My Restored G-1 Came Back

[tda003]

I just received my G-1 flight jacket back from Dena at Great Leather. This is the one I had considered to be irreparably perished. This is what she returned.

 

[B-Man2]

Can I suggest that you post some “before photos “ so we can see the extent of the work that was required to bring it back into this condition? Thanks

 

[tda003]

Can't. I didn't take any. I sent it to Dena before I ever learned about VLJ Forum.

 

[bseal]

Easy fix, what did she do for you?

 

[tda003]

Once I retrieved it (and stopped crying!),I dried it, brushed off most of the the extensive mildew and mold, saddle soaped it dried it, rinsed it and dried it again. I used Woolite on the cuffs and waist band and a dilute bleach on the lining to kill the mold and mildew, low ph shampoo on the collar, then rinsed and dried everything and put news newspaper wrapped in paper towels and let it completely dry. Most of the finish was gone and had been before I went to work on it. I found Great Leather on the net and sent it off. Dena cleaned, dyed and refinished the leather and worked her magic on the mouton which was in surprisingly good shape considering. The result is what you see. The leather is soft and pliable and, to me anyway, it looks great and ready for another 57 years, which is a lot more than I can say for me.
As a note: I absolutely do NOT recommend doing what I did to a jacket, but I figured it was toast anyway.

 

[tda003]

At the risk of sounding maudlin, I get a good feeling when I look at my restored G-1. In a little over a week, on the 10th, I will have had my jacket for 54 years. It looks better now than when it was given to me.

 

[bazelot]

leather looks new now. Maybe she rebuilt the shell with new leather

 

[Grant]

Just curious, other than the leather being refinished, was anything replaced on the jacket (mouton, lining, knits)?

 

[tda003]

All leather and mouton is original to jacket. Cuffs and waistband and a button are from a sacrificial jacket. They aren't new and have minor damage which has been darned. The object was to bring it back to the condition it was in before the damage. Leather was dyed and refinished. Lining was cleaned. I think removed first. It was more than the value of the jacket to anyone but me.
It may be the lining from the sacrificial jacket, but I don't know.

 

[tda003]

As stupid as this may sound, I just said that I wanted it to be and look like it was before the damage. The sacrificial jacket was goat skin, but a later contract with a Dynel collar.

 

[London Cabbie]

Amazing, with history too. Thankyou @tda003

 

[tda003]

Thank you.