Club Obi Wan

Hey guys,

So, today I finally got this piece of art from Peter: my new Wested Raiders in soft goatskin.
I needed a new one after what happened to my Wested lambskin (see this topic: http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=50199" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).
So, Peter offered me a new one. Thank you Peter for this beauty.

I asked for the following specs:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark model, 80's slim cut
- size 44
- Dark brown in soft goatskin
- Rectangular sliders with X-box stitching
- Yoke and arm seams not lined up
- Backpanel lined up with the yoke
- Larger sized cargo pockets
- ONE PIECE (small) underarm gussets
- Slit inside pocket
- Snap button to the bottom of storm flap (hidden)
- Standard Raiders LONG collar going HALFWAY the zipper and the storm flap
- Cotton liner to the body, and satin to sleeves (the liner at the sleeve holes not close to the edge, not covering all the inside leather)
- Reinforcing of stitch endings like armpits, vents, yoke, pockets, shoulders

It seems all the specs I wanted were followed . I also asked for "inside leather facings" but the jacket came without them. At the end I liked it without the facings. The linen is very tight near the zipper, I don't think I will have the zipper snagging with the linen.
According to Peter, he used a dark brown leather only in a bit lighter shade, sicne the other darker shade was unavailable. Honestly I wonder how darker shade is the other skin because mine jacket is already dark, IMO. Comparing to my other jacket it's a bit darker .
Also, my impression is that this goatskin jacket is a bit heavier than the lambskin one, nothing too much, but i noticed a slight difference. The jacket is still very stiff, but I guess will break in overtime after a good cold shower and some wear.
Here are the pics:





Will sleep wearing the jacket tonight
regards

Teko

Now look after this one!!!

That is a very nice jacket, tekors. Better watch out for those 'hard core' jacket fanatics in Egypt! I heard that they take their reviews VERY seriously!

No, goatskin is usually stiff and plasticy feeling in the beginning, but with use and an application or two of picard, you will be very happy with it, I suspect? It just takes longer to break these goatskin jackets in. There is a reason why goats go into thorn bushes and escape unscathed, as their skin is resilient to it, unlike ours. Really nice took to it, and the proportions, pockets etc. are great for that specific size. Looks like a cross between a LC and Raiders. Enjoy!

Nice! You'll be glad to have a more robust leather like that next time someone tries to perforate your epidermis. Stay safe!

Weston

Absolutely gorgeous jacket, Tekors! Awesome work, Wested!

The jacket looks great on you and I'm sure it'll loosen up in no time.

Now if you want it distressed, just send it to me and I'll sandpaper it for you.

Thanks guys

I guess this one I will take good care of...
Texan, I know goatskin is more resilient yes... the jacket is soft indeed, so can't wait to have it more broken.

Indiana Dymond wrote:Now look after this one!!!

Lol

Canyon wrote:Absolutely gorgeous jacket, Tekors! Awesome work, Wested!

The jacket looks great on you and I'm sure it'll loosen up in no time.

Now if you want it distressed, just send it to me and I'll sandpaper it for you.

Canyon,

Thanks mate. Uh, I guess I will first go to Libya for a very good distressing session. I might be going tomorrow or the next few days..

cheers

You're welcome. Mate, eh? Well, I'm pretty sure you're not Austrailian (that's a friendly term for them).

I'm actually a lady.


...although some would argue to the contrary...

Canyon wrote:You're welcome. Mate, eh? Well, I'm pretty sure you're not Austrailian (that's a friendly term for them).

I'm actually a lady.


...although some would argue to the contrary...

Oh, sorry... didn't know

No, I am brazilian... but speak more of a british english.

tekors, that's a great looking new jacket! I think you'll really like the goatskin; I've had my Expo goatskin for only a year and a half, and it feels like a second skin. This new one should offer even more protection (although I wouldn't recommend testing it in Libya the way you did in Egypt).

Best wishes,
NS

Thanks Nebraska,

I am sure it will break in soon.
I notice also the collar is indeed a long one halfway between the zipper and stormflap... Another curious detail is the two stitches under the collar, part of the inside "hanger" leather. My other jacket doesn't have it.

Would you mind measuring armpit to armpit?
I've read that this jacket has gussets. I had problem with my last jacket from Wested, I also ordered jacket with gussets and it came a bit oversized (there was 6 inches of room in 80's cut jacket)
So I'm wondering if Wested changed it.

Great jacket you have there Tekors!!! I love the leather texture....

Ian

Very nice! I hear you can break them in nicely sitting on a comfy chair on the beach in the South Pacific ... I'm thinking you could afford to put your feet up and pull your hat down over your eyes for a bit. All the best.

tomek9210 wrote:Would you mind measuring armpit to armpit?
I've read that this jacket has gussets. I had problem with my last jacket from Wested, I also ordered jacket with gussets and it came a bit oversized (there was 6 inches of room in 80's cut jacket)
So I'm wondering if Wested changed it.

Will do tomek9210, as soon as i get something to measure the jacket. I don't have anything in hand here.

Tundrarider...
Thanks for the message... I was thinking to bury the jacket in a hole in the middle of Sahara in Libya... good distressing, don't you think?
Ian, thanks dude... I loved the texture too.
Tibor, hum, that's a great idea... south pacific islands

Guys, I am an advocate of natural distressing, but as I did with my other wested, I will distress it slightly as a start:
1. washing in cold water, and eventually wearing it a bit pulling the sleeves up for wrinkles effect.
2. sleeping with the jacket (that's nice),
3. will use a fine sandpaper and rub very carefully in some small areas like the bottom edge of the backpanel and frpnt bottom, edge of sleeves and collar. I will not sandpaper the shoulders or arms. But this will be really slightly.

Awesome jacket! I have the excact same soft goatskin but only a few years older and very broken in. Dont baby it. It can take it.

Indiana Holt wrote:Awesome jacket! I have the excact same soft goatskin but only a few years older and very broken in. Dont baby it. It can take it.

Thanks Holt, I loved the construction and the goatskin... so tough, it's for the real business out there in the field.
I just gave it a good wash in a slight warm water... tomorrow morning I will go for a second wash and then will wear it a bit, then a night sleep with the beauty...

Thanks Holt and Michaelson for all the tips you guys gave me prior to the purchase of this garment...

Apologies, teko, for getting here a bit late... but I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus:
Congratulations on a GREAT looking jacket that I hope will last you a good long time...
May you always wear it in good health, my friend!


...and BRAVO to Peter for the fine (and FAST) work!

I am later than Mitch.

Man Tekors, that is one sweet jacket!!!!

I am sure that one will take all that Lybia has to offer. That does sound like something Indy would do; you just need to be going after some artifact and then get caught up in some civil war or something.


Be safe, Tek, be very, very safe.

Can't wait to see what it looks like once its been broken in a bit. NICE jacket!!

Travis

Mitch LaRue wrote:Apologies, teko, for getting here a bit late... but I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus:
Congratulations on a GREAT looking jacket that I hope will last you a good long time...
May you always wear it in good health, my friend!


...and BRAVO to Peter for the fine (and FAST) work!

Mitch, you never late my friend...
Your comments are always appreciated anytime

whipcracker wrote:I am later than Mitch.

Man Tekors, that is one sweet jacket!!!!

I am sure that one will take all that Lybia has to offer. That does sound like something Indy would do; you just need to be going after some artifact and then get caught up in some civil war or something.


Be safe, Tek, be very, very safe.

Whipcracker
thanks my friend... I intend to give the jacket some adventure very soon... natural distressing
cheers


Travis
Yeah, me too... so different form lambskin, really tough.

I sent Peter an email yesterday thanking him for the work.
He replied back today and explained to me why he didn't put inside facings.

"Hi Tariq,
Thank you, I did not put in the inner leather facing, instead we topsticthed the inside lining to hold it in place and set the zip back a little.
Cheers
peter"

And today in the morning I gave the jacket a second hot water wash...

Great looking jacket!

Good ending to a wild story! Looks like Peter took care of you real quick! You wear it well.

Thanks Smith and Whipdude...

I washed the jacket 3 times in hot water, and i wore it in between and pulled the sleeves up... they developed a good amount of wrinkles. Now I hope it will conform to my body soon and improve the slim shape.

cheers

But raiders was not a slim fit. It was baggy. Temple of doom was slim. They way it looks on you now is pretty raiders.

Man, that jacket looks GREAT! My Wested goat, after nearly 10 years of almost daily wear doing all kinds of stuff still hardly looked broken in. It's one amazing hide, and perfect probably for the stuff you do!

Nice job Peter on the details!

edit: Mine was regular goat and not the soft goat like yours and probably the reason yours looks a hundred times better!

Indiana Holt wrote:But raiders was not a slim fit. It was baggy. Temple of doom was slim. They way it looks on you now is pretty raiders.

Holt,
You're right. I actually meant if compared to my other wested only, slimmer than the other.
Yes, ToD is clearly slimmer than the ohters. BUt I wouldn't say Raiders is baggy. I mean, I had baggy leather jackets and the cut is completely different. IMO Raiders is just a straight cut just not as slim as the ToD jacket.

Another interesting thing is that since I was used to the lightweight lambskin, now I feel the goat as heavy. And I know the goatskin jacket is still lightweight but the lambskin is just so light. Now I realise the how much light it is.

Raidersbash,

Thanks dude
Let's say the jacket is better broken now than when I got it.
cheers

Great jacket, tekors It looks like a perfect fit on you.

I'm slightly surprised at how the goatskin of your jacket looks pretty much exactly like the dark brown thick lambskin of my new jacket: http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=50383 -- color and texture. I'm sure it certainly feels a bit heavier, though.

Very nice. Hang on to that one!

HabuSake,

I agree
They indeed resemble each other. I've seen your topic before, your jacket is fantastic, great colour

cheers

Holt and others,

one technical question: once the jacket is wet... it has to stay in a hanger or ley flatten on a surface while drying?


Or doesn't really matter?

regards
teko

Most folks recommend you wear it until it dries.

Once again, I recommend you just wearing the thing as is and let nature take it's natural course. You're going to eventually get caught out in the rain. It's your jacket, but I don't like or recommend that method myself.

Regards! Michaelson

Thanks Michaelson for the insight..


The reason I am asking that I am a little troubled by a details. I found the "side panels" , under the armpits a bit oversized, kinda bulky...
I don't know if with time the jacket conform and shrink on this area.

Beautiful jacket tekors! The collar looks great.
I would lay the jacket flat while drying and turn it around after some hours. Otherwise you would get impressions of the hanger. Of course wearing it while it dries would be even better.
I´m sure this one will serve you even better than your last one.

Thanks Tremolo,

I was wearing the jacket wet today... Incredible how the leather is breaking in... feels softer now, yet you also feel how really strong is the goatskin.
The jacket is still wet though... and I am off to Cairo and then Libya tomorrow morning for a 10 day adventure/work/crazyness in the Lybian desert (here we go again )... and I am taking both jackets with me: goat and lambskin.

regards
teko

Are you going to layer them for added protection?

Stay safe my friend!

binkmeisterRick wrote:Are you going to layer them for added protection?

hummm... Bink, you gave a brilliant idea

Holt,

thanks my friend...

tekors wrote:Thanks Michaelson for the insight..


The reason I am asking that I am a little troubled by a details. I found the "side panels" , under the armpits a bit oversized, kinda bulky...
I don't know if with time the jacket conform and shrink on this area.

So I guess you have the same problem like me. Now, when I'm ready to order my new jacket, I will specify exactly how many inches of room do I want to have.

You can talk to Peter about this, maybe he can take a little in.

tomek9210 wrote:

tekors wrote:Thanks Michaelson for the insight..


The reason I am asking that I am a little troubled by a details. I found the "side panels" , under the armpits a bit oversized, kinda bulky...
I don't know if with time the jacket conform and shrink on this area.

So I guess you have the same problem like me. Now, when I'm ready to order my new jacket, I will specify exactly how many inches of room do I want to have.

You can talk to Peter about this, maybe he can take a little in.

Yes, TomeK9210...
Didn't measure it yet as you asked, sorry for that. But I sent Peter an email with the picture... he didn't reply yet.
But, it seems that the side panels did not shrunk too much.

hmmm yeah the two jackets certainly appear to be different sizes even though they are the same... size. I wonder if they started out the same? The goat does look great on you, though, IMO.

Looks like you'll be using ol' trusty for a bit. BE SAFE!

send it to me. I'll take it!!

HabuSake,

The jacket is great, the skin, the details, not complaining at all. Only that needs some adjustments

Holt...
nice try..

hi tekors,

It's your jacket and you deserve the fit that you want, but take a look at the Raiders jacket on the main page, second photo, with Ford double handed his whip. The original was slightly an off the shoulder jacket, but then again, you may not like the fit. If it is still wet, I'd be inclined to throw it in the dryer using the hot setting for say, 15-20 minutes? This would cause it to shrink slightly and also the sleeves might shrink to just the right length? Looks good on you, though. your call.

On the other hand, some jackets that I have been impressed with looked like a cross between a motorcycle jacket and an A-2, but that is a personal preference thing. This is an alternate style. Not entirely accurate to the movie; but I like the way your jacket is breaking in in these photos, all things considered. Enjoy!