How to measure the arm/ Sleeve length on A-2!!

[Good Wear Fan]

One of the problems with measuring any garment, is the "stretchiness" of the material. You can vary the measurement quite a bit, just by tugging it to its maximum limit. I think that variance is more of an issue, than the differences of measuring method 1. vs method 2.

How do you strech leather? Streching wool knits is a no no as it will lose it shape. Lether jackets are laid flat to do a proper measurement.

 

[RCSignals]

Method no.2 I think is the most common and most accurate. No.1 measuring along the curve would not make for an accurate length

I think measuring straight down the centre gives a short measurement. Here's the measuring instructions from my shirtmaker, and an illustration from eHow ...

• Shirt sleeves are measured from the centre back of the neck to the end of the cuff. If you are using one of our shirts, it will have a back yoke which has a seam in the back to give you the centre point of the back. If you don’t have that, you need to find the centre point and the best way to do that is to fold the shirt in half and mark the centre with a pin. Measure from the centre line or pin, along the top of shoulder, down the top edge of the sleeve to the end of the cuff and you will get your sleeve length.

as I said in a previous post, that is correct for shirts. One thing he's leaving out is the sleeve is often measured with the arm slightly bent for a shirt.

It's not the same however as the method in no.1 which is using the shoulder/sleeve attachment as a starting point.
measuring along the curves seam of the sleeve is going to give an 'off' measurement. It however should end up being slightly longer than actual because of the curve.

 

[Jaguar46]

How do you strech leather? Streching wool knits is a no no as it will lose it shape. Lether jackets are laid flat to do a proper measurement.

You pull on it. Try it. My Goodwear A2s have a "grain" which are little creases, and I can vary the pit to pit measurement by an inch, which equates to 2 inch circumferance, (from 22" to 23"), simply by pulling and stretching it, while it is laying flat. It, is after all, processed skin, i.e. horsehide, which stretched when it was on the horse. If you really want to see it stretch, wet it.

 

[RCSignals]

I agree leather can stretch, but measurements such as discussed her shouldn't be made while stretching the garment.

 

[RCSignals]

The measurements given here viewtopic.php?f=19&t=10265
illustrate what can be wrong with method one.

Method one, measuring along the curve of the sleeve gave a reading of 25.5".
In my own case a 25.5" sleeve would be fine, but shorter would not.
Method 2 gave a 24" sleeve length. In my own case again, this would be too short.
Reading between the lines of that thread, and this one, I would think the jacket was returned for too short sleeves, and 25.5" was not accurate?

 

[Good Wear Fan]

Reading between the lines of that thread, and this one, I would think the jacket was returned for too short sleeves, and 25.5" was not accurate?[/quote]
Correct: Seller uses method 1 and Buyer uses method 2

 

[RCSignals]

My deduction then, (and own experience) is that method 2 gives a more accurate guage of hanging sleeve length.
Method 1 gives an extra 1.5" that isn't realised when the jacket is worn.

But as I said earlier what is important when buying something you can't try on is to know just how the sleeves were measured.

 

[deeb7]

as I said in a previous post, that is correct for shirts.

A-2 jackets are shirts.

It's not the same however as the method in no.1 which is using the shoulder/sleeve attachment as a starting point.

No, the shirt measurement starts at the centre of the back, but as the tape then meets the shoulder before continuing on down, the result is the same. Ideally A-2s should be measured that way .... it would save us having to factor in shoulder width, and epaulet length.

 

[Roughwear]

My deduction then, (and own experience) is that method 2 gives a more accurate guage of hanging sleeve length.
Method 1 gives an extra 1.5" that isn't realised when the jacket is worn.

But as I said earlier what is important when buying something you can't try on is to know just how the sleeves were measured.

I agree with this 100% and it really does show the importance of checking the seller has used method no. 2 to measure the sleeve length, not no. 1 for those with curved arms! :lol:

 

[deeb7]

... not no. 1 for those with curved arms! :lol:

Looking at your avatar, I would have sworn that you, yourself had curved arms, Andrew.

 

[Roughwear]

... not no. 1 for those with curved arms! :lol:

Looking at your avatar, I would have sworn that you, yourself had curved arms, Andrew.

Really! :lol: :lol:

 

[Rutger]

as I said in a previous post, that is correct for shirts.

A-2 jackets are shirts.

It's not the same however as the method in no.1 which is using the shoulder/sleeve attachment as a starting point.

No, the shirt measurement starts at the centre of the back, but as the tape then meets the shoulder before continuing on down, the result is the same. Ideally A-2s should be measured that way .... it would save us having to factor in shoulder width, and epaulet length.

That's one thing that puzzles me.
If the shoulders have been measured (along the back, in a straight line, with jacket zipped up, from centerline of epaulet to centerline of epaulet) then why should one still measure the lenth of the epaulets?
The only thing I can imagine being measured indirectly is the width of the collar with a closed jacket (the width of your neck if you will, but you'd have to subtract twice the thickness of the leather).

I use method 1, assuming that everyone does so. The other one (not including the curve, but rather straighten the measuring tape) would be my second best method, as long as both seller and buyer have agreed on using the same method.

Rutger

 

[deeb7]

That's one thing that puzzles me.
If the shoulders have been measured (along the back, in a straight line, with jacket zipped up, from centerline of epaulet to centerline of epaulet) then why should one still measure the lenth of the epaulets?

You wouldn't need both measurements, as you realise, you can pretty much work out one, from the other ... if we all measured A-2s like a dress shirt, theoretically you wouldn't need either.

On the other hand, with A-2s there is so much variation to the shape of sleeves, and the way that they're set in, that you can never have too many measurements. I am sure that many potential buyers are put off by a narrow back measurement given for a Dubow, for example ... yet somehow they fit just right.

 

[RCSignals]

Basically no.1 measures a curve in the cut of the sleeve pattern and does not represent the finished length of the sleeve.
Measuring straight down the sleeve from the shoulder point (crown of the shoulder) to the cuff end as in no.2 gives an actual sleeve length.

 

[deeb7]

Basically no.1 measures a curve in the cut of the sleeve pattern and does not represent the finished length of the sleeve.
Measuring straight down the sleeve from the shoulder point (crown of the shoulder) to the cuff end as in no.2 gives an actual sleeve length.

When you take measurements from a jacket being worn, you measure the outside sleeve from the top of the shoulder, down to the cuff. This is what you are trying to replicate when the jacket is placed flat.

To take a straight diagonal line from the top of the shoulder through to the centre of the cuff, and then say this gives an actual sleeve length doesn't seem logical to me.

 

[RCSignals]

Basically no.1 measures a curve in the cut of the sleeve pattern and does not represent the finished length of the sleeve.
Measuring straight down the sleeve from the shoulder point (crown of the shoulder) to the cuff end as in no.2 gives an actual sleeve length.

When you take measurements from a jacket being worn, you measure the outside sleeve from the top of the shoulder, down to the cuff. This is what you are trying to replicate when the jacket is placed flat.

To take a straight diagonal line from the top of the shoulder through to the centre of the cuff, and then say this gives an actual sleeve length doesn't seem logical to me.

It may not seem logical to you but it is realistic. It is the same as measuring the outside sleeve from the top of the shoulder, down to the cuff.
Measuring along the curve of the cut of the sleeve does not replicate that. We see this in the example given in this thread where that method gave an incorrect result for actual fit.

 

[Steve27752]

No 2 is my preferred method.

 

[deeb7]

It may not seem logical to you but it is realistic. It is the same as measuring the outside sleeve from the top of the shoulder, down to the cuff.

If it were the same, the tape measure would finish at the edge of the cuff, not in the middle.

 

[Good Wear Fan]

From Aero Japan site.

 

[RCSignals]

From Aero Japan site.

That shows measuring down the outside of the sleeve, as in no.2. It does not show measuring the curved cut of the back of the sleeve pattern. They've drawn the arms bent but that's deceiving.