Reshaping an A-2 neck (hot water = what not to do)

[Skyranger]

Since I didn't like the collar of my "time worn" A-2 Pearl Harbor walnut, I decided to rework it with boiling water.
I had noted not to use water over 80°C and not for more than ten seconds.
Since I'm the king of doing stupid things (and sometimes writing them too) I decided to soak for 30 seconds for better effect, and of course I butchered the collar...

Fortunately there are serious firms of which ELC is a perfect example, so here is their response to my email calling for help:

Hello Cyrille,

Thanks you for your enquiry.
Yes it would be possible for us to change the collar.We will find as close a colour match for the leather as possible.
A replacement collar would mean that we have to carefully unpick the lining from the collar stand.
So it is of course a piece of time consuming work!
If all goes well the cost of this work would be approximately 200GBP
If you would like to go ahead please make sure that the shipping papers clearly state that the jacket is being returned to
‘COUNTRY OF ORIGIN UK MANUFACTURER’ and list it as a ‘Warranty Return’

Hope that all make sense!

Best regards,


Thanks to Nina and of course I will send my A-2 for repair, and above all don't do like me: don't play the professional when you don't know how to do it!

 

[LV426]

ARGH !!!! If your stupid , then that's the case of 99.9% of human beeings ! Especially the curious ones who wants to improve and makes some "experiences" . That the kind of thing I could have done. I own the same Pear Harbor ( the old issue I think , with the talon zipper , now they have a crown as far I as know ) and I must say that it's stiff leather , much more than the new Air masters for example. The stand-collar is real stuff to get right shape . Thak you for the experience and hope that It will not coast too much , as ELC said you'll just have to pay the repair and the shipping but not TVA again .

 

[Silver Surfer]

by rewetting the collar in Luke warm water, you can reshape it, assuming that it hasn't shrunk

 

[Pilot]

Lost collar…
It shrunk! easy to see even on one photo base…” irrécupérable “ …Hence need full replacement.
Next time please ask pros on how to do it : HWT is less than 30% of the whole procedure..
Sorry for your loss…