New Owner - Question on care/maintenance

[JamesK]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to leather jackets and have a question on maintenance/care. I've been reading older posts and didn't see my exact question answered (but may have missed it), so please excuse me if this has been answered already:

I'd been wanting a leather jacket for years but never found one that really felt like a match. Then about a year ago I walked into a store, and tried one on. It wasn't vintage, but it looked really good on me and was on a massive sale, so I figured why not? Might as well live a little... I have a few questions, highlighted in bold below if you don't want to read through all of this. I've also included links and pictures so you get a sense of what I'm talking about, in case I'm not explaining things well.

1. The jacket is the Rodd and Gunn - Westhaven Jacket (link below). The care instructions say "clean by leather specialist only." I reached out to the company asking how to maintain it between cleanings and they just reiterated to get it cleaned by a leather specialist, which I guess is expected but was hoping for a little more guidance.

Does anyone have experience with this jacket or a similar type? Are there specific types of products you would recommend I use on it between sending it to a leather specialist (ie: leather conditioner, etc)? Is a leather specialist even necessary as long as I maintain it reasonably well?

2. I also splurged on some fancy hanger, wanting to maintain my jacket. I got the Butler Luxury - Tailor Made Coat Hanger (link below). I think I'm starting to see some wrinkles on the shoulders and am worried it's not hanging properly (see below for pics). I saw older posts recommending wrapping a hanger in a pool noodle or tape a towel around it. The hanger is already really thick so I don't know if using a pool noodle/towel would make it too thick or diminish the curve of the hanger? I think a curve on a hanger is what I want but what do I know... and I'm probably just overthinking this...

Are there general hanger rules to follow like making sure it's padded? Do you have any trouble shooting tips? Any and all guidance is much appreciated.

3. I'm embarrassed to show you all, but looking at the other pictures, is the jacket in reasonable quality or am I messing this up? It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it just doesn't seem to be the same quality it was a year ago... Any other general advice on maintenance/prolonging the life is very much appreciated.

Thanks so much for your help. I really do appreciate any and all advice.




Jacket: https://www.roddandgunn.com/us/clot...t/004606-01.html?cgid=jackets-leather#start=1
Hanger: https://www.butlerluxury.com/collec...s/tailor-made-coat-hanger?variant=22935579523

 

[Micawber]

If you are worried then forget the hanger and lay it flat somewhere when not wearing it.

Unless the jacket has developed unpleasant odours or is filthy then why worry. The usual advice here is that leather jackets are better off being worn in all conditions as this allows them to form to your body shape and thus become more comfortable and develop character.

 

[MikeyB-17]

I think you may be a little over protective of your jacket. It looks nice-not the sort of thing this forum is aimed at, but a well-made jacket which probably cost you a few bob, and you’re keen to preserve it. I suspect you may be hoping to keep it just the way you bought it, and this is where we’re not the guys to talk to. We tend to like our leather jackets to develop character and patina, and most of us will spend substantial amounts of money on a new jacket, and then deliberately beat the crap out of it, wearing it hard and generally mistreating it in order to produce the look we favour. The creases in the shoulders of your jacket are indications of the leather beginning to develop just that sort of character-that’s what leather does. Most of us would be pleased to see that in our jackets. Guys rave about grain in leather. Some panels will develop it more than others, that’s natural. In fact, if you wear the jacket, it’s going to do that whether you like it or not-it’s a natural characteristic of leather. I have no idea what a specialist leather cleaner is-I would guess a dry cleaners-but as Steve says, unless it’s absolutely filthy, it doesn’t need it. The wide coat hanger is a good idea, narrow ones will eventually stretch and damage the shoulders. Maybe a very sparing drop of leather dressing if it gets too dried out, but that’s not going to be any time soon.
It’s a nice jacket, so wear it, and relax.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Change the oil in your car-truck a coupla times wearing the jacket. Than take the hanger and put it to good use, and beat the shit out of the jacket.

 

[JamesK]

Thanks everyone, super helpful. Good to know it's doing what it's supposed to. Now I'll do the same and wear it everywhere. Thanks again.

 

[mulceber]

Welcome aboard, James. I agree with everything that's been said above.

As far as hangers go, that one doesn't look bad, but if you're only going to own one leather jacket, then don't even bother hanging it up - just toss it on a chair or lay it on a shelf. Bonus points if it's crumpled up in a pile. Leather jackets only look better with wrinkles. Google some screenshots from Raiders of the Lost Ark if you doubt my claim.

The website for the jacket says it's made of goatskin, which takes a ton of abuse before it starts to show it. I have a goatskin jacket made in 1943 and it only looks like it's about 20 years old. So I don't think you need to baby this one.

I think they include the tag about leather care specialists because they don't want you sending it to a dry cleaners. But I have no idea what a leather care specialist would be. Leather jackets really don't need much care unless they start to smell, and even then, I think most of us would do it ourselves, rather than send it to anyone. The exception is if the jacket gets damaged, but if that happens, we can point you toward small businesses that specialize in leather repair.

 

[B-Man2]

Great advice Jan …. Just wear it and don’t give it a second thought. Guys who wore them for work ( WWII pilots) never did and we all try to make our jackets look like theirs .

 

[Kevin the Devon]

It's a good looking jacket. The advice I have is wipe with a damp cloth (just water) occasionally. After maybe 10 years wipe with a cloth damp with leather conditioner.