FIVE STAR

[B-Man2]

Now .... who was it who said that we only like military jackets here ? I liked everyone of those jackets that Proper showed us and there was only one a military one in the bunch . I’m guessing there are others here who feel that way as well . Not trying to stir up shit . Just sayin

 

[MrProper]

I just noticed that there are two general Fivestar threads.
This one and https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/fivestar-leather-different-jackets.24623/

@Moderators: maybe it would make sense to merge these two?

 

[Bombing IP]

Mr Proper you sure have a nice lot of jackets ,were these your designs .Or modified five star to suit you ? .Every one of them looks bespoke custom made for you got to say they all look great .

BIP

 

[MrProper]

Mr Proper you sure have a nice lot of jackets ,were these your designs .Or modified five star to suit you ? .Every one of them looks bespoke custom made for you got to say they all look great .

BIP

Thank you for the compliment.
The jackets are all made according to my measurements and ideas. The basis was always a photo of a jacket on which I marked my details and what I wanted to change (pockets, seams, collar, ...)

 

[MrProper]

Even it is no repro jacket, I don't want to withhold from you the new Shearling from 5*. I think it's a further development of the previous version.

 

[busdrivermike]

Even it is no repro jacket, I don't want to withhold from you the new Shearling from 5*. I think it's a further development of the previous version.
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Oh yeah , I’ve been thinking about a vest for days like now when it’s around 0c to -5c a good denim jacket
Or good carhartt hoodie
What’s the thickness of the shearling?

 

[MrProper]

Oh yeah , I’ve been thinking about a vest for days like now when it’s around 0c to -5c a good denim jacket
Or good carhartt hoodie
What’s the thickness of the shearling?

It's the thicker version, which according to Shawn has 20 mm. Really nice.

 

[fleet16b]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

 

[Bombing IP]

My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

I am not so sure of that ,I had some top tier jackets there all gone now .I prefer picking jackets that fit and have character ,I currently own 5 A2 types . I have had 2 Good Wear was not crazy about them ,some of the Eastman's had horrible leather .Had 2 Buzz Ricksons same there leather wasn't much cop .Also had 2 Lost Worlds great jackets but they will never break in built like tanks. I see some Five Star Leather Jackets especially the Dubow"s of late better than all the top tier jackets I owned .Do I miss the jackets I had from the top tier makers not at all . I like the ones I have now and do not see any need to spend $1500 on one jacket. When you can have five Five Stars ,my friend its not a waste of money and there are a lot of people on the forum that would agree and that opinion is growing every day .
To buy 5 Good Wear jackets you would have to wait 10 years ,Five Star takes your money and you will have them in 3 weeks ,and have someone reply to your emails as a bonus and have 5 of them for the cost of one GW .

May be 15 years ago comparing a Avirex or a Cooper to the top tiers you would have a point

Waste of Money what do you guys on the forum think ?

BIP out

 

[ausreenactor]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

There are plenty of threads and posts praising the pattern revisions and the hides. LOTS of repeat customers here and in Facebook.

 

[ausreenactor]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

The Dubow has landed!

A stock M(42) with longer sleeves and a tightly attached waistband fits me much better than my Doniger & Werber and the shoulders are much less square & boxy. I guess making a reproduction pattern directly from an original makes all the difference in the world.

The fit & appearance of the goatskin should only get better as the jacket breaks in, softens and is worn over time.

@Shawn Ali & Five Star have delivered a really nice looking jacket. I'm really going to enjoy this one!

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[JimO]

I notice lots of talk about 5Star but I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly

Although I can certainly afford it, I am not the person to spend $500+ on a jacket, as well as wait any longer than a few weeks to receive it. I can appreciate the differences in the more expensive jackets and understand the mentality of those who buy them, but they're just not for me. My personal values & priorities lie elsewhere and I choose to indulge in other things.

From my experience & viewpoint, Five Star offers good value- a nice product for the price that I am willing to pay, along with an incredibly fast delivery time. So far, I have bought 3 jackets from @Shawn Ali. All have been made to my custom specifications with excellent quality materials, workmanship & customer service, for a very reasonable price and were delivered to my door (from halfway around the world) within a week.

After a month or so after receiving them, I posted the first & second, a Doninger & Werber up for sale due to not liking the way the square shoulders in these patterns fit me. They didn't sell, so I'll either keep them or give them to friends. Today, I received my 3rd Five Star jacket, a Dubow. Most likely due to Shawn developing his pattern from an original, the fit & appearance are EXACTLY what I had hoped for and I am quite happy with it.

Like many other things in life, it's all about finding what makes YOU happy & the right tool for YOUR job, NOT anybody else's. Just like a stock Glock or custom Briley are for different clienteles, Five Star, Eastman & Goodwear have different customers. There's some jacket that's just right for everyone as well as plenty of business for all of the manufacturers. The fun & adventure of this hobby is in the chase and eventually finding YOUR perfect match.

 

[ausreenactor]

This just went up on the Fivestar Facebook page. For a few hundred dollars....this is a LOT of jacket!

 

[busdrivermike]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

I suppose that’s one way to go about it but from watching what Shawn has been doing recently with the dubow which is a stunning
Jacket and with his b3 jackets and his ability to improve fit finish and quality is getting better and better
Then add in the ability to customize a jacket, sizing like for females like @Natalie, the type and color of leather , thread, liner
These are things the makers you listed probably are not gonna do for you. That’s something to consider also
While the makers you listed are obviously good not everyone fits their sizing or wants perfect cookie cutter historical accuracy some might Want a black horsehide dubow with heavier zip and interior pocket for the cell phone when riding a motorcycle.
Your probably not gonna get that from the makers you listed.
Fivestar has its growing pains but Shawn is learning from both the constructive and nasty criticism and improving
It’s way to early in the game to write fivestar off in the quality game I’m sure the makers you listed also had growing pains and I remember
Talk about Eastman knits a while back that should not have been associated with it’s asking price.
I do think the old adage can be true but like a lot of things it can change and reverse, I remember early Honda cars compared to
American cars then I see them now.
that’s my 12:30am addled two cents , I gotta go to bed peace out

 

[MrProper]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

Normally I would agree with you, but unfortunately I can't in the case of 5* ;-)
I still have all of my (now 6) jackets and still like to wear them. Premium goat and shearling is great and so is the workmanship. For some details such as Buckles are certainly of higher quality, but this is also feasible if you explicitly want it. The big advantage is that I can have my own designs made in my individual measurements.
The only catch I currently see is that the selection of leather types is limited. But that too will change over time.
The only thing I'm not entirely satisfied with is a vest made from what is called capeskin. That's too thin for me and dont feel like leather (but is leather). I would not recommend that.

 

[MrProper]

Comparison of V1 (10 mm) and V2 (20 mm new version)

 

[Tomtomgo]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

I got a five star A2 for Christmas the most important bit is to check measurements before ordering...I usually go for xl but after measuring only needed a large mine was a goatskin version....at first you think too small the leather is stiff but the arms are breaking in lovely the leather is great I was surprised at the price how good a replica of a A2 it is

 

[foster]

Its the old adage go for a cheap price you run the risk of getting a cheap product ‍‍♂
I notice lots of talk about 5Star and I also see a lot of people not happy with the jackets once received
Also seen to be a lot of 5Star jackets coming up for sale rather quickly
Have a never seen one in person so I can’t vouch for the quality of the jackets but this seems to be a pattern/history attached to them
Many of us have gone through experience of starting out cheap ,being unhappy with the jacket and wanting better
I also went that route over the years but in the end I’m wearing ELC and Goodwear jackets
My advice don’t waste your money on the cheap jackets just save a little longer and buy the good quality one
It’s the right decision and in the end you’ll be much happier

I think part of the reason for this, is because Five Star is now the most active jacket maker on this forum. The only recent posts and comments from jacket makers here tend to be from Shawn, or from Ken at Aero. ELC, Good Wear, Diamond, Kelso, Platon, and others aren't posting here anymore.

I will say that I have had some of the same observations regarding the sale listings for 5-Shar. But it is probably just normal since this forum is the place where much discussion about the jackets from them is taking place.

I would like to think there is a place for every range of customer within this niche industry. Some do not want to pay the money and wait the time for GW, some do not want to pay the higher prices asked by ELC. Some want a reasonable A-2 made quickly at a low price. I won't tell other people how they should spend their money or on what jacket, but if anyone asks I am glad to share my opinions based on my own purchase history and which makers I have been satisfied or dissatisfied with. All I ask is that others here not scold me for whom I have chosen to pay my own money to for a jacket.

 

[JimO]

All I ask is that others here not scold me for whom I have chosen to pay my own money to for a jacket.

You work hard for your money.

It's nobody's business but your own how you spend it, or who you spend it with.

 

[fleet16b]

I think part of the reason for this, is because Five Star is now the most active jacket maker on this forum. The only recent posts and comments from jacket makers here tend to be from Shawn, or from Ken at Aero. ELC, Good Wear, Diamond, Kelso, Platon, and others aren't posting here anymore.

I will say that I have had some of the same observations regarding the sale listings for 5-Shar. But it is probably just normal since this forum is the place where much discussion about the jackets from them is taking place.

I would like to think there is a place for every range of customer within this niche industry. Some do not want to pay the money and wait the time for GW, some do not want to pay the higher prices asked by ELC. Some want a reasonable A-2 made quickly at a low price. I won't tell other people how they should spend their money or on what jacket, but if anyone asks I am glad to share my opinions based on my own purchase history and which makers I have been satisfied or dissatisfied with. All I ask is that others here not scold me for whom I have chosen to pay my own money to for a jacket.

To be clear guys my comments were not meant to scold anyone for what jacket they choose to buy.
Just wanted to share my buying experience from over the years.
To each their own