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DIY Hartmann Jacket, first try

Kermit3D

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
I remember that Bombing IP had a project to build a cyclist jacket, with the help of Fivestar.
I can't find the thread he started before he left the forum.
 
R

Rory Schultz

Well-Known Member
Johnnie Espresso said:
Hi everybody,
i am a complete sucker for french cyclist- / Hartmann jackets, but haven't been able to score an original that fits me.
The repros available don't quite cut it for me, since they all seem off in either material or cut, so i was always reluctant to get one of these.
On this forum, i got to know pilot, who, in my eyes, produces the best repros available, but, although totally justified through quality and look,
his beautiful jackets are a bit out of my price range. This is why i decided to take matters into my own hands, to one day be able to own a jacket
that fits me well and has all the details i favour.

I have little and only autodidactical sewing experience, so my first step was watching every youtube-tutorial that i could find to get an idea of what i was up to.

Since i've learned that failure is always more of an option than success when it comes to a task like that, i bought an old, weathered and discoloured leather skin
for only 50€ off ebay to start with. I don't even know what type of leather this is, but it's 1,2mm thick and most likely cow hide.

The zippers were also cheap, off-the-shelf ones, made by Prym.

After i measued myself and the Hartmanns i own, i constructed the pattern and made "stencils" out of cardboard:

View attachment 79208

now, it was time to cut out all pieces needed:

View attachment 79209

after that, it was time to put everything together. The first thing i learned is that my old Pfaff 260 wasn't able to handle all these layers of leather, so i got myself a SINGER heavy duty, a rather cheap but powerful household sewing machine, which worked satisfactory but would come to its limits in the process as well.
I'll be saving some money to buy myself a Pfaff 145 or a Juki 563, which i've heard are fine for working with leather. If there is anybody here who works with a machine like that, i'd be glad to hear about your experiences with it and i'm also happy about any other recommendation for a good and affordable industrial sewing machine!

Here are some more pics from the sewing process: (the zippers and pocket construction made me swear a lot, but now i have a basic idea of how it's done :D )

View attachment 79211


View attachment 79212

View attachment 79213


View attachment 79214


View attachment 79215


The nicest and most recognizable part is of course the characteristic buckle, which i luckily had left over after buying two a couple of years ago, since i had the opportunity and needed one to replace the cheap knock-off on a repro jacket i got:


View attachment 79216


And here is the final outcome. It is BY FAR not perfect, there's uneven stitches, wonky parts and sewing mistakes all over, but i am very happy with the outcome because i wasn't sure whether i could pull it off or not:


View attachment 79217


I hope you can enjoy this little experiment, and thanks a bundle to this forum for educating me about the topic. Special thanks go out to fellow Hartmann enthusiast Kermit3D for encouraging me to write this thread and especially to Pilot, whose creations were a huge inspiration and will be my benchmark in further endeavours.
Click to expand...

It look awesome, you did a great job but I would have used actual period zippers. They are available on Etsy. I own some myself. But you did a great job!!
 
Johnnie Espresso

Johnnie Espresso

Well-Known Member
measure 1 (1).jpg
measure 1 (2).jpg
measure 1 (3).jpg
measure 1 (4).jpg
 
Kermit3D

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot Johnnie Espresso.
If I had to make a custom cyclist jacket, these are the exact dimensions I would need.

In comparison here are the dimensions of my original jacket (which is a bit tight and the sleeves are too short):

Shoulder to shoulder : 44 cm
Pit to pit : 51 cm
Sleeve length (from the seam to the top of the sleeve) : 60 cm
length of the back (from the seam of the collar to the bottom of the back) : 53 cm
 
Johnnie Espresso

Johnnie Espresso

Well-Known Member
Kermit3D said:
Thanks a lot Johnnie Espresso.
If I had to make a custom cyclist jacket, these are the exact dimensions I would need.

In comparison here are the dimensions of my original jacket (which is a bit tight and the sleeves are too short):

Shoulder to shoulder : 44 cm
Pit to pit : 51 cm
Sleeve length (from the seam to the top of the sleeve) : 60 cm
length of the back (from the seam of the collar to the bottom of the back) : 53 cm
Click to expand...
soooo....are you planning on having a go at making one yourself?
 
Kermit3D

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
Johnnie Espresso said:
soooo....are you planning on having a go at making one yourself?
Click to expand...

Oh no, I can barely sew on a button. It's probably something I'd like to do but it takes too long to learn and I don't have the equipment.
But I'm thinking about having a copy of my original cyclist jacket (with the right dimensions, slightly larger) made by a tailor or a jacket maker (I don't know who yet).
 
Johnnie Espresso

Johnnie Espresso

Well-Known Member
Kermit3D said:
Oh no, I can barely sew on a button. It's probably something I'd like to do but it takes too long to learn and I don't have the equipment.
But I'm thinking about having a copy of my original cyclist jacket (with the right dimensions, slightly larger) made by a tailor or a jacket maker (I don't know who yet).
Click to expand...
i see, now i understand what you meant with "nice compromise"...so you can wear that jacket and not wear out the original. Funny enough, i had the same idea a couple of months ago. i talked to a guy in Italy
whos company makes their own repro Hartmanns (minus the iconic buckle). He offered me to have one made to my specifications, and the price seemed really fair, iirc. I backed out of it because i decided to try it myself, though.
If you're interested, i'll find and give you his contact.
 
Kermit3D

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
Yes, we're pretty much in the same situation, except I don't have your tailoring skills.

Brice (Pilot) is the best person to make a custom Hartmann jacket. Very high quality jackets and a real expertise.
But I've already spent a lot lately and I won't be able to afford it.

I'm seriously thinking about Fivestar. He has proven that he is capable of making very good copies. Of course I won't send the jacket... it's a bit silly but I'm afraid it will get lost or something will happen in transit. But I can send a lot of pictures and precise measurements.
By providing the correct zippers and buckle I think I can get a nice jacket.

I would appreciate if you could give me the contact of the tailor you are talking about.
 
Oliver

Oliver

Active Member
Hello Johnnie,

here:
www.vintageleatherjackets.org

making my own French Cycliste Jacket

Hello all, iam a new member and today i will swowing my bespoke cycliste jacket, made exatly in my own design and with nos materials (zippers pressbuttons). i hafe two original lw jackets to comparing. iam very tall 1.96cm an the jacket it made a bit longer as the originial (2-3cm) . Leather is...
www.vintageleatherjackets.org www.vintageleatherjackets.org
 
J

JonnyCrow

Well-Known Member
Very nice job Johnnie we see a few of those old 30's German cycle and motorcycle jackets here with the plaid linings, most are beat to hell, seen a couple of old Condor Legion jackets here in Madrid, but there's nothing like you've made yourself, satisfaction
 
Johnnie Espresso

Johnnie Espresso

Well-Known Member
Oliver said:
Hello Johnnie,

here:
www.vintageleatherjackets.org

making my own French Cycliste Jacket

Hello all, iam a new member and today i will swowing my bespoke cycliste jacket, made exatly in my own design and with nos materials (zippers pressbuttons). i hafe two original lw jackets to comparing. iam very tall 1.96cm an the jacket it made a bit longer as the originial (2-3cm) . Leather is...
www.vintageleatherjackets.org www.vintageleatherjackets.org
Click to expand...
wow...Oliver....i'm VERY impressed! those jackets look simply stunning, beautifully made! Are you a professional tailor? i am currently planning a second jacket in a slightly better leather, not some old leather couch cutout, like the first.
Your thread will be help and inspiration, and i am quite surprised i didn't come across it before.

Thank you!
 
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