Then this jacket popped up on eBay. It was an XL and the measurements were listed, but I didn’t pay any attention to them. What really appealed to me was that the jacket was already beat to heck and showed some very nice (and severe) natural distressing. Best of all, it had the reddish undertones I like so much. I got it for just over $100, including shipping. I’m at least the third owner, which is an aspect of this hobby that surprises and amuses me: Unused gear doesn’t just languish in a closet; a lot of it gets passed around.
When the jacket arrived I knew I’d scored a(nother) great deal. The lambskin was supple, if a little dry, and the stitching appeared to be in great shape. The body and arm length were perfect and it draped nicely. The only downside was that it looked and felt a little too big on me through the chest. (The previous owner sold it for that very reason.) Emboldened by tales of Nowak owners who soaked and machine-dried their brand-new jackets (http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=53399" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), I put my bargain Wested through a hot-water cycle in my top-loading agitator. I was shocked at how brown the water got, and how quickly. I put it through a low dryer cycle and assessed the progress. Further emboldened, I put it through another hot water wash/rinse and then tumble-dried it on high heat. I was very pleased with the results. The jacket not only fit much better, but it looked great, and the grain was popping like crazy. I gave it a thorough soaking with Lexol and was rewarded in spades. At first I was a little sad to lose all that great distressing, but after a couple of days the distressed areas lightened up.
Unfortunately, the jacket was still too big under the arms, which I’ve read is typical of Wested, and the lining hadn’t shrunk (cotton body, satin sleeves) so it was billowing and poking out the cuffs. And although I like the overall roominess and freedom of movement, I don’t like that the jacket looks so thick, as if it has a quilted lining. Todd’s jackets are much sleeker and less bulky. Also, the cuffs had come unglued, which wasn’t a big deal but still annoyed me whenever I put it on.
Now that I had the fit as close as I’d be able to get it by myself, I made a mental list of things I wanted to change or fix: Replace the D-rings with tri-glide adjusters; have the sleeve lining taken in and the cuffs re-glued; and add elastic inside the back to help keep the action pleats closed.
I ordered tri-glide adjusters online—a pair in black and a pair in chrome. When they arrived, I found that they were smaller side-to-side than the ones that Todd uses. I was anxious to get started on the alterations so I let it go. (No one will notice but my fellow Gearheads.) I tried to antique the chrome adjusters over my gas stove, but managed only to partially melt one of them.
I took the jacket to my local cobbler/leather shop, told them what I wanted, and asked about having it tailored as well (taking it in on the sides to remove the underarm bulk). For the cost of the additional tailoring, though, I’d be better off just buying a new jacket from Wested. I picked up the jacket the following week. Somehow there was a miscommunication between the cobbler and me, or a misunderstanding on my part, as he didn’t put in the elastic. Next time I’m getting everything in writing. (To open it up again would cost another 30 bucks. I contemplated just putting in the elastic myself—it’s not as if I need to keep the lining pristine, right?—but as well as we’re getting along, I know this relationship is only temporary, and I’m not sure it would be worth the effort.)
I’m not really a fan of cowhide Indy jackets or LC jackets, but I was amazed at how Obenauf’s leather oil had improved lantzn’s Nowak (http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53408" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), so I ordered a bottle to try on a non-Indy leather jacket I’d bought. I was immediately smitten. I like the way Obenauf’s works and I love the way it smells—in fact, it has replaced Hoppe’s No. 9 as my daily cologne. Of course I had to try it on my Wested.
I don’t know about you, but I like a dark Raiders jacket. Maybe because of the distressing, my perception was that this was the lightest jacket I own, colorwise, but when I put them all together I found that it was, in fact, the darkest, even pre-Obenauf’s. I was OK with the color before, but now? Now it’s a deep, powerful, abiding love—with a heady aroma to boot. (Looking at the "before" pictures it appears the jacket lost some color in the wash, but it's among the darkest I have.)
“One...two...you have five jackets?” —The Wife, who owns countless pairs of shoes
The Wested is currently my go-to jacket. It has a lot of character and it ages the way I want an Indy jacket to age. I was underwhelmed by my US Wings (accuracy-wise, that is; the quality is tops) and didn’t think I could do much better than Todd’s in terms of cost-to-accuracy, and I wasn’t sure whether to believe the hype surrounding Wested, but now I’m fully convinced. As much as I like it, though, it’s way too big under the arms and will end up being a stepping stone to a better-fitting Wested. (Hey, _—you need a Wested?)
Next step: sell off some jackets. I’m not sure whether I’ll keep my beloved Bantu Wind. My next jacket will be a new Todd’s Standard, and a Wested Hero after that.
Looking toward the future...and the One True Jacket.
