Distressing Todd's Standard

[generalFROSTY]

OK, so I hit a 'snag'.
I started using a fine-grit sandpaper to weather my Todd's standard - lightly buffed off the shine, highlighted the seams, added random marks/scratches to the back, chest and arms...
But all the sanded down areas are a light gray color and not the lighter brown as we see in the movies. Perhaps it is just how Todd's jackets are made, but can anyone suggest how to get that lighter brown when weathering this jacket?

[Holt]

my 2 cents is this. when aging a jacket naturally it takes on a different look. the grey distressed undertones will turn more lighter grey with a hint of brown after it is hit with the elements of the world. rain. snow. wind. sun. especialy sun.

my recommendation is to not ditress it and just give it some fullers earth. that does alot for the raiders look.

just enjoy your jacket. I know I am.

[IndianaBogart]

From my experience, it will probably stay grey underneath. I'm no expert on the jacket, but I've had my Todd's standard for over a year and a half and it's only aged naturally and the scuff and wear marks are still gray underneath. And it's been soaked in rain and snow and in the sun numerous times.

Just my two cents.

-Bogart

P.S. - I'm with Holt; just wear it and let it age naturally. It should break in pretty quick.

[generalFROSTY]

Thanks for the input.
I already hit the jacket with the light-grit sandpaper. Buffed down the shine, highlighted the seams, added some great looking random scratches and marks especially on the back and arms. The Fullers Earth adheres better to the areas that have been sanded, like the seams. I agree - some FE really makes the jacket 'pop'.
I really enjoy the look and the feel is amazing - I find myself wearing it around the house, I love it!
I'm sure it will only get better with age, like a good wine. I am pretty much done weathering by hand and I will see how it looks in the long haul naturally.
Pictures coming soon - I promise!

[RaidersBash]

'.
I really enjoy the look and the feel is amazing - I find myself wearing it around the house, I love it!
I

yeah...i do that with mine too. but i'm a big nerd so i don't know what your excuse is

[generalFROSTY]

'.
I really enjoy the look and the feel is amazing - I find myself wearing it around the house, I love it!
I

yeah...i do that with mine too. but i'm a big nerd so i don't know what your excuse is

Well I bet I'm an even bigger nerd than you! Just a few days ago I showed up to work wearing my Indy hat, my X-Men jacket and wearing my D.Tracy watch....yeah...I'm a fanboy alright!

[IndianaBogart]

Yeah, the light weight of the jacket is a big plus in my opinion. I wear it all the time in the house or while sitting in my dorm room. In fact, I'm wearing it right now.

-Bogart

[generalFROSTY]

Now I will have to start wearing mine at my computer...now that I know it's OK.

[TenuredProfessor]

Frosty...
I think it's time we see some pics of your Todd's jacket. I'm about to order one to compliment my Wested washed goat. It will be my warm weather stunt jacket. C'mon...you can do it!! I intend to distress mine as well..Thanks!

[generalFROSTY]

Soon...
We got dumped with so much snow, it looks like Hoth outside! I swear I saw an Imperial Walker come down my street earlier today....or it could have just been my medication...not sure.
I think I will be able to best illustrate how my jacket looks in natural lighting. I tried taking some shots of it indoors with the flash and it really does not do the jacket justice.
The Wested washed goat was actually my first choice to get, but with a ton of support and recommendations for Todd's standard - and an ebay auction - I found myself buying a Todd's and absolutely loving it. Can't imagine ever really needing to upgrade to another, more expensive version but who knows...

[alphared6]

;0

[Indiana Croft]

Actually if I'm not mistaken, Todds tanning process will alow for your jacket to distress naturaly much quicker than say a leather jacket from Wested. Something in the process.
Todd you out there, confirm or deny.

My Todds custom hasn't been touched by human hands and has distressed nicely.
Just my 5 cents. (inflation ya know)
Croft

[generalFROSTY]

I'm defenately going for a more 'been through an adventure or two' look with my jacket. If at some point I decide I want a less distressed jacket, I will simply buy another, but here is what I have come up with. It actually looks better in person - the lighting conditions were not that great, even outisde where it was TOO bright.
Just a note - this is my younger brother wearing the jacket in these photos, so it does not fit him right. The sleeves are the right length on me, but look too short on him. These were taken just to illustrate how I have made the jacket look.
Distressing the seams:





And this one shows how the jacket looks with a generouse application of Fullers Earth brushed over the seams:

[TheExit148]

OK, maybe I missed something here that you have wrote Frosty, but the jacket in the pictures seems different then a regular Todd's Standard. Did you add the snap at the bottom, and change out the slider on the straps for D rings?

The jacket definitely looks distressed no question about that, especially the back! Looks like you were dragged on your back Personally for me though, I prefer to distress the jacket naturally, but I understand the effect that you are going for, and it looks good for what your doing.

[generalFROSTY]

Yeah, I mentioned that in another thread. I bought this slightly used on Ebay. The original owner had added the snap and D rings, but ended up not liking the fit. I got it for only $100. It was in like-new condition when I bought it. From what the seller had told me, it was worn for less than a month.
I kinda like the snap (which I know is not SA to Raiders, but I'm happy it's there).

[TheExit148]

Ahh I see right on. Well if you ever do decide to change out the D-rings, I'm sure Todd would be able to send you some (maybe, maybe not) but it would be worth a shot.

[generalFROSTY]

So were the D-Rings used only on later versions of the jacket and not the original Radiers?
I actually really like the D-Rings a lot, there really is no need to switch them out. Odds are, I may end up buying another Todd's standard down the road to have a non-distressed version - but you never know, I could go with a Wested.
For my gear, I am going for an overall Raiders look, but with NO specific scene in mind - I say "overall Raiders look" because my gear is inspired by my own idealized vision of the gear, with elements taken from several of the movies combined.
For example, I LOVE the Raiders pinch, but dislike how the 'turn' looks on my head, so I chose to do a hybrid with the Raiders pinch, no turn, Last Crusade style cowboy curl.
The boots were mainly inspired by how they look in Crystal Skull and the leap of faith scene in LC. My jacket is an 'idealized weathered' version, not specifically based on any particular scene or movie - but I am going for the Raiders look and feel (which is easy to do with one of Todd's jackets!). The weathering would be something you would see on the jacket after being dragged under the truck or something. I have seen it less beat up and more beat up, so I went for a 'happy medium' for my tastes.
I dusted my fedora based on how it looked in the opening scene of CS, with a smidgen of SOC thrown in there (it's like cooking really. Adding all the ingredients to make a new, exciting - yet playful little dish).
I hope you guys like the way my gear looks as much as I do. Being a member here has been such a profound inspiration and I am very pleased that the hobby allows for such broad range of variations in gear.

[IndianaBogart]

FROSTY, it sounds like we need to see some pics of your full gear....

-Bogart

[TenuredProfessor]

I'm totally there with you Frosty. I myself prefer to mix and match when it comes to gear. I'm in love with the Raiders pinch, but prefer the lighter web belts from the last two installments. Outside of Gearheads like ourselves, almost everyone noticing your gear will think "Indiana Jones" despite the Turn in your hat while carrying a Webley. Just an opinion from a fellow mixer of movie styles. I'm sure I'm not alone on this...

David

[generalFROSTY]

FROSTY, it sounds like we need to see some pics of your full gear....

-Bogart

I'm waiting on a new bag strap from Wade. And my hometown is looking too much like Hoth to get some pictures done that I will be happy with. I'm not one for taking those 'standing in the kitchen' photographs. I like my pictures to have an appropirate background, unless I am simply illustrating something like in the distressed pics above.
But here is a pic from my last photoshoot pre-snowmageddon (just picture me wearing my Todd's Jacket):

[Holt]

you want my honest opinion? stick a fork in it it is DONE. I think it is alittle over the top. but thats just me...it may just be the flash. I would pecard the jacket to blend out the distressed areas alittle.

tell me, what color do you see in the distressed areas? greyish right? this is in direct sunlight.



and yes the sleeves look way to short on you in that picture.

some orginal jackets came with D rings but were later replaced since the straps kept on slipping

now lets see some real pictures.

[generalFROSTY]

Like I said, that is my brother wearing the jacket in those pics. His arms are longer than mine. The sleeves come down to just below my wrists when i wear it.
Those pics were also taken after some Fullers Earth was brushed onto all the sanded seams. I have since blending most of that off and it looks just right now.
It's tricky photographing the jacket because the flash really makes the jacket look more distressed than what it looks like in person - and it was really bright out when I took it outside for additional pics so it washed out the pictures.
I had been planning on picking up some Pecards anyway, but wanted to know if that is something that can be bought in a store and not just online? Walmart? PetSmart (in the horsecare isle?).
The front of my jacket does not look too different from the pic you have added there, but in any case, I like the distressed look I gave it - but you're right, a little conditioning to blend it all in is in order.
YES! I know I need some real pics!! Once I get my new strap from Wade I will go out on another photo shoot.
Some more pics here - indoors, no flash, most of the FE wiped off:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/ ... C_0450.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/ ... C_0449.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/ ... C_0448.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/ ... C_0447.jpg

[Holt]

oh. I must have overlooked the part with your bro.

in those new pictures the distressing looks different. way better then the other pics. I would just get som pecards and do a light whipe to not loose everything of the distress.

the greyish distressing looks good IMO. pretty Raiders.

[generalFROSTY]

Until I am able to buy some Pecards, will some olive oil do the trick?
Also, will Pecards darken and/or add shine to the jacket? I'm not looking to add any shine to it as I had buffed off the shine it came with and am happy with the look.
Yeah, the lighting conditions were better for those new pics. There is just enough fullers earth resting in the cracks where the threads are to keep my happy.
I'm really looking forward to getting some full gear pics done, but as I said before - I'm not one for taking photos in less-than-impressive backgrounds so I want to wait until the snow clears up a bit.

[Holt]

yes. pecards will darken the ditressed areas abit but it will wear out again. the shine pecards give goes away in a few days.

no matter what you do you have to condition the leather after a few years of use. if you dont the leaher dries out and you dont want that to happen. I recommend to condition it once a year.

[generalFROSTY]

So basicially one the pecards has fully soaked in the leather and then 'dires' out, the jacket returns to a flat finish?
I'm going to try using a little olive oil first and see what that does. But really, the distressed areas look really good in person so I won't need much at all. I'm glad those new pictures illustrate what I have done better.

[Kt Templar]

I really wouldn't use olive oil it will stain and may go rancid in time.

[Indiana Croft]

Unless you use EVOO, thats what Rachel Ray use on all her leather gear.............just kiddin.
Jacket looks much better w/the new lighting. Would love to see you wearing it, even if not in full gear.

Croft

[IndianaBogart]

Thanks for the pic FROSTY. And, like everyone else, I think the second set of pictures of your jacket looks great. Good job on the distressing. It almost makes me want to artificially distress mine....

-Bogart

[generalFROSTY]

I appreciate the feedback. I'm itching to take pics just as much as you are to see them!