Club Obi Wan

Hey gang,
I got a Wested Legacy Raiders jacket about a week ago, and the pocket flaps are already coming apart. I didn’t take a pic of the damage (stitched it back together right away) it I noticed the inside of the pocket flap isn’t turned over and stitched, it’s just cut, and fairly crudely. I have a $100 eBay jacket, and even that one has the interior folded. And I aged that one super aggressively and had no problems with it coming apart.
Anyone who owns a Wested jacket, are all the pocket flaps constructed this way?
I’m just curious if this is the standard practice when they make jackets.
Thanks!

NorthernRaider

The Legacy jackets are meant to be exact (or very close) copies of the jackets made for the films - that is, they were made quickly for use as a movie costume, and without a lot of the frills you would get with an off the rack jacket. They are different from Wested's standard offerings which are built more like fashion jackets. Their standard off the rack jackets do curl the leather as you describe.

I’ve got an off the rack Wested ROTL from about maybe 4 or 5 years ago and my flaps were put together the same way you, the original poster described. The bottom layer isn’t curled under. It’s just cut. I’m wearing it now. If I were home, I’d look at all of my other Westeds, going back to about 2008.

Interesting, so far two different responses. I wonder if this is something they changed at some point. Hopefully more people chime in to satisfy my curiosity

NR

Well, I just looked at all of mine that I kept. None of them have that inner layer curling under. They are just cut off. Even my ROLA (off-the-rack) in washed goat from 2008 is the same. So is my LC/CS custom from 2011, and my hero from 2013. The ROLA was actually made under the Wested name in another country. I bought it on my first trip to the barn in ‘08. The washed goat was really nice.

Very interesting!

My 2001 Wested has it folded under - this jacket is so old and was made by Peter himself so it probably is not even relevant to the conversation other than to mention how Peter made them.

My circa 2008 Standard TOD Wested has either a fold or maybe the edge has been beveled and blackened (not left raw).

My LC Hero from a few years ago has a raw leather edge that is not even dyed.

My 2023 Raiders hero has a raw leather edge much like the one pictured .

Interesting. Well, I’m wondering if it causes the surface of the flap to appear differently if the bottom layer is rolled into the seem. And to the original poster, I see the pic you posted and think, ‘that’s nice looking leather.’ And by the time I bought my first jacket, Peter told me that all he was doing was cutting the leather. He said the other employees did the sewing. So, maybe there’s something to that. Maybe that’s where the difference comes in. Or, maybe it’s just a time saving technique. The second time I went to the barn was during the time Peter was coming up with the hero pattern. He showed me the prototype and told me about how he was having a problem with the collar. He said something like it was driving him crazy. The funny thing is, when I got my newest ROTL, which is of their newer design that I really do love, the collar was doing the same thing! I laughed and wear it with pride.

I must check when I get home, but I am fairly sure all my Westeds are the same as yours: the inside layer of the flap is simply cut flush to the flap outside, which is bent though.

My 2021 Legacy Raiders have the same pocket flaps as yours. Bottom layer is stitched and cut off even with the upper layer, about 1-2 mm from the stitch. Nothing is coming apart after 3 years.

Thanks for chiming in everyone!
Unlucky for me on the stitching I guess. Either way it was a quick fix. The jacket is pretty awesome otherwise, the leather is indeed super nice.
When I’m done weathering it I’ll make a post with some more pics.
Cheers!

NorthernRaider