Why do USN shearlings seem to fall apart ?

[Vcruiser]

Yeah a2jp, if the conversation ain't agreeable your way, then it's always c'est la vie. Everyone must just be spittin into the wind. My gawd, with all those years of experience digging through old sheep skins made wrong side out and decrepit cracking boxing gloves...how could anyone dare quibble with what ever you come up with.... :geek:

 

[a2jacketpatches]

You can say that again, you can say that again...

Anyway, sorry if anyone else got irritated by me offering opinion based on a wide spectrum of experience. I just get out of the house a lot and dabble in a lot of different things. I'm not just a keyboard commando looking for an argument so please don't think I'm discounting anyone's ideas. Just an East Coaster that may seem a little harsh to the overly sensitive. We joke in a man to man kind of way that not everyone is comfortable with.

So please, if anyone else thinks I'm trying to dominate this thread, feel free to come forward and I'll butt out.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Alligator handbags, heavily lacquered, dry rotted 99% of the time. Not Navy issue.

 

[Nickb123]

This topic could extend beyond Naval jackets. I have a 50s Windward which has a mouton collar that falls apart when you look at it.

In the areas where the fur has baldnened, it looks like this crusty, dried non-tanned leather. Whatever is under those collars and fur doesn't look too great.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Yes, it certainly could and certainly should. I mentioned a few examples but the list is endless for leather items turning to dust.

For those of us with an actual interest in military leather jackets, I'm afraid all we can do with these unfortunate examples is prop them up for display and hope they can take that. The last one I had was an M-445 that I picked up for ten bucks then gave away to J.C. for use as a pattern and salvage of the buckles etc.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Was talking with an old timer who's been in the leather goods business for many years, his take on this is that while some may perish before others, leather that's been sealed one side was affected by the solvents in the lacquer long ago. And I know it as fact while solvents escape from a material, they literally push whatever they can dilute out of the way.......natural oils. Thinking (not as fact but just another fun guess) that without or a reduction in natural oils left the leather susceptible to normal dry rot.

Now his isn't the word of God, but it at least supports some of my fun guess work.

 

[Peter Graham]

Yup, that all sounds legit and I think it's to do with the lacquer or coating designed to protect the jacket when new. Here's my observations regarding jackets, and not any other leather goods.
USN shearlings - very shiny thick lacquer - nearly all fall apart, even mint ones.
USAAF shearlings - less shiny, seemingly thinner lacquer - a good number of solid examples, even well worn ones.
RAF Irvins - nearly matt finish - no apparent lacquer - many solid examples. The rough ones are rough through abuse and wear. I'd bet a mint one would be as strong as a new ELC.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I've always believed it was exposure to salt water. Some I've handled had a fine salty bloom.

 

[Roughwear]

I've always believed it was exposure to salt water. Some I've handled had a fine salty bloom.

I can see this might be the case for naval shearling jackets, but what about B-3s which are often fragile? Coastal Command and FAA Irvins tend to stand up well and some would have been exposed to salt water.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Storage? It's all about wet and dry rot. Maybe some B3's etc. stood up to the test of time but if stored improperly nothing is gonna save it. A typical basement on Cape Cod would be very damp in the Spring through summer but dry out from September to the end of March. Damp to dry over many years will kill anything. Picking on the Cape was hit or miss and I'd always give things the inconspicuous stress test while looking at it before taking it away or walking away. As Peter said, the Navy jackets had a heavier lacquer, and that alone is prone to cracking. Think we'd be able to narrow it down with the storage history of 10 each of everything. My observations are from hundreds of basement, attic, shed, and climate controlled closet finds.

 

[Peter Graham]

I've always believed it was exposure to salt water. Some I've handled had a fine salty bloom.

Ken, that doesn't wash (pardon the pun). I've seen mint unissued USN shearlings burst at the seams. And when you think about it, how many Navy shearlings would have been exposed to salt water. The US Navy aviators operated off carriers in the Pacific and would not have worn shearlings or were shore based on anti submarine patrols in Liberators etc. They would have worn shearlings but would have had little contact with salt water.

 

[Roughwear]

I agree totally here Peter.