Club Obi Wan

I wanted to see if my Wested Raiders looks right.

http://upload.creamedgeezer.com/images/jacket1.jpg
http://upload.creamedgeezer.com/images/jacket2.jpg

How does the fit look? Did I do it right?

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to be sure it's perfect.

Thanks,
Jeff

I can take other pics, is there a certain way I should hold or stretch my arms to show the length?

http://upload.creamedgeezer.com/images/jacket3.jpg
http://upload.creamedgeezer.com/images/jacket4.jpg

I always kinda felt the sleeves could be longer, but I wasnt sure, since this is my first leather jacket.

Will extended wear help the fit?

That may be a problem, I got this last Christmas. Just started wearing it recently.

I just sent Wested an email, I hope it will be ok.

Still just as new as when it came out of the bag.

Thanks. I'll have to find some pictures to see what you mean. I really appreciate all of the help. In a worst case scenario, maybe I can sell this one on ebay and buy a new jacket. I hope it won't come to that though.

Yep, probably a little extra length needed in the arms. What kind of leather is it? That might also determine how much more length starts to get lost when the arms start to scrunch up.

Re: Peter, you will have to neotiate all of that, however, if you are who the jacket was sold to (ie: original owner) and it clearly hasn't been worn yet, you theoretically ought to get out of it by just paying for shipping, ie: shipping it there, and shipping it back.

How's she feel when zipped up? Enough room?

Yup, got it from peter. I'm pretty sure I got it in authentic brown lambskin. Feels like enough room to me when it is zipped. It's a beautiful jacket, but if I can get it altered, I will.

Gotcha. We'll wait with interest to see how you get on with Wested. Reading over its site, they are very big on reputation - even to the point where you can return a jacket for a full refund if you simply don't like it - so you should get by just fine.

I will be wearing this pretty much every day from now on (well, after I get it fixed, if possible) so I want it to be perfect

As is, it looks extremely sweet on ya. I wouldn't have noticed the sleeves if it hadn't been pointed out. I think it is mostly about how they feel on you, now, if it is worth having it altered. But, then again, I'm just a newb...

creamedgeezer wrote:I will be wearing this pretty much every day from now on (well, after I get it fixed, if possible) so I want it to be perfect

Given your passion for it, can I be as bold as to ask why it's taken so long for you to start wearing?

Well, It was a cold winter, so I wore a heavier jacket, and then we moved, so it was being stored until recently. But it was killing me knowing it was going unused, beleive me.

You're right - that would have been awful!

A little detail mentioned:

If youre going to buy a whole new jacket, tell peter to move the yoke-seam 1" above the sleeve seam, Wich is also screen accurate.

It didnt seem on the pics that the jacket came this way, neither on my own raiders, wonder why:?:

Regards
Fred

Your sleeves are too short for you. And as stated, as the jacket sleeves
start to get wrinkles in them from wearing the jacket, they will get even
shorter. Then it will not look good at all.

You need at least an extra inch added to your current length. You want
the sleeve to end below your wrist by about an inch or so, not above it.

Peter can let the sleeves out some, but you will have a line where
the old cuff was after doing this.

I don't know if Peter will take the jacket back for a full/free exchange
after a years time unless it is absolutely in perfect, never worn condition
and he can resell it as new to someone else. You have to see it from his
side of this. If he can't resell it, then he would have to eat the cost if
he gave you a new one.

Be prepared to either live with the sleeves with lines on them after they
are let out, or get a new jacket and sell the one you have on e-bay.

I know its not what you want to hear, but you have to be prepared for
both the good and the bad sides of the story just incase. This way, you
won't be dissapointed if he tells you you need a new one.

If you do have to get a new jacket, I would also recommend you get
an extra inch added to the front of the jacket to stop the ride up you
can see in the sideview picture you posted. This extra inch will help
keep the jacket staying much more level when you are wearing it, and
not riding up like you can see in your picture.

Flathead

The sleeves do look a tad on the short side - not much, but it might start to bug you once you have worn the jacket for a spell as the sleeves will likely shrten by a further half an inch or so due to wrinkling.

I very much doubt that Peter could accept the jacket back now - despite his great customer service, a year later is just too long.

The best advice is either sell it on Ebay and buy another, as suggested above, or take it to a local tailor to lengthen the sleeves for you. This will be very cheap and immediate - no shipping to the UK etc - but you will always have a faint line around the cuff where the old fold-over was. If you can live with this, go for it - after all this is an Indy jacket and after it has had a chance to distress a little the cuffs may just blend into the overall look.

Despite the sleeve length, it looks good on you - nice jacket.

And welcome (back) to COW BTW, post often!

It may be an option to have Peter just replace the sleeves with longer ones. It wouldn't be covered under warranty, you would just have to bite the bullet and pay to have it done. I am sure if it can be done, Peter would charge a reasonable amount.

Peter can definitely replace the sleeves on your jacket....that way you will only have to pay for the sleeves and shipping....not for an entirely new jacket. (just a suggestion). Thats what I did for my new Wested Dark Brown Goatskin when I added the 2-piece under-arm gussetts.

But, if you do decide to purchase a new jacket, and wanted to have a "screen-accurate" Raiders of the Lost Ark jacket, try to include the following: (these are the things that I had put into my "Raiders" style jacket)

1.) The back panel extended out to the arm-sleeves seam.
2.) The back panel seam raised 1'' inch higher than the arm-sleeve seam.
3.) And, include the 2-piece under-arm gussetts.
4.) Slider buckles

There are, I'm sure, other things that other gearheads could include to help ensure that you get an accurate "Raiders" jacket, the things I mentioned may help to get that area around your shoulder areas correct.....

Although, it is Last Crusade accurate to have the back panel extended out to the arm sleeve-seams, do NOT ask for the back seam to be raised 1'' inch higher than the arm-sleeve seam. And, made without any under-arm gussetts........Also, the Last Crusade jackets were made with the D-rings on the side-straps. These are just things to compare and contrast.........

It seams kinda confusing, but perhaps pick your jacket that you'd like to persue, and do your homework just on that particular jacket, study it and ask a lot of questions, lol.

I hope that some of this stuff helps, and just be sure to take as many accurate measurements as possible if you decide to purchase a new jacket.

Good luck and let us know how it turned out!
Kind Regards,
Captain D

I notice some of you blokes are telling this young guy that he flat-out can't try the change under warranty. Granted, it's an abnormal situation, however, given that the jacket is still brand new and he is the original buyer (things I sussed-out early in the thread), I honestly think it's worth a shot. Is the Wested warranty time limited? It came across to me as more of a 'gentlemen's agreement.' As such, you blokes honestly don't think there might be room to manoeuvre with the original buyer of a brand new jacket?

FLATHEAD wrote:...Peter can let the sleeves out some, but you will have a line where the old cuff was after doing this...

Would there be a line if he has not worn the jacket? If not, would letting the sleeve out be a less expensive alternative than new sleeves? I realize the leather's been folded at the cuff and there might be a line but I'd never seen a new sleeve let out.

I.J.

Would there be a line if he has not worn the jacket? If not, would letting the sleeve out be a less expensive alternative than new sleeves? I realize the leather's been folded at the cuff and there might be a line but I'd never seen a new sleeve let out.

Yes, there is going to be a line there even if the jacket is in new condition.

The reason is that the cuff of the sleeve has been folded over, and a
sharp crease has been made. This will crease the leather, and there will
always be a line/crease there no matter what you do.

Its like the creases any leather jacket will get in the sleeves and body
after you wear it awhile. Once they appear, they are there for the life
of the jacket.

On a new jacket, this line will be less noticable only because the leather
surface has not been worn away (think distressing) and the lighter color
of the underneath has not started to show thru yet.

But once the sleeve, or any part of a leather jacket has been creased,
the line is there for good.

Flathead

Thanks, Flathead! That's what I thought. I just needed some confirmation. Or, is that affirmation?

I.J.

What are your thoughts currently, creamedgeezer?

I'm thinking I need a new jacket. I was under the impression that these were screen accurate. Now that I see all the changes I need to make, I may just try selling this one.

Gotcha... well, you know, that also opens the door to different leathers, too. As you will have seen, horse is a new option (which I am rooting for, even though mine is still a few weeks away), and others seem very happy with their goats, as well. Lots of leathers... lots of options... You ought to be able to get a keen price for your Wested, given it's condition.

Indiana Irwin wrote:I notice some of you blokes are telling this young guy that he flat-out can't try the change under warranty. Granted, it's an abnormal situation, however, given that the jacket is still brand new and he is the original buyer (things I sussed-out early in the thread), I honestly think it's worth a shot. Is the Wested warranty time limited? It came across to me as more of a 'gentlemen's agreement.' As such, you blokes honestly don't think there might be room to manoeuvre with the original buyer of a brand new jacket?

I never said flat-out that Peter wouldn't change it - just that I do have my doubts as so much time has lapsed between purchasing the jacket and then realising there is a problem with the length of the sleeves.

I hope I'm wrong - and it's gotta be worth an email to Peter, for sure. If it truly is still brand new, never been worn then I guess there is a chance.

The other alternatives such as taking it to a tailor, having Peter put on new sleeves are only worth considering IF Peter decides he can't take it back.

Good luck with it creamedgeezer, let us know how you got on with Peter!

A little off topic, but what leather should I get? What is closest to the one used in the film?

Authentic Brown Lambskin is screen accurate. However, the jacket we see on screen was artificially distressed - check out the many previous threads on COW for more info on this.

Think of the climate you've moved to, creamedgeezer, and determine the leather based on that versus how hard you think you'll be on the jacket. Lambskin might suit your climate, but if you're going to put a hole in it, then that's no good to you. Conversely, don't go for cow or goat because you're scared of jacket damage if these are going to be incompatible with your new climate.

All I'm trying to say is, unless you're looking for some kind of prop to hang on the wall and point to, I wouldn't be too attracted to what was used onscreen. I mean, you just have to ask yourself - are we supposed to believe that Indy is really wearing a beautifully soft lambskin as he drags behind that truck in Raiders? No... the reality of the era would dictate that Indy's jacket was probably horse (and I'd much rather a horse jacket than a lambskin if I was being dragged behind a truck!). It's fine for Ford, who had 15 other jackets... but if you've only got one, go for the right one for you.

The choice is yours, but don't get too caught up in screen accuracy unless it is extremely, extremely important to you.

I collect prop replicas, so screen accuracy is very important to me, but this is something that will get a lot of wear.

My current climate isn't anything exotic. Just New Jersey.

Well, if it's screen accuracy you want, go lamb for sure.

I heard back from Gerry. It will cost about $37 + shipping to change the sleeves, but it may be a problem matching the leather colors. What should I do?

creamedgeezer wrote:I heard back from Gerry. It will cost about $37 + shipping to change the sleeves, but it may be a problem matching the leather colors. What should I do?

Is that $37 or 37 pounds??? Make sure, because thats a considerable difference.
I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my jacket, because the sleeves seem to be a little too short for me.

BTW, is that the helicopter blade savvy zombie, from Dawn of the Dead in your avatar???

Oops, i did mean 30 pounds, so about $55 I beleive. And yes, that is the helicopter zombie I think I may buy a brand new jacket (which I will specify that I want as screen accurate as possible this time).

Mst3k?

Yup, I built Tom and Crow

http://upload.creamedgeezer.com/images/ ... o-crow.jpg

Indiana Irwin wrote:I notice some of you blokes are telling this young guy that he flat-out can't try the change under warranty. Granted, it's an abnormal situation, however, given that the jacket is still brand new and he is the original buyer (things I sussed-out early in the thread), I honestly think it's worth a shot. Is the Wested warranty time limited? It came across to me as more of a 'gentlemen's agreement.' As such, you blokes honestly don't think there might be room to manoeuvre with the original buyer of a brand new jacket?

I think Peter will repalce or repair free of charge a jacket that has not been worn. The pics of that jacket has creases on the sleeves and has been worn. I don't think he will do this for free. It is always worth a shot, though. If you think a jacket does not fit properly, you should have adjustments made before wearing it.

I heard back from Gerry. It will cost about $37 + shipping to change the sleeves, but it may be a problem matching the leather colors. What should I do?

That's good to know. I too might send mine back to have the sleeves on my old jacket replaced. I also want to get my nickel zip replaced with brass to match my lambskin(so I can make the seamless transition from a fall/Spring jacket to a winter jacket without much notice).

Ok, I've deciided to try to sell this one. Too many changes/alterations/etc to try and fix it. I would really appreciate it if someone could give me the full rundown on what I should ask wested to do for the closest thing to a screen accurate appearance when I order the new one.

Thanks again!
-Jeff

I think I may buy a brand new jacket (which I will specify that I want as screen accurate as possible this time).

Creamed, if you are planning to sell your current jacket you could always try the classifieds here on the forum.

Cool, should I put it on ebay then post the auction link there? Or just name a price, or what? What should I ask for the jacket? I don't want to charge full price, and I don't want to lose too much on it.

You can do it either way. If you're wanting a sale faster than an ebay auction, the classified section here is the best route to go. I'll not put a price on another person's item, but Wested's seem to sell pretty quickly at or just below the $200 mark. Personally, I'd recommend an authentic goatskin to you rather than lambskin since you live in New Jersey. The lambskin is a VERY nice material, but you'll probably not be wearing it much once the weather turns sour on you in wintertime. The authentic goatskin is the exact same color as the screen accurate lambskin, but it's tough as nails, so you're getting the best of both worlds....screen accurate in appearance, and tough as it's supposed to be. I'll leave the other details to be discussed by other folks. Make sure you follow Flatheads advice on the extra inch on your sleeves for the infamous 'rideup' that all leather jackets 'enjoy'. Regards. Michaelson

Thanks, I'll do that then I'll need to measure it (I forgot the measurments I ordered) How do I measure the lengths, from end to seam?

Thanks again for all the help, this is by far the most helpful community I have ever been a part of.

Are you asking about measurements on your new one, or the one you already have? Regards. Michaelson

The one I already have, so I can list it for sale with all the correct specs.

List the stated size inside the jacket and type leather it is....measure the sleeve length from the shoulder seam (where it attaches to the jacket body) to the end of the cuff....measure from shoulder seam across the back to the other shoulder seam...then measure from the base of the collar seam to the bottom of the back of the jacket. State if it has inside pockets..how many, and if they have installed zippers. List any other tid bit that may be of interest (movie style, lining type,type hardware (antique brass zipper? D rings or rectangular side strap rings?) etc) and you're good to go. If anyone has any specific questions, they can PM you. regards. Michaelson

Ok, I put it in the classifieds with a full description and more pics.

Thanks again everyone!

Michaelson wrote:

Personally, I'd recommend an authentic goatskin to you rather than lambskin since you live in New Jersey. The lambskin is a VERY nice material, but you'll probably not be wearing it much once the weather turns sour on you in wintertime. The authentic goatskin is the exact same color as the screen accurate lambskin, but it's tough as nails, so you're getting the best of both worlds....screen accurate in appearance, and tough as it's supposed to be

What he said.

You must make your own mind up of course about which leather to choose, which optional extras to go for and so on - for my part, I've owned an authentic lambskin, a dark brown cowhide and currently wear an authentic brown goatskin. I have to agree with Michaelson that it is the best of both worlds, it looks screen authentic yet it is tough and durable, more water resistant than the lamb and warmer too. Of the three Wested jackets I have purchased, I am happiest by far with the goatskin...but that's just my opinion.

I'd advise you to check out as many old threads in the 'Jacket' section as you can for the scoop on screen accurate details and other tweaks which are available for you to request on your new jacket, like gussets for instance.

Let us know how you get on with it all!

I'm scared to make my own mind up about leather. Is the goat as flexible as the lamb, or doesn't that matter?