around the world. (Well, I did go to Europe this summer!)

My credit cards are hurting right now, but I know that I'm not going to be able to talk myself out of that TN Raiders. It's just way too beautiful.

DHW

PSBIndy wrote:You've ordered the ToD jacket, right cris?

Can't wait to see that bad boy!

No, I got a Indy I in the 747 cowhide. A ToD is in the future though.

Awesome jacket! But...



Out of curiousity, what is that material that the lettering is stitched on? It's not the lining, is it? Looks a bit... different.

Castor it's the inside of his pocket

Very nice jacket! I really like the look of this 747 stuff. It seems to drape very well.

YEP!

And, Thanks to this thread, I paid Tony TODAY for a 747 Raiders!

I asked if he could have it ready for me by Oct. 8th for an Indy thing I'm doing, and he said simply, "Absolutely!"

I love that man.

DarenHenryW

Wow, DarenHenryW! As if you haven't been smiling enough already, what with the arrival of your new bullwhips. Be careful, if the wind changes - you might end up looking like The Joker!

believe me, my smile fades when I study my credit card bill . . .



DHW

DarenHenryW wrote:believe me, my smile fades when I study my credit card bill . . .

I can relate to that. It's not often you read a happy ending on those pages.