Juanito
Well-Known Member
"That boy," my grandmother would often say when she say someone doing something particulary dumb, "doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain."
Well, that would be me last week. While wearing my Eastman Roughwear 1401-P made from War Horse, I got caught in an East Coast style downpour (I live in Oregon). To make a long story short, the jacket (and I) got literally sopping wet--soaked clear through.
Now, I had this same experience about 25 years ago with another Eastman horsehide A-2. While my t-shirt was turned orange by with the lining or the leather leaching into it, it dried out and was no worse for the wear. If anything it may have given it a tad more character.
Not this time though with the War Horse jacket; I hung the jacket to dry turning it inside and right side out a few times expecting the same things, but no...The jacket shrunk in length about an inch in length, has the wavy zipper syndrome (I can live with that and it still fits), and there are areas that look like suede. The main issue is that aside from an area that covers the left shoulder blade, the jacket is literally as stiff and seemingly dry as cardboard.
So, what to do? Wear it and see if it softens up? Used Pecard's? Use Vaseline? Do some other thing I haven't though of? The stiffness doesn't bother me, lord knows I have owned a lit of stiff jackets, it is the seeming dryness that is concerning.
Any suggestions or similar experiences?
Well, that would be me last week. While wearing my Eastman Roughwear 1401-P made from War Horse, I got caught in an East Coast style downpour (I live in Oregon). To make a long story short, the jacket (and I) got literally sopping wet--soaked clear through.
Now, I had this same experience about 25 years ago with another Eastman horsehide A-2. While my t-shirt was turned orange by with the lining or the leather leaching into it, it dried out and was no worse for the wear. If anything it may have given it a tad more character.
Not this time though with the War Horse jacket; I hung the jacket to dry turning it inside and right side out a few times expecting the same things, but no...The jacket shrunk in length about an inch in length, has the wavy zipper syndrome (I can live with that and it still fits), and there are areas that look like suede. The main issue is that aside from an area that covers the left shoulder blade, the jacket is literally as stiff and seemingly dry as cardboard.
So, what to do? Wear it and see if it softens up? Used Pecard's? Use Vaseline? Do some other thing I haven't though of? The stiffness doesn't bother me, lord knows I have owned a lit of stiff jackets, it is the seeming dryness that is concerning.
Any suggestions or similar experiences?