Onwards to a better BK

[jeremiah]

Looks great. Art, it wasn’t the sheen that was so much the issue it was the aweful color and feel of the leather. I reckon I remedied it. That one you have there looks great and had the color been better on mine, I probably would have left alone.


On my end I was wanting a BK in that antique russet color. I found a close match in mixing some dyes up and went at it again.
It’s a shade lighter and more russet color now. I like it even more. That and the dye I had used before was not all oil dye like I wanted but now it’s all oil dye and that sticks better and looks and feels better too.

Here is a test I did on an old goat hide satchel I made. Color is more orange on the bag because of the natural base coat of the goat satchel being much lighter.

 

[Skip]

J, reckon you've just done it again. If someone told me that was an original I'd believe 'em. Beats my Werber hands down. Mate you could make a living (almost) out of making brand new repros to look like originals.

 

[Skip]

J, here is that link to DD's Facebook page I was talking about, the process you have done on your jacket looks very similar to how Dave has his jackets made Combat Crew style.

https://www.facebook.com/diamondclo...602047925219/1055602077925216/?type=3&theater

 

[Greg Gale]

Naw, J's jacket looks much more natural to my eyes. DD's are weirdly shiny and faded a bit like mall jeans. I don't like the undertones either. But that's just my 2 cents. Way to go, J!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Naw, J's jacket looks much more natural to my eyes. DD's are weirdly shiny and faded a bit like mall jeans. I don't like the undertones either. But that's just my 2 cents. Way to go, J!

Chalk and cheese, J all the way!

 

[Skip]

Naw, J's jacket looks much more natural to my eyes. DD's are weirdly shiny and faded a bit like mall jeans. I don't like the undertones either. But that's just my 2 cents. Way to go, J!

I agree wholeheartedly. Just saying DD must use a similar technique? J's got it down to a knack so the toning is transitional and looks like real wear

 

[jeremiah]

Thanks guys. I just like experimenting and knew I could get it better. This jacket allows the color to come off really easy using a stripping agent. So, it’s a nice test jacket to try these finishes. All without harming the leather or thread which is why I don’t go hog wild around the seams.
To be fair this jacket still has some of that pigment in places ever so faint which I feel adds to the realism as that’s what would have been left on the factory re dyes. I don’t think they could or would have got every bit of what was on before re dyeing. Course they were usually making a lighter colored jacket darker. What I did was make a darker jacket lighter in color.
I don’t want to present myself as an expert. I have a lot to learn and love learning.

I will say many brain cells suffer each time I use this stuff. The fumes get to ya even in a well ventilated area.

Thanks for your support and encouragement though.

 

[Skip]

yeah sort of know what ya mean by the fumes, although mine's more high octane petrol related. Anything in a strong context can affect you. Remember once I was tuning the carb in the garage, had to take the air filter off to adjust, and you could not only see the fuel being sprayed by the jets but the smell of it as it atomised was quite overpowering. Had both windows and garage door open for cross ventilation, but after half an hour I was as high as a kite and had the biggest headache that lasted all day.

Don't know how mechanics and tanners or anyone that deals with 'chemicals' deal with it day in day out

 

[jeremiah]

Yeah. Hate those headaches. But here is the result. Headache worth it.
Compared to BK’s dubow on their sample jacket page. Obviously the victory hide is a much better leather than this though.
Theirs

Mine

 

[Skip]

J, thats their antique hide, the very same hide as my Werber. Pretty much appeared just before the Victory of your Arco (Aero), BK's idea of a new 'timeworn' whereas yours is weatherd with a 'timeworn' look. After that Victory took a more developed path and over the hides that the tannery produced each one became more filtered to their desired look. I like the early Victory's though. To be honest, you couldn't get a closer match . I rather like both.

 

[tjoenn]

Yeah. Hate those headaches. But here is the result. Headache worth it.
Compared to BK’s dubow on their sample jacket page. Obviously the victory hide is a much better leather than this though.
Theirs
View attachment 9598
Mine
View attachment 9599

BK's may look good after some wear, but as of now, your jacket looks much better in my opinion!

 

[jeremiah]

Finally an overcast day and as close in photo as I can get without modifying color.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

This is without any doubt the best ageing of a leather jacket that I've ever seen, and that's without taking into acount just how shitty it looked before Jeremiah started

 

[Smithy]

Finally an overcast day and as close in photo as I can get without modifying color.
View attachment 9714

Hell's bloody bells! That really is a proper stunner. Beautiful.

 

[jeremiah]

Thanks guys. Wow. That’s some compliments. I need to watch it so it don’t go to my head.

I would love to have said this jacket would get like this one day if I just wore it for 60 years but with that pigment coating the stitches would have rot before the color changed one shade.

And no sanding was done so leather is undamged and is actually better than it was as it breaths now and accepts natural stains to sink in which will only enhance the look the more it’s worn. That pigment was like an armor on it before and maybe that’s how some originals were but it would not stain at all as it was from natural soiling. Very soft and pliable.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I would love to have said this jacket would get like this one day if I just wore it for 60 years but with that pigment coating the stitches would have rot before the color changed one shade.

.

Not a chance in hell, even if you hadn't died of embarrassment after a fortnight

 

[A2 B3au]

This is without any doubt the best ageing of a leather jacket that I've ever seen, and that's without taking into acount just how shitty it looked before Jeremiah started

High praise indeed Nuff said

 

[Lebowski]

Naw, J's jacket looks much more natural to my eyes. DD's are weirdly shiny and faded a bit like mall jeans. I don't like the undertones either. But that's just my 2 cents. Way to go, J!

Absolutely.
Just have thought the same way.
Don't like DD's ones and very like Jeremiah's work. Well done.
I'll just repeat an obvious thing, but... just can't resist to say that again)
Jeremiah's, this your BK after your working on it looks like true original WWII A-2 jacket. Excellent work!

 

[jeremiah]

 

[Lebowski]

Jeremiah, to my taste it now looks even better possibly than fabulous BK Arco made of Victory HH.
I've watched the showed above video with your comments several times)
It seems on the video its leather looks even better than on the photos - more solid and durable, more thick and pliable, more vivid.
If only it would have been in size 42 - I'd send a PM to you then, to discuss any possibility to buy this beauty))
Sir, you really did a huge work on it. You've got really superb jacket finally.
To my taste it's one of the best ever for now. Well done, Sir!