Eastman B6 Roughwear

[CryptoDave]

Does anyone have any experience with this jacket? Specifically, does it stretch or loosen up at all the more you wear it?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[Peter Graham]

The B-6 is my favourite jacket but none of the repro makers seem to have nailed it. John at Good Wear threatened to make one but sad to say it has not happened.

 

[Roughwear]

Having never owned a repro B-6 I'm wondering what exactly repro makers have not replicated accurately.

 

[saunders]

Does anyone have any experience with this jacket? Specifically, does it stretch or loosen up at all the more you wear it?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

All leather (includes sheepskin) will stretch a bit from continued use and conform to your body better than when it was new from the box, but don't expect it to change size in some measurable way. I once owned an original B-6 and it was quite a slim cut, which it seems ELC has duplicated from what I've heard (people seem to go up a size from their actual chest measure).

Saunders

 

[Peter Graham]

Having never owned a repro B-6 I'm wondering what exactly repro makers have not replicated accurately.

As you know, the B-6 Roughwear is a fantasy jacket and on the standard ELC B-6 the fleece is too white and the epaulettes etc look to have far too much of a colour contrast to the rest of the jacket. As for the Japanese offerings they just look too 'bling'. Period photos show that original jackets did not have that high gloss finish. After a decades wear they might look better of course. The prototype B-6 that John made looked spot on apart from the fleece being too white. He said that would be remedied on production jackets. Maybe it will happen yet.

 

[saunders]

Having never owned a repro B-6 I'm wondering what exactly repro makers have not replicated accurately.

As you know, the B-6 Roughwear is a fantasy jacket and on the standard ELC B-6 the fleece is too white and the epaulettes etc look to have far too much of a colour contrast to the rest of the jacket. As for the Japanese offerings they just look too 'bling'. Period photos show that original jackets did not have that high gloss finish. After a decades wear they might look better of course. The prototype B-6 that John made looked spot on apart from the fleece being too white. He said that would be remedied on production jackets. Maybe it will happen yet.

I've not seen the ELC B-6 in person, but their B-3 sheepskin wool coloring (which I've seen in person) seems perfectly compatible with some of the original wool colors we encounter (I guess ELC uses the same sheepskin for B-3 and B-6 jackets but in differing wool depths). The web pics of the ELC B-6 show varying wool colors depending on the lighting and the wool does appear too bright in some, but I'd bet the lights are responsible for this. I think some aren't familiar with seeing the wool so bright and new, which isn't common on vintage pieces due to use and age, but I have a vintage B-6 helmet that is so amazingly NOS it looks fake. Having said that, I personally would prefer the wool to be a little less bright and a bit more dull or dirty blonde, but surely I can't see anyone rightfully accusing ELC of having "whitish" wool.

Saunders

 

[Peter Graham]

Maybe you're right. I've never seen an ELC B-6 in person either but surely they want to create the most authentic impression on their website and the jacket just doesn't look right. The .50 Cal version has better looking fleece but I'm not keen on the pre-aged look.

 

[Roughwear]

Thanks for the clarification Peter. From the authoritative way you dismissed this B-6 I was under the impression you had owned the ELC RW. It is well known that RW did not make B-6 jackets under this 1941 contract. Only Aero and Poughkeepsie were awarded B-6 contracts in the War.

 

[Peter Graham]

From the authoritative way you dismissed this B-6 I was under the impression you had owned the ELC RW.

No, but I've owned an original redskin B-6 and judging by the photographs ELC'S jacket doesn't cut it.

 

[Roughwear]

I too have owned an original Aero B-6 and the fleece used by ELC does not compare. I have had a good look at their B-6 jackets at Duxford and was not impressed.

 

[chamboid]

In ELC defense I was 'lucky' enough to pick up a brand new old pattern B-6 red skin for £200. And though the only original I have seen was in pretty bad shape, I think the jacket shapes up ok.
The quality of the shearling is quite nice, and it's the right length, feels tough. But then again I did pick it up for 500 quid less than the asking price. And it is old stock. Who makes better though?

Don't know why they chose Roughwear as the 'original maker'?

 

[Marv]

Don't know why they chose Roughwear as the 'original maker'?

Because ELC own the Roughwear name/brand, if I am correct.

 

[chamboid]

But it seems so does Buzz Rickson, GW and BK. I wonder what 'special relationship' Buzz Rickson and Eastman have some times, offering the same jackets etc.

 

[Jeff M]

But it seems so does Buzz Rickson, GW and BK. I wonder what 'special relationship' Buzz Rickson and Eastman have some times, offering the same jackets etc.

As I understand it...and I may be wrong....as part of the arrangement whereby Eastman is the "European Buzz Rickson" dealer, BR agreed not to show BR products that "compete" with products Eastman offers on the BR European web site.

Not sure how this works outside of Europe. It looks like the USA BR site offers the same products from both Eastman and BR....ie, both Eastman and BR A2's are shown on their site.

 

[Peter Graham]

In ELC defense I was 'lucky' enough to pick up a brand new old pattern B-6 red skin for £200.

How did you manage that ?

 

[chamboid]

Found it in a shop. Was lucky, I actually paid £230 I think. No more though. I tend to be quite lucky because I'm small. It's a size 34. I picked up a buzz rickson Roughwear B-15 around the same time for $250 and again in a 34. There's not much competition.

 

[Peter Graham]

Found it in a shop. Was lucky, I actually paid £230 I think. No more though. I tend to be quite lucky because I'm small. It's a size 34. I picked up a buzz rickson Roughwear B-15 around the same time for $250 and again in a 34. There's not much competition.

Lucky man. I thought I was small. 38 jackets normally fit me, or 36 in B-15's. As you say, not much competition for 34's but they must be as rare as 46's.

 

[chamboid]

They are, buzz rickson only sells them in Japan, and Eastman have stopped making them now. Aero still does I think. But tats by the by. Having looked at some newer Eastmans the sheepskin looks a little to soft and 'perfect' for my liking on the B-6. I'll post some pictures of mine when I get the chance.